European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Anorak civil War captivates hobbyists of is photos by Ken George a until piece of amen the american civil War preserved the Union and ended slavery at a Cost of More than 600,000 lives. Regarded by Many historians As the worst crisis Ever laced by the United states interest in the War Between the states has endured and grown for More than a Century. The following articles Tell of two men caught up in that fascination. Stories by Ron Jensen staff writer he Soldier in the picture looks uncomfortable sitting stiffly As if he would prefer facing a cavalry charge instead of the camera. His moustache Falls around the Corners of his Mouth and his Cap slants Forward. His name has been lost but he was a Soldier in the 8lh Tennessee Cav at a time when wars were fought with bayonets and muskets. The picture is a Cdv a carte de  the calling card of a civil War Soldier. The Man holding the picture is Allen Bennett an Engineer with the corps of engineers in Kaiserslautern. West Germany. When this unidentified Soldier was fighting for the North in the civil War Bennett s great great Grandfather was part of a Confederate artillery unit. From what i understand from my grandmother he was taken prisoner and never heard from again says Bennett perhaps it was thai fading link with the War Between the slates that spurred Bennett to fill his time and his House in Otterbach with relics from the War buttons buckles bullets swords shells and spurs the first civil War item i got was a Federal artillery  says the native of Mississippi i was in the sixth Grade. I be still got that  plus a museum s Worth of other items. Many of them Are in the United states but Bennett brought a sizable portion of his collection to Europe and has added to it through the mail. You pick up incidental information about the civil War from collecting these relics Bennett says for example from collecting buttons from uniforms Bennett has Learned a bit about the business of the War. A Button once worn on the uniform of a Soldier from Georgia was manufactured in Philadelphia by a firm called . Mintzer. That firm got in trouble with the citizens of Philadelphia Bennett says they demanded that the company break its contract with the Confederate state. Other buttons were made by firms in England. France and Germany. Bennett shows off a Button emblazoned with a raised c and old English e that was worn by Confederate engineers. It was made in Manchester England. Also made in England was a Button worn by an officer from a North Carolina unit. The Button carries the North Carolina slate Seal an indication that it was produced Early in the War when troops were outfitted by their Home state. When the Federal government assumed the equipping of its soldiers state seals were no longer used. Bennett holds up a discoloured Button he Calls a local a collector s term for buttons made in the South. This particular Button was found in Lee s 1862-1863 Winter Camp in Fredericksburg a he says this begins a discussion of another aspect Oil collecting. Some collectors prefer dug items those found on battlefields or campsites Bennett says others like Bennett prefer the item in As near perfect condition As possible. After the War the typical Confederate Soldier enlisted Man was very poor Bennett explains. The Soldier was allowed to keep his uniform if All of the military insignias were removed. So a lot of these Are found in grandma s but Lonbon so to speak he said. They can be valuable although Bennett s interest is historical not financial. A Button with the Arkansas state Seal for example can Cost More than $1.800 because of its rarity. But common buttons sell for a few one of Bennett s favorite possessions is a owned by a fellow Engineer named d b Han designed the Confederate trenches at Peter and died of yellow fever in 1864. The Button purchased from the Man s family. Among the other items in Bennett s cd Tec rusted buckles from Cartridge belts bullets i Union Camp in Tennessee the Metal tips of t scabbards the Heel cover from a conf Derai remains of a Harmonica and much More. A twisted piece of Metal unidentifiable to c the spout from a Union Soldier s canteen. A Federal because it s Lead Bennett says. To confederates generally used  among his most unusual items is a Patrk decorated with a 36-Star american Flag. The used on both sides with various decorations patriotic Fervour. Their use died out in 1862 As expected glory of the War gave Way to Horro struggle. Displayed in the basement of Bennett s weekly Delta of nov. 23,1861. Included in the Orleans publication is an and announcing 1,0t Plantation for Sale with or without Twenty o negroes As the purchaser May  there Are also More Cdv including one to capt. Isaac Taylor of co a 3rd Minn. Inf. I be tried to get one picture from every St says. It s easy to get the Union. It s not was  if the picture is accompanied by a name. Archives of the Soldier s Home slate can prot detailed information about the Man. Taylor f fought in the mid South Region while wearing uniform. Bennett has been a serious co Bector for a and has seen interest in the Hobby grow Anc prices up there s an increasing demand and a do Page 14 stars and stripes monday january 25