My Civil War period collection

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Here's a few odds and ends I've collected over the years for both myself and Kim as we're both very interested in the American Civil War... or as we Southerners prefer to call it: "The War Between The States" or "The Late, Great Unpleasantness".

First off, a cartridge pouch insignia:

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This was dug (not by me) and is in very good condition.

A hammer, most likely from a Springfield rifle... also dug (again not by me):

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[Hauptmann]

These on the other hand I did find... on our old property near Bristol Florida and not far at all from Torreya State Park... about five minutes or so as the crow flies.

I believe the first three items may have been from a cartridge box/pouch:

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This next item is a heel plate from a Cavalryman's boot:

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These were all found just outside our house.

At the Torreya site there are six gun emplacements which were used for cannons covering the Appalachicola River in case the Yanks decided to come inland from the blockade fleet. The C.S.S. Chattahoochee was a major presence on the river in helping to keep the Yankees out. But in 1863 she blew her boilers off Bristol and sank. She was raised and towed to Columbus Georgia, site of the iron works which are still there... however now being used as a civic and convention center. She was repaired just in time to be burned and sunk at the end of the war. The Confederate Naval Museum is nearby and has information and relics from her and several other wrecks discovered in the area as well as the raised remains of one of the Confederate ironclads as well as the Chattahoochee.

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Here's links to a couple of sites on her history:

http://www.hnsa.org/ships/chatta.htm

http://home.ozconnect.net/tfoen/tragic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Chattahoochee

There were other Confederate units, both Infantry and Cavalry in our area and there are even legends of a payroll as well as much buried wealth from when there was a threatened Yankee invasion of the coastal areas and folks moved into our area to escape such a threat.

[Hauptmann]

Here's what I'm guessing was a cap insignia showing the unit to which the individual belonged:

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These are Civil War Tokens minted and used by shopkeepers to make up for the absense of small change during the war as folks tended to hoard hard money during the conflict:

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The one on the left is unusual in that the reverse is rotated out of alignment from the obverse of the coin.

This is a set of pocket knives dug from an encampment (again not by me):

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And a round of shot I purchased in Gettysburg many moons ago:

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[Hauptmann]

Here's some mini balls and bullets... first off, a grouping my father found at Gettysburg when he was a boy:

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A grouping I purchased there over twenty years ago:

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Some dug (by others) at various sites along with some buttons. The larger button (only the back) is Confederate and marked as having been made by a company in Richmond Virginia.

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The bullet on the bottom is a pain bullet showing teeth marks of a wounded soldier who chewed it to help ease the pain during surgery.

[Hauptmann]

And some miscellaneous miniballs that hit their targets and were flattened or otherwise mutilated:

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[Hauptmann]

This is a cutdown NCO sword which I can only assume had been damaged so was remade into a dagger. I got this one at a small antique/junk shop that was about a half mile from our home in Dunedin Florida. I believe I paid $14 for it at the time which again was well over twenty years ago.

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[Hauptmann]

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And the makers mark:

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Eastmann and Sons

Philladelphia

Edited August 21, 2006 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

Not sure of the exact period of this piece but I've seen many of these small pocket pistols from the Civil War and post Civil War period. It's only marking is the name Reliance on the top of the barrel. It's still in perfect operating condition:

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[Hauptmann]

Some GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) medals and insignia:

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[Hauptmann]

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And the makers marks from the central medal:

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[Hauptmann]

Closeups of our Confederate Enfield. I purchased this for Kim at J.M. Cohen & Sons in New Orleans over twenty years ago... I believe I paid just under $300 for it at the time and it was the pick of their Enfields they had in stock.

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Closeups of the date:

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Edited August 21, 2006 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

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Original British markings from the stock. It's my understanding this was original issued during the time of the Indian mutiny and was then purchased by the Confederacy for their use during the Civil War.

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And this one which appears to be 1914. Perhaps a unit or stocking number? I can't believe they had these ready as a reserve for WWI.

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[Hauptmann]

And here it is in all it's glory with a couple of friends. The sword was carried by a member of our family and my father had it restored in 1979 and I received special permission to use it as a Lieutenant in my NJROTC unit whenever swords were called for during a given ceremony.

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[Hauptmann]

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[Hauptmann]

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Well, hope ya'll enjoyed the show.

Dan

[Jim P]

Quite an outstanding collection you have there from "The War of Northern Aggression".It is great that your family has held onto the sword so long.It amazes me how little people in general care so little about their heritage,especially if it will bring good coin on ebay.Great stuff.

Jim

[Hauptmann]

Quite an outstanding collection you have there from "The War of Northern Aggression".It is great that your family has held onto the sword so long.It amazes me how little people in general care so little about their heritage,especially if it will bring good coin on ebay.Great stuff.

Jim

Hi Jim,

Many thanks for your kind words. And I totally agree... it always gives me an awful pain to see folks selling stuff on Ebay that belonged to their dad or uncle or grandpa, etc. I actually wrote one guy once who was selling off his grandpa's or dad's (can't remember which) WWII stuff... including a set of binoculars he'd used in the war. I tried to talk him out of selling explaining that this stuff was more important in his family than to just get a few bucks for it that he'd probably end up blowing eating out or something. He agreed but went ahead and sold it anyhow. Go figure!

I've managed to keep alot of our family history together but so much was lost that was beyond my control. It's irreplaceable.

And with this sword I was so proud to carry it. Only one other member of our unit was given the same privilege. He carried his father's USMC NCO sword as he'd been a top Sergeant who died in the service when his son was still fairly young. I can certainly understand Japanese officers and even some NCO's who carried family blades during the wars. There's just a continuation that's hard to beat.

