Military - Overview
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.
"Military - Overview" showing 6 items.
Baldwin Locomotives
- Description
- Highly detailed graphite sketch. A bridge frames the top portion of the drawing. Underneath this bridge are several locomotives and many men working in what appears to be a rail yard. On the other side of the bridge, in the background, are buildings. People on the bridge are looking down at the locomotives. The sketch is on beige wove paper mounted on beige card, which has decorative ruled graphite lines.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-07-26
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- maker
- Duncan, Walter Jack
- ID Number
- AF*25690
- catalog number
- 25690
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Locomotive Repair Shop, Nevers
- Description
- Charcoal sketch on brown paper. The work depicts the interior of a locomotive repair shop in Nevers, France during World War I. The shop is in a large, arch-roofed building lit by a large arched window at the rear. Men are working among locomotives and equipment.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1918
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
- ID Number
- AF*25841
- catalog number
- 25841
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Locomotive Shops Near St. Nazaire
- Description
- Charcoal, pencil, and ink wash drawing on white card stock. The work depicts the interior of a locomotive shop near St. Nazaire, France. Men are working on the engines in the shop.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-07
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
- ID Number
- AF*25842
- catalog number
- 25842
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
One of the Locomotive Shops Near St. Nazaire
- Description
- Charcoal with white crayon drawing on blue-gray paper. The subject of the drawing is the interior of a locomotive shop near St. Nazaire, France during World War I. Several men are working on an engine in the left foreground. Also in the foreground, at the top of the paper, is a hook suspended from the ceiling. Other men, locomotives, and parts are depicted in the background.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918
- artist
- Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
- ID Number
- AF*25850
- catalog number
- 25850
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Assembling Locomotives at St. Nazaire
- Description
- A charcoal and pastel sketch on paper. This interior scene shows men working on two locomotives. Behind the two machines an open doorway shows smoke emitting from another factory.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-07
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25906
- catalog number
- 25906
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
American Locomotive Shop at Nevers
- Description
- A mixed media sketch on paper of locomotive shop at Nevers, France during World War I. A large building composed of arched segments frames the right side of this drawing. In the foreground, soldiers (most likely French and American) are pushing a cart near a track switch. The scene is crowded with items typical of a rail yard: a locomotive, a construction crane, and lots of railroad track.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-08
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25951
- catalog number
- 25951
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center