GDG- Family to get credit for Civil War artifacts

[Margaret D. Blough]

No one is advocating turning the Rosensteels into non-persons, but the story of the park and the museum is one in which many people played critical roles, including others who donated or provided the funding for purchases of other parts of the collection or preservation of the battlefield, and the Rosensteels have their place in that story whether or not the plaques ever existed.  The planned placement of the plaques is directly connected with the collections and acknowledges the Rosensteels' critical role regarding the collection rather than placing the plaque in such a way as to appear to give them credit for the existence of the new museum/visitors center that they did everything in their power to prevent from happening.

>>The idea of picking up relics from a battlefield in my front yard left an indelible impression on me that I still think of when I look at  those artifacts. <<

Timing is everything on that one.  In 1863, including when people were helping in burying the battle dead, and presumably up until the end of hostilities, the US government considered it to be looting and theft of federal property and the men stationed in Gettysburg under acting Provost Marshal Capt. W. Willard Smith took action at his directions to prevent it, recover what had already been taken, including searching local houses (leading to locals christening them the "Forty Thieves" and punishing those caught in the act.  I feel sympathy for the farmers who had lost everything or nearly everything in the battle and were trying to recoup their losses but there were many with less laudable motives. Greg Coco has a great deal on this aspect of the battle aftermath in a "Strange and Blighted Land" including the story of a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice who was caught "collecting" on the battlefield by the Provost Marshal's men. When he copped an attitude with them,  they forceabl
y assigned him on the spot to burying horses as punishment.

Of course, in modern times, the status of relics remaining on federally owned land is governed  by statute.


Regards,

Margaret

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Dennis Lawrence <denlaw at fone.net> 

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> At 05:58 AM 10/22/2007, you wrote: 
> >Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> > 
> > 
> >I personally am very interested in the provenance of materials I see in 
> >museums. 
> 
> 
> Hello, 
> 
> I think this is the bottom line. A historic has to know the provenance 
> of any article. Regardless of lawsuits or what is appropriate and not 
> appropriate, the visitor needs to know the entire story. It is a unique 
> story. And one that fascinated me when I first visited their as a 
> child. The idea of picking up relics from a battlefield in my front yard 
> left an indelible impression on me that I still think of when I look at 
> those artifacts. 
> 
> Take Care 
> 
> Dennis 
> 
> 
> 
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