H I S T O R I A N - State Historical Society of Iowa

In Memoriam: The Grand Army of the Republic in IowaNovember 11, 2001–May 2003State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des MoinesAn exhibit about Iowa’s leading Civil War veterans organization.It features memorabilia from the 19th and 20thcenturies including banners, badges, flags, military equipmentand paintings and prints. The exhibit will includematerials from the GAR auxiliary, the Women’s Relief Corps.Neat Pieces: The Furniture of Marsden KeyesNovember 16, 2001–March 31, 2002State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des MoinesA display of pieces of furniture created by Marsden Keyes,a carpenter and cabinetmaker from Mt. Vernon ,c. 1860–1890.CALENDAR OF EVENTSFor the most current events listing, please visitwww.iowahistory.org or call (515) 281-4011.Sunday Afternoon Lecture SeriesSunday, November 18, 2 p.m. FREEWestern Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave.,Council BluffsHosted by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County. Call (712)366-5080 for information.Montauk Holiday Open HouseSunday, December 9, 1–4 p.m. FREEMontauk, Home of Governor William Larrabee, ClermontThe home is decorated in the typical 19th century style of theLarrabee family, simply done with festive outdoor greenery. Therewill be entertainment, caroling, refreshments and horse and wagonrides around the house and grounds. Call (319) 423-7173 forinformation.from page 3tional experience, but it was also an individual experience.”The battle flags were the symbol of pride of any companyand often served the purpose of guiding the men into battle.Sometimes the smoke would become so thick that if a soldierlost site of his company’s flag, he could become disorientedand wander into enemy territory, Johnson said. It was also anhonor to carry the flag, and it was common for several men tobe killed while trying to carry the same flag, Johnson said.Three battle flags will be featured in the exhibit. The firstbattle flag is from Company E, 31st Iowa Infantry and was sewnby women of the community with their names stitched intosome of the stars.“This shows the culture of family and town involvement,”Johnson said.Iowa HistorianCivil War battle flags a symbol of pridefrom page 3The collection of Civil War papers obtained by SHSI specialcollections, though not part of the upcoming exhibit Honorthe Colors: Iowa’s Civil War Battle Flags,rounds out thestory of Iowans who served and gives a first-hand and sometimeseerie portrayal of the conditions of war.“(Bradway) is very descriptive, very graphic about thewounds, the diseases they suffered, the poor conditions,”said Becki Plunkett, special collections archivist.Another man, Capt. Robert Stitt, Company F, 4th Iowa Infantry,was adamant about keeping his post, while his wife athome faithfully wrote letters to him begging him to comehome.“It’s always good to get the perspective of those left behind,”Plunkett said. “It shows the emotional turmoil thatfamilies faced.”The second is a captured Confederate flag from the 31st Alabamaemblazoned with the words, “God and Our Native Land.” It will be thefirst time Iowa has displayed a captured Confederate flag in 40 years.“It shows they felt God was on their side and the land they wereprotecting was their own,” Johnson said.The third battle flag is from Company C of the 19th Iowa and is beingshown specifically for the extensive conservation work that has goneinto preserving it.Also on display will be “souvenirs,” or patches of flags that were cutfrom the larger flag by soldiers to take home. These were often stars orsignificant symbols contained on each flag.For updates, photos and general information on Honor the Colors:Iowa Civil War Battle Flags, visit www.iowaflags.org.Journals relay emotional turmoil of warOthers, like Samuel C. Jones, Company A, 22nd Iowa Infantry, wroteemotional poems about battles, his time in prison and even Confederatebattle flags.“It’s a different way to hear the experiences related,” Plunkett said.Most items in Special Collections have been donated to the HistoricalSociety and all have some connection to Iowa, she added.“That’s one of the criteria for collecting; we try to keep it Iowa focused.”Library hours of reference and retrieval are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesdaythrough Saturday. The state archives, photograph, and manuscriptcollections are closed Saturdays, unless arrangements are made in advance.Arrangements can be made to use archival material on Saturdaysby requesting the needed material from an archives staff memberprior to noon on the preceding Friday. Partial listings of the manuscriptcollections can be found at www.iowahistory.org.7November/December 2001