r/CivilWarCollecting

For top to bottom starting on left

1. 1853 Tower Enfield dated 1864 (Original)

2. Uberti 1851 Colt navy (reproduction)

3 1855 French Officers Saber ( Original unknown date)

4. Ames 1840 Light Artillery Sword (Original dated 1864)

5. possible Battle flag final (no provenance)

6. Post Civil War field glasses (possible 1880s Original)

7. 1853 Enfield bayonet (Original)

8. 1854 Lorenz Bayonet (Original)

9. 1861 Springfield Bayonet with scabbard (Original)

10. Verious rifle and musket projectiles (Original)

11. 10lb parrot shell recovered from Resaca GA (Original)

12. Possible 12lb solid shot (no provenance)

13 6lb solid shot recovered from Jenkins Ferry Ar (Original)

14. Canister shot recovered from Lookout mountain TN (Original)

Any questions ill try to answer in comments!

It’s been awhile but wanted to drop this gem for a very special day. I don’t currently own this but am looking to purchase it and I think it’s extremely cool and extremely rare. In the meantime, enjoy. 

This is a VMI Cross of Honor. The Cross was awarded in 1904 to each of the 294 cadet participants (or their surviving family) in the Battle of New Market. The Battle of New Market occurred today, May 15, 162 years ago in 1864 as part of very beginning of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. In May of 1864, in coordination with Grant’s move to Richmond, 9,000 men under Gen. Franz Sigel moved up the valley. They were met by a patchwork force of 4,000 Confederates under former US Vive President John C Breckinridge. Breckinridge needed all the troops he could get so he called up the corps of cadets from the nearby Virginia Military Institute to join his army. Intending to use them only as reserves, Breckinridge was forced to commit them when a gap opened in his lines mid battle. Put into action, the cadets came under fire almost immediately. Moving forward they charged the Union line, breaking the Federals and capturing several cannon. At a cost of the lives of ten cadets, the corps helped turn the tide and win the battle.

 These medals were struck in 1904 and given to former cadets or their families. This particular medal was given to Charles B Hundley. Charles was born in 1846 in Essex County. He entered VMI in March 1864 and participated in the battle. Hundley later joined the 43rd VA Cavalry, also known as Mosby’s Rangers. He survived the war and died in Fredericksburg on October 6, 1908, meaning he would likely have received the medal himself. 

After my first discussion I was lead to believe this small circle was due to manufacturing and this is a solid metal cannonball. Is it possible this is the explosive kind. Dug up in a basement of building that was turned into a munitions building for union army at one time.

Half-plate tintype of a Federal supply wagon, rider, and a woman on the far right. A servant perhaps, holds the reigns of the horse. The veteran jacket of the soldier with his hands in his pockets may perhaps lead to a unit ID. I think Indiana soldiers were known to have worn these.

Pictured is a staff badge for the 1915 Richmond UCV reunion. This badge belonged to the Adj. General and Chief of Staff for the Virginia Division of the UCV. With a little research I was able to determine that Boyd M. Smith was the adjutant general and chief of staff for 1915 - meaning this was his badge.

Boyd Mason Smith was born in Alexandria on June 6th, 1844. In January 1863 at age 18 Smith enlisted in the 4th Virginia Cavalry. Upon enlisting Smith was immediately detailed as a courier on the staff of General JEB Stuart. Private Smith saw heavy action while serving on Stuart’s staff, including at Brandy Station, Gettysburg on Day 3, Yellow Tavern and Trevallian Station to name a few.

In late July/early August 1864 Smith transferred to the newly formed Company E, 43rd Virginia Cavalry under Colonel Mosby. With the Grey Ghost, now Sgt. Smith would harass federals across northern Virginia. Notably Smith was involved in the capture of Union General Alfred N. Duffie in August 1864. Smith and the Rangers would torment federals all the way up to the end of the war, where Mosby’s command disbanded rather than surrender.

Postwar, Smith removed to Mineral, Va and was active in veterans affairs. He served many positions in the leadership of Virginia’s UCV Division, including of course, Adjutant General and Chief of Staff in 1915. Smith died in 1921 at the age of 77.

All in all a wonderful badge with a great history. As someone who often travels through “Mosby’s Confederacy” I’m quite pleased to add this bit of local history to my collection.

Spencer H. Bronson was born on September 15th, 1842 in Smithville, NY. He was from a large family, and by 1850 they had moved to Wisconsin. At the outbreak of war, 3 of the brothers (Spencer, Eli, and Manly) enlisted in May of 1861 with the 7th Wisconsin (all in Company B).

In August of 1862 the 4th brother (Edward) enlisted in Company K of the 32nd Wisconsin. Shortly after that at 2nd Manassas, Spencer was shot in the little finger of his right hand (the first of 4 wounds). The following month at Antietam, Eli was shot and killed, becoming the first Bronson to die in the war.

Manly was promoted to Sergeant, but contracted a disease and died early in the morning of March 26th (when this letter was written). Manly’s death, together with Eli’s death a few months earlier took a toll on Spencer. In the opening stages of Chancellorsville at the end of April, he was wounded a second time when a bullet passed through his cartridge box strap and lodged in his side.

After spending some time in surgery, the ball was extracted and Spencer returned to his unit in time for Gettysburg… where he was again wounded (3rd time) and captured on July 1st. He was sent first to Libby Prison then Belle Island, but was later exchanged in August of 1863. By the time of his release Spencer had lost all his teeth due to scurvy.

Returning to the 7th, Spencer would become a casualty for the 4th time. At the Wilderness he was shot twice in the abdomen, and despite fears he would die - persevered and was sent to Washington, D.C. for recovery. One of the balls would embed itself under his right hip and remain for the rest of his life.

On the evening of April 14th, he had chosen to attend the show at Ford’s Theatre for a rare chance to see Lincoln and Grant. A firsthand witness to the assassination, Spencer immediately wrote a letter to his sister, and the contents proved historically significant. His detailed account was incredible, and is one of only a handful known that included the precise Latin translation of Booth’s famous words after shooting the President. This article goes into further detail: https://archive.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/museum-buys-photo-of-civil-war-soldier-who-saw-lincoln-assassinated-b99240263z1-255082211.html.

In May of 1865 Bronson transferred into the Veteran Reserve Corps as an Orderly Sergeant, mustering out in November of that year. Back in Fall River, WI, he started a merchant business with his sole surviving brother Edward, then later became postmaster.

In the 1870s or 80s (records are a bit shaky), he married Aner Louise Perrin and moved to South Dakota, where he became a G.A.R. Post Commander and was later elected to the State Senate. Despite being wounded 4 times in the war and suffering from the effects of his injuries, Spencer lived to be 88, passing away on September 20th, 1930. It’s hard to image a soldier who was witness to more atrocities.

The first two photos are of Spencer, with the second two being of Manly. Then a photocopy of a newspaper article about his life. Finally, a transcription of the letter.