Civil War Playing Cards Identified to: Private Francis A. Tuck 17th Massachusetts Infantry / SOLD
Civil War Patriotic Playing Cards Identified to: Private Francis A. Tuck, 17th Massachusetts Infantry: Inventory Number: IDE 061 / SOLD
Extremely rare vibrantly colored complete deck of patriotic playing cards. Originally purchased with Tuck's diary where the playing cards were mentioned - however the individual who purchased the diary opted not to keep the playing cards.
Francis A Tuck:
Residence Jessup PA; a 21 year-old Laborer.
Enlisted on 9/3/1864 as a Private.
On 9/3/1864 he mustered into "G" Co. MA 2nd Heavy Artillery
He was transferred out on 12/16/1864 at New Berne, NC
On 12/16/1864 he transferred into "F" Co. MA 17th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 6/30/1865 at Greensboro, NC
SECOND REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER HEAVY ARTILLERY THREE YEARS
The recruiting of the 2d Regt. Mass. Vol. Hy. Arty. was authorized by Governor Andrew as early as May, 1863, and Major Jones Frankle of the 17th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was designated as its colonel. It was originally intended as a veteran regiment to be recruited from the members of nine months organizations whose terms of service were about to expire, but in the end its recruits were gathered from a much wider field.
At its rendezvous, Camp Meigs, Readville, recruiting proceeded slowly through the summer and fall of 1863. In July and August, Companies "A", "B", "C", and "D" were enlisted and mustered into the service, and on Sept. 5, these four companies sailed from Boston on the steamer GUIDE bound for Newbern, N. C. Companies "E" and "F" were mustered largely in October and were sent, Nov. 7, to the same destination. The remaining six companies, "G", "H", "I", "K", "L", and "M", were mustered in December, and were sent to Fort Monroe to report to General Butler.
The six companies sent to Newbern were assigned to do guard and garrison duty at various places in eastern North Carolina, while the last six were held during the fall and winter in the vicinity of Norfolk. The monthly reports for March, 1864, show that Companies "A" and "D" were stationed at Fort Macon, N. C., Company "B" at Newport Barracks, Company "C" at Morehead City, Companies "G" and "H" at Plymouth, N.C., and Companies "I", "K", "L", and "M" at Norfolk, Va.
After a brave resistance Companies "G" and "H" at Plymouth, N. C., were made prisoners almost to a man on April 20 by a Confederate force under General Hoke, about 275 being carried into captivity, a very large majority of whom died in Confederate prisons.
In May, 1864, of the eight companies in North Carolina, all were at Newbern excepting Company "B", which was still at Newport Barracks, while the companies in Virginia were stationed near Portsmouth. The headquarters of the regiment were now at Newbern. In July all the companies with the exception of "B" and "K" were at Newbern.
During the months of August and September a large number of recruits arrived, raising the total number of men in the regiment to nearly 2000. By various orders of the War Department, issued during the winter of 1864-65, all the men in excess of the legal maximum standard, about 435 in number, were transferred to the 17th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf.
In the fall of 1864 an epidemic of yellow fever visited Newbern, and the 2d Hy. Arty. lost a large number of men who contracted the disease while doing guard duty in the stricken city.
At the beginning of the year 1865 six companies, "B", "C", "F", "G", "I", and "M", were in the vicinity of Newbern, N. C., four, "A", "D", "E", and "H", were at Plymouth, N. C., while Companies "K" and "L" were in Virginia. These two companies joined the main body at Newbern in April.
Meanwhile on the 8th of March, 1865, Companies "B", "C", "F", "I", and "M" had participated in the battle of South West Creek, near Kinston, losing five men killed, 20 wounded, and two missing.
June, 1865, found the entire regiment at Camp Chattanooga, near Newbern. In July it was transferred to Wilmington, N. C., and during the month of August it garrisoned Fort Fisher and other defenses of the Cape Fear River.
On Sept. 2 the regiment was ordered home, and on the following day, Sept. 3, it was mustered out of the service and embarked for Boston. Arriving at Galloup's Island, Boston Harbor, Sept. 15, on the 23d the regiment was disbanded and the members departed for their homes.
SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY THREE YEARS (Re-enlisted)
The 17th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was composed of companies recruited mostly in Essex County in May and June, 1861. The regiment rendezvoused at Camp Schouler, Lynnfield, assembling there July 10, 1861, and was mustered into the service July 22. Leaving Massachusetts August 23 under command of Lieut. Col. Fellows, it proceeded to Baltimore, Md., where it became a part of the command of General Dix. It was not until Sept. 2, 1861, that its colonel, Thomas J. C. Amory, formerly Captain, 7th U. S. Inf., was commissioned and assigned to the command of the regiment. It remained at Camp Andrew, Stewart's Grove, Baltimore, most of the time until the 27th of March, 1862, when it embarked upon transports for Newbern, N. C.
At Newbern it was attached to the 1st Brigade, Foster's (1st) Division, Burnside's command. The regiment was kept busy making small raids and doing outpost duty until the middle of May. The first loss in action was sustained by Co. I near Pollocksville, May 22, while returning from a scouting and foraging expedition.
Little now occurred to break the monotony of camp life at Newbern until Dec. 10, 1862, when the regiment was assigned to the Goldsboro expedition. During the next eleven days it marched about 180 miles, being engaged in battles at Kinston, Whitehall, and Goldsboro, and suffering a total loss of 32 officers and men, only one of these being killed in action.
Encamped in or
near Newbern until April, 1863, on the 7th of that month the
regiment went on an expedition to the relief of Little Washington. It was engaged at Blount's Creek, April 9,
1863, losing eight men wounded. Between April 17 and 22 it was in the
expedition which finally relieved Little Washington. On April 27 it went on an
expedition to Core Creek. The summer, as
a whole, was not eventful, expeditions to Winston and Mount Tabor being the
most important operations.
The winter of 1863-64 was spent at Newbern, and the regiment saw little activity until Feb. 1, 1864, when it was sent in an expedition to Batchelder's Creek, where it was engaged with loss, especially in prisoners. On April 18 it accompanied another expedition to Little Washington.
On July 16 the men whose terms were about to expire were sent home to Massachusetts, where they were mustered out August 3. The recruits and re-enlisted men were formed into a battalion of three companies under the command of Capt. Henry Splaine, thus preserving the identity of the organization. On July 26, 1864, the 17th was removed to Newport Barracks, where it remained until the spring of 1865. During the fall of 1864, the yellow fever broke out in North Carolina, claiming as one of its victims Col. Thomas J. C. Amory, who died at Beaufort, N. C., Oct. 7, 1864, while he was in command of that sub district.
During the winter of 1864-65 the 17th was again enlarged to regimental proportions by the transfer to it of 450 men from the 2d Mass. Heavy Artillery, Captain Splaine now being commissioned lieutenant colonel and continued in command.
About March 4, 1865, the regiment was transferred to Core Creek, and from the 8th to the 11th of the month was engaged in action at Wise's Forks, Major William Smith being in command of the regiment and Lieut. Col. Splaine having command of the brigade. Joining General Sherman's army at Goldsboro, N. C., March 25, 1865, the regiment moved to Raleigh, April 14, receiving here the news of the surrender of Johnston's army. May 5, it left for Greensboro, where it performed garrison duty until the close of its service. On July 11, 1865, it was mustered out and sent to Massachusetts. It reached Readville, Mass., July 19, and was here paid off and discharged July 26, after fully four years of service.
Inventory Number: IDE 061 / SOLD