Granby, CT in the Civil War - Special Exhibit 2011
by Carol Laun
Photos of Civil War soldiers, letters, diaries and other documents are on display in the Preservation Barn of the in Granby. Nearly 150 young men of Granby marched off to the War and about a third of them died as a result of wounds or disease.
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Many of Granby’s young men enlisted in the 16th Connecticut Volunteers and they sent a group photo back to their hometown. Newspaper clippings tell about the draft, about the 16th leaving Hartford and about Col. Richard E. Holcomb shooting a soldier who would not obey orders. A sermon describes the death of 17 year old Roswell Allen from disease.
There are several letters about the war on exhibit, along with typed transcriptions. Col. Holcomb told his wife about the first Battle of Bull Run or Manassas and Richard Henry Lee described the Fredericksburg fight to his cousin Starr Holcomb.
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The 16th Regiment was captured in 1864 at Plymouth, NC and the prisoners were sent to that camp of death in Georgia – Andersonville Prison. Some poignant excerpts from the diary of Leland Barlow describe his life and death in the prison. The diary entries are also transcribed.
A replica of the Fort Sumter flag is part of the display. The usual Stars and Stripes flag had been damaged earlier, so during the bombardment, Fort Sumter flew their “Storm Flag.” It was later taken to New York City and other large cities in the North and auctioned off to raise money for the war. Huge crowds gathered to see this tattered flag and after the auction, the winner donated the flag for another auction somewhere else.
Some Civil War veteran’s medals are shown on a table along with several books featuring original Civil War photographs.
There is also a permanent Civil War exhibit in the Barn with memorabilia from Col. R. E. Holcomb of Granby. It includes a photograph of the rare LA Secession Flag which was given to Col. Holcomb by his former CT Regiment. Only four of these 1861 flags have survived and the Salmon Brook Historical owns the flag shown in the photo.
The Salmon Brook Historical Society is located on Rt. 10-202 in Granby, across from Salmon Brook Park. It is open June through September on Sunday from 2 to 4 pm, closed July 3. Admission is $4, members free.
