Abraham Lincoln museum to display rare Civil War relics

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is opening its vault to display rare Civil War relics.

The Springfield museum is holding a free presentation Thursday along with the Illinois State Museum. On display will be weapons like cannonballs and bayonets, plus historic maps and letters from soldiers.

Historian Christian McWhirter will provide more information about the items, which are rarely shown to the public.

McWhirter says the technology and tactics of the war made its combat especially brutal and costly. He says that as people look at the weapons and letters they see firsthand how a Civil War battle was 'œpretty nasty business.'ť