Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Sightseeing & Souvenir Seeking Secesh

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Sightseeing & Souvenir Seeking Secesh

    The North Carolina Museum of History has a nice uniform set that was issued to an infantryman from Pitt County NC. In the pocket of his trousers was a handful of seashells presumably picked up by him and kept as souvenirs.

    I have also read that some boys from New Hanover County in the 36th NC set out on a sightseeing trip while in the Valley of Virginia. They went to tour the caverns and even spied upon the Capitol dome in DC (with the help of field optics I’m sure) while visiting with some friends in a “forward” position.

    I’ll cinch up the references for these asap and edit them in.

    Any more stories like these out there to share?

    ...and sorry about the Title...
    Last edited by Vuhginyuh; 01-25-2004, 11:19 PM.
    B. G. Beall (Long Gone)
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Sightseeing & Souvenir Seeking Secesh

    Originally posted by Vuhginyuh
    ...and sorry about the Title...
    Two points for alliteration!
    Jason R. Wickersty
    http://www.newblazingstarpress.com

    Received. “How now about the fifth and sixth guns?”
    Sent. “The sixth gun is the bully boy.”
    Received. “Can you give it any directions to make it more bully?”
    Sent. “Last shot was little to the right.”
    Received. “Fearfully hot here. Several men sunstruck. Bullets whiz like fun. Have ceased firing for awhile, the guns are so hot."

    - O.R.s, Series 1, Volume 26, Part 1, pg 86.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Sightseeing & Souvenir Seeking Secesh

      Yep- Alfred May was quite a collector! It is thought that the seashells came from the vicinity of Fort Wagner (the 61st NC had been posted there for a while), but he also had a nice little pile of live ammuntion in the form of Henry and Burnsides rounds. he even had what appeared to be some ladies' underthings (some sort of top or shift) wadded up in his knapsack, although I'm inclined to think that he might have planned on ripping it up for rifle patches.... or, maybe not. I dunno. Interestingly enough, both his rifle (a Fayetteville) and his pistol were still loaded when donated to the museum in 1994. The powder charge in the rifle was neutralized, but the ball is still in the breech. His jacket is of great interest as well- it appears to be from Charleston, although it could be from Richmond. Not much is known about it, but when it was issued, it had six buttons/buttonholes, with an additional five buttonholes added postwar. The "CSA" buttons are postwar as well. I wish the collection was more complete, i.e., a hat, shirt and shoes would have been fantastic in addition to his uniform, accoutrements, shelter half and weapons, but, hey, you can't always get what you want!

      Regards,

      Dan Brennan

      Comment

      Previous template Next
      Working...
      X