Militaria
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William L Yancey – Leader of Southern Fire-Eaters New Price $7450 or Make Offer
Hand Written Richmond Dated April 6 1862 Letter to Pres. Jefferson Davis (4 pages in strong condition)
Regarding Confederate War Dept. Approach to Purchasing Fire Arms From Europe
Initialed by Jefferson Davis ("JD ") with his forward recommendation in his hand writing to “Secty of War for attention & conference with Secty of Treasury with a view to consultation”
William Lowndes Yancey (August 10, 1814 – July 27, 1863) was a journalist, politician, orator, Confederate diplomat to France and England, planter and an American leader of the Southern secession movement.
A member of the group known as the Fire-Eaters, Yancey was one of the most-effective agitators for secession and rhetorical defenders of slavery. An early critic of John C. Calhoun at the time of the Nullification Crisis of 1832-33, Yancey began to identify with Calhoun and the struggle against the forces of the anti-slavery movement by the late 1830s. In 1849, Yancey was a firm supporter of Calhoun's "Southern Address" and an adamant opponent of the Compromise of 1850.
Lawyer Yancey was born in GA but lived for short periods in SC and MA in his early and developing years - finally settled in Alabama, eventually Montgomery, and became a state and federal politician. He was also elected to the Confederate Senate.
In the Confederate Congress, Yancey and Benjamin Hill of Georgia, who had previously clashed in 1856, had their differences over a bill intended to create the Confederate Supreme Court. Their disagreement erupted into physical violence. Hill hit Yancey in the head with a glass ink stand, knocking Yancey over a desk, and onto the floor of the Senate. The physical attack on Yancey by Hill within the Confederate Congress was kept secret for months, and in the ensuing investigation it was Yancey, not Hill, who was censured. This injury along with kidney failure led to Yancey’s death in July 1863.
A Feb. 27 1861 dated Yancey letter to Gov. Pickens of SC went for ~$7500 in 1999.
AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL LETTER TO PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS FROM A STRONG SEGREGRATIONIST!
Last page portion of letter with Wm Yancey signature and Jefferson Davis (JD) initials adding comment for action to the Secretary of War.
Also includes another written commentary by an uknown person: "Offers suggestions as to the means of obtaining arms from Europe. Lee President's endorsement on other side"
President Jefferson Davis Tobacco Pouch with Autographs / Provenance $18,000 or Make Offer
The DAVIS TOBACCO POUCH appears to be a Victorian lady’s draw string purse and is heavily soiled from use. (See image below of typical tobacco pouches of the middle to late 1800's). It may have given to him at some time by his wife, Varina, perhaps when she was finally allowed to start visiting him in prison on May 10 1866. She was given living accommodations at the Fort Monroe VA until his release in May 1867 while her children resided in Savannah. Obviously, the pouch was not manly but perhaps its feminine appearance prevented the guards from stealing it. (Read his prison life summary below)
The Davis group of supporting family documentation protected in plastic covers is nicely arranged in an old tiger maple mirror frame. This collection was probably composed in the 1950’s or 1960’s and consists of the following items:
1) the heavily soiled tobacco pouch with tassel end draw strings and burgundy ruffled top – similar to ladies hand bags in the 1860’s
2) a hand written and signed note by Davis’s daughter, Margaret Howell Hayes, stating that the pouch was her father’s for many years *
3) an autograph signature of Varina Davis and written words in her hand “Beauvoir House Missi”
4) a Jefferson Davis signed German National Bank Memphis check dated Nov. 20 1871.
* The Margaret Hayes note states:
Beauvoir Miss / My dear Sir/ I send you a tobacco pouch used for many years by my father Hon. Jefferson Davis also his autograph and my mother’s / with best wishes / yours cordially / Margaret H. Jefferson Davis Hayes”
There is a more modern black metal plaque with gold lettering transcribing the words on the daughter’s note in the display.
