November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
Wartime POW diary, CDV image, and uniform buttons attributed to Ensign Charles Hunter, Confederate States Navy, captured with Ewell's Corps and imprisoned at Fort Warren, Boston. Lot consists of 2 State of Maryland buttons, 1 cuff and 1 coat, and 2 CSN buttons, 1 cuff and 1 coat. The Maryland buttons bear correct Scovill back marks, while the CSN buttons bear Courtney & Tennet, Charleston, S.C. back marks. They retain over 90% fire gold gilt and are fantastic examples. The albumen carte-de-viste image measures 3 - 1/2" x 2 - 1/2" and features Hunter in his double breasted CSN officers short jacket, what appears to be a Confederate naval dolphin head sword and accompanying sword belt and CSN round buckle. Period iron ink on the reverse of the image reads: "Charles Hunter / Ensign C.S. Navy / from 1862 to 1866." Hunter was appointed from Maryland as an Acting Masters Mates in the Provisional Navy, where he served aboard the ironclad ram CSS Chicora. Keeled in Charleston in March, Commander John Randolph Tucker took command in November when the ironclad was commissioned. January 31, 1863, Chicora and fellow ironclad Palmetto State raided the Federal Blockade outside Charleston Harbor, with Palmetto State engaging USS Mercedita and Keystone Stone, while Chicora engaged other Union ships. Chicora later was involved in the defense of the forts at Charleston on April 7 when they were attacked Rear Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont, leading a squadron of ironclad monitors. Chicora was further employed during 1863 and 1864 around Charleston, including the evacuation of Morris Island and the bombardments at Forts Sumter, Gregg, and Wagner. Chicora was destroyed with the evacuation of Charleston. Hunter's POW diary diary begins with an entry on April 6th 1865: "I was captured at the Battle of Harper's Farm on the above named date & resolved to keep a record of events during my imprisonment." He lists CSN and CSMC officers captured with himself and former members of the crew of the Chicora, now in Ewell's Corps, fighting as infantry. Diary ends on June 14th, 1865 and covers marching through Grant's former lines in Petersburg, lack of rations, and supplies en route to the steamer USS Cossack which then dropped them in Washington D.C. They were then moved by rail to Boston and on to Fort Warren prison. He lists the daily intake of important prisoners to include the Vice President of the Confederacy and his fellow prisoners in his casemate. He also mentions the importance of taking the oath of allegiance as a condition of release. CONDITION: Diary retains only its Moroccan leather covered back board with front missing. Although cover is missing and first few pages are loose from the binding, the diary is intact. CDV has been trimmed but does not affect image, and buttons are excellent. Included are copies of his records found in the Register of Officers of the Confederate States Navy 1861-1865, US Gov't Printing Office 1931, and a copy of a photo found in the National Archives that the cataloger believes shows Hunter in a group photo of Confederate officers taken at the end of the war of at Fort Warren, Boston. BRM.
Item Dimensions: 6" X 6"