Carried Into War
A Soldier's Life
Realities of War
The Home Front
Facing the Grim Reaper
Breaking the Blockade
The Last Campaigns
An Uncertain Future
Acknowledgments
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The Civil War was a turning point in United States history. It changed the course of the nation and redefined who we are as Americans. Across the landscape, monuments, historical markers, battlefield parks, and cemeteries serve as silent reminders of the sacrifices of those who served in or lived through the war. Although people for generations to come may debate its causes, few can deny the conflict's legacy or lasting impact.
The Civil War continues to hold our imagination. More books are written on the war than on any other topic in American history. Tourism plays a major economic role in communities near Civil War sites. Genealogy has introduced thousands of people to their Civil War ancestors, and membership in heritage organizations such as the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Sons of Union Veterans, and other groups is growing rapidly. Every weekend, thousands of ordinary people from coast to coast don reproduction uniforms or civilian dress and take part in battlefield reenactments and living history programs.
North Carolina and the Civil War explores the service and sacrifice, the experiences in battle and on the home front, of North Carolinians during the conflict. More than 125,000 Tar Heel males, young and old, served the Confederacy. Nearly half of these men were wounded at least once, and more than 40,000 of them died during the war-more than from any other Southern state. In addition, as many as 15,000 white and black North Carolinians served in Federal regiments. The number of survivors who suffered permanent physical or emotional scarring or died prematurely because of their war experiences cannot be known.
Back home, loyalties to the Confederacy or the Union divided many neighbors and communities. As the war progressed, civilians as well as soldiers faced increasing hardships. African Americans in large numbers grasped opportunities to escape the bonds of slavery and fight for their freedom.
This exhibit tells stories of North Carolinians who lived, served, and sacrificed all during the conflict. The museum has taken special care to present the voices of these individuals, as well as the artifacts and images they left behind. We invite you to meet some of your fellow citizens from the past who experienced and endured the American Civil War.
Please click on a section below to learn more.
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