Beauvoir House Mississippi above - Margaret H. Jefferson Davis Hayes hand written note concerning the tobacco pouch left
Jefferson Davis (1808 – 1889) was an American politician and plantation owner who served as the President of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. He was a member of the Democratic Party and represented Mississippi in the US Senate and House of Representatives before the American Civil War. He also served as the United States Secretary of War from 1853 to 1857 under President Franklin Pierce. Davis fought in the Mexican War and was wounded at the Battle of Buena Vista. He married his second wife, Varina Anne Banks Howell, in 1845 and they had 7 children
After the end of the Civil War Davis was captured in Georgia in May 1865, he was accused of treason and imprisoned on May 22 1865 at Fort Monroe in Hampton VA. He was never tried and was released after two years (May 13 1867). After release his wife Varina assisted him in writing his memoir entitled “The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government”, which he completed in 1881. By the late 1880s, he began to encourage reconciliation, telling Southerners to be loyal to the Union.
Davis and his wife rented his retirement home near Biloxi MS named Beauvoir on the gulf coast in 1877 and he eventually inherited it along with other assets in 1879 from the widow owner. It was sold in 1902 and was used as an old Confederate soldiers home until 1956, then was made into a “White House” with a library and museum to President Davis. During the early 2000’s the home was partially destroyed by two hurricanes but has been rebuilt. However about 40% of its artifacts were lost.
Davis was the only Southern leader shackled in a dungeon and suffered under terribly conditions for the first year of his imprisonment by General Miles – commander of the fort. He refused to apply for a pardon because he said: "I have not repented." In 1978, the United States Congress posthumously restored Davis's citizenship. Eventually U.S. Army physician Lt. Col. John Craven had the shackles removed for health reasons and within a few days of capture the doctor allowed Davis to have a pipe since he had been a lifetime smoker and the doctor observed he had an acute dependency on tobacco.
In the beginning the prison guards would take almost anything Davis touched as trophies and souvenirs. He was not allowed forks or knives (food was precut) - only spoons and napkins which were frequently stolen. A brier-wood pipe was taken. Davis suffered high anxiety while in prison with two guards staying in cell all the times for several months, he could not write his wife till late August, he could not sleep well due the changing of the guards every few hours, he wore poor clothing and had inadequate bedding with a lamp constantly glowing in his cell.
Eventually Davis received a beautiful hand carved meerschaum type pipe (circa 1865) with an egg-shaped bowl clutched in the talons of four carved eagle claws. He used this pipe for most of his prison time. Upon his release from prison the eagle claw pipe was given either to a Sgt. Howard, who was part of the military detachment that captured Davis in GA or to the Ft. Monroe physician, Dr. Craven – the story is still unclear. The pipe today is part of the fort’s museum property.
Davis's Pipe - Property of Ft. Monroe VA below -Typical tobacco pouches from mid 1800's right
Image of Jefferson Davis with wife Varina and his daughter Margaret with her three children
Margaret Howell Jefferson Davis Hayes, born in Washington DC, married Joel Addison Hayes Jr. and lived in Memphis Tennessee and Colorado Springs Colorado. She is buried near her father’s family plot in Hollywood Cemetery Richmond VA.
Note: Only Margaret Jefferson Davis Hayes (1855 – 1909) outlived both her parents – the other siblings all died before their father except for Varina Anne Davis (1898) and Margaret Davis. Margaret had four children.
In addition, there is a faded small typed note attached on the back of the oval frame stating:
“JEFFERSON DAVIS’ TOBACCO POUCH / THIS WAS SENT TO AMBLER MONCURE BY JEFFERSON DAVIS’ DAUGHTER. SHE SENT THE TOBACCO POUCH, HIS AUTOGRAPH AND A LETTER FROM HERSELF”.
Also on the back of the frame is a typed statement on card stock perhaps created by Ambler Moncure that says “…the tobacco bag were given to me when Mrs. Davis was living at Bouvoir House and going to New York (city) to supervise the publication of her book. Owned and highly prized by Ambler B. (Brooke?) Moncure, Dinwiddie, Va. Raceland Farm.”
