Varnum Continentals

Preserving and Sharing Rhode Island History

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[FEATURED EXHIBIT] George Byron Bennett’s Wool Undershirt from the American Civil War

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At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have the wool undershirt worn by East Greenwich-native Sergeant George Byron Bennett (of the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry) in the last year of the American Civil War. It’s in amazing condition, and wear and staining reveals a lot about the soldier, his habits, and his day-to-day life.

Visible on the shirt are sweat, dirt, and urine stains. You can see that the shirt was worn tucked in (and that he wiped his hands on his stomach…). The urine stains appear at the bottom-center where it would be tucked in over his crotch.

  • Bennett’s wool undershirt
  • Button on Bennett’s wool undershirt
  • Closeup of Bennett’s wool undershirt
  • George Byron Bennett

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] American Civil War New Model Army revolver used by Sgt. George Byron Bennett

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At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have the .44-caliber New Model Army revolver that was carried by Sergeant George Byron Bennett (of the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry) in the last year or two of the American Civil War. It is marked with his initials.

The pistol was made by Eliphalet Remington & Sons in Ilion, NY, in 1863 or early 1864. Over 230,000 were made with many being purchased for military use (as the Colt M1860 revolver became hard to get due to massive fire at their factory in Hartford, CT). Cavalrymen were heavily armed, so Bennett also would have carried a sword and a breech-loading carbine.

  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • Bennett’s .44-caliber New Model Army revolver
  • George Byron Bennett early in the American Civil War wearing his Federal regulation mounted services jacket.

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] American Civil War four-pull spyglass used by Sgt. George Byron Bennett

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Now in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum collection, this is classic four-pull “spyglass” used by East Greenwich-native Sergeant George Byron Bennett (of the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry) during the American Civil War. A primary role of the Cavalry was scouting and reconnaissance, where a telescope like this would be very useful.

  • George Byron Bennett early in the American Civil War wearing his Federal regulation mounted services jacket.

[VARNUM ANNOUNCEMENT] Armory to host rare exhibit focusing on Rhode Island’s American Civil War and African American history

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The Rhode Island Historical Society (RIHS) and Varnum Continentals have joined forces to save and bring home a unique piece of Rhode Island American Civil War and African American history! It will soon be on display at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum. This is an excerpt from an upcoming issue of the “Rhode Island History Journal”:

“Written just two weeks after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, this letter was sent to Governor William Sprague (1830–1915) from Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant General, inviting Rhode Island to contribute ‘an infantry regiment of volunteers of African descent’ to fight for the Union. Hundreds of black men volunteered for service from Rhode Island and served mostly in the 14th Heavy Artillery regiment, which ultimately joined the astonishing 74% of Northern black men of military age who enlisted as soldiers and sailors to fight for the Union.

The RIHS acquired this letter at auction with the generous support from the Varnum Continentals, which owns both the Varnum House Museum and the Varnum Memorial Armory & Military Museum.”

The Varnum Continentals look forward to hosting this amazing exhibit of national importance at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum!

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] Revolutionary War-period letter written by African American Veteran Thomas Nichols

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At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have discovered an American Revolutionary War-period letter written (dictated) by African American Thomas Nichols and signed with “his mark”. Freed from enslavement to serve in the First Rhode Island Regiment, Thomas writes to his former “master and mistress” asking for help in getting a discharge since the Revolutionary War had been “very disagreeable to my mind as well as destructive to my health.”

Thomas fought at the Battle of Rhode Island 2 years earlier and was wounded while helping to repel three Hessian charges. The letter is powerful … you can’t help but feel bad for Thomas’s plight and his desperate wish to go home. He appears to be suffering from PTSD. This is an astoundingly rare artifact from the beginnings of our nation. It also reminds us that many of the men serving and fighting for their freedom and country were people of color.

This is an astoundingly rare artifact. To our knowledge, only one other war-time letter from an African American in the American Revolutionary War exists. And, this may be the only one written by a former slave. This letter is a State and National treasure. However, it requires professional conservation work that will cost approximately $990. This work will stabilize the document physically, make it more readable, and most importantly, will make it possible to safely put it on long term display in our climate-controlled, secure museum. Framing and matting with archival grade materials and the highest quality museum glass will likely cost an additional $500 for an estimated total of $1490.

To that end, we staged a successful online fundraiser that surpassed our goal of $1,500 ($1,720 raised!) to preserve the letter.

Recent tour and viewing of Thomas Nichols letter

We also experienced a fantastic moment of serendipity regarding this particular letter. On the exact day that we met our fundraising goal, we were recently joined by two U.S. Army veterans and their daughter. They were moved by many exhibits in our collection, but this letter proved to be the focal point of their tour. Moments like this is why we work so hard to preserve our local and national U.S. history!

Letter transcription (preserving the original spelling and punctuation):

“Windham January 18th 1781

Onered Master & Mistress I take this opportunity to inform you of my citiation att this time & desire your ade = after I drove 3 waggons as far as Windham I hade waggoner tookaway my bath[?] of driving & ordered me to gard ye waggons which I refused & turned back to colonel green att Covintree & ye wagoner sent back two men after me Ye Colonal did not blame me but told ye men and me to go on again & that I should take my waggon again but being over worried with this tramp I got but 3 miles further than where I left ye waggons in So. Windham att ye house of one Dan Murdock where I have been confined with my old fits But have good care taken of me But I have a desire to Return to you Not having any money Nor Clows fit to wair & all strangers to me makes it something difficult for me I have had a Doctor and a Surgans mate to me which advize me to go to xxx corps of invalids at Boston where I may be under half pay During Life Remaining in this poor State of Body But I ante able to go thether Neither do I incline to with out advice from you But I have a desire that Master or Mistress would go to Colonel Green & see if you cant git me Discharged from ye War it being very Disagreabell to my mind as well as Destructive to my helth I suppose I could ride on a horse or att least in a Slay if you could obtain a Discharge for me So that I may Return to my Master and his family again baring[?] the will of god & your pleasure So No more att this time But I Remain your humble & dutiful Thomas “N” His mark

December 31 1780 These lines I recv’d from ye Surgeon’s mate where as Thomas Nickols a soldier belonging to ye first Regiment in Rhode Island State hath been for some time attended with fits in this place & still likely to Remain unfit for military life”

Endnote on Thomas

Sadly, Thomas didn’t get to go home then. He was transferred to the Invalid Corps in February 1781 to serve in whatever capacity his illness allowed (at half pay). More research is needed to determine what his ultimate fate was during and after the War.

About the Varnum Continentals

The Varnum Continentals are committed to the preservation of the historic heritage of our community, our state, and our nation. Please take a virtual tour of our museums to learn more about our mission to encourage patriotism. You can participate with us through active membership and/or philanthropic support in our non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Museum tours are welcomed and our facilities may be rented for suitable events.

Our Mission

The Varnum Continentals are committed to encourage patriotism through the Varnum Armory Museum, the Continental Militia, and the James Mitchell Varnum House and thus to preserve, support, and communicate the military history of our community, our state, and our nation.

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