Original Civil War Recruitment Broadside – 131st Pennsylvania Volunteers / SOLD

Description

Original Civil War Recruitment Broadside – 131st Pennsylvania Volunteers

Dimensions: 14 x 21 ½ inches A bold and patriotic Civil War recruitment broadside printed in vibrant red and blue inks, seeking “VOLUNTEERS WANTED!” for Company C, 131st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by Col. Elisha W. Davis. The broadside urges “able-bodied men” to enlist, promising that clothing and rations will be furnished immediately upon being mustered in. Recruits were directed to the recruiting office at the northwest corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets, with officers listed as Capt. Chas. F. Robertson, 1st Lt. I. M. Burrows, and 2nd Lt. W. W. Watt. The poster is richly decorated with patriotic motifs, including a bold spread-winged eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, flanked by pointing hands, and a banner with the motto “E Pluribus Unum.” The typography alternates between heavy block lettering and elegant typefaces designed to capture attention on city streets during the urgency of wartime recruiting. The 131st Pennsylvania Infantry was a nine-month regiment, organized in August 1862 in response to Lincoln’s call for additional troops following the Peninsula Campaign. The regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac and saw significant action at Antietam (September 17, 1862), Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862), and Chancellorsville (May 1863). Their baptism of fire at Antietam came at one of the bloodiest battles in American history, where the regiment fought with determination despite being newly organized. The men endured brutal combat at Fredericksburg, storming the deadly stone wall at Marye’s Heights, and again faced heavy fighting at Chancellorsville before being mustered out in May 1863. This broadside is an outstanding piece of Civil War recruiting ephemera, combining vivid display typography, patriotic symbolism, and direct appeals to duty and necessity. Its large format and strong color make it a visually arresting survival, highly desirable to collectors of recruitment posters, Pennsylvania regimental history, and Civil War broadsides.

Inventory Number: PRI 214