Historians today recount the American Civil War in a number of different lights. Some historians are more sympathetic to the Confederate point of view regarding secession from the Union, while others clearly tell the story of the war from a Northern perspective. The best historians will base their work on fact and solid historical evidence. For the Civil War buff that does not want to rely only on historians to recount the events of the Civil War, it is a worthwhile task to become something of a historian himself or herself. This is done by taking up the collection of Civil War documents.
There are a plethora of war documents left from the Civil War, including bonds, public announcements and diaries and journals. Numerous newspaper articles also exist that tell the story of the Civil War from the perspective of journalists who were living through it (and sometimes actually fighting in the battles themselves). For anyone who is interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the Civil War and expanding beyond the traditional knowledge of the war that is taught in history books, it is essential to begin collecting Civil War documents. Owning and studying these documents will allow the collector to become intimately familiar with the everyday realities of the war and will bring to life the historical stories that have been passed down through generations.
One of the most popular types of Civil War collectibles is the warship replica. The Civil War was played out on both land and water, and boats and warships played a huge role in the course of the war. As such, Civil War warship collectibles are a great way to learn about the maritime battles and to get a feel for what the wartime ships really looked like. Ironclad ships were particularly critical during Civil War battles, and replicas of a number of these ships are available for purchase today. Ships such as the C.S.S. Virginia and the U.S.S. Monitor are available for purchase in a number of stores specializing in Civil War collectibles. These ships will allow collectors to view such intricate details as the canons, rams, and bombs that were part of the boat’s structure.
While the majority of available letters are from infantry soldiers, there are also letters available to collectors that were written by important Army generals. For instance, one seller of Civil War collectibles has an impeccable copy of a letter written by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. The letter portrays the president in a non-political light, showing his softer side and his longing to be with his family. It also provides the collector with the president’s autograph, which is in itself a fantastic collector’s item.
If you’d like to start your vintage Civil War collection with something other than “paper products,” then try finding teapots and kettles. Or, you can amass products such as artwork, calendars, figurines, games, guns, military souvenirs, such as ammunition, clothing, hats, caps, boots, shoes, tags and the like. Finding a unique idea will lead you in search at some amazing places. Be sure, however, that such hobbies are a lifetime pursuit and should be something you’re really passionate about.
Bullets are a Civil War collectible that are to be found in large abundance. After the bloody battles of the Civil War were finished and the wounded and dead soldiers carried away, the battlefields were left deserted except for the bullets that were left cluttered in the fields. Civil War bullets were often collected by the townspeople who lived near the battlefield and kept as a reminder of the dangerous battles. These bullets were then often passed down through generations and many have ended up in Civil War collections and can be purchased. These bullets are interesting, and may give the collector an eerie feeling to know that what he/she is holding was once shot out of a gun on a chaotic battlefield. However, it is just because of that feeling that these bullets are such an important collectors item they truly convey the sense and emotion of the war. The types of guns in which they were shot are used to identify bullets. Some of the more well known are the .69 caliber belonging to a Smoothbore musket and the .55 caliber from the Austrian rifle musket.
For those who wish to gain a better and more experiential understanding of the horrors and critical events and battles which took place during the Civil War, becoming a collector of Civil War memorabilia is an invaluable hobby to take up. Not only is it possible to become familiar with some of the most critical items of the war, such as weapons and bullets, one may also learn more about warships that were used during the war. There are many Civil War collectibles besides the three discussed above these include manuscripts, buttons, and confederate bonds. As one begins a Civil War collection, all of these items will become a part of the individual collection that is created, and each individual item will in turn contribute to increasing the collectors knowledge of the American Civil War.
Tags: Collectibles