Fredericksburg Area Museum Presents "What Remains: Civil War"
Held on the anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg, the program highlights objects that are not on display or tell a different story about the war.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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In the Fredericksburg of 163 years ago this week, residents were not so much preparing for the holidays as they were preparing for war to come to their town.
Thursday marks the anniversary of the start of the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11-15, 1862), and at a special event at the Fredericksburg Area Museum, visitors will be able to see some of “What Remains” from those days.
“What Remains” is a series of programs in which Kylie Thomson, FAM’s curator of collections, brings out objects from the collection that aren’t on display— “or if they are, are telling a different story,” Thomson said.
“We talk about what remains from history,” she said.
“What Remains: Dark History” has been a popular event held around Halloween for two years now, and last year, Thomson presented a Women’s History-themed version of the program.
Thursday’s event is themed for the Civil War, though it may not be for those Civil War buffs who are interested in troop movements and flank attacks, as it focuses largely on the civilian experience.
“The stories I’m going to tell are those that might be lesser known,” Thomson said. “We have some interesting artifacts that you might not think are associated with the Civil War, but the people who had them, for example, played some sort of role. It’s a look [at the war] through Fredericksburg’s eyes.”
Among the dozen featured objects is a small walnut table that appears to be unblemished, but is in fact missing chunks because it was shelled during the battle, Thomson said.
By examining what remains, attendees will also have an opportunity to consider what doesn’t remain. There are stories that don’t get told because things were lost or—as is often the case with enslaved people—were never recorded in the first place.
“We’ll acknowledge why things do not remain and what we can learn from that absence,” Thomson said.
Tickets for “What Remains: Civil War” are available at the museum’s website.
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