Freeman Bank Fractional Note, Augusta, ME
With the outbreak of the war people tended to horde coins because of their bullion value and the uncertainty of liquidity of paper money. The government then allowed debt to the government could be paid with postage stamps. This in turn created a shortage of stamps so something else was needed. They created a series of fractional notes in paper. The same problem beset commercial banking so many banks created their own fractional currency like the one pictured here.
In 1862 the rising cost of the war forced the Government to tax certain good and services to pay the burden. The Revenue stamps would be purchased and affixed to the item to prove the taxes had been paid. They came in Many denominations as illustrated here. An interesting note is that George Washington's picture was on all these Stamps until 1875.
Group of Civil War Revenue Stamps
Confederate $5 Note
Here we have a nice group of confederate currency issued by the south to help finance their efforts. These notes were not backed by hard assets and were more a promise to pay the bearing in assets after the war or a treaty with the north is ratified. As the war raged and it became obvious that the south would not win these notes became devalued to a point that a loaf of bread would cost $50 and a new suit of cloths would be $2700.
Confederate $10 Note
Confederate $20 Note
An interesting 3rd Maine regiment supplemental payroll document. This appears to be requesting payment to a small list of soldiers. Researching the individuals on the list it was discovered that 4 of the men became POWs in the Wheatfield in Gettysburg on July 2nd 1863. Several others were sick of missing for sometime period. This appears to be catching up with these soldiers pay.
​
Supplemental Payroll for 3rd Me. Inf.
Supply document for Company E of the 16th Maine Infantry Regt. This is the original record of items issued to the Company at the time they were mustered into service. Researching the men on this roster was a sad exercise indeed. This hard fought unit had a high casualty rate due to being trust into every major conflict of the Army of the Potomac. Many men on this roster were taken prisoner on July 1 1863 at Gettysburg. (See discover more on the 16th Maine on the home page.) . Many would be wounded at Gettysburg and other conflicts as well as dying from desease.
Muster In Supply roll for Co. E, 16th Me Inf.
Maj. General Hiram Berry . CDV
Hiram Berry was a Rockland Carpenter and Navigator and had served several terms in the Maine legislature. He also organized the "Rockland Guard" a company of militia and served as their commander. At the outbreak of the war he went to Augusta and offered his services to the Governor. He was given command of the 4th Maine Infantry Regiment and performed gallant service at the first battle of Manassas under the command of another Mainer, Gen. O. O. Howard. For his service at Bull Run he was promoted to Brig. General and given command of the 3rd Brigade of Hamiltons Division, 3rd Corp. After several successful engagements he was promoted to Maj. General in command of the 2 Division 3rd Corp. Unfortunately. at 7:26 AM on May 3rd, 1863 he was killed by a sharpshooter at the battle of Chancelorsville.
​
Maj. General Oliver Otis Howard CDV
Oliver Otis Howard graduated 4th in his class from West Point in 1854. He was born in Leeds, Maine. and was a career Army officer. His first command during the civil war was as Colonel of the 3rd Maine Infantry Division. He was then promoted to Brig. General and given command of Brigade. While commanding the Brigade at the battle of Fair Oaks he was wounded twice in the right arm which was required to be amputated. He suffered the first of two significant setbacks at Chancelorsville.
Later he would be in charge of the field at Gettysburg until Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancocks arrival. Howard argued that he was the senior officer on the field and should command but Hancock had orders from Meade to take command. Howard finally relented. Howard was able to regain his reputation fighting in the Western Theatre. Post war Howard remained in the Military serving at many capacities. He also founded Howard University.
​
Rare signed CDV of Capt. William Hamner
Capt. Hamner was the Quartermaster Sgt. at Fort Sumter on April 14th 1861 when the confederates began the bombardment. As part of his duties was the lower the American flag as the Union forces were evacuating. He was one of the last soldiers to leave the fort. Capt. Hamner was present 4 years later when when the flag was raised at the fort. He requested that he be allowed to raise it but was denied the honor. William Hamner survived the war and was a career officer reaching the rank of Col. He retired in 1900.
