Conversations with the Curator: The Civil War Letters of James and Philip Connelly

Join NCHGS’s Curator of Exhibitions as we explore the letters of James and Philip Connelly, who were only 20 and 17 years old (respectively) when they enlisted in the 142nd PA infantry volunteers to fight in the Civil War. The two brothers fought together in the battles at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, slogging through knee-deep mud, breaking teeth on rock hard bread, and yearn for home of Martin’s Creek.
Since 2011, NCHGS has been home to eleven letters written by James and Philip, and we are thrilled to announce the recent acquisition of six more letters to the collection! With this addition, the stories of James, Philip, and the Connelly family becomes fuller and our understanding and connection to the past grows richer along with it.