Faces of the Civil War, designed by the IHS exhibitions staff, was originally conceived as an exhibition for the Indiana History Train. Nearly all images used in the new traveling exhibition come from the collections of the Indiana Historical Society. Hands-on, interactive elements have been added to enhance the viewer experience.

The exhibition brings to life the stories of many Hoosiers whose lives were touched, and in some cases taken, by the Civil War. Not all are well known or revered — many were just everyday citizens fulfilling their duties to their friends, family, state and country. Rather than focusing on statistics and large scale battles, Faces of the Civil War illustrates how regular people coped with the tragic experiences of the day — all from an Indiana perspective.

Non-soldier stories featured in the exhibition include the stories of women who served both on the homefront and on the battlefield. Lovina Streight followed her husband into battle and was captured more than once by the Confederate army while tending to her husband as well as his wounded and dying comrades. Streight, along with her husband, was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis with full military honors.

This exhibit consists of three parts and requires approximately 575 square feet of floor space. It can be arranged to fit different floor configurations.