1st Rhode Island Cavalry Artifacts & Guidon Flag
In direct relation to our 1st Rhode Island Cavalry Company L guidon flag, the Varnum Memorial Armory also has on exhibit the uniform belonging to North Kingstown’s Lyman Aylesworth, one the few cavalrymen to escape the Battle of Middleburg on June 18, 1863. Click here to book a tour!
Company L Guidon Flag from the First Rhode Island Cavalry in the US Civil War
June 18, 2016 was the 153rd anniversary of the First Rhode Island Cavalry‘s demise at the Battle of Middleburg during the U.S. Civil War. Nearly surrounded by overwhelming numbers from Jeb Stuart‘s Confederate cavalry, Col. Duffie ordered every man to try to get away. Out of roughly 280 soldiers, only 27 made it out. In […]
Civil War Guidon Flag gets Professional Framing
We took the Civil War-era 1st Rhode Island Cavalry guidon flag to Crestar Picture Framing today for a professional display. In these images, Tony Scelsa takes precise measurements for the new frame. We plan to mount a plexiglass sheet with museum-quality ultra-violet protection over the flag’s existing archival-safe matting and frame. The treated plexiglass will […]
1st Rhode Island Cavalry Guidon Flag at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum
The 1st Rhode Island Cavalry Regiment (Company L) guidon flag is now on loan to the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum! This stunning piece of American Civil War history is on display at the armory through a generous loan from the Rhode Island National Guard (RING). Book a tour at the armory to view this exciting […]
Renovations Continue at the Varnum Armory Museum!
Armory Curator Patrick Donovan and Varnum Continentals Treasurer Tim Jackson (along with other volunteers) have made great progress toward the renovation of the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s exhibit spaces. There’s be demolition, new LED lighting for display cases, lining of display cases with unbleached linen, and overall painting. Once that’s done, we will put down […]
[FEATURE EXHIBIT] Artillery Sponge/Rammer, and Worm for Civil War James Canon
We had a great time at the Baltimore Antique Arms Show! Our collection now has a fantastic artillery sponge/rammer and worm for the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum‘s Civil War James gun. This set has its original paint and appears to have been actually used in the field to load and swab the bore of a […]
1804 Passport Signed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison!
Look what we just found! Yet ANOTHER treasure in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum archives. This is an 1804 ship’s passport signed by President Thomas Jefferson AND then Secretary of State James Madison. If you’d like to see this and other fantastic exhibits, then book a tour at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum! [the_ad id=”517″]
New Artifacts from the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry
Christmas came early for the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum. We just acquired several wonderful identified artifacts from the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, a hard-fighting unit in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. Thank you, Brendan Synnamon and your shop, The Union Drummer Boy, for putting all these things together! HISTORY: 1st Rhode […]
Infantry Weapons in the Spanish-American War: Forging New Directions
The charge up San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898, is looked upon as one of the high points of the emotion-charged Spanish American War. But for many American soldiers on the ground, it was a nightmare. American troops faced Spanish forces equipped with one of the finest rifles then available: the Model 1893 Mauser. […]
[FEATURE EXHIBIT] Who Carried the British Grenadier Sergeant’s Carbine at the Armory?
There’s nothing like a good detective story. When coupled with the history of a Revolutionary War weapon, it gets even more interesting. Special thanks go to Russell Malcolm, Patrick Donovan, and Don Hagist for their help in telling this one. Hanging on the wall of our Members Lounge in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum (click […]