Who was Ambler B. (Brooke) Moncure? He was born in 1868 and died in 1933. He was from Dinwiddie VA and is buried on a famous prewar plantation area (~1000 acres originally) at his home called Raceland that was created by his wife’s family (John M. Wynn). Raceland was the center for horse breeding and racing in the east in the early to middle 1800’s until replaced by Louisville KY. It was purchased by Ambler’s father, Marshall Moncure (1840 – 1910) in 1883. Marshall was a private in the 9th VA Cavalry. Raceland had both Union and Confederate encampments near or on the property during the latter period of the Civil War. Ambler was raised by a Mammy and played with Negro children of former slaves.
With a Confederate soldier father, Ambler develop a strong interest in Virginia history and ancestry, horse racing and other collectibles including Civil War items and slave garments. He amassed a large collection (thousands) of military and other societal relics which were placed on the third floor of his Raceland home. He call it his private museum. He wrote articles about relics and history for the newspaper Southside Virginia News. With this interest in history, Ambler would have been thrilled to get the tobacco pouch used by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Ambler Moncure was married and had two daughters.
It is unknown how Ambler met Varina Davis and her daughter Margaret Hayes and arranged the transfer of the tobacco pouch to him. But the pouch would have been given to or purchased by Ambler Moncure after Jefferson Davis’s death in 1889 and before the Beauvoir home was sold in 1902.
This tobacco pouch could have been used by Pres. Jefferson Davis while he was incarcerated in Ft. Monroe, but it was certainly used in his ending years after prison in his home in Mississippi. He was released from prison in May 1867 and died in 1889. Per Margaret’s note states the “tobacco pouch was used for many years”.
President Jefferson Davis personal artifacts are rare today - a great opportunity to own a personal item used on a daily basis by a famous and historical man. Per the consignor, the Jefferson Davis grouping was purchased from Civil War collector Bill Turner in the 1960’s and it was reported that the tobacco bag had been de-accessed from the Richmond White House.
A recently found unrecorded map with handwritten additions and notes detailing the pursuit and capture of Jefferson Davis sold at auction in May 2016 for $15,000. A three piece coin silver coffee set of the Davis’s dated 1887 sold for about $28,600 in June 2013. There is a written speech by J. Davis dated May 17 1860 and presented to the Ladies at the Fair at Bangor currently offered for $12,000. This tobacco pouch grouping can bought over time with no interest.
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Image of Ambler B. Moncure with wife Rhoda and daughters above - image of Ambler's father, Marshall Moncure 9th VA Cavalry, Co. B - above right
Davis Group comes with 16 x 18 inch graphic poster for framing showing the essence of the artifacts and history.
Very Scarce Model 1855 Swallow Tail Artillery Officer Jacket
This coat is a US Model 1855 swallow tail jacket. It is a triple breast style with seven horizontal rows of double gold embroidered piping, and is adorned with a total of 37 Eagle Buttons (27 Front - 1 missing in front & 10 Back), Albert Type General Service GI-94 - 20 mm from G.O. Jan. 20 1854. The buttons are a mix of either Scovills or Waterbury. All buttons are original to the coat.
The coat also has a pair of M 1855 style epaulettes / scales with red artillery cotton tassels and is marked on the back ”Horstmann Philadelphia”. Each arm cuff has three - 14 mm eagle buttons, GI-94 pattern, sewn to a bright red trim sleeve decoration with gold embroidery.
Early in the war a number of mounted officers preferred this style of swallow tail jackets. The coat design was split in the tail allowing an easier mount and dismount. The coat shows very minimal wear from service. There are no alterations from the original form and design. The lining is 100% present with off white / beige color and is made from padded quilting. There are some sweat stains but no deterioration. This early Civil War Artillery Officer’s is Depot Inspected with a circular light red ink stamp on the lining marked "G. A. Cowles & Co. W.R. & M.P / Inspected at Schuylkill Arsenal”.
The coat reverse has rich, beautiful fancy decorative trim on the tails bordered with gold embroidery, and there are 10 GI-94 type 20 mm eagles buttons. Comes with an adjustable display stand.
