June 1, 2005 -- The Arkansas State University Museum has completed a new permanent exhibition on the Civil War.

This is the latest in a series of war-related additions. Since 2001, the museum staff has created new exhibits about the Vietnam War, World Wars II and I, Spanish-American War and Indian Wars.

The Civil War exhibit addresses the war east of the Mississippi River, war in the Trans-Mississippi and the war in Arkansas. This was the first modern war, with the beginnings of big industry, big business and big government. More than three million Americans fought in the Civil War and more than 600,000 died.

Arkansas’ greatest prosperity had been the decade before the Civil War. It was part of the fastest growing economic region in the country. The war severely strained the developing economy of the state. When the war started, Arkansans faced immediate shortages. The loss of manpower and money in the state left the threat of economic collapse. And it got worse.

Firearms on exhibit include an 1862 Springfield Rifle Musket, an Enfield Rifle Musket, and an 1861 Navy Colt Revolver. In addition are numerous pieces of Confederate money, firearms tools, an 1863 map showing the geographic division of the country, swords, and a field desk of Major General Theophilus Holmes, who was at one time commander of the Department of the Trans-Mississippi.

Also being exhibited are Arkansas war images from Harper’s Weekly and Frank Leslie’s Magazines. A list of battles, campaigns and skirmishes in Arkansas is included.

Another highlight of the new Civil War exhibition is a set of copies of 70 letters written just prior to and during the war. Benjamin Hyatt of Monticello, Arkansas, wrote most of the letters.

The first letters were written in 1860 while Hyatt was a student at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. He enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of Arkansas Infantry (Volunteers) and was assigned to Company C. This regiment spent the entire war east of the Mississippi River attached to Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

Hyatt’s last letter was dated July 30, 1863, just two months before he died from wounds he sustained at Chickamauga. Other letters were written by Benjamin’s brother Elijah, who died from wounds at Antietam/Sharpsburg, and family friends from the 1st and 3rd Arkansas Regiments.

The ASU Museum, located at 110 Cooley Dr. in the west wing of the Ellis Library complex, is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is a suggested $2 donation. The public is welcome. For more information call the museum at (870) 972-2074.