Joseph F. Culver and Thomas N. Conrad, two members of the Dickinson College Class of 1857, both fought bravely albeit on opposite sides of the war. While they had different missions and positions in their wartime experience, they shared several similarities. Each classmate taught before deciding to volunteer for the Union and Confederate army. They were both Methodists, they shared a common passion for music. Conrad and Culver both ventured to Washington during their missions but for very different reasons. Conrad to plot the abduction of President Lincoln and conduct spying reconnaissance missions, Culver to ride down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., in the grand review held on May 24, 1865.
What is most notable about these Dickinson College classmates is their love and dedication to writing down their experiences. Both these former students understood the value in writing and sharing the stories of their travels and duties during the Civil War. Their dispositions were however quite different. Conrad wrote his story in the form of an exciting and daring memoir which he took from his diary, glorifying his experience as a Confederate spy. Culver humbly wrote of day to day events, his worries and concerns for his men, of his love for God, and his country, in letters he writes to his young wife which he signed, “affectionately yours.” History is best told through “his stories,” and our lives are enriched by the writings of both men. Take a look at the attached videos and travel back to late August 1864 and “live” a day in the humble life of Joseph Franklin Culver, a Union soldier and a day in the risky life of Thomas Nelson Conrad, a Confederate Spy. Teachers and students: After watching these videos, please visit the Lesson Plan Section for ways to explore related activities.
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Videos: A Day in the Life of... A Soldier and A Spy
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