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Permanent Exhibitions

Forging a Nation

The Civil War and Reconstruction image

The Civil War and Reconstruction

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Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1870)

The Civil War and Reconstruction were monumental times of conflict and change for the people of Tennessee. Featured artifacts and stories in this exhibit document a period that forced Tennesseans to take sides and make sacrifices. Visitors will learn how Tennesseans determined to secede from the Union and how the state remained divided on the issue throughout the war. The major battles and personalities are featured including the experiences of common soldiers. African Americans are highlighted as they seek their own freedom, and some eventually fight for the Union. Finally, Tennesseans struggled to find a place in a world without slavery during the era of Reconstruction.

Supporting documents:

Flag of the 154th Senior Tennessee Infantry, C.S.A. (Tennessee State Museum collection, 2016.86.1.1)

Letter sewn into Flag of the 154th Senior Tennessee Infantry, C.S.A. (Tennessee State Museum collection, 2016.86.1.1)

The introduction to the Civil War and Reconstruction gallery features exhibits related to John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

East Tennessee was the pro-Union and was finally liberated by Union troops in September 1863.

The dress displayed here was made Keziah Whiteside Burcham in 1856.

A six-minute introduction film acquaints visitors with the Civil War in Tennessee.

This 12-pounder brass Napoleon cannon was used by John Morton’s artillery battery of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry command.

The Union soldier in the central diorama has his equipment laid out and his tent set up in a camp scene.

Adam Watkins and his wife, Hannah are featured in the exhibit, he joined the United States Colored Troops in 1863.

Tennessee one of the most politically divided states in the country at the time.

Tennessee Senator Andrew Johnson was a staunch Unionist and became the first military governor of Tennessee.

The home front was an integral part of the war effort for both sides.

Sarah Childress Polk resided in Nashville, at Polk Place, throughout the Union occupation of the city.

Felix Zollicoffer was the first Confederate general officer to be killed in January 1862.

East Tennessee was the pro-Union portion of the state and was finally liberated by Union troops in 1863.

A prominent feature of the exhibit is how average Tennesseans coped with war and military occupation of large portions of the state.

Featured in the occupation section is a photograph of Medora Carter Stevens, who was a Confederate sympathizer.

Tennessee was divided by the Civil War causing portions of the state to descend into lawlessness.

A portion of the exhibit details the political rise of Andrew Johnson to vice-president under Abraham Lincoln.

The large graphic seen here features Union general Joseph Hooker during the occupation of Chattanooga in 1863.

This campaign flag was used in the 1864 re-election campaign of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.

The central exhibit features major battles that took place in Tennessee, while smaller galleries focus on Tennesseans at war.

Tennesseans of all races and political backgrounds struggled with rebuilding the state in the face of renewed violence.

Civil War veterans dealt with all kinds of lingering issues from wounds and disabilities suffered during the war.

The main gallery section contains stand up displays featuring the faces of Civil War soldiers from Tennessee.

Major battles that took place in Tennessee are featured in exhibits like this, covering the battles of Franklin and Nashville.

The battle of Franklin display case features the uniform frock coat of Confederate general Otho Strahl.

Centrally located within the exhibit is a large diorama featuring camp and uniform equipment of Union and Confederate soldiers.

The central diorama contains a 12-pounder Napoleon cannon used by John Morton’s artillery battery.

Large overhead projectors present the weather conditions of various battles in Tennessee.

Interactive tables allow visitors to experience the war throughout all 95 counties in the state.

Tennessee was significant as a transportation and manufacturing hub at the beginning of the war.

The Civil War did not end in Tennessee with a formal surrender of armies.

Immediately following the end of the Civil War the Ku Klux Klan was created in Pulaski, Tennessee.

The politics of Reconstruction and the rebuilding of the state dominated the years following the close of hostilities.

 

 

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