December 10, 2019 Edged Weapon, Armor & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2019
A very rare medical chest with use by Confederate Surgeon Virginius Bartholomew Bilisoly (1826-1873.) Born in Norfolk City, Virginia, Bilisoly was an 1847 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and is recorded as practicing medicine in Portsmouth, Virginia, as early as 1850 in the US census. After the war he returned to his medical practice in Portsmouth and died there in 1873. The painted designation on the bottom of the chest indicates he used the chest in the Civil War during his tenure as Surgeon in Alabama and likely also in his earlier postings as Assistant Surgeon and Surgeon in two Virginia Regiments. Other painted designations indicate the chest passed into the hands of his brother Lisle Augustus Bilisoly (1834-1918,) who also served in the war and was Surgeon in the postwar 4th Virginia Regiment. Trunk is wood, with iron binding straps and corner plates, folding iron handles on either side. Lock keyhole on front. Top with rectangular, painted thin iron plate nailed in place, reading, "GLASS / HANDLE WITH [CAR]E." A partially visible third line seems to read, "P[ortsmouth] Va." On left side at bottom in white paint, "HOSPITAL CHEST / 4th Va. Vol." with partially visible third line, "Portsmouth [Va.]" Right side rectangular thin iron plate, painted, "MEDICAL CHEST / 4th Va. Regt. / Portsmouth, Va." Underside of chest painted in black, "V. B. Bilosly [sic] / Auburn / Ala." with the number "54" at upper right, set off by a parenthesis. From his compiled CS service records, Verginius B. Bilisoly (Bilisoly and Bolosly are perfectly acceptable period spelling variations) was appointed Surgeon 41st Va. Infantry, Dept. of Norfolk, 7/19/61, and Surgeon 3rd Virginia Infantry 8/27/61. He resigned from the 3rd Virginia 11/23/61, and received an appointment as Surgeon, Provisional Army of the Confederate States (PACS,) 7/5/62 with rank from 2/18/62, indicating he was on duty at least from that date. He was in Okolona, Mississippi, 7/27/62 when he was directed to proceed to Montgomery, Alabama. He is recorded at Montgomery as Surgeon and Assistant Medical Purveyor to the end of January 1863 at least and then in Selma as Surgeon and Senior Surgeon of Post, serving there from late July 1863 until very near the end of the war when he was paroled 5/23/65 at Mobile, and returned to civilian life in Portsmouth, Virginia. At Selma he also served as President of a "Confederate Army Board of Medical Examination" in October 1864 and "Surgeon in charge of Hospitals" in February 1865. From the address on the bottom of the chest to Bilosoly at Auburn (east of Montgomery and Selma) and its painted number, it seems clear that the chest went with Bilisoly early in the war to his postings in Mississippi and Alabama. Virginius Bilisoly's brother Lisle Augustus Bilisoly, had also received a medical degree (1855 Hahneman Medical College in Philadelphia,) but served in the 9th Virginia Infantry as a line officer and was wounded twice, at Seven Pines and at Second Manassas, where he lost a leg. Purported to have been detailed briefly as an Acting Assistant Surgeon in the regiment, he resigned in 1863 and returned to his own medical practice in Portsmouth. He is there well documented to have served as Surgeon in the postwar 4th Virginia Regiment into the 1890s. He is specifically mentioned as being with the regiment at the 1890 dedication of the Lee statue in Richmond: "The ambulance corps - Dr. Bilisoly, Surgeon - accompanied the regiment." While we feel the preponderance of evidence indicates the 4th Virginia association relates to the chest's continued use postwar, there is the possibility it also refers to one incarnation of the 4th Virginia Battalion, which failed of its organization and was never mustered into service. The date of that unit's organization is listed as 11/23/61, the very same date on which Virginius Biliosoly resigns from the 3rd Virginia, so there remains the possibility that the use of "Vol." or "Vols." in painted designation on the left side of the chest refers to an anticipated posting in that unit, though a postwar use of "Volunteers" for a militia unit would not be unparalleled. Supporting continued postwar use of the chest by Lisle Augustus Bolisoly are paper labels glued to the underside of the lid. At left a letter, mostly illegible at bottom, but with clearly printed heading, "Office of / GEO. W. HOWE & CO. / Dealers in / DRUGS, PATENT MEDICINES, PERFUMERY / TOILET ARTICLES &C. / 314 High and corner of Second and Henry Streets." (Howe was in business in Portsmouth, Va., and is found in contemporary business directories of the city.) Pre-printed date is not filled out, but reads "188_" indicating continued use of the chest postwar. At center a handwritten list of medicine and drugs, obviously contained in the chest at one time. List is in three columns. First column and half of second in ink, remainder of second and part of third filled out in pencil. This covers two earlier pages (or less likely, one wide one) with names of medicines and drugs partially visible at left and right. Partially visible printed header of these lists, "DRU..] at left and "...FUMERY" at right indicates these, too, are stationery from Howe & Co. and small pre-printed date "188_" at right indicates these sheets also are from postwar use. CONDITION: Overall very good. Wood shows abrasions, stains, but no significant cracks or wood loss. Iron straps on the lid are missing short sections at the top, about one inch on the left and four inches on the right, but are not unsightly. Iron work is brown, crusty, and showing pitting in sections, but solid. Hinges are good. Painted inscriptions on top and left side are rubbed but legible. Painted iron panel on right is dark, but fully legible. Key inscription on bottom of trunk is excellent. Interior has broken leather retaining strap on left side. Interior is open and in good condition, likely once holding compartmented trays for medicines. Letter pasted on underside of lid at left reads well at top, handwritten content below heading can only partially be made out. Lists of medicines are legible. The chest may well have been made prewar and brought into service by Bilisoly as part of his personal medical gear. All in all, the chest is a rare survivor with documented wartime use by Surgeon Virginius Bolisoly during his tenure in Alabama and was very likely with him during his earlier service in the 41st and 3rd Virginia Regiments as well. (SR)
Item Dimensions: 24" X 13 - 1/2" X 13 - 1/2"