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Shenandoah University's McCormick Civil War Institute

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App Uses Augmented Reality To Recreate History ‘Through Their Eyes’ Provides In-Depth Look at Battle of Cool Spring

March 24, 2021

A new app that recreates scenes from the 1864 Battle of Cool Spring is now available for download.

Through Their Eyes is a collaboration between Shenandoah’s McCormick Civil War Institute and the Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCiL).

The app has two components:

  1. 360 augmented reality component
  2. audio augmented reality experience

Download on Google Play    Download in the App Store

The 360 augmented reality experience can be done anywhere. Those who download the app can scan any flat surface and a map appears showing the contours of the Cool Spring Battlefield, which is located in Clarke County off Va. 7. Users can tap on any one of a dozen flags marking a designation on the map where a particular regiment fought. They are then instantly transported into a moment in the battle that is recreated by volunteers, students and living historians.

An example of this includes a scene that centers around the account of Lt. Col. Thomas Wildes, 123rd Ohio, where he describes the fate of a sergeant in that regiment, Sgt. Davis, who was mortally wounded at the battle and carried off the field by his comrades. Aware that he was putting those who carried him off the field in great danger, Davis requested they put him down on Parker’s Island and save themselves. Wildes’ account notes that the sergeant, fearful his personal items would fall into Confederate hands, buried them in a log. At some point between July 18 and the following day, the sergeant passed away. When the 123rd Ohio crossed back over to Parker’s Island on July 20, they discovered what the sergeant had done.

This example offers an opportunity to explore not only the battle’s tragic consequences, but also the battle’s impact on the family Davis left behind.

“It’s a revolutionary, non-invasive way to interpret a battlefield with greater depth,” said Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute Jonathan Noyalas ’01, M.A. “We are able to create such an immersive, personal experience, connecting you with people involved, that you can’t get from a printed brochure.”

The second part of the app is an immersive audio tour in which participants can walk the battlefield and hear an audio account of particular soldiers and their experiences while also learning what happened to that soldier, either at Cool Spring or in the conflict’s aftermath. The app uses GPS satellite data to determine where the participant is on the battlefield and syncs this with specific soldiers’ accounts.

Jonathan NoyalasWe’re trying to create an intimate, powerful experience that will aid individuals to better understand the personal stories of soldiers who fought at Cool Spring and the impact the battle had on them — a stark reminder of tragic consequences of what happens when a people become divided to an unbridgeable point. Both augmented reality experiences draw on the accounts of about two dozen Union and Confederate soldiers.”

Jonathan Noyalas ’01

Wes Brown, AR/VR developer in SCiL, served as the developer of the app, with several students aiding in the process.

Both he and Noyalas are unaware of any U.S. battlefield that has anything like this — a GPS-driven app that can also create a 360 experience on a 2D device.

Wes BrownThe way it interprets the 360 video is not common practice. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s new and kind of revolutionary.”

Wes Brown

 

The unveiling of the app took place March 24 at Cool Spring.

 

Through-Their-Eyes

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Alumni, MCWI, scil, University Home, Virtual Reality Design

Students Pen Essay in Volume III of Shenandoah’s Peer-Reviewed Journal Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era Hits Stores This Week

October 30, 2019

For the first time, Shenandoah University students have collaborated on an essay for the Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era — Shenandoah University’s only academic peer-reviewed journal.

Volume III of the 154-page journal contains six main essays and 11 book reviews. Eleven authors and 22 contributors worked on the publication, which highlights untold stories of the Civil War era in the Shenandoah Valley.

Even though events or people discussed in the journal might not seem flashy or significant, they’re still an important part of the story of the Civil War. History would not have happened the same without these less-significant events taking place.”

Jonathan Noyalas, ’01, M.A. | Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute

Purchase the Journal

Journal Volume 3

The first essay in the journal, “The Shenandoah Chanting Its Endless Requiem: A Roster of Cool Spring’s Union Dead” was written by Noyalas and four students: Jake Gabriele ’19; Victor Hererra ’20; Sarah Powell ’19; and Shelby R. Shrader ’17.

The essay took the students two years to complete and chronicles the lives of all 72 Union soldiers killed at the Battle of Cool Spring in 1864. The students spent hours poring over records—including pension records and regimental histories—in both local archives and the National Archives.

Students used documents and evidence to reconstruct the lives of these soldiers who have otherwise been forgotten. It’s a unique essay because it’s bringing the average soldier’s experience to life in the way a traditional book can’t. It’s looking at them as individuals. It’s taking people who are a statistic, in essence, and making them real again.”

Jonathan Noyalas, ’01, M.A. | Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute

The journal includes three essays that in some way deal with the Battle of Cool Spring and its aftermath; one essay about African-American children serving as apprentices in the Shenandoah Valley after the Civil War; an essay on Judge Richard Parker from Winchester (who tried abolitionist John Brown in 1859); and an essay about Unionist refugees during the Burning Raid, which was a Union military raid conducted in the Loudoun Valley in 1864.

