Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Frank E. Brownell, private, Company A, 11th New York Infantry. On May 24, 1861, Brownell killed John Marshall, the murderer of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth.

These two minie balls from opposing sides met head-on during fierce fighting at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, in December 1862.

Beginning eight days after the first shots of the American Civil War were fired and three days before his wedding, William Steinway’s remarkable diary bears witness to one of the most dynamic periods in American history. This website examines the life of William Steinway and the display of his

The Battle of Gettysburg was a critical turning point in the American Civil War. During the first three days of July 1863, over 172,000 men and 634 cannons were positioned in an area encompassing 25 square miles.

Civil War battle rattle used on smaller ships to call all hands to battle stations.

Uniform and hat of soldiers of the 1st Regiment of U.S. Sharpshooters, better known as Berdan's Sharpshooters. Mustered in 1861, this unit was commanded by Colonel Hiram Berdan.

The Colt Model 1860 army revolver was manufactured from 1860 through 1873. The total production consisted of more than 200,000. The six-shot, .44-caliber revolver was the primary handgun used by Union troops during the Civil War because of its reliability.

During the Civil War, the Bowie knife was popular with Confederate soldiers, whose arms generally were inferior. The blade, made of steel, was up to 14 inches long. In general, the bowie is usually classified as any large knife with a chipped point.

This is the type of jacket that would have been worn by a Confederate medical officer.

In 1855 Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was instrumental in the creation of two regiments of cavalry. It was recommended that the cavalry have a distinctive hat; it is sometimes called the Jeff Davis hat. It also was referred to as the Hardee hat, after William Joseph Hardee, an officer of the 2