Containing Relics from the Gettysburg Battlefield

This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot.

After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful.

Inventory Number: GET 556

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Containing Relics from the Gettysburg Battlefield 

This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot.

After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful. 

Inventory Number: GET 555

The post Scarce “Desk Set” Containing Relics from the Gettysburg Battlefield  appeared first on Union Drummer Boy.

Containing Relics from the Gettysburg Battlefield 

This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot.

After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful. 

Inventory Number: GET 556

The post Scarce “Desk Set”  Containing Relics from the Gettysburg Battlefield  appeared first on Union Drummer Boy.

This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot. After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful. 

Inventory Number: GET 552

The post Containing Relics from the Gettysburg Battlefield  appeared first on Union Drummer Boy.

This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot. After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful. 

Inventory Number: GET 551

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Ex-Chester Miller Collection, Gettysburg Relic Hunter (1950–1960s)

Rectangular Confederate sheet brass plate recovered on the Gettysburg battlefield and attributed to noted local relic hunter Chester Miller, who was active in the 1950s–1960s during the early “golden age” of Gettysburg relic recovery.

The plate is cut from thin sheet brass and exhibits a pleasing, undisturbed olive-brown patina with scattered areas of surface oxidation and ground action consistent with long-term burial. The simple rectangular form of this Confederate waist belt plate exemplifies the need for experiencing of accoutrements in the field. The Confederacy frequently relied on imported or repurposed sheet brass due to material shortages, and many plates were hand-cut and locally finished rather than die-struck in the Northern industrial manner.

A tangible relic of Southern presence on Northern soil—representing the material culture of the Army of Northern Virginia during the 1863 campaign.

Inventory Number: GET 547

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Group of original Civil War–era canister shots, arranged in a stacked pyramidal display. The individual iron balls exhibit heavy, naturally aged oxidation consistent with period artillery ammunition. The base is hand-marked “Pickett’s Front,” a post-war attribution referencing the Confederate assault at Gettysburg. Canister shots were designed for close-range anti-personnel use, making these projectiles among the most iconic and devastating forms of Civil War artillery ammunition.  

Displays such as this were commonly assembled for veteran remembrance, GAR halls, and early commemorative collections. A powerful grouping with strong historical and display appeal. 

Inventory Number: GET 545

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Large-format albumen photograph by George Smith Cook, Charleston, South Carolina, depicting Union officers including Samuel Wylie Crawford, one of the most uniquely placed figures of the American Civil War.

Crawford was serving as a U.S. Army surgeon at Fort Sumter during the opening bombardment in April 1861. He later transferred to line command, rising to the rank of brigadier general and commanding a division of the Pennsylvania Reserves at the Battle of Gettysburg, where his troops played a critical role on the Union left near Little Round Top. Few officers can claim direct association with both the first shots of the war and one of its most decisive battles.

This photograph was produced by George S. Cook, the preeminent Charleston photographer of the period and a key visual chronicler of the early war in the South. Cook is especially noted for his Fort Sumter imagery and officer portraiture, making this an exceptional Southern-produced, early-war image tied to a major Union figure.

An outstanding and highly desirable Civil War photograph linking Fort Sumter and Gettysburg to the opening and defining moments of the conflict—through the career of one remarkable officer. 

Inventory Number: GET 546 

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Killed at Gettysburg

A remarkable and historically important one-sixth plate ambrotype of Private Samuel J. McCargo, Company B, 14th Virginia Cavalry, C.S.A., one of the rare instances where a Confederate soldier’s image, identity, unit, equipment, and fate at Gettysburg are all firmly documented and preserved together.

This ambrotype shows McCargo seated in a confident, armed pose, wearing a gray Confederate frock coat with staff-style buttons, his Virginia-pattern sword belt plate visible, and holding a cavalry saber. A Model 1851 Colt Navy revolver is distinctly seen tucked into his belt—adding tremendous visual and historical impact. The image captures the unmistakable appearance of a mounted Confederate trooper in the field, fully accoutered for service.

The ambrotype is housed in its original ornate gilt oval mat and preserver, displaying rich period craftsmanship. The image exhibits honest age, with light surface wear and handling marks consistent with mid-19th-century use, but remains strong, clear, and visually compelling. Facial features, uniform details, weaponry, and accoutrements are all discernible.

This image is accompanied by the 1979 Confederate history calendar in which this exact ambrotype was published, providing period scholarship and long-standing provenance. The calendar text documents McCargo’s service and fate, firmly tying the image to the historical record.

Private McCargo enlisted at age eighteen in December 1862 and served with Company B, known as the “Charlotte Cavalry,” composed largely of men from Charlotte County, Virginia. The 14th Virginia Cavalry saw extensive action, participating in nearly eighty engagements during the war.

McCargo took part in numerous cavalry actions, including Brandy Station, Aldie, and Upperville. On July 3, 1863, during heavy cavalry fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg, he suffered a serious gunshot wound and was taken prisoner. After enduring ten days without proper hospital care, he died of his wounds on July 19, 1863—a direct Gettysburg casualty.

This is not merely an image, but a fully realized Confederate soldier’s story: face, name, unit, equipment, and sacrifice preserved in a single artifact.

An extraordinary centerpiece for any advanced Civil War image collection, Confederate cavalry display, or Gettysburg-focused archive.

Inventory Number: CON 643 / On-hold

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Wood from the Confederate Ironclad CSS Virginia (ex-USS Merrimack)

This highly significant Civil War presentation cane is constructed from a documented piece of wood taken from the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia—formerly the captured Union warship USS Merrimack—one of the most iconic naval vessels of the American Civil War.

The cane features a polished horn handle, fitted to a turned wooden shaft, with an original silver presentation collar secured by period fasteners. The silver collar is engraved and inscribed to:

“B. F. Taylor, Cortland NY”

Accompanying period documentation states that the cane’s shaft was fashioned from wood recovered from the Virginia, the famed Confederate ram that revolutionized naval warfare during the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862. Presentation objects made from Virginia/Merrimack material are rare and were typically produced as commemorative souvenirs for Union soldiers or veterans, often honoring notable service.

The cane is attributed to Private Benjamin F. Taylor (1841–1915), Company C, 76th New York Infantry Regiment—the “Cortland County Regiment.” Taylor enlisted in September 1861 and served until November 1864, seeing extensive frontline service.

Taylor’s postwar obituary and regimental accounts confirm his presence at the Battle of Gettysburg, where the 76th New York was heavily engaged on July 1, 1863. Notably, Taylor was among the soldiers involved in the immediate aftermath of Major General John F. Reynolds’ death, assisting in removing the fallen corps commander’s body from the front line—an act of solemn duty long remembered within the regiment.

A historic relic bridging naval and battlefield history and connecting the technological revolution at Hampton Roads with the human sacrifice at Gettysburg.

Inventory Number: VET 383

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