The journal is available at the end of this week at the Winchester Book Gallery, Shenandoah University’s campus bookstore, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historic Park, Belle Grove Plantation, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.

The cost is $10, and all proceeds benefit the McCormick Civil War Institute and its efforts at Cool Spring Battlefield.

Explore the McCormick Civil War Institute

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Spotlight, University Home

Go Virtual at Battle of Cool Spring Anniversary celebration highlights Civil War history through tours, augmented reality

June 4, 2019

Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute is commemorating the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Cool Spring with tours, lectures and the unveiling of an augmented reality experience.

The commemorative event occurs on Saturday, July 20, at the university’s River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield located at 1400 Parker Lane, Bluemont. This event is free and open to the public.

155th Anniversary Schedule of Activities

9 am

Site opens

10:15 am – noon

Walking tour of Battle of Cool Spring with historian Jonathan Noyalas ’01, M.A. Tour includes vignettes with living historians.

Noon – 1 pm

Lunch on your own. Please note that there are no food vendors on site. Please bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it either in the air-conditioned lodge or the shade of the pavilion.

1 – 1:45 pm 

“Dreams of War & Peace: The Remarkable Night Life of Civil War America” with Jonathan White, Ph.D., associate professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University

2 – 2:45 pm

“Follow Him to the Death: Sheridan, Early, and the Shenandoah Valley in the Summer of 1864” with Jennifer Murray, Ph.D., teaching assistant professor at Oklahoma State University

3 – 4 pm 

Unveiling of “Through Their Eyes: An Augmented Reality Experience at Cool Spring”

cool spring

Through Their Eyes

The augmented reality experience, “Through Their Eyes,” is a collaborative effort between the McCormick Civil War Institute and the Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCiL).

Visitors will use an iPhone or iPad to float a holographic 3D version of the battlefield above a 2D map. Clickable flags on the map will take users into one-minute experiences of the battle using 360 virtual reality. Visitors will find themselves in a dramatic attack, retreat, camp scene, or the battle’s sorrowful aftermath.

More than a dozen scenes were filmed with actors from both Shenandoah and the community. The experience is based on the primary accounts of Union and Confederate soldiers who fought at the Battle of Cool Spring on July 18, 1864.

The second part of the project involves an immersive audio walk of the battlefield using an iPhone app and earbuds.

Jonathan A. Noyalas ’01, M.A., director of the McCormick Civil War Institute, served as historian for the project (he also appears in the production). Associate Professor of Theater and SCiL Director J.J. Ruscella, M.F.A., and his SCiL team directed the action.

I have often been bothered by the fact that some overlook the Battle of Cool Spring because statistically it pales in comparison to the Civil War’s larger and more well-known engagements – Gettysburg, Antietam, Shiloh and the like. While statistically not as big (13,000 troops engaged and nearly 1,000 total casualties), to the men who died there, to their families, and to those wounded at the battle who lived with the pain and disfigurement of those wounds for the rest of their lives, the Battle of Cool Spring was the most significant action of the Civil War. It is my hope that this experience will help people better comprehend the human element of the battle and understand the dramatic costs a nation endures when a people become divided to an unbridgeable point.”

Jonathan A. Noyalas ’01, M.A., Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute

A total of 12 students in Noyalas’ spring 2019 Civil War & Reconstruction course researched the backgrounds of the soldiers whose accounts are used as the basis for the various scenes and moments. Shenandoah history major Jessica Kronenwetter ’20 documented the process through photography. History majors John Oross ’19 and Steven Stabler ’22 played various roles in the filming.

Self-Guided Experiences Available Throughout Day of Commemoration

In addition to the scheduled activities, battlefield trails will be open throughout the day for self-guided tours, and the exhibition about Cool Spring and its aftermath will be available for viewing. Tour guides are available for free, or visitors can download a pdf with information about the site. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park bookstore is selling books by the day’s speakers, as well as other relevant titles.

This event is free and open to the public, though monetary donations are appreciated. Please email Noyalas at jnoyalas01@su.edu or call 540/665-4501 with any questions. Pre-registration is not required for this event.

cool spring

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Spotlight, Magazine News, MCWI, scil, University Home, Virtual Reality Design, Virtual Reality Design Spotlight

Shenandoah University Sustainability Facts Educating and inspiring others to reduce, reuse and recycle

April 19, 2018

What makes Shenandoah University a sustainable community? Here are a few facts that demonstrate our commitment to educating and inspiring others to reduce, reuse and recycle with an emphasis on the related human impacts to the environment and making small changes that can make a big impact.

