Middle Tennessee Lotz House Museum receives rare Civil War artifact, now on public display
Williamson County's Lotz House Museum was recently gifted with a rare Civil War-era artifact for public display.
The piece, donated by two Lotz House Foundation members, is a commemorative box that was presented to a Confederate soldier who fought and survived during the Battle of Franklin more than 159 years ago.
The Lotz House sits at the epicenter of where the Battle was fought, historians say.
The commemorative box was originally given to Sergeant James Richard Savage by his wife, Mary, upon his return home. On the outside are his initials, J-R-S, and on the inside, it reads, “To My Hero Husband,” over a wreath of flowers and a hand-sewn battle flag.
“A memorial created by a loving wife like this is, in this condition, is incredibly and extraordinarily rare,” Civil War expert Larry Hicklen said, noting that because the box had been tightly closed for more than 100 years, the colors on the flag remain vivid, with the piece still considered in mint condition.
Savage was born in 1838 in Davidson County and enlisted in the 11th Tennessee Infantry. He fought in the battles of Stone’s River, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville and surrendered as a sergeant in Greensboro, North Carolina in May of 1865.
His family's artifact is considered to be priceless since it is handmade and a one-of-a-kind collectable.
Savage died in Nashville in 1916 and the memorial box was passed down to his grandson, Charles Buford Gotto, who gave it to Lotz House Foundation Members Jean and Joe Ed Gaddes in the early 1980s before he died.
The artifact display is just one way the Lotz House Museum is honoring the past.
Recently, the museum, in partnership with Illumination, celebrated the 159th anniversary of the Battle of Franklin with a candle lighting ceremony to honor the 10,000 lives lost there.
Lotz House Executive Director and Historian Thomas Y. Cartwright said the ceremony and commemorative box display are both important ways to preserve the history of the local community.
The Savage box, in particular, helps museum visitors learn more about life during this time period and the sacrifices many made, he said.
“It is one of the most poignant objects given to a soldier returning home from his family I have ever seen. It shows a family respect, honor and love,” Cartwright said.
The donation is currently on display for all visitors at the museum, 1111 Columbia Avenue in Franklin. The house is open for tours from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sundays.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Franklin's Lotz House receives rare Civil War artifact, now on display
