Virtual Museum
Collections
Richard Cashman Collection
I graduated as a history major and I've always had a favorite interest in the Civil War. I've written articles for the North South Trader. My Saturday's are dedicated as a volunteer providing historic interpretation at the Cradle of Aviation in the morning and at Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's home on Long Island, in the afternoon.
When I stated collecting years ago veteran collectors told me, "buy the best you can find and when you find one better, upgrade." They spoke in terms of "investment grade," and "museum quality." It was good economic advice, but for me I was drawn more to the history than the barrel bluing. It's our great American story that captures my imagination. We know how great we can be in the future because we know how great we've been in the past. There is a written record and a physical record, and just as we need to preserve our battlefields; we need to preserve these artifacts. Sites like vermontcivilwar.org enable enthusiasts like myself to share their collections with a great number of people, easily and conveniently.
Before Abraham Lincoln was president he expressed concern that veterans of the Revolution were dying off. He said their story was being lost to the "artillery of time." Lincoln didn't need to worry. Our history is alive and well and it's with us every day. The photo of the fireman raising the flag at ground zero immediately brought us back to Mount Suribachi when Marines raised the flag over Iwo Jima. In times of crisis it's our history we turn to for strength. I'm proud to be a contributor and I hope those items from my collection inspire visitors to learn more about our great American story.