Motts Military Museum Exhibit: Civil War

Jefferson Davis served in congress and as Secretary of War for four years. He was the leading southern spokesman for the expansion of slavery and sovereignty of the states. In January 1861, Senator Jefferson Davis resigned his Senate seat after making a speech advocating the right of the states to secede from the Union. On February 18, 1861, he was inaugurated as President of the Confederacy. By this time, six states had already left the Union; South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. Texas soon followed.

The actions of Jefferson Davis, the Inauguration of President Lincoln, and the shots fired at Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the Civil War, April 12, 1861.

The Civil War did not end until April 9, 1865. More than 620,000 American lives were lost.

The Motts Military Museum contains an extensive Civil War collection with many one-of-a-kind items. The Museum also exhibits one of the finest Civil War Medical Collections in the country.

This Colt, 44 Cal. Army Revolver was manufactured in 1860. It was given to our Museum by Korean War, POW, survivor, Carl Cossin. It was used in the Civil War by one of his relatives.

This company Guidon is from the 17th Pennsylvania Calvary (very rare). During the Gettysburg Campaign (Pickett's Charge), Companies D & H were detached as Fifth Corps headquarters guards. This guidon was found on the battlefield by a civilian

Maj. Thomas Henry wore this Union Coat during the Civil War. He was in the 140th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry at Gettysburg, PA., 1863.

A bullet lodged in a piece of wood from Culp’s Hill at Gettysburg

Identification tags worn by Union soldiers during the Civil War

Two Civil War bullets that collided in mid-air

Civil War surgical kit The saws in this kit were used to perform amputations