Violins in unmarked graves

[Indianabugles]

I was not sure where to put this so I will put it here. I had read a letter from an ACW soldier with reference to his leaving the comfort of winter camp. Unable to take with him the things the treasured and had made, you may read obtained here, they had secured them. These objects included game boards, home made chess pieces and violins, etc.
By securing they meant burying in an unmarked grave for later retrieval.
While this points alarmingly against the fact that fiddles were taken on campaign, which is something I am always gathering evidence on one way or the other, and is slowly building the evidence in my mind that they were not, I am unsure how common this practice would be?
Has anyone else come across this or related practice.
((Mods if this is in a wrongsections just shift it for me please.))

[eric marten]

Re: Violins in unmarked graves

I can't imagine it would be very common. The extreme changes in temperature and humidity would surely damage the wood, causing cracks and possibly melt the seam glue. And, of course, the gut strings and tail gut would deteriorate. This is not to say it wasn't done, especially if there weren't alternative choices. A very interesting and surprising find you have there.

[Indianabugles]

Re: Violins in unmarked graves

Found it, twas not neccisarily his violin. But it was everything else listed. It was Lt Abner R Small who wrote about it. So it was chess men and dice etc that this was used for.

[Secesh]

Re: Violins in unmarked graves

Water is the death of any stringed instrument, especially hollow bodies.