Artifacts dating back to the Civil War’s Battle of Richmond in 1862 are being loaned to the city from a Madison County man.
Charlie Wagers, a retired engineer, is loaning his personal collection of artifacts to the Battle of Richmond Association Visitors Center, where they will eventually be displayed.
Phillip Seyfrit is the curator of the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center. He said the artifacts tell the story about how one of the major battles during the war’s Kentucky Campaign was fought.
“You can read about the battle, but these are things that the soldiers used,” Seyfrit said. “And they didn't get here by magic. They were either dropped or thrown away, or whatever.”
The collection includes Union breastplates, a rare Confederate D-guard bowie knife, ammunition like bullets, cannon balls, and grapeshot, apparel like belt buckles, buttons and Union breastplates, canteens, a powder flask, a field desk and a bayonet. It also includes three rifles, including a Liege Belgian rifle, an 1861 Springfield rifle and a 1850 musket manufactured at the Harpers Ferry armory.
The Battle of Richmond Association plans to eventually have the items on display at the visitor center as an example of living history.
“Every time we shop at Kroger's, that's where the one of the Union camps were,” Seyfrit said. “When you drive up and down US-25, that's the main thoroughfare for both armies. When you're sitting at Cracker Barrel, that's where they the Confederates captured a lot of the Union troops, right where you're sitting. And you don't have to go way far away to see this, it's right here.”
The grounds of the Battle of Richmond is now the location of the Blue Grass Army Depot.
