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On Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 PM at the Varnum House Museum, Dr. Robert A. Selig lectures on “The Culture of Death: Military Burial Practices during the American War of Independence”. This speaking event will be held in tandem with a Varnum House Museum open house from 11 AM to 3 PM.
Battlefield clean-up is a topic rarely covered by historians, yet following almost any military engagement, there are corpses that require disposal. This raises many questions. Who is responsible for this disposal? Can we tell who buried whom? When does the burial take place? How many hours, days, months later? Where are the corpses buried? Individually or in mass graves? In natural crevices? Naked or dressed? Officers and other ranks together or separate? How long do they remain in the ground? Are they ever found? Who would dig them up and why? Can we identify them?
Based on primary sources as well as recent discoveries of the remains of American Revolutionary War soldiers, this illustrated talk by Dr. Selig will provide answers to these and related customs and usages surrounding military burial practices during the American War of Independence.
SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Robert A. Selig is a historical consultant who received his Ph.D. in history from the Universität Würzburg in Germany in 1988. He has published several books on the American War of Independence and is a specialist on the role of French forces under the Comte de Rochambeau during the War. In 2022 the French government recognized his contributions by awarding him the National Order of Merit. He serves as a project historian to the National Park Service for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Project (WARO). For this project he researched and wrote surveys and resource inventories for the nine states (and the District of Columbia) through which American and French forces marched in 1781 and 1782.
LECTURE TICKETS & INFORMATION:
Dr. Selig’s lecture starts at 1:30 PM. Tickets are $5 per attendee. There are 40 spots for this lecture, so reserve your spot today!
Visit our EventBrite page for ticketing information!
OPEN-HOUSE TOURS OF THE VARNUM HOUSE
On April 21, the Varnum House Museum will also be open to the public for tours from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Explore the Varnum House Museum where each room tells a story about life in the 18th century, particularly in Rhode Island. Our collection of artifacts and exhibits provides a fascinating glimpse into the culture of the 18th century and the life of the man who built the house, General James Mitchell Varnum!
Touring the museum during the open house is free, but donations are greatly appreciated!
