Check out this Civil War brass cartridge box

There’s a plethora of artifacts waiting to be discovered on the Vigo County Indiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Project website. Take, for instance, this solid brass cartridge box that is part of the Vigo County Historical Society’s collection. It was used by John T. Merry during the Civil War. This particular artifact has multiple photographs for better viewing.

Also participating in this special 150th anniversary Civil War website are the Vigo County Public Library and the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in conjunction with Indiana State University’s Cunningham Memorial Library.

The project has been funded by a Library Services Technology Act Digitization Grant (LSTA).

Sisters of Providence answer a call to duty

On May 17, 1861, the Civil War touched the lives of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. On that date, the sisters were placed in charge of all “domestic arrangements” like washing, cooking and cleaning at City Hospital, soon to be known as Military Hospital, in Indianapolis. Their services were not limited to these duties, as Sisters of Providence also served as nurses.

The Sisters of Providence certainly weren’t the only women’s religious congregation to answer the call to duty during the Civil War. “Nuns of the Battlefield,” written by Ellen Ryan Jolly and originally published in 1927, tells the story of other religious congregations that aided Union and Confederate soldiers. This monograph highlights the women’s religious congregations that ministered to soldiers during the Civil War.

To learn more about the service of the Sisters of Providence, take a look at “Lest We Forget,” a short history of the service provided by the Sisters of Providence during the Civil War. This book was published in 1931 by Providence Press and was written by Sister Mary Theodosia Mug. This book may be small, but it is filled with excellent information about the service of the sisters at Military Hospital in Indianapolis.

Be sure to visit our Vigo County Indiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Project!

GAR applications galore

If you’re interested in Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) applications, then you’ll want to visit the Vigo County Indiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Project website. In particular, you’ll want to visit the Vigo County Public Library’s portion of this Civil War collection.

The image at right is a Jan. 20, 1901, GAR Transfer Card for William A. Waterman. Waterman enlisted on Aug. 2, 1862, as a private in Company A 37th Regiment of the Massachusetts Infantry. Get a closer look at this transfer card.

Test your Civil War knowledge with one of our quizzes!

Sisters of Providence open new exhibit in Heritage Museum

In 1839, prior to leaving France for the mission at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., Saint Mother Theodore Guerin was recognized by the Academy of Angers for her pedagogical skills.

In 1987, an Indiana House Resolution was passed honoring and congratulating Sister of Providence Cecilia Clare Bocard (died 1994) for her several and varied contributions to the fields of music and education.

Before Sister of Providence Merry Marcotte (died 2008) entered the Congregation on Aug. 24, 1974, she served in military and field hospitals in Vietnam and received an award in 1970 from the 93 D Evacuation Hospital-Long Binh, Vietnam.

These are just three of the awards in a new exhibit in the Heritage Museum in Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., that features several awards that sisters have received throughout the years.

The public is invited to visit the Heritage Museum and learn more about the many ways Sisters of Providence have been recognized for their service and dedication.

The Heritage Museum is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.