The Fight for Manassas Battlefield
Originally published March-April 2026 · pp. 10–13
The 2025 Middle Tennessee Civil War Show, held on December 6th and 7th in Franklin, Tennessee, closed out another successful year of events, leaving dealers and attendees alike hungry for more as they now await the upcoming 2026 shows. Although temperatures were in the low 30s on Friday morning, dealers arrived early to stake out good parking spots, with building management reporting vendors in the loading areas as early as 6:30 a.m., even though official move-in was not scheduled until 10 a.m. When the doors opened at 10 a.m., there was a mad rush of dealers trying to obtain badges, locate tables, set up merchandise, and visit with old friends. As with most Civil War shows, Friday is a big day for vendors, with a large share of their business conducted with other dealers before the show opens to the public. As Friday began to wind down and dealers were making dinner plans, many were overheard saying the show was already a success due to their dealer sales and trades. As the 9 a.m. opening approached on Saturday morning, the lobby was bursting at the seams as tickets were being sold in advance to accommodate early arrivals. The crowd only seemed to increase as the morning wore on, and at times the ticket line completely filled the lobby and continued out the main entryway. At 11 a.m., a preliminary count showed more than 1,000 people through the gate, a record attendance for the first two hours of the show.
Show promoter Mike Kent shared that in the weeks leading up to the event, he had some concerns about filling all the tables, as there were some dealers who had retired, passed away, were sick, or could not make the long trips they once made. As the show date got closer, however, several dealers requested additional tables, a few new faces popped up, and as the show opened, it was filled to capacity with the same number of tables as previous years. In the Civil War collecting community, retirement is always a topic of discussion at shows, and this year was no different. With an average age of 60-plus years for dealers and for many attendees, the question of what will eventually happen to all the material on display at the show is a concern for many. Surprisingly, no one seems too worried. Younger collectors see an opportunity to acquire quality collections and important individual pieces as older dealers retire, while older dealers see an opportunity to dispose of their collections now, as opposed to having their families deal with it at a later date. It is interesting to note that many auction companies, such as Poulin’s, Fleischer’s, and Donley, are taking a more active role in attending shows to meet and educate dealers, obtain collections, and showcase their upcoming auctions, a plan that seems to work well for everyone. All in all, few dealers seemed concerned about the health of the Civil War collecting community and are eagerly looking forward to the 2026 season.
Award winners L to R: Mark Anniballi, David Noe, Mike Dyches, Kenny Copelin, Gerald Roxbury, Randy Bishop, Mel Hankla, Michael Briggs, Robert Bushnell, and Andy Bohannon.
The Franklin Show is always noted for its number and variety of displays, and this year was no different. Tables featured everything from excavated battlefield relics and edged weapons to early Southern-made firearms, Palmetto Armory products, powder horns, presentation swords, and rare long arms, giving both seasoned collectors and first-time attendees an opportunity to study original artifacts from across the war years. Displays remain a central educational feature of the Franklin event, and the effort invested by exhibitors once again elevated the overall quality and historical depth of the show.
Award winners were as follows: • • • • • • • • • •
Mike Dyches – Historical Significance Award – Palmetto Armory Weapons Display Robert Bushnell – Historical Significance Award – Republic of Texas Display Andy Bohannon – Historical Significance Award – Powderhorn Display David Noe – Historical Significance Award – Oldenburg Musket Display Randy Bishop – Most Educational Award – Custer Battlefield Relic Display Kenny Copelin – People’s Choice Award – Excavated Bowies and Handguns Gerald Roxbury – Chairman’s Award – Presentation Sword of Lt. James Parker Michael Briggs – Best Sword Award – Kenansville Sword Display Mark Anniballi – Best Firearm Award – Civil War Handgun Display Mel Hankla – Best of Show Award – John Wilson Long Rifle Display
The strong dealer turnout, recordsetting public attendance, and continued emphasis on historically grounded displays once again confirmed the Middle Tennessee Civil War Show’s reputation as one of the premier militaria and artifact events in the region. As the final cases were packed and trailers loaded late
Saturday afternoon, conversation had already shifted to the upcoming Charleston and Dalton shows, with many dealers noting that the Franklin event had set a high bar for what promises to be an active and competitive 2026 show season. Visit us at MKShows.com for more information about the next Franklin Show, December 5th and 6th, 2026
David Noe and his display of rare Oldenburg Muskets.
Mike Dyches and his display of Palmetto Armory weapons.
First time displayer Andy Bohannon’s collection of American powderhorns.
Mark Anniballi and his display of over 125 Civil War handguns.
Collector, researcher, lecturer, and author Mel Hankla with his Best of Show Award.
Gerald Roxbury continues to win awards show after show with his extensive collection of naval swords.
Rifle and powderhorn of John Wilson, signer of the Cumberland Compact in 1780. (Mel Hankla Collection)
North Carolina native Michael Briggs with his Kenansville Armory sword display.
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Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.