The personal objects left behind by the Civil War soldier are small windows which allow us to get a brief glimpse into the most momentous part of his life. When I came across an item to use in this book — what we might consider today as trivial — I tried to figure out why it was so important to him. In today’s “world of disposable goods”, who would take the time to meticulously inscribe their name or initials in such an inanimate object as a razor or soap dish? We may think it was done to prove ownership, maybe it could identify him if killed or wounded, or maybe it was just out of boredom. Some of these scenarios might be true, but I think it was much more than that. He knew the war would be scrupulously studied by future generations. Many of these veterans carefully packed away their menial possessions as a personal time capsule, hoping that someone in the future would find them and if only for a brief moment, remember their small part in American History.
