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#DC-3-BL Fine autograph signature of Confederate Lieutenant General Daniel Harvey Hill of North Carolina. One of the most magnificent combat officers of the Civil War, Hill won the first Confederate victory at Big Bethel and then served with distinction at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, the Seven Days, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Chickamauga and Bentonville. Signature on small slip of paper app. 2" x 2." There is a slight tear beneath the "D" which is barely noticable and perfectly intact. With faded pencil comment from early autograph collector beneath.................$200 |
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#DC-4-BL Wonderful Confederate Patriotic Poem or Song, Tennessee, My Tennessee which is a lament at the early war occupation of the state by Union forces. The lines just reek of bitterness at the Yankees, "Though silent hangs thy timeless lyre, though tyrants seek to quench thy fire, That quenchless flame can ne'r expire, Tennessee My Tennessee. Though for a season sunk in woe, though now her prayers she breathes but low, Though on her margine proudly glow, the colors of her hated foe, She swears in wrath they yet shall know, There still is life in Tennessee." Much more powerful content. I believe this was meant to be sung to the tune of the Confederate Anthem, Maryland My Maryland. One page small folio, app. 12" x 7 1/4," usual folds, worn at the edges, ink stains on the right, but overall good condition. A second unrelated poem/ song on the back. A nice wartime Tennessee association piece and a super item for a Volunteer State display......$175 |
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#DC-1-SL One of the Great Campaigns in American Military History! c. 1864-65 Wartime Diary of Color Bearer, Corporal Matthew Decker, Co. H, 143rd New York, chronicling the Battles for Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the Carolina's Campaign. Small, app. 3" x 5" pocket journal, written in a very neat, legible ink, Decker's entries are terse initially, but later become quite descriptive describing all facets of this incredible movement, especially in describing the Battle of Monroe's Crossroads & the Battle of Bentonville. Reads in part: ....May 9th, heavy firing in the direction of Buzzard's Roost....10th, ordered to supplant McPherson....12th, ambulances have gone to haul the wounded off the field...15th Had a fight today, loss quite heavy....25th, Hard fight this afternoon, Luther Bunnel was hit in the foot...28th, our Brigade ordered back to kingston to guard wagon train. My arm is very sore....July22nd, rebs shelled us like the deuce....Nov 16th, tearing up and burning Railroad. Atlanta is burnt today.....Dec, 10th, Captured the Charleston & Savannah RR....14th Fort McAllister was taken by General Sherman in 15 minutes....20th, Our batteries opened on the Rebs just before daylight....21st, The Rebs evacuated the city just at daylight...Jan 17th, 1865, Sherman's new campaign has commenced...saw old forts erected in the old Revolutionary War...25th detailed to guard Pioneers to cut out obstructions to corduroy roads....29th, Pioneers cutting out trees the Rebs fell in the roads as they retreat...Feb 2nd, 3rd Division had severe skirmishing with Wheeler's Cavalry & repulsed them. They obstructed the road with heavy timber...4th, the inhabitants fleeing and leaving their homes at our mercy...we burned several today...9th, we have completely destroyed 40 miles of the road...18th, Everythin being burnt and made desolate...hear of the burning of Columbia...21st, pass through Winnsboro, which was plundered without mercy. Our troops are busy burning railroad and large quantities of cotton...March 16th, ordered to push forward as fast as possible to relieve Gen Kilpatrick's cavalry...our skirmishers charged the Rebels and drove them one mile, capturing and killing considerable many...18th, the combined Rebel army is before us and a battle is eminent...19th, Heavy cannonading in our front...ordered to suppert the 14th corps...the 14th corps broke on account of being flanked...our Brigade establsihed the line and held till dark...we fired upward of a hundred rounds of cartridges...April 28th, Gen joe Johnston surrendered yesterday, his whole army and accoutrements of war...May 24th, we passed through the city on a grand review.... Much more fascinating content. Accompanied by a 1909 printed regimental, Condensed History of the 143d Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry in superb condition. There is also a post wat letter dated 5-15-1871 from former adjudant Rennsselayer Hammond of the 143rd to Decker from Fort Wallace, Kansas with terrific content concerning soldier life on the plains in the Indian Wars, which reads in part: ...some officers occasionally raid out after the Indians...they are skinners and many have lost their topknots in doing it...I am not bald yet...plenty of buffalo to hunt and its the best sport going...get on a horse with a breechloader and 2 revolvers and ride into a herd...I cannot help to think of...the old times when you carried the 143rd's Flag all through the war...Much more wonderful content, but especially rare with the Indian scalping reference. The diary is in general good condition. The outer flap is loose and hanging, otherwise intact. The binding appears to have been resewn at some point, rendering some of the pages and the events out of order, but it is intact and solid. Very easily read. We cannot overemphasize how rare it is to see this in a soldier's diary. This is one dynamite piece of history!!!!!........................................$2,800 |
