Documents
MEMBER OF
This
Civil War Diary and grouping belonged to Sergeant Major Selar Mead of
the 93rd Indiana Infantry and is fresh from a recent estate
sale in Kokomo, Indiana. Mead’s diary is the pivotal part of this fine
group which includes his appointment as Sergeant Major signed by De Witt
Clinton Thomas, the Regiment’s Commanding Colonel. Also included in the
group is Mead’s discharge document issued at Gainesville, Alabama on
July 13, 1865….signed by Colonel Thomas
(later Brig. Genl.)… and finally Mead’s copy of Casey’s Tactics
that was presented to him in Memphis on July 25, 1864….
Sgt.
Mead’s discharge lists his major battles which include the following:
Battle of Jackson
Siege
of Vicksburg
Siege
of Jackson
Battle of Brice’s Cross Roads
Battle of Nashville
Battle of Spanish Fort
Battle of Mobile
He is cited in the
Official Records by Colonel Thomas for his zeal displayed at The Battle
of Brice’s Crossroads. In this historic battle Confederate Cavalry
Troops Commanded by General Nathan Bedford Forrest soundly defeated the
Yanks. Forrest and his troops captured the entire Union wagon train
which included 14 artillery guns, 52 officers and 1,571 men and
inflicted well over 500 casualties.
The 93rd was a hard fought regiment that encountered the
wrath of “That Devil Forrest” on multiple occasions..... Sergeant
Mead was present and fighting during that important part of our history.
In
February, 1864, General Smith with seven thousand mounted men was sent
against him in co-operation with Sherman, but was utterly routed at
Okolona and Prairie Mound. In return Forrest rode through Tennessee to
the Ohio river, and captured Fort Pillow, Union City and other posts
with their garrisons. In June Federals under General Sturgis entered
Mississippi. Forrest, at Brice's Cross Roads struck the straggling
Federal column at its head, crushed that, and then in detail routed
successive brigades until Sturgis had suffered one of the most
humiliating defeats of the war, losing all his trains and a third of his
men. Gen. A. J. Smith renewed the invasion with 14,000 men, but
retreated after a desperate battle at Harrisburg, near Tupelo.
Reorganizing his beaten forces
Smith again advanced with reinforcements from Memphis, and Forrest was
compelled to foil the enemy by taking half his force and making a
sixty-hour ride to Memphis, the daring entry of which compelled Smith's
rapid retreat. Then for a time General Forrest made havoc with the
Federal transportation, garrisons and depots in Tennessee, exploits
crowned by the capture and destruction of six million dollars' worth of
the enemy's supplies and a gunboat fleet, at Johnsonville,--"a feat of
arms," wrote Sherman, "which I must confess excited my admiration."
We
have scanned all of the pages of the diary so that the individual
entries and dates can be seen and read. The pages
are not shown in chronological
and the photos appear randomly……
The
front and back covers are present but detached or fragile and there are
a few loose pages but all are present and legible. In some instances it
looks like Sgt. Mead made pencil entries (perhaps while in the field)
and then traced over them in ink.
Sergeant Major Mead’s Military Records are included in the archive.
This is an extremely important archive
and priced well below
its historical value.......$3,000.00
Incredible War Date Endorsement of General
George Custer dated October 27, 1863. General Meade's Endorsement
is also a part of the document. The piece is museum framed in such as
way that Meade's Endorsement can be seen on a cut out on the obverse.
This truly stunning piece will enhance any collector's wall....War Dated
Custer material is becoming very rare and expensive....$3,750.00
Very nice Historic Confederate $1,000
Loan Certificate from the Confederate
States of America issued in February 1863.
This historic document has an ornate border around it with vignettes of
a steamship at the bottom and the famous Confederate General, Stonewall
Jackson at the top. The loan is hand signed by C. Rose for the Register
of the Treasury and is number 8321. It was printed by Archer & Daly,
Richmond, Virginia. There are 7 interest coupons remaining, the
last one being due on July 1st, 1865. Stonewall Jackson Bonds are
very scarce and very desirable......$295.00
This great partly printed document on vellum is in Latin and is an
1842 diploma from the University of Nashville granting a Bachelor of
Arts to John Wharton Williams. The diploma is boldly signed by
Andrew Jackson who is at the top of a
list of several other trustees....among the other trustees are John
Bell who was Secretary of War under Harrison and Tyler and a
candidate for President in the 1860 election....other signers
include university president Philip Lindsley and Nashville founder,
Francis Fogg.
The silk and paper seal remains
intact at the center....The document measures 18" X 17" is in fine
condition and perfect for framing. It's clearly dated October
5, 1842...interestingly Vanderbilt University later acquired the
medical school and other departments of the University of
Nashville.....Truly a rare document from early Nashville and signed
by "Old Hickory"......SOLD
This is a Joshua Chamberlain letter concerning a volume of the Roster
of Brigade Commanders...He mentions several Generals including
Vincent and Bartlett....The writing and signature are in bold ink and
very legible.....written on The Florida West Coast Improvement Co.
letterhead with caption "Constructing the Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf
Railroad".
The letter is not dated but Chamberlain served as Vice President of
The Florida West Coast Improvement Company in the 1880's so it can be
assumed to be from that period....there is a a discoloration at the top
with little or no affect on this very rare Chamberlain Post War
piece...The text is unquestionably entirely in Chamberlain's hand and
written all at once. It appears however, that his signature
(although authentic) was added later ..$1,750.00
This is an extremely rare and desirable Bourbon County, Kentucky Slave
Document that is actually three documents in one. A slave whose
name was
Captain Davis was freed by his master and then
subsequently purchased his wife from her owner whose name was Thomas
Ardny. After freed slave, Captain Davis
purchased Darkey, he then
"set her free" and issued the proper "Deed of
Manumission".....this emancipated or set Darkey free.
The clerk of Bourbon County, Kentucky- Thomas P. Smith prepared
the "Deed of Manumission" and signed
same on January 7, 1839....Smith then acknowledged and applied his seal
to Captain Davis' X mark......
The three documents incorporated on the front and back of this
8" X 7-3/4" are all neatly and legibly written in ink. This is
truly a remarkable piece of Black Americana and is in fine condition
with no damage and nor repairs......$995.00
This is a very rare Texas Planters Oath from Lavaca County, Texas.
The document is written in period brown ink and dated the 23rd of
September, 1865. James C. Finnie certifies on oath that three (3) bales
of cotton "were produced by him on his plantation in Lavaca County and
that said cotton was never the property of the late so called
Confederate States" .....more very interesting text. An extremely nice
document that's very legible. There is one small hole in the center fold
that does not touch any text and affects nothing.....Several
signatures......Great Southern History and Great Americana.....$375.00
This is a Yazoo City, Mississippi Tax Receipt for the year 1859.
It's from the The Corporation Of Yazoo City for taxes on the personal
estate of James D. Taylor. It includes lot no. 128 along with
taxes for money loaned and WHITE POLL TAX..........AND SLAVE POLL TAX
$5.00.........Signed A. B. Johnson, Assessor and Tax Collector Yazoo
City. The document is on blue gray paper and is partially printed.
The size is perfect for framing....7 5/8" X 6 1/4"....Excellent
condition with no tears....Interesting that there was a Poll Tax for
both Whites and Slaves........$225.00
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