Today, mom and I visited the Museum of Southern History in Jacksonville, Florida. It was well worth the one dollar entrance charge. There is are scaled down replicas of the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Shiloh and The Battle of Olustee. There are personal items of the men of service, including weapons, games they could carry with them, shaving and other grooming items. There was even a representation of "hard tack", a type of bread they ate in the field. Browned from age there is a blouse of a women who assisted a soldier off the field, causing her blouse to be stained by his blood. She cared for him and he asked if he could have the stained blouse as a souvenir. It's been passed down and is now part of the museum's collection. There is another woman's mourning clothes. Medical gear, an old union saddle, Navel items, instruments they played and more. They have a library of over 2500 books. And the two gentlemen there were more than friendly and very helpful. With about ten to twenty minutes of our arrival one of the gentleman had located two of my Confederate Veterans, verified that they applied for pentions and provided me with applications to send of for further details. Mom and I agreed that it was facinating and that we'll go back. If you'd like to go the address and phone number is: Museum of Southern History 4304 Herschel Street Jacksonville, FL 32210 (904)388-3574 They are open Tuesday thru Saturday 10am to 5pm -- Kati Smith kimis@bellsouth.net http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~elverspeak/