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#DC-9-BL Very Rare Historic Content ALS from Confederate Secretary of The Treasury Christopher Memminger on Confederate Treasury Department letterhead to Major Edward McCrady discussing the merits of Confederate Ordnance Chief Josiah Gorgas vs the merits of Colonel, later Brigadier General Roswell Ripley. 2 1/2 pages, octavo, superb condition, Richmond, July 5, 1851, reads in part: "your letter of the 2nd in realtion to Col. Ripley was recieved today and I immediately made inquiry into the subject...according to the War Department, every just consideration has been made to Col. Ripley's claims. ..One of the most valuable and highly regarded officers in the service is Major Gorgas, whose commission dates in the army to 1841; Ripley's is in 1843. Gorgas is now the Chief of ordnance & highly esteemed by the Government and has the commission of Major...When the commission of Major was offered to Ripley, it put him just behind Gorgas, and if accepted...the President would have been able to offer him any special duty above his grade; and I understand from the President that he would have assigned him the command of Charleston Harbor upon the withdrawal of Beauregard...You will see, therefore, that Ripley himself has been the only obstruction to his own way..." Much more great content. With clerical copy form the War Department of the relative officers ranks and dates of service. Fine, bold signature "C C Memminger." A rare glimpse into behind the scenes manoevering in the Confederate Government.......Sold |
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#DC-11-BL Manuscript Confederate Report ADS by Captain J A Thomas 21st South Carolina Infantry to Colonel James Chestnut (Husband of the famous Diarist Mary Chestnut) describing the defenses and logistics of defending the Columbia area. With wonderful and very rare letterhead, Superintendant's Office Arsenal Academy Columbia, SC, Feb 22, 1862, reads in part: " About two miles below the bridge and one half mile above the confluence of the Congaree and Wateree rivers, there is a high projecting bluff, overlooking the river...50 or 75 feet above the level of the stream...this position I deem unsuitable for the location of a battery...place a battery sufficiently near to command the channel below and it would be enfiladed by the river on the right and it owuld be impossible to mask it...place it farther back and it would be impossible, without a good deal of labor, to put your guns to bear on the river below...Riflemen, however, at this point, might annoy the enemy in his boats, and if the river were here obstructed, men in small boats might dash out from behind their cover and ? the hostile boats..." More interesting content. 3 pages, quarto, light fading, but easily read. Interesting that preparations were being made for the defense of Columbia, an attack which came less than three years later......$1150 |
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#DC-12-BL Interesting ALS from Confederate Brigadier General Roswell Ripley to Colonel George Brent requesting that he not be assigned to General PGT Beauregard's command. 1 page, quarto, Charleton, January 20th, 1865, reads in part: "Colonel, I have the honor to enclose herewith a letter to the adj and insp, Gen'l requesting that when my leave of absence expires, I may not be ordered to the command of Gen GT Beauregard...Fine, bold signature with sentiment. Roswell Ripley was known as an excellent field commander who did not get along with his superiors, the most prominent of which was General Beauregard. Rare war dated letter from a Confederate General....$1750 |
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#DC-13-BL Rare war date ADS Special Order by Confederate Brigadier General Humphrey Marshall. 1 page octavo app. 4" x 7" dateline Wytheville, Va, Monday December 14th, no date but most likely 1861. Reads as follows: "Colonel Moore ( or in his absence the officer commanding the 29th Regiment) will withdraw his force from Rocky Gap immediately and will march the entire regiment without delay to Wytheville...If the transportation is not ready, bring the men, their arms and camp equipage: for the regiment is demanded for immediate service." Wonderful hastily written quality to this emergency order, boldly signed by Marshall. Outlines the sometimes desperate nature of Confederate manpower....$950 |
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#DC-13-BL Very rare Confederate Commission signed by Judah Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of War, issued to Major John J Murphy, who would become Chief of Staff to General Leonidas Polk, along with post-war Presidential pardon for Murphy signed in print by Andrew Johnson. 1 page quarto, excellent condition, with Confederate States of America War Department letterhead, Richmond, November 19th, 1861. Pardon 2 page folio excellent condition slight wear on folds. A rare combination of a Confederate officer's commission and the resulting Presidential pardon.......Sold |
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#DC-14-BL Rare Confederate LS signed by Josiah Gorgas, Major & Chief of Ordnance, with Confederate States of America War Department, Ordnance Office letterhead. 1 page quarto, Richmond, July 21st, 1861, the date of the Battle of First Manassas, addressed to General Foster in Atlanta, reads in part: "I have recieved your letter of the 17th inst. and in reply would say that you may ratify the contract with Harris & Thrasher at $4.75. They must be cautioned however as the quality of the articles furnished. The sample they exhibited here was the very best we had then seen and made me anxious to get accoutrements of them. I think the shoulder belts cost us here from 70 to 75 cents. It is necessary for us to have some sets separate from the knapsacks as more troops arrive with knapsacks. You may extend your contracts in Georgia if you can do so, on favorable terms, to one hundred thousand sets, including knapsacks to be delivered within six months..." Just wonderful content showing some of the difficulties Gorgas had in the procurement of weapons and accoutrements for the growing number of volunteers in Virginia....Sold |