Sustainability Facts

  • Shenandoah was recently selected from 2,000 Colleges & Universities for the Princeton Review’s 2017 “Guide to 375 Green Colleges.”
  • 36 solar panels added to the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center
  • Gore Hall, a residence hall, is capped with a “green” roof.
  • Dining services uses compostable products and promotes the use of reusable water bottles.
  • Shenandoah’s dining halls went trayless in fall 2012, reducing water and energy usage as well as food waste.
  • The student group, Campus Kitchen at Shenandoah, repurposes unused food from Allen Dining Hall to give back to the Winchester community, aiding in the fight against hunger.

Recycling

  • 300,000+ pounds of materials recycled during the 2016/17 academic year.
  • Recycling bins are placed throughout campus, with about 100 new bins added within the past two years.
  • Shenandoah’s Bulk Mail department purchases printing and copying paper with a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content. This helps close the loop on the recycling process.
  • Shenandoah Greenworks swap shop collects more than 5,000 pounds of items every year, eliminating this much waste from entering the landfill. Donated items include gently used furniture, working appliances, small housewares, lamps, electronics, usable clothing and non-perishables, and unopened food items collected in designated locations, The swap shop redistributes the items, for free. Items not claimed or repurposed are donated to local non-profit organizations.

Quad

Environmental Stewardship

  • There are 78 trees in the quad on main campus.
  • The Chesapeake Forests Program has planted 600 trees at Cool Spring.
  • The water features at Sarah’s Glen serve to filter rainwater before it flows into Abrams Creek
  • The 195-acre Shenandoah University River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield serves as a learning laboratory where students can conduct research in the humanities and the natural sciences. The site, abundant with natural features, includes a heron rookery.
  • Many of the plants, flowers, and trees on Shenandoah’s campus have been labeled to promote environmental stewardship, education, and research. These plants are selected as native and non-invasive species.
  • In 2015, Shenandoah eliminated a section of ground cover (invasive English Ivy) on a patio near the Allen Dining Hall.
    • While this garden produces only a small amount of vegetables, its co-location to the Dining Hall helps remind us of our connection to the food we eat.
    • This garden has produced squash, strawberries, peppers (both sweet and hot), tomatoes, flowers, kale, cabbage and spinach.  
    • In addition to this small garden, in 2013 the Student Environmental Council planted an organic herb garden for use by the kitchen staff and other community members.
    • The herb garden produces oregano, thyme, chives, lavender, and Russian sage. Among other landscaping on campus is the Serviceberry or Juneberry shrub, which produces delicious berries every summer.
  • During the summer of 2012, Shenandoah began collecting and composting its own yard waste in a facility located on the edge of campus.

Cool SpringWater Conservation

  • McKown Plaza behind the Brandt Student Center features permeable pavement.
  • Campus dishwashers and washing machines were replaced with Energy Star rated units in 2014. These units not only use less energy but also less water. The estimated savings from the washing machines alone is 1,519,000 gallons of water and $11,734 per year.
  • Of all the developed landscape at Shenandoah, none of it is irrigated. Shenandoah’s planting plan includes choosing plant species that are low maintenance and require no regular irrigation. Why is this important? In a typical household, landscape irrigation accounts for up to half of all water consumption. At the university, this could translate to hundreds of thousands of gallons of water.
  • Numerous plumbing fixtures have been replaced with low flow models including toilets, showerheads and faucets. The majority of toilets are now 1.6 gallons per flush or lower.

Energy Conservation

  • 24 bike racks on campus to encourage the use of bicycles on campus
  • Occupancy sensors are used to reduce energy consumption when spaces are not in use.
  • Energy-efficient lighting fixtures reduce the amount of energy needed to light buildings. LED lighting is used in a wide variety of campus spaces, including the house and stage lights at Armstrong Concert Hall. LED bulbs use 20 percent to 25 percent of the energy of incandescent bulbs, and last longer than incandescent, as well.
  • The Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems have advanced control options that respond to outdoor conditions and building schedule to conserve energy and improve air quality.
  • Shenandoah University currently operates 5 electric golf-car-type vehicles in support of Student Engagement, Athletics and Physical Plant operations. Electric vehicles have no tailpipe emissions.

Filed Under: About, News, University Home

MCWI

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  • Upcoming Events
  • MCWI News & Readings
  • Civil War Archives
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  • Meet the Director

 

Cool Spring Battlefield

  • Visit Cool Spring
  • Tour the Battlefield
  • Through Their Eyes App
  • Anniversary Commemoration

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About MCWI

  • MCWI
  • About MCWI
  • Upcoming Events
  • MCWI News & Readings
  • Through Their Eyes App
  • Civil War Archives
  • Civil War Era Studies Certificate
  • Bachelor of Arts in History

Cool Spring Battlefield

  • Tour the Battlefield
  • Download our Tour App
  • Visit Cool Spring
  • Anniversary Commemoration
  • Watch Orientation Video

Contact Us

McCormick Civil War Institute Director
Jonathan A. Noyalas, ‘01 M.A.
jnoyalas01@su.edu
540-665-4501
Office: Davis Hall 115

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