This is a Civil War leather bound with marble paper covered board covers 8-1/2 by 13-1/2 inch 150 page Daily Journal filled with a lot of detail and many references to the war. It covers the period from 1 January 1862 to November 18, 1862. This is an image of the title page. There is also a very used blotter sheet and a piece of Boston embossed stationery with some practice scripts.
It was kept by Robert Lewis Pyle, a 20 year old merchant living in London Grove, Chester County, Pennsylvania. There are detailed daily entries kept in neat readable handwriting. Each day has approximately 20 lines of content (each entry with 400 to 500 words). Every day is recorded, including Saturdays and Sundays, with Sunday and Monday entries more or less combined to fit the page. There are a couple of short breaks, a couple for a four days in March and June, another for 5 days in August and another longer 3 week break at the end of September (15 Sep 62 to 04 Oct 62). There are some abbreviated personal accounts for the year (less than a third of a page per month, average)
Each daily entry describes the weather (usually in the first sentence), and then the news of war and family activities. He makes frequent references to "Lizzie" (Elizabeth D. Walton) who was to become his wife in October, 1863. She apparently lived nearby (perhaps next door) before their marriage.
There is some intriguing content regarding the Burnside Expedition and the Army of the Potomac. He keeps track of Burnside's movements right up until Burnside relieved McClellan as commander of the left wing of the Army of the Potomac (he notes this on 9 November 1862, two days after McClellan was tapped to command the Army of the Potomac.). Other entries note the death of Ex-President Tyler, the attempted sale of a Colt revolver for $100.00 (a lot of money for a gun in those days), and war content. Several of the entries have been marked with (removable) red dots and arrows by a previous historian that used it for some research in the past. Not all war entries are marked, just those of particular significance to the researcher.
Robert L. Pyle is recorded as mustering out as a Sergeant from the 4th Delaware Infantry Volunteers in 1865. He is well-documented in several databases on the internet.
There are probably over 150,000 words of text content in this journal. There is enough material to write a novel or history with completely authentic details.
Several representative pages are shown to indicate the level of detail and content shown below.
Offered at $2,999.99
This is a Civil War US Navy bayonet. It was the first knife/bayonet adopted for use by the US military. The name is derived from the designer, Admiral John A. Dahlgren. This is a MASSIVE knife, weighing nearly 2 pounds. It has a brass hilt with a one-piece wood grip.
It measures 16-1/4 inches long overall with an 11-1/2 inch blade. The blade is maker marked AMES MFG CO / CHICOPEE / MASS. in block letters and three lines on one side of the blade. The other side of the blade is marked U. S. N. / DR / 1861 in three lines. The only other marking on the knife is a "57" on the spring. The button assembly is missing. The brass and blade show considerable wear and tear from heavy combat and shipboard use. The muzzle ring is partially collapsed and the lower quillon is bent.
The blade has some darkness and shows signs of frequent sharpening long ago. The edge is very sharp. The blade is flat on one side and has a spear point forming a false edge on the other (about 4-3/4 inches long from the point). There are a number of dings and nicks on the spine and some minor nicks on the edge.
The original scabbard is present, however the tip is missing. Only traces of the original black finish on the leather remain.
This is an original Dahlgren knife, which is obvious in the photographs showing many close-up details listed below:
Click on the thumbnails below to show the overall views of the right and left sides
Available for $899.99
This is a FANTASTIC Shakespearean actor and actress Civil War era CDV and cabinet photograph album featuring John Wilkes Booth and nearly 90 other noted and famous stage actors of the time.
This is a very heavy and thick album with deeply embossed leather cover with gilt accents and custom artwork and calligraphy pages of Shakespearean actors and actresses and the plays they starred in during the latter part of the mid-19th century (1850-1860s). Most of the photos were taken in NYC (Broadway), Newark, Boston, Philadelphia, and other prominent northeastern cities.It measures 10 by 12 inches and nearly 3 inches thick. It has 24 gilded edge page sleeves for photographs and artwork.
Some details are shown here:
The condition is near excellent overall.
Offered at $899.99
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Description, Size, Condition | Price | Status |
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CWIW-06 Model M1874 McKeever Watervliet Arsenal Marked 45/70 Cartridge Box |
This is a 7 by 4 by 1-1/2 Inch Indian War M1874 McKeever cartridge box with brass New Jersey militia plate. This box has a WATERVLIET ARSENAL (New York) stamp on the back. It is stamped on the inside with a metal stamp "A. P. SMITH" maker mark (A.P. Smith Manufacturing Company, East Orange, New Jersey). This is a view from the top front, one of the inside, and one of the back. The condition is generally near excellent, with some minor wear, and general signs of handling and age. |
$299.99 | Available |
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CWIW-07 Model M1861 Possibles Munitions Carrier Bag |
This is a 9 by 7 by 2 Inch Civil War M1861 munitions possibles bag with brass US plate. This bag has a faintly visible two line"...TH.../...LAND, ME. 186..." metal stamp on the interior flap. It is marked on the inside with a name "Sayre" maker mark (A.P. Smith Manufacturing Company, East Orange, New Jersey). This is a view from the bottom, one of the inside, and one of the back. The condition is generally near good, with some moderate wear and missing buckles at the bottom, some deformation of the leather at the back and bottom, and general signs of handling and age. |
$499.99 | Available |
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CWIW-04 Civil War Jennie Wade The Only Lady KIA at the Gettysburg Battle Pennsylvania Photograph |
This is a 1-1/2 x 2-1/2 Inch Civil War Jennie Wade The Only Lady Killed at the Gettysburg Battle Pennsylvania Photograph On Mini Canteen With Civil War Type Eagle Pin Suspension. This photo was encapsulated in the clay and marked as a Correct Photo in this Trademarked pendant pin. The condition is generally near excellent, with some minor wear, and general signs of handling and age. |
$349.99 | Available |
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CWIW-03 Civil War US Navy Spoon and Wreath Brass Belt Buckle |
This is a Civil War era belt buckle assembly for the US Navy officer's dress belt. It measures 3 by 2 inches assembled. These are views of the front and back with the pieces separated, and one of the back when buckled.
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$299.99 | Available |
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CWIW-05 Old Flint Fire Starter |
This is a mid-19th century flint and iron firestarter. This style and design of flint striker has been used for several hundred years and it is difficult to date other than a close approximation. It most likely dates from the War of 1812 to the Spanish American War. This is a view of the reverse. It measures 1 inch by 1-7/8 inches with a 1-1/4 inch striker. There is no flint present. The condition is near excellent with darkness and rusting from age throughout. |
$199.99 | Available |
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CWIW-08 Civil War Gray Kepi |
This is a Civil War period gray/white canvas kepi cap. It is a medium-heavy canvas with white painted bill and chinstrap. the chinstrap is broken and has about a 2 inch piece missing to connect it to the high-dome US eagle button. This is a view of the inside from the front and rear. It measures 6-1/2 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches bill to rear by 3-1/2 inches. The condition is near good with wear from age, and generally fragile throughout. |
$799.99 | Available |
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CWIW-09 Civil War Indian Wars Dentist Tool Set |
This is a Civil War/Indian Wars period set of four different primitive dental tools. This is a view of the set from the side and rear. Two of the handles are made from ivory and two from very heavy ebony wood. The wider of the ivory handles has a crack extending 1-1/2 inches from the tool end to a hairline. The narrower ivory handle has a crack from the tool to the pommel. The longest tool measures 5-7/8 inches long, the two wider handle tools are 5-3/8 inches, and the narrow ivory tool is 5-5/8 inches. The condition is near very good with wear from age, and as noted above. |
$399.99 | Available |
