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l
s
General
William Cogswell
180
LOT 175
Historic Civil War Battle of Gettysburg
Inscribed Cane - This unique Civil War presentation cane has a large silver coin inlaid in the top of the grip that
has been engraved and inscribed. The inscription reads “Gettysburg/Battle field/July 3rd 1863./D.M. Vance/M.D.” This inscription may be to Duncan M. Vance, who was captain of Company B of the 11th U.S. Infantry, which took part in the Battle of Gettysburg. Vance appears to have been captain of the company for most of 1862
and 1863, when the regiment took part in many major battles including Mechanicsville, Gaines’ Mill, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg. The cane is made of a knobbed branch, which may have been collected at the battlefield, with a large bulbous grip area with the coin inset as previously stated, and is tipped with iron. It measures 36 1/2 inches overall. CONDITION: Fine, the body of the cane showing some mild wear and a few hairline age cracks while maintaining most of the finish and an attractive antique patina on the silver coin. An interesting piece of Civil War history! Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 176
Historic Political
Presentation
Gilt Handled
Cane Inscribed
to Civil War
General William
Cogswell of the
2nd Massachusetts
Infantry - This
interesting late-
19th century cane is
inscribed “Presented to/Gen.
Wm. Cogswell/by the/Salem Republican/Flambeau Club” on
top of the gilt grip. On of the
side facets of the grip the date
“Oct. 12, ‘87” is inscribed. William
Cogswell (1838-1895) was elected
to congress as a representative for Massachusetts in 1887, and served
in that role until his death in 1895.
This cane is likely a congratulatory
gift from a Republican club in the
town in which he opened his first law practice in 1861. On 19 April 1861, news reached Salem that the 6th Massachusetts, while on their way to protect Washington D.C. had been attacked in Baltimore. Upon hearing this, Cogswell had immediately turned his Salem law practice into a recruiting station, and in only 24 hours he had recruited a whole company, the first in the country raised for the war. Cogswell was commissioned as captain of the company, which later became Company C of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry. Another notable captain in this regiment was Robert Gould Shaw, who was wounded at Antietam
with the regiment and would later go
on to become the colonel of the 54th
Massachusetts, the most famous African American regiment to take part
in the war. Cogswell was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 23 October 1862, and to colonel on 25 June 1863. The 2nd Massachusetts was involved in many of the most major engagements of the war including the battles
of Winchester, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, the Atlanta Campaign, Siege of Savannah, the Campaign of the Carolinas, and were present for the surrender of Johnston’s army on 26 Apri 1865. By the end of the 2nd Massachusetts had suffered 14 officers and 176 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and two officers and 96 enlisted men by disease. Cogswell was made brevet brigadier general and mustered out of service on 24 July 1865. Besides the inscriptions, the knob-shaped gilt grip of the cane has floral motifs throughout and is fitted to a smooth ebonized shaft tipped with German silver and iron.
CONDITION: Fine overall, the grip showing most of its bright gilt finish with minimal handling evidence, and the shaft having some scattered light scuff and handling marks. A very interesting piece of both American political
and Civil War history!
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,500
LOT 177
Attractive Civil War Presentation Gilt Handled Cane Inscribed to Captain Charles B. Hill from the Rochester Union Grays - This is a very interesting Civil War presentation cane, mostly due to it not being a standard military presentation. The top of the grip of the cane is inscribed “Capt. Chas. B. Hill/ from/Rochester Union Grays/Feby. 3rd 1863.” Charles B. Hill
was selected as the first captain of an independent military organization in Rochester, New York called the “Union Cadets” which was formed in May of 1861. It appears to have been
made up of primarily students at the university in Rochester, something like an early form of ROTC. As the Civil War continued on, the Union Cadets changed their name to the “Union Blues”, and were tasked with forming an honor guard for military units leaving for battle, as well as honor guards at the funerals of the fallen. Interestingly, another independent military organization in Rochester called the “Union Grays” appears to have been made up of more “adult” members, and was eventually mustered into federal service as Battery L, 1st New York Light Artillery, serving in most of the major battles of the Eastern Theater of the Civil War. A chronicle of the history of the Union Blues states that on 13 January 1863, captain Charles Hill presented a lecture in Corinthian Hall in Rochester for the benefit of the Union Grays, who “manifested their appreciation of the kindness by giving Captain Hill a handsome gold headed cane on February 4th.”The Union Blues are also noted as being present as an honor guard for the body of slain President Abraham Lincoln when his funeral train passed through Rochester. Apart from the inscription, the gilt knob grip of the cane has extensive floral motifs and is fitted to an ebonized shaft which was once fitted with a ferrule (now absent). It measures 35 1/2 inches overall.
CONDITION: Fine, the grip showing most of the bright gilt finish with minimal handling evidence. The shaft is very good with some scattered minor handling marks and scuffs, and the ferrule absent. A very interesting, non-traditional, Civil War presentation cane!
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,500