A great display of a very scarce Officer’s swallow tail jacket for any Civil War Artillery collection. Price $3500 On-Hold
Original Civil War Union Officer's Kepi from 16th Regiment Co. F - Circa 1861/1863 Price $3400 Now $3000
ON-HOLD
Stands 3 1/8" high at tilted crown front and 5" high at top of crown, 9 1/4" overall length. Constructed of fine quality dark blue wool, cloth liner with wool fill and 1 1/4" wide brown leather sweat band with no cracks or breaks, solid black tarred brim, brass eagle side buttons, and an original brass regimental Number 16 and Company Letter F. There are a few very small moth nicks on crown and left side of Kepi - balance of exterior blue cloth is excellent. The sewing construction and elements of the hat are strong.
Its has a functional tarred/varnished 1/2" wide thin leather chin strap with two sliding leather adjusting loops. No nicks/loss on edge of hat brim. Interior has a cloth covered (a few tears/gaps) wool filler with a with a light blue stitched quilt like cloth attached to the under side of the paste board crown top.
This kepi is in very fine condition showing some light honest wear. Reported provenance is the kepi came from the Tronnes collection in South Dakota and was from the 16th New York regiment raised near Potsdam NY. 16th NY organized May 1861 - served for 3 years (1861-1863) and participated in a number of campaigns and battles such as 1st Bull Run, Yorktown, Mechanicsville, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, the Maryland campaign, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville. The regiment mustered out in May 1863 - many soldiers transferred to 121st NY. A great addition to any Civil War collection.
Andersonville Prison Souvenir Pine Wood Gavel w Provenance Price $1250 SOLD
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Soldier / Survivor John K.P. Ferrell’s Paint / Ink Marked Gavel
Side 1: “Andersonville Prison 1864”
Side 2: “J.K.P. Ferrell / Uhrichsville O. 1917”
Top: “Wood from Stockade”
Bottom: “Georgia” (stenciled twice on gavel head)
Enlisted 9/7/1861 in 51st Ohio – Co. A – Mustered out 10/17/1864
Born April 16 1844 - Died Feb. 4 1929 Trade: Blacksmith
Buried Union Cemetery Uhrichsville, Tuscarawas County Ohio
Wife Lydia Margreat Ferrell Born Dec. 12 1847 - Died Mar. 6 1928
This Regiment was organized October, 3, 1861, under Colonel Fitzgerald, who having resigned, Colonel Stanley Matthews took command.
The 51st Ohio went to Kentucky in November, and in February, 1862, moved to Nashville. It operated against Bragg, and was present at Perryville.
At Stone River it fought with a fearful loss, and at Chickamauga performed splendid service. In the battle of Chickamauga the regiment lost 8 men killed, 37 men and 1 officer wounded and 30 captured (including J.K.P.Ferrell).
It participated in the storming of Lookout Mountain and the victory at Mission Ridge. John Ferrell was captured at Chickamauga, sent to Danville prison and then to Andersonville.
In May, 1864, the Regiment joined Sherman's Atlanta campaign, taking part in all the great battles; followed Hood north into Tennessee; fighting under Thomas at Nashville, and joined the pursuit of Hood south.
In March, 1865, it moved into East Tennessee, and in April back to Nashville, where it was soon transferred to Texas, performing arduous duty until mustered out in November, 1865.
From a website List of Andersonville prisoners, the name below is listed:
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Prisoner Location: Andersonville
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Location: Ohio
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Held at Andersonville and survived
John K.P. Ferrell wrote two articles for the Washington National Tribune newspaper about his experience as a prisoner of war following his capture:
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National Tribune. “Prison Experience”. John K.P. Ferrell. Andersonville Prison. Published December 10th, 1914
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National Tribune. “From Chickamauga to Danville”. John K.P. Ferrell. Published August 5th, 1915
Having written two articles on his prison life, it is assumed John Ferrell travelled to Andersonville prison in 1917 (this date is written on gavel) and purchased a souvenir gavel from a local vendor. Either the vendor or John Ferrell added the information detail on the gavel head.
It also appears John Ferrell added at some time a piece of tin or brass metal to one end of the gavel head to strengthen it due to cracking.
A very scarce artifact from Andersonville Prison once owned by a Union Soldier that was a POW there. Gavel is 10.5" Long/3.5" Wide
Gavel comes with a packet of research information.
"Georgia" marked twice on underside of gavel below
Grave Stone Error -61st should be 51st REG. O.V.I.
