NEWS RELEASE
Issued June 27, 2003 For immediate release

Contact: Larry Keener-Farley
Email:
Telephone: 717-260-1861
Website: www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org


Photo and Video Opportunity—Mayor Stephen R. Reed will be at the Museum at 12:00 Noon, June 30, 2003 to meet with the press.

Mayor Opens Special Gettysburg Exhibit

On June 30th, The National Civil War Museum will open a major gallery exhibition to focus on the Gettysburg Campaign and the Defense of Harrisburg during one of the most dramatic, defining moments of the American Civil War.

The exhibition provides some rare glimpses into the overall Gettysburg Campaign, which involved the capture of the nearby towns and villages along the approach to the Pennsylvania state capital. Carlisle and Camp Hill were actually attacked and occupied for a time by Confederate forces whose mission was to attack and seize Harrisburg. The cities of York and Mechanicsburg actually surrendered to the Confederate forces.

Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed was the architect of the museum’s collection. He labored for years in advance of the physical construction of the museum, to acquire the artifacts that are the centerpieces of the only museum in the world to focus on the entire American Civil War. The collection, the storyline and the award winning exhibits bear a unique historical balance, true to the Museum’s claim to national stature and historical impartiality.

During the span of a seven-year quest, the City’s Mayor assembled the bulk of the Museum’s internationally known collection. Within this very special exhibit, are a sword used in action at the battle of Sporting Hill (modern day Hampden Township). There is a large photographic mural of Captain Charles Merrill Ives, and his company of New Yorkers, in defensive bivouac at Camp Hill, displayed with the actual uniform coat he wore that day.

“This is a very special exhibit,” comments Mayor Stephen R. Reed. “This gathering of artifacts underscores the fact that Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was the primary objective of General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania. Assembled here is one of a kind vestige of American’s lessons about themselves. Americans fighting Americans, it was a tragic chapter in our heritage.”

The National Civil War Museum exhibition also brings together some never, or seldom exhibited artifacts from contributing institutions from Pennsylvania and Virginia. The Union League of Philadelphia has loaned the Brigade Headquarters flag of General Alexander S. Webb, a Medal of Honor recipient. The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond Virginia has loaned the Confederate Battle Flag of the 9th Virginia Infantry, captured in the third day’s fighting. And, the State Museum of Pennsylvania has loaned a dramatic original oil painting by Peter R. Rothermel, depicting the fighting at the Devils Den on the second day.

“This exhibition complements the larger exhibit in our permanent galleries. The artifacts now on exhibition are rare, in some cases ghostly treasures. There is a real humanistic quality to what we are offering in exhibition. The artifacts almost speak to you in that same emotional, “come face to face with history” approach that has become the museum’s hallmark,” offered museum CEO George E. Hicks.

The artifacts and the story is methodically arranged to present the local story and the human element. The orphans of Gettysburg, the death of Lancaster native General John Reynolds, the Medal of Honor and presentation sword of Edward L. Gilligan, the muskets of fallen Confederates, and the civilian coat of a local man detailed to bury the dead all give a fresh perspective to the battle to defend Harrisburg.

Recruiting posters, Broadsides and leaflets dramatically emphasize the extreme concern for the welfare of the state capital. “TO ARMS, OUR STATE MUST BE DEFENDED” proclaims one.”$50.00 BOUNTY FOR RECRUITS” reads another.

The very real fear was that Harrisburg might very well fall to the advancing Army of Northern Virginia. If Harrisburg, Pennsylvania had fallen into the hands of the Confederate Army then there would have been a very real threat to the back door approaches to the nation’s capital, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Annapolis.

The “Gettysburg Revisited” exhibit was generously funded by grants from by the Institute for Museum and Library Services by an Act of Congress, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the North American Railway Foundation, the Josiah W. and Betty H. Kline Foundation, and the John Crain Kunkel Foundation.

The National Civil War Museum is open daily from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm and from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 pm on Sundays. More information is available at www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org  or at 717-260-1861. Admission for adults is $7.00, Seniors $6.00 and Students $5.00.