Capt. William Hamner. US Army
Gen. McClellan was the original commanding officer of the Army of the Potomac. At constant odds with President Lincoln over the proper prosecution of the war. McClellan was hesitant to enter into offensive and slow to move hid Army. He also overestimated the enemies strenght and abilities. After McClellan failed to pursue Lee following the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln removed him from command. He would never hold another significant command.
Gen. George McClellan Cabinet Card
Maj. Gen. Phillip Sheridan Cabinet Card
Gen. Sheridan was a close associate of Union Army commander U. S. Grant who transferred him from a division commander in the western theatre to commander of the Cavalry Corp of the Army of the Potomac. He is noted for his defeat of Confederate Gen. Jubal Early in the Shenandoah valley and his destruction of the infrastructure in the valley was the first use of the scorched earth tactics by the union. In 1865 his cavalry pursuit of Lee
is credited for the surrender at Appomattox.
Maj. General Joshua L Chamberlain . CDV
The Lion of Little Round Top. Brevet Maj. General, Governor, Professor, Mainer.
Distinguished himself in battle many time during the war and suffered several wounds. The wound he suffered in June 1864 at Petersburg was severe enough that he never recovered completely. He is credited as the last civil war veteran to died from his wounds in1914 at age 84.
Letter Cover addressed to Dr. A.O. Shaw
Dr. Abner Shaw was the surgeon for the 20th Maine Regt. when Col. Chamberlain was in command. They became close friends. Chamberlain was in command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of the Army of the Potomac in Jun 1864 when he received a horrid wound. Bleeding to the point that his boots filled with blood he drew his sword and supported himself with if still directing the Brigade. When he finally collapsed and was carried from the field the Brigade surgeons gave up trying to save him deciding his wounds were severe. His brother , Thomas, would not accept this and rode to the twentieth Maine regt. which was fighting nearby to tell Dr. Shaw that JLC was dying. Dr. Shaw when to his old friends aid and working through the night was able to save the General. General Grant had been told that Chamberlain was dying and breveted him Maj. General on the spot. Here is a nice cover addressed to Maj. Show dated just 2 month after this event.
The map is from a set of Civil War battlefield maps that were commissioned by the US government shortly after the war. This one and the and the example below were surveyed with the aid of General Gouvenor Warren
1868/69 Map of the Gettysburg Campaign
Battlefield map of Gettysburg surveyed by Gen. Gouvenor Warren.
1868/69 Map of Gettysburg Battlefield
Military Register for Co. A of the 6th Maine Inf. List Col. Hiram Burnham from Cherryfield, Me as Regt.Commander.
Military Register for Co. A. 6th Me. Inf.
Company E, 3rd Maine Infantry Memorial Register.
Company E 3rd Maine Inf. Memorial
Original Civil War Albumen of the 1 Conn. Heavy Artillery at Ft. Brady ca. 1864-65. The photo was taken by Mathew Brady and was in the collection of D. B Woodbury another well known CW photographer. It was listed for sale in Flayderman's catalog # 117-629 in the early 1980's
Original Brady Albumen of the 1st Ct Heavy Artillery at Ford Brady, Va.
The 18th Maine Infantry was mustered into service in 1862 in Bangor. They served in the defense of Washington manning the large siege guns stationed there. In 1863 their name was changed to 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. During the Overland campaign Grant needed more troops and the 1st Maine was moved to the Army of the Potomac where they would fight as infantry for the remainder of the war. They took heavy casualties at Spotslyvania Courthouse and then again on June 18th 1864 in front of Colquitts salient where they were order to charge across an opened field. Their casualties that day were the most of any regiment in a single battle in the entire war.
!8th Maine Recruitment Broadside
Military register for Company F of the 16th Maine Infantry. The soldiers listed here were present on July 1st 1863 at Gettysburg when the regiment was ordered to stay behind in a delaying action while the 1st and 11th Corp retreated to Cemetery Ridge. They were told to hold their position at all costs. Outnumbered 275 to 2000 Confederate troops they were able to hold for 20 minutes. Of the 275 who entered the battle only 35 reported for duty on Cemetery Ridge that evening.
16th Maine Company F Military Register
CDV of 1st Lt Samuel Libby of the 27th Me Infantry
1st Lt Samuel Libby, 27th Me Inf.
CDV of Capt Samuel Libby, 2nd Maine Cavalry
Capt. Samuel Libby, 2nd Me Cavalry