Confederate Brig. / Major General James Patton Anderson Period Tagged Personal Smoking Hat-Crimean War Style - Captured at La Vergne TN Price $2900
ON-HOLD
James Patton Anderson was born near Winchester in Franklin County, Tennessee. He moved with his family to Kentucky in 1831 where he lived for most of his childhood and then to Mississippi in 1838. He attended the medical school of Jefferson College in Canonsburg Pennsylvania in 1840 before a family financial crisis forced him to withdraw before graduation in 1842. Soon after his return home, Anderson began practicing medicine.
He studied law at Montrose Law School in Frankfort, Kentucky, and was admitted to the bar in 1843, establishing a practice in Hernando in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
He also entered the state's militia forces with the rank of captain in 1846. He later served in the Mexican–American War, commanding the 2nd Battalion, Mississippi Rifles with the rank of lieutenant colonel as of February 22, 1848. That July he was mustered out of the volunteer service.
Anderson later entered politics in Mississippi and befriended Jefferson Davis, a fellow former Mississippi volunteer officer in the U.S. Army.
After his two-year term in Washington State as a US Marshall, Anderson moved to the state of Florida living as a planter near Monticello. He entitled his slave plantation "Casa Bianca" and held from about 93 to up to 350 slaves. He was an active participant in the Florida state secession convention.
Just prior to the start of the American Civil War, Anderson was appointed a captain in the Florida Militia on January 11, 1861. Soon after Florida's secession, Anderson was one of three deputies (delegates) from Florida to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States, beginning February 4 and resigned on May 2. He accepted a commission as the Colonel of the 1st Florida Infantry on April 1, and initially served under Braxton Bragg in Pensacola. There he commanded the 2nd Brigade in the Army of Pensacola from October 12 to January 27, 1862.
He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on February 10, 1862, and was assigned to the Western Theater, commanding a 2nd Confederate Brigade, 1st Division under BG Daniel Ruggles in the Battle of Shiloh in April. He fought with the Army of Tennessee during the battles of Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga, before being promoted to Major General on February 17, 1864.
After briefly serving as commander of the Confederate District of Florida, Anderson returned to the field in July 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign. He led a Division in Leonidas Polk's Corps in the Army of Tennessee at the battles of Ezra Church, Utoy Creek, and in the early stages of the Battle of Jonesboro before suffering a serious jaw wound on the evening of August 31. Temporarily unfit for duty, he was relieved of his command and sent home to Monticello.
He later returned to duty in April 1865 during the Carolinas Campaign and served with his men for the remainder of the war until their surrender to Federal forces at Greensboro, North Carolina, in the spring of 1865. He was paroled on May 1, and would be pardoned by the U.S. Government on December 2, 1866. Anderson died in relative poverty at his home in Memphis at the age of 50, due primarily to lingering effects of his old war wound. He was buried there in the city's Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee.
Fighting at La Vergne TN
General Crittenden commanded one of the Union Corps making its way to Murfreesboro TN by way of La Vergne. On December 26, 1862, the corps was one mile north of La Vergne, a small community with few stores and a railroad depot sitting in the center of town. Gaining the depot was an important part of the Union Army plan to conquest the Confederate soldiers of General Braxton Bragg because the Union would be able to move supplies and men closer to Murfreesboro.
Crossing through thick tanbles of cedar in the Hurricane Creek, the Union soldiers moved closer and closer, but 2500 Confederate men and a battery of artillery were waiting for major engagement. With more and more soldiers coming to both sides, the skirmish became house to house combat with Confederate soldiers firing from windows and doorways. When the Confederate soldiers eventually retreated, their losses were minor and it was considered a victory because it gave the forces more time to prepare for the Battle of Stones River, that followed a few days later. Hat is framed in old 24 x 18 inch oval glass bubble frame. Hat show some mothing, wear and soil and has a period tag dated 1862 from Spring Hill TN. The hat was captured at La Vergne TN probably after a strong fighting.
A Crimean War Zouave Style Hat shown above right - similar to Major Gen. Anderson's hat . He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery Memphis TN
