The document summarizes the author's visit to the Frazier Art Museum's Civil War exhibit. The exhibit contained many artifacts from the war, including weapons, clothing, letters, and family photos. It also provided information about how the war impacted states like Kentucky and tore families apart. The author learned that the South was greatly outnumbered and under-equipped in their fight against the North. Visiting the exhibit gave the author a new appreciation for the devastation of the Civil War and how important it is to continue teaching future generations about its impact and lessons.

1. Daniel Wells
November, 2011
Civil War Exhibit
When I first arrived at the Frazier Art Museum, I was amazed at the size of the
building both inside and out. After entering the museum, I had to request a map. The
map helped me more easily locate the area that my friend and I needed to visit in order
to prepare for our Civil War papers. The museum had a great deal of information about
the Civil War and how this war affected both the country of America and its people. It
also contained many war artifacts that were kept in a rather good condition. Not only
letters from leaders of that time, but the weapons and clothing of soldiers from both the
Confederate and the Union armies were nicely displayed and clearly categorized for
study.
One of the states that was greatly affected by the Civil War was the state of
Kentucky. When reading all of the information, I came across a lot about how Kentucky
was torn between staying with the Union or seceding to the south due to the different
political standings. It was also astounding how the Civil War could sadly tear apart
families and friends in the blink of an eye because many people thought that their
beliefs would be better put onto others to unite the country.
In the museum, I saw a few exhibits that had family photos, and they had
separate pictures of the family members dressed in different military outfits from either
the Union or the Confederacy. As I gave it thought, I wondered how people felt about
the fact that at any moment they could be facing down a family member in battle. I feel
that the psychological toll would severely affect the soldiers moral and their feelings
about the war. I still am unable to comprehend how people could think that fighting one
another would solve any of the problems that were occurring at the time. This could truly
be considered one of the darker times in America’s relatively short but grueling history
due to the outstanding fact that this was a war where hatred often transcended the love
of families and destroyed many valuable family connections that could never be
repaired.
Not only did the Civil War separate families from their loved ones, but this war
also produced death tolls during its many battles that were massive. When first
calculated, these death tolls were thought to be around six hundred and thirty thousand
souls. These numbers have now grown due to a new census study that has raised the
currently accepted death toll number from six hundred and thirty thousand to over seven
hundred thousand.
While continuing to look through the Civil War artifacts on display, I looked at
documents and the descriptions behind varying pictures and cases and noticed how
outnumbered and under-equipped that the south was when fighting this war. With many
more states and families siding with the cause of the north than that of the cause of the
south, they were put at a great disadvantage. In some cases, I realized that the
weapons that they had created looked almost like their Union counterparts; however,
they were made of different materials and made by people with very little experience in
creating quality weapons. This interested me greatly as I considered how much
ingenuity the south truly had. They must have needed to be “quick on their feet”
constantly adjusting their weaponry and fighting strategies to make up for their lack of
quality equipment compared to that of the north.

2. As I continued to study the Civil War materials, artifacts, and letters in the
museum, I also began to consider how it must have been for President Abraham
Lincoln to have declared war on the south. He knew that many people would die over
the cause to end slavery, but he felt so strongly about the right of all people to have
freedom that the cause outweighed the cost, in his mind. As president, he did not know
that the Union would definitively win the battle, nor could he truly have realized the
horrible devastation that this war would have on the American people. Making a
decision like this must have been the hardest decision of his lifetime.
Abraham Lincoln also created many enemies in the process of making the
decision to go to war with the south. Some of these enemies ultimately ended President
Lincoln’s life. I’m sure that he knew this threat to his life was very probable as he
weighed out the decision to go to war. But, in June of 1858 while giving his acceptance
speech for his nomination for Illinois U.S. Senator, Abraham Lincoln clearly stated his
understanding that “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” These words are a
standard of freedom that we as Americans should never forget.
After visiting the Frazier Art Museum, I have to say that I was very impressed by
the amount of detail and showcases that it had with regard to the Civil War. Visiting this
museum was a very enjoyable experience, and I learned a lot about the Civil War.
Impacting me the most was the realization of the total devastation and hardship that the
Civil War had on the people and many families of the United States. Family structures
of Kentucky and many other border states were adversely affected. I have family
members that are from Kentucky that very well may have been torn apart by the events
of the Civil War.
Although many of the artifacts, letters, and events that I have seen and read
about were a part of darker times in American history, I still believe that the Civil War
was a very important part of our American heritage that cannot be forgotten. This war
and the reasons that it was fought must continue to be taught to our children and our
grandchildren. Future generations must always remember the valuable lessons that
were at the heart of the Civil War. There must be equality and liberty for all. These
inalienable rights must respected and honored at all cost. Otherwise, we as a country
are doomed to repeat the same fate. Ultimately, people will fight for these rights…and
be willing to die for them.