Military

Frank Brownell's Medal of Honor

The Museum's superb military collections document the history of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. The collections include ordnance, firearms, and swords; uniforms and insignia; national and military flags and banners; and many other objects.

The strength of the collections lies in their enormous depth. Some 3,000 military small arms and 2,400 civilian firearms document the mechanical and technological history of the infantryman's weapons from the beginning of the gunpowder era to the present. Among the 4,000 swords and knives in the collection are many spectacular presentation pieces. The collections also include Civil War era telegraph equipment, home front artifacts from both world wars, early computers such as ENIAC, Whirlwind, and Sage, and materials carried at antiwar demonstrations.

Resource Type: Coats (garments)

Model 1885

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1884 - 1885
used date
1885 - 1902
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80777W09
accession number
64127

Model 1902

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1902 -
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80780W07
accession number
64127

Model 1902

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1902 -
associated person
Wood, Leonard
maker
Hatfield & Sons
ID Number
AF.36006
catalog number
36006
accession number
105588

Model 1880

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1880 - 1902
ID Number
2007.0069.41
catalog number
2007.0069.41
accession number
2007.0069

Model 1857

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1857
ID Number
AF.25012
catalog number
25012
accession number
64127

Major General George McClellan's Coat Worn at Antietam

Physical DescriptionBlue wool frock coat, non-regulation.The buttons in groups of three signal his rank as major general.General HistoryGeneral Robert E. Lee’s first invasion of the North culminated in the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single-day battle in American history.
Description
Physical Description
Blue wool frock coat, non-regulation.
The buttons in groups of three signal his rank as major general.
General History
General Robert E. Lee’s first invasion of the North culminated in the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. More soldiers were killed or wounded at Antietam than all the American dead in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Spanish-American War combined. On September 17, 1862, General Robert E. Lee and 30,000 Confederate troops faced Major General George McClellan and 60,000 Union troops. It should have been a clear victory for McClellan, especially since his army had captured Lee’s Special Orders No. 191, which directed Stonewall Jackson to march on Harpers Ferry. McClellan failed to use this information wisely, choosing instead to remain cautious. Jackson took Harpers Ferry and moved his 45,000 troops on to Antietam to reinforce Lee’s troops. McClellan was recalled to Washington and was relieved of his command.
wearer
McClellan, George B.
ID Number
AF.17433
catalog number
17433
accession number
61384

Model 1885

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1885 - 1887
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80777W23
accession number
64127

Model 1912

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1912 - 1921
maker
Kahn Tailoring Co.
ID Number
AF.73936M [dup1]
catalog number
73936M
accession number
288877

Model 1885

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1885 - 1902
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80777W15
accession number
64127

Model 1902

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1902 -
wearer
King, Walter J.
ID Number
AF.72139M
catalog number
72139M
accession number
281239

Model 1857

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1857
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80767W04
accession number
64127

Confederate Army Infantry Major’s Frock Coat, Model 1861

This frock coat would have been worn by a Major in the Confederate Army Infantry.
Description
This frock coat would have been worn by a Major in the Confederate Army Infantry. Double breasted gray heathered wool frock coat with two rows of seven large gilt staff-type buttons down the front, two at the back waist, one at the bottom of each pocket opening on the rear skirt, and three small general service eagle buttons on each cuff. The breast and back waist have Virginia State buttons, which depict a spartan-like figure, eleven stars, and a banner with the text, "Semper Tyrannus." The back pocket buttons and small cuff buttons are general service eagle buttons. The left bottom breast button is missing. Both sides of the jacket have button holes. There is a hook and eye closure at the collar. The collar and cuffs are faced with infantry branch blue wool, and the facing on the cuffs forms a an inverted "V". Above the cuff there are a Major's three row of 1/8" gold braided metallic lace woven into an arabesque. The gold tape also lines the cuff. The collar has a single large gold star on each side which are woven onto the collar facing with thick metallic thread on a star-shaped field of black wool. There is a small vertical slit pocket on the left inside front inside. The coat is fully lined. The buttonhole flaps and front of the skirt, and front of the coat are piped with blue wool. The collar is lined with brown velvet, which was once quilted, and the rest of the coat is lined with a light brown material. The sleeves are fully lined with dark cream cotton. The chest, shoulder, and lower back sides are lightly padded and were once quilted. There is a slit breast pocket on the inside left. There is a deep pocket in each coattail that opens from the outside. There are some scattered patches on the outside with similarly colored fabric.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1861 - 1865
ID Number
AF.U-017
catalog number
U-017
accession number
1980.0399
catalog number
1980.0399.0930

Model 1851

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1851
ID Number
AF.22756
catalog number
22756
accession number
64127

Model 1902

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1902 -
ID Number
AF.40443
catalog number
40443
accession number
142569

Model 1885

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1996
1886
used date
1885 - 1902
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80777W07
accession number
64127

Model 1906

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1906 -
ID Number
AF.74123M
catalog number
74123M
designer number
850

Model 1851

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1851
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80767W00
accession number
64127

Model 1885

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
1885 -
user
Hancock, Winfield Scott
ID Number
AF.37228
catalog number
37228
accession number
115588

Model 1902

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated dates
1902
wearer
Gallagher, Michael F.
ID Number
1989.0167.03
catalog number
1989.0167.03
accession number
1989.0167

Model 1857

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1857
ID Number
AF.22789
catalog number
22789
accession number
64127

Model 1832

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1835 - 1850
1832
ID Number
1981.0541.01
accession number
1981.0541
catalog number
1981.0541.01

Model 1857

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AF.22807 [dup1]
catalog number
22807
accession number
64127

Model 1857

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1857
Associated Name
U.S. War Department
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80759W08
accession number
64127

Model 1921

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1921 - 1924
user
Peabody, Howard B.
ID Number
1980.0343.28
accession number
1980.0343
catalog number
1980.0343.28

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