Again thanks so much for your compliments on our humble collection. I say our as I really put it together for my wife. There are other pieces such as souvenir type items, reproduction black powder pistols, etc. I wish I had more original pieces but hope to keep adding to things over time. I do have a pocket watch but haven't had time to scan it and add it here yet. I bought it having been told by the seller that it dated to the turn of the century. I later dated it and found out it was made during the Civil War. And although not militaria it certainly was a piece that may have been carried by an offier or soldier during the war.

Thanks again,

Dan

[Paul R]

I agree as well! You have some very significant items. I love that Enfield!

[Ulsterman]

I believe that cap badge is Spanish-American war era- and much rarer.

That bayonet/sword is a treasure! It looks a lot like an abridged version of the French artillery NCO sword.

[Hauptmann]

I agree as well! You have some very significant items. I love that Enfield!

Hi Paul,

Many thanks! Silly me... just been getting bits and pieces through the years... never thought of it as much more than that. I guess because I concentrated so much on my TR and then on my Soviet. I've studied a bit of the CW collectibles but never became an expert per se. I can't tell one miniball from another as far as their names and history. But I do have a reference showing same. I suppose one of these days I need to go through and match them up and name them, etc.

And yes, the Enfield I've always thought rather highly of. When I picked it out the snakes on the stock, etc. really appealed to both Kim and myself. Alot of history there. I looked through several that Cohen's had and this was the pick of the crop at that time. It's so funny... I went back just before we moved... and well before all the flooding and such down there. We stopped in a Cohen's and oh my Lord how the prices had gone up! I'd figured they'd have gone up some... but at the level they were at... even if I'd had the wherewithall I once had I would not have spent that kind of money for what was on offer. I think they had one revolver that I definitely would have described as "relic" condition... and it was nearly $400! And missing parts and all. And not a particularly rare piece either. But then again shops in that area have for a long time catered to the tourists who supposedly all have money trees and unending supplies and can afford to pay such prices.

But I will say, if you or any of the other members are ever in New Orleans (or N'awlins as we Southerners say!) you should definitely stop in and check it out. Well worth a bit of drool time if you like firearms and blades although they do have a few other odds and ends. And alot of cased pistols... more than I've ever seen outside of references and museums.

Also, in the same area of the French Quarter is a little shop called the Petit Solder Shop who also carry some militaria. A friend of Jack Angolia runs it... in fact he recommended I go there on our return trip around the country that first time through. Well worth the visit and the owner is very nice and very helpful.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

I believe that cap badge is Spanish-American war era- and much rarer.

That bayonet/sword is a treasure! It looks a lot like an abridged version of the French artillery NCO sword.

Really? Had no idea. Hey, if someone can confirm that then I may pop it over to my SAW items on the other post.

Not sure which sword you mean... if the cutdown I believe it's one of the standard NCO pattern swords in use in the U.S. at the time right before the war started. If the sword with the Enfield against the tree... that's a staff & musicians sword if I remember correctly. I'm sure one of the members can fill in the correct info... again never specialized in this area. Just love the goodies! And of course that one was a family piece handed down. And then of course there's the standard bayo on the end of the Enfield.

Guess I'll have to do more detailed shots of those. But if I've missed one... let me know. And of course I'm happy to do more shots of anything per request.

But very glad you like. Thanks!

Dan

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice. The only (US) Civil War items I have are my great-grandfather's two medals. See http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3975&st=01 for those. My father had tons of Civil War stuff he dug up and out or trees as a kid, but I have no idea where that is now. Another great-grandfather's 14th Virginia Cavalry lieutennt's uniform was burned years ago by aunts who were disturbed that it "might get moths" - grrrrr.

Edited August 21, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Hauptmann]

Nice. The only (US) Civil War items I have are my great-grandfather's two medals. My father had tons of Civil War stuff he dug up and out or trees as a kid, but I have no idea where that is now. Another great-grandfather's 14th Virginia Cavalry lieutennt's uniform was burned years ago by aunts who were disturbed that it "might get moths" - grrrrr.

Hi Ed,

What is it about some women wanting to destroy things or throw them out? Why can't they be pack rats like us guys! Of course, if they were then nothing would be rare or even scarce.

So I guess... here's to all the women of the world creating more rareties than war, pests, bad weather and mother nature in general (see, another woman! ) and all the rest the world can throw at us.

Seriously though, very sorry to hear about his uniform. That would have been an absolute jewel and some great family history. But very glad you have your great-grandfather's medals. Would love to see pics sometime if you wouldn't mind posting them.

Hope you come across the stuff your dad found and collecting. Sounds like it might be a nice little treasure trove.

Dan

[Ed_Haynes]

I added this to the post, Dan, and you must have missed it:

See http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3975&st=01 for those.

[Hauptmann]

I added this to the post, Dan, and you must have missed it:

Hi Ed,

Yes I did... sorry. My eyes are really getting bad. Methinks it's time for a new prescription very soon. Alas more money I can't spend on the things I really want to spend it on. Sigh.

VERY NICE though! That's an especially nice strike of the CW medal by the look of it. Really stands out!

I only wish I had my ancestors medals. Other than the pieces my Uncle Jack gave me... or my grandmother who had saved some pieces he'd sent her... I have nothing from any of mine who have served... nor does Kim. I suppose we could apply for replacements but I know that takes a long time.

That's one reason I picked up the basic US theater and victory medals and such. I figure'd I'd get the ones they would have been entitled to as representative examples. One of these days I'll put in for their records and find out exactly what they had.

No matter how basic or unimpressive they might seem... "we" know what went into earning them. And as one who knows of such things... I'd like to say thank you to all those in your family who put on the uniform and served our nation.

It's a history to be proud of... and I know you are.

Thanks for sharing.

Dan