Name/Title
Tree StumpEntry/Object ID
1901.48.1Description
Oak tree stump embedded with artillery shrapnel.Context
This stump has long been presumed to be from the Civil War Battle of Chickamauga in northwestern Georgia in September 1863. The Battle of Chickamauga resulted in the second-highest number of casualties seen in the Western Theater. Its setting in a mature forest of tall pine trees left many of those trees riddled with bullets and shell fragments. In the decades after the war, it was common for veterans to visit the heavily wooded Chickamauga Battlefield and return home with logs embedded with iron balls as solemn reminders of the battle. Many of these souvenirs found their way to historical societies across the country. However, desire for these souvenirs also created a profitable cottage industry of “hoax” and “bogus” artifacts. The details of how this object came into our Collection are unclear, making it difficult to say with confidence whether it's an authentic relic or a manufactured fake.Exhibition
Against the Grain