Teaching the Civil War with Technology

As you know, I love looking at Civil War era photographs and I have discussed the site Virtual Civil War before.  Mike Lynaugh is a professional photographer who has created a collection of photographs of Civil War battlefields and reenactments know as Virtual Civil War.

And on this the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, I’d like to share one of my favorite collections.  Mike’s Gettysburg Gallery contains some incredible photographs of the battlefield as it looks today. What a great way for you to tour the battlefield with your students. Or art teachers can use the photographs to discuss some of the techniques the Mike uses to create these terrific photographs.

Here are two of my favorites:

This is a close up of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (PVI) monument on Oak Ridge. This is Sallie Ann Jarrett, the mascot of the the 11th PVI who was present at Gettysburg and got left behind when the 11th fell back through the town. Sallie stayed on the field, behind enemy lives with the dead and wounded of the 11th. More on her for another post.

My other favorite is this one of an extreme close up of the Virginia Monument showing the details that go into creating such a magnificent monument.
Be sure to check out Mike’s other galleries such as Antietam, Harper’s Ferry and Manassas.

PS: I also have a special photo of the 11th PVI monument as my desktop wallpaper.

Posted under Websites

The Gettysburg Discussion Group (GDG) has some great articles on the opening day of the Battle of Gettysburg. I’m particularly fond of the discussion on the area known as Oak Ridge because the 11th PVI and Sallie their mascot fought there before retreating through town to the safety of Cemetery Hill.

Check out the GDG discussion on day one at : http://www.gdg.org/Research/Authored%20Items/july1.html

Posted under Websites

Ever read stories of how Civil War soldiers and color bearers would defend their regimental flags at all costs. Stories of heroism and bravery that is beyond belief because these color bearers knew that they were the target for enemy fire. Tales of men tearing up a flag and hiding it in their coats to avoid it being captured to 5 or 6 color bearers being killed in a single battle. There are monuments these brave men on Civil War battlefields across the US.

Now you can view the flags of Civil War unit from Pennsylvania thanks to the Pennsylvania state archives. The Pennsylvania Civil War Flag Collection website allows you to search for individual unit flags, flags by unit type or even by the type of flag.

National flags were American flags usually with the unit name painted on one of the strips. The American flag went from having 33 stars in 1859 to 36 stars in 1865.  Do you know which states were added to the Union during the Civil War? State flags were the state flags of Pennsylvania again with the unit designation painted or sewn into the material or an American flag with the Pennsylvania state seal painted into the canton.

Some of my favorites are the 11^th PVI and 83^rd PVI flags.

Here is the 11^th PVI’s national color which was given to them by the ladies of Martinsburg, Virginia (now W. Virginia) in 1861.

Integration ideas:

First have your students read some of the Battlefield Flag Stories and the Role of Flags in Battle.  Next, have your students look at the different types of flags and search for different units then ask questions like:

• Which ones are your favorites?
• Why is it your favorite?
• Why do you think some are in better condition than others?
• Why do you think soldier’s put the names of battles they fought in on their flags?
• Would you want to be a flag bearer for your unit?  Why or why not?

Until next time…

Posted under Primary Sources