From Paper to Iron: Wisconsin Joins the Civil War, 1861 – 1862
Major funding for this exhibit provided by John E. Wall Family and Demco, Inc.
On Display: July 2, 2011 – September 30, 2012
For Wisconsin, the Civil War began in April 1861 with a single piece of PAPER, a declaration of war from Governor Alexander Randall that assured his state would protect and defend the Union until its last breath. By the end of 1862, Governor Randall's promise manifested itself on the battlefield, as Wisconsin soldiers that began in gray militia coats and hand-me-downs now stood tall in radiant blue frock coats and forage caps, while some, outfitted in ominous black felt hats, became the most feared fighting force in the Union Army.
In just over eighteen months, the men of Wisconsin—farmers, laborers, teachers, and merchants—entrusted with destroying Confederate forces and preserving the Union, were no longer just flesh and blood. They were IRON—strong, unflappable, and soon to be unstoppable. This exhibit is their story, how Wisconsin's soldiers trained for, fought in, and eventually won the Civil War, from PAPER TO IRON.
Watch
Curator's Diary with Jeff Kollath to get a behind-the-scenes look of the new exhibit.
