March 15-17, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/15/2022
This officer's field chest has faded light blue paint and white painted inscription: "D.B. McCreary / Lieut. Colonel / [...] Regiment / Penna. Voltrs." David Berkley McCreary was 35 years old and a lawyer when he enlisted at Erie and was mustered in as 1st Lieutenant Co. B of the "Erie Regiment," a 3-month unit. He mustered out in July and entered service again on 8/27/61 as Captain Co. D, 145th PA. He was promoted Lieutenant Colonel 9/5/62, giving an approximate date for this campaign chest, captured at Chancellorsville 5/3/63, confined at Richmond, but paroled and back with the regiment 7/18/63. He was on recruiting duty in the early part of 1864, but returned on 6/6/64 in time to fight at Cold Harbor, and take part in the assault on Petersburg, recorded as a "disaster" by one historian of the regiment, "for of 200 men engaged, about 50 were killed and wounded, and 9 officers and about enlisted men were taken prisoners, Lieut.-Col. McCreary being among the captured." He was confined at Macon and at Columbia, was finally exchanged 3/1/65 and returned to the regiment 2 weeks later. He had been commissioned but not mustered as Colonel in January, but was later breveted to Colonel and to Brigadier General, both to date 3/13/65. After mustering out in May he returned to Erie, served as a state Representative 1865-67 and 1870-71; Adjutant General of Pennsylvania 1867-70; and state Senator 1888-92. He died in Erie in 1906 just a few weeks shy of his 80th birthday. The regiment spent its entire service in the 1st Division 2nd Army Corps, and lost 18 officers and 187 enlisted men in killed and mortally wounded in battles such as Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, suffering its last casualty 4/6/65 at Sailor's Creek in the pursuit of Lee. CONDITION: Lid is detached from hinges with gouges to rear lid edge, but very good overall and would be the centerpiece of an officer's display or collection devoted to the regiment. Paint shows expected rubs and abrasions from travel and handling. Regimental numeral not legible and "e" of Colonel rubbed. Overall tone is muted greenish-blue. Comes with silk ribbon and dues notice to McCreary from the Lincoln Club of Erie. A good relic of a fighting regiment and officer.
This is not a standard shippable item and will require 3rd party shipping or pickup arrangements to be made.Item Dimensions: 40" x 40"