March 15-17, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/15/2022
Lot consists of three items related to soldiers of the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteers, a hard-fighting unit in the Army of the Potomac with service at Gettysburg and elsewhere. (A) Touching letter to the father of Joseph Huntley, Co. K, 83rd PA, dated August 1864 notifying him his son had died of wounds in Richmond on May 30. The letter is sent from a general hospital at Annapolis, presumably by another member of the unit captured and paroled. PA published records based on muster out rolls and known to be inaccurate show the younger Huntley only as discharged. This makes clear Huntley was likely wounded at Wilderness or Laurel Hill and captured. CONDITION: Very good, a tad light, framed. (B) Elaborate, colored soldier's memorial or service record of George W. Pfeiffer, Co. B, 83rd PA. (1848-1909.) Eagle with US flags at top, corps badges on the border of a central panel filled in with details of his enlistment and service of the regiment, with his name and unit in larger letters also on the ribbon scroll at bottom. CONDITION: Excellent. Period oak frame. Small water stains at right and bottom. Comes with his original Civil War discharge, ink stained, a pension certificate for his widow, and a handwritten obituary. (C) Large solar or crayon full standing portrait of a soldier in the chasseur uniform worn by the 83rd PA. These portraits were made from photographs projected onto a larger surface and enhanced by hand for display in the home. The soldier is armed and the uniform is one of those imported from France and distributed on a limited basis as awards in drill competition in 1862 and reflect the growing popularity of light infantry in the mid-1800s.
Paperwork
(A) Service Record