The Stamford Historical Society Presents
Stamford's
Civil War: At Home and in the Field
a 2003 Exhibit and more
Virtual Tour: The Hallway
This Civil War Exhibit aims to reexamine the national conflict through the lens of local history. It opens with an introductory panel on the right side of the hallway.
The centerpiece
of the hallway display is a 34 Star Flag, hand sewn
of wool and silk with a striking arrangement of appliqued stars in a
star shape, of unknown provenance.
The national flag with 34 stars first served under fire July 21, 1861
at the first Battle of Bull Run. It was not until 1912 that official
specifications
of design in the stars and stripes were established.
Maps and regimental
histories explain the involvement of the Stamford soldiers and the
battles they fought. A group of photos of Citizens Soldiers, on loan from a collector, introduces the many faces of the Union soldier.
A panel lists the Stamford
Irish Volunteers. Information on the 29th (Colored) Regiment can be
found in the Halliday Gallery.
An
oil on canvas painting is a poignant contrast, whose tranquil landscape bespeaks
the quiet beauty of the rural and small town Stamford the soldiers left behind, Dumpling
Mill Pond, Stamford, Connecticut by A.C. Howland (1838-1909), who
was a well known American artist and member of the National Academy of Design
in New York City. The pond was on
the Mianus River in the Stillwater-Roxbury area. Evidence of one of the mills
owned from 1835-1872 by Theodore and John Davenport is in the background.
A book of poems by Charles
Henry Crandall, a North Stamford resident, lays open at a patriotic
Civil War song Lincoln's Boys, which was performed
to the patriotic tune Marching
through Georgia at a pageant in the Stamford Theatre.
The Homefront is
introduced with a detailed Civil War Timeline for Stamford
and photos of prominent Stamford citizens who
were instrumental in the raising "of
men and means for the war," securing pledges and donations, recruiting
troops, and generally keeping the homefront actively involved.
The photos shown here
come from the rare book Picturesque Stamford 1641
- 1892: A Souvenir, by Edward T.
W. Gillespie, 1892. A narrative
history of the Civil War era from
this book (Chapter XII) has been reproduced on our website: Stamford
and the Civil War.
War bonds
and other related items are displayed also.
The Halliday
Gallery displays an abundance of Civil War related items, mostly from the
Society's extensive holdings, which we are pleased to show off to the public!
The Halliday Gallery I
The Halliday Gallery II
The Halliday Gallery III
Introduction to the Exhibit