Civil War: Litchfield, Connecticut photo journal

Close-up of Civil War memorial on the village green in Litchfield, Conn.

Close-up of the grave of Francis Barber, a private in Company E in the 8th Connecticut. He died
of disease in North Carolina on Jan. 30. 1862. "Death has no terror for me," his tombstone 
reads. Barber is buried in West Cemetery in Litchfield.

Memorial marker to the Wadhams brothers -- Henry, Luman and Edward -- at West Cemetery in
Litchfield. The brothers died within 18 days of each other in Virginia in late spring 1864.

Weathered flag on Francis Barber's grave.

Detail of a drum and ammunition pouches on the Civil War memorial 
on the village green in Litchfield.

Before checking out Tony Horwitz's excellent John Brown talk today in Litchfield, Conn., I took these photos of graves in nearby West Cemetery and the Civil War memorial on the village green. Steeped in history -- Washington apparently really did sleep there -- Litchfiield is a quintessential New England village: tall, whitewashed Congregational church near the center of town, several 200-year-old homes on the National Register of Historic Places and a picture-postcard main street of antique stores and restaurants. (Try the burger and a cold beer at The Village Restaurant.)  Horwitz is a terrific storyteller and a funny guy. When he found out that I am a longtime journalist, here's how he signed a copy of his book, Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War:

"To John: From one hack to another."

Nice.