their entirety by visiting our website, c-span.org/history. announcer: this year, c-span is touring cities across the country. up next, a look at our recent visit to cincinnati, ohio. you are watching "american history tv," all weekend, every weekend, on c-span three. -- c-span3. ? welcome to -- mr. conzett: welcome to treasures of our military past. we have a civil war naval gun. there is a radio from world war ii, as well as the bomb site, one of the most highly kept secret of the second world war. what greets you as you walk through the door is probably without a doubt our most significant artifact in the collection. and this has never been seen

before. this is the hold broadside -- holt broadside, one of the original copies of the declaration of independence. holt inrinted by john new york. it is an extremely valuable document. it is only one of four known to have -- to exist. it was brought to cincinnati by richard, who settled in cincinnati and was a meatpacker here in cincinnati. it was donated to the historical society in the late 19th century. like i say, it has never been on exhibit before. it was one of the many copies made to distribute the word about the declaration of independence. there wasn't the communication that we has today. much of that was done through broadside, newspapers, things

like that. this copy is rare because they just do not survive. they were printed on paper. they were not cared for. like many pieces, they were not seen as historical documents at the time. we are very, very fortunate that this one survived. this is, even though it doesn't look like much, one of the earliest pieces from cincinnati history. this is a log from port washington. cincinnati was established in 1788.to -- and in 1789, port washington was built. by 1794, there was a new barrick built in kentucky. so the porch was no longer needed.

1809, they took the fort apart and really felt that cincinnati could expand. they took it apart. and within a few years, no one could remember where the fort actually was. the city had grown over the top of the fort. then in 1953, they were doing and excavation downtown -- an excavation downtown for a parking garage, and they started dredging up all of these logs. this is one of the logs that was found. we could tell that it was used in a fort because it is -- you can see sections of the log that have to a marks on it. we believe that the log is actually part of the powder mill. fort washington was an important command post on the western frontier. and was actually the base of operation for not only -- but

also mad anthony wayne. 1795 and the battle of fallen timbers and the treaty of greenville, the fort was really no longer required. the native americans had been settled, and cincinnati was established. one of the well-known soldiers that was station that fort washington was a young officer by the name of william henry harrison, who would become president of the united states in 1840. >> [indistinct chatter] -- mr.s another -- - conzett: this is another very important historical document. , a forerunner of the red cross, would hold

sanitary fairs and then hold -- sell things off to support the troops. they approached abraham lincoln. they wanted to sell off the original copy of the amnesty proclamation; however, it was not in very good shape. so lincoln sat down and handwrote another copy of the amnesty proclamation so they could auction that off. and this is that very copy. i think the opening sentence pretty much summarizes what this document is about. whereas and by the constitution of the united states, it is provided that the press didn't shall have power -- that the president shall have power to provide reprieves. this is a significant use from the civil war. and it was one of lincoln's many attempts to bring -- [indiscernible] -- to the south.

and this is what that document really represents -- is pardon to the states and an amnesty for anyone in rebellion against the united states. one general oft cincinnati. he was born in cincinnati in 1826 two a prominent family. they had a close ties to the south. he was a lawyer. he was in the militia. i think if the general were here today and you're asked him what he did, he would tell you first and foremost he was a soldier. he was very active in the militia. he was in the mexican war. he came back to cincinnati. with the outbreak of the civil war, who took command of the 10th ohio volunteer infantry, which was an irish unit. until 1863. them

in 1863, he took over another command. shortly thereafter, he was killed in september of 1863. the battle was fought in georgia. in september of 1863. and lytle was actually -- they thought there had been a breach in the lines. he was writing out with his troops to what they thought was a whole -- hole in the lines. it really wasn't. he was shot multiple times and taken off of his horse and died shortly after that. lytle was really a favorite. i think because of his daughter ready here in town and also because ovi, being an irish unit, -- [indiscernible] shortly after the general was killed, all of his personal pieces were collected and sent back to cincinnati to his family. and they remained with the

family and were very well taking care of. it consists of his coat, sword, boots, all of his personal effects. we have everything related to the general from his toothbrush to his liquor cabinet. it was eventually inherited by his knees. and then it was donated to the historical society in 1937. the presentation metal given to the general -- medal given to the general by his staff when he left in 1863, they gave him this presentation medal on august 9. a very special presentation. lytle got up and gave an impromptu 45 minute address. a very beautiful medal. . it has an emerald in the center. and it is surrounded by a starburst of white diamonds.

and it is engraved on the back. i uniforme world war of the tenant ralph wickham of the united states marine corps. ralph wickham joined the united states marine corps in 1917. he was a private. served overseas. and during one battle, he risked his life twice going out under intense german machine gun fire to bring back his comrades. he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, received the silver star and the distinguished service cross and a purple heart. you can see by the helmet that he was nearly killed from the large sized dent in the brim of his helmet that was caused by a german machine gun bullet. his uniform and all the assessors were donated by his daughter, who lives here in cincinnati.

what we call the first world war today was originally called the great war. 1939 with the coming of the second world war. this is the leather flight jacket of donald of cincinnati. he served with the 65th fighter squadron and north africa, sicily, and italy. he was shot down twice. he served overseas for one year. and ied five air medals believe the distinguished flying cross for his service. this piece came from his family just a few years ago with all of his personal effects. veterans, with most the highlight of his life. like many of these people, today the unknown as the greatest generation. and i really believe they are. the world war ii generation is

rapidly disappearing. we are losing thousands every day. most of these men are today in the 90's. it is the stories of the veterans that we want to collect and preserve good -- preserve. we are always doing oral history interviews with as many of the veterans as we can. many of the world war ii veterans, of course, are gone now. >> i heard about treasures of the military past from a carrier from the museum. -- curator from the museum. and he wanted to know if i could give my former uniform to the museum center. i said, certainly. i had my grandson send it to me from california. and i presented it to the museum center. i never realized it would be fashion,d -- in this but i was just thrilled and honored to have this here.

that the young people will learn, and even older people, is that there are young people like myself who volunteered to join the military because they didn't want to see and havetry occupied the citizens either having to speak german or japanese. it was a thrill that we were able to save united states from an invasion, and to actually fulfill obligations to the government. when you sign a contract, your enlistment papers, you are saying to the united states government, i am willing to give my life for my country. and to come back in one piece was thrilling. and so giving the uniform here -- and it will be perpetuated and to save it --

from destruction was very good, a happy experience. and now i am thrilled to see it. i would love to come back down here and talk to people who are looking at it and explain what the uniform means to me. mr. conzett: one of the main reasons this exhibit is so significant, and really important to the people of cincinnati, and i have heard this from the visitors, is because it is about real people. people of today and people of yesterday. and what they sacrificed not only persons many, but for the united states. realizees, people don't that these people, especially the world war ii generation, korea, and vietnam, these people are their neighbors. these people came back from the conflicts, went back to work, and i do want to say they were forgotten, but they are your

friends and neighbors. they often ask, where did you find the stories? they are all around you. announcer: find out where c-span cities tourspan's is going next online at c-span.org. next,cer: coming up authors david and jeanne talk about their book, "washington's circle: the creation of the president." explore the roles of politicians, like james madison, alexander hamilto