Civil War Collectibles: War Documents
Every once in a great while, grandson may dig through grandma’s attic and discover some antique or vintage Civil War artifact. Or, a rummage through the box at the local flee-market brings about an object from the 1860s. Indeed, unless you get lucky, most of the antique Civil War collectibles today are bought and sold at higher prices. Recently, in fact, the terms of surrender for Robert E. Lee just sold for over $500,000 dollars while a confederate flag recently fetched $179,000 dollars. Even if you don’t have this extra cash lying around, you can still buy Civil War relics or newly produced collectibles at decent prices today.
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.
Some of the most captivating Civil War collectibles are Civil War soldiers’ letters. These letters are fascinating and sad items that recount the everyday realities of the war. Many, written by men to their wives, often recount of lonely times in campsites with inadequate food and little shelter. The letters are often heart wrenching, conveying the wish of the soldiers to end the war and go home to their families and loved ones.
Yet another fascinating collectible are guns that were used during the Civil War. The weapons of the Civil War played a huge part in determining the course of the war. Weapons in the 19th century were very different from modern weapons, being much more heavy and firing fewer shots per round than modern guns. By collecting Civil War era guns, collectors will have the chance to truly discover what it feels like to hold these old, hardened guns and to imagine what it must have been like in a Civil War battlefield. The pirate flintlock pistol is one weapon that was extremely popular during the war, and the woodent stock and brass finish that distinguishes many of these pistols today gives an idea of the care that was taken with manufacturing these weapons in the mid-18th century.
Another popular collectible that was used in conjunction with weaponry is the well-known Civil War cavalry bugles. These bugles were critical to the logistical success of battles and were utilized in order to tell the troops when to advance, charge, and withdraw. Cavalry bugles can be found in many stores specializing in Civil War collectibles, and they often have a rusty antique finish.
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 collector’s 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.