Memorial Hall Has Exhibit On Shiloh
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Confederate Memorial Hall is commemorating the Battle of Shiloh 150th anniversary with “On To Shiloh,” an exhibit that will run through December. It features articles that have been on display elsewhere in the museum, along with many artifacts that have long been in the vault. Combined, they tell of Louisiana’s contribution to the first major battle in the Western Theater. The Confederate command structure is presented in a case depicting the uniform coats and possessions of Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard of St. Bernard Parish and 2nd Corps commander Gen. Braxton Bragg of St. Mary Parish. Beauregard may have been wearing these very articles at 2:30 p.m. on April 6 when he received word that Gen. A.S. Johnston had been killed, leaving him in command of the Army of the Mississippi. The Washington Artillery 5th Company artifacts are displayed in another case. They provided artillery support as part of Gen. Daniel Ruggles’ 60-plus gun line which shelled Federal positions on the first day of battle. Another case displays two uniforms of the Crescent Regiment of New Orleans, along with articles belonging to the soldiers. Orderly Sgt. Charles Horton’s blue militia jacket gives the viewer a sense of how mistaken identity led to many friendly fire accidents early in the Civil War. Two swords that opposed each other are in a display. One belonged to Henry Sherry of the Crescent Regiment who was killed at Shiloh. The other is an unidentified Union sword taken from the Shiloh battlefield, possibly from one of the Union camps the Confederates overran on the first day of battle. Adorning the walls of the Annex, as part of the Shiloh display, are the flags of the Orleans Guard Battalion and the Confederate Response Battalion (Clack’s). They were part of Bragg’s Corps, Daniel Ruggles’ Division, and Randall Lee Gibson’s Brigade. Transcribed letters written by Confederate and Union soldiers describing their feelings before and after the battle are also displayed. This special exhibit is the first of a series that will continue through the Civil War Sesquicentennial. Exhibits on the Lower Mississippi River Valley Campaign with Vicksburg and Port Hudson and the Red River Campaign are planned for 2013 and 2014 respectively. Museum admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children 14 and younger. The museum is open from 10 to 4 Tuesday though Saturday. For additional information call (504) 523-4522, email memhall@aol.com or visit www.confederatemuseum.com.
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