Combat

 Continuing on where I left off yesterday, more of this exhibit on Canada and the Civil War.

This profiles three men who went south and fought in that war.

Edward Doherty signed up as a private at the outset of the war, fought in numerous battles in the eastern theatre, and was transferred to the cavalry as an officer. At the end of the war, he led the troop of cavalry who hunted down assassin John Wilkes Booth and his accomplice David Herold.

Charles Bilodeau enlisted in the 52nd Pennsylvania in the fall of 1861, seeing combat in the Peninsula campaign, and nearly died of disease.

Alonzo Wolverton and his three brothers went south and joined the Union army as teamsters. Alonzo stayed on to the end.

The images projected on the walls, combined with the period music and the sound effects of battle, made for an effective experience.

This is the standard Union private's coat, cap, shoes, and cartridge box.

How many Canadians went south, violating the neutrality status Britain had insisted on? There were somewhere between 33 000 to 55 000, the vast majority for the Union cause.

A display panel allows the visitor to look at some of those who got involved.

George Ellsworth, born and raised in Canada, was working in Tennessee at the outset of war as a telegraph operator. He got pulled into the Confederate cavalry by John Hunt Morgan.

Alexander Augusta had been born among a free black family in Virginia but went to Canada to study medicine. He offered his services as a doctor to the Union, and by the end of the war was a lieutenant colonel.

Torontonian Samuel Robinson was enlisted as a private into the 54th Massachusetts only to be transferred to the 55th Massachusetts. He was made a sergeant major but demoted after complaining about racism in the Union Army.

Remi Tremblay came from Quebec to Rhode Island, lied about his age, and fought in horrendous battles like the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor before being taken prisoner. He survived the war and returned to Canada after the war.