Identified Historic Civil War Bible / Sold
One of the best documented Civil War Bibles we’ve had the pleasure to offer. This New Testament is dated 1864 and was printed by the American Bible Society. It contains three separate inscriptions on the inside and one on the front cover, documenting its Presentation from the Chaplain of the regiment as well as its use in the Petersburg Campaign due to having lost his earlier Bible.
Testament carried through part of Grant’s Campaign 1864 & 5. By J.M. Alexander Battery M. 2. Pa Arty. 112 Pa. Vol’s, 2 Div. 3 Brigade 18th Army Corps.
“J.M. Alexander / Carbondale / Luzern Co. Penn.”
“Presented to J.M. Alexander By “Father Hunt” Battery M 2nd Arty. Penna. Vol’s. 18th A. C.”
“In front of Petersburg / Aug. 16th 1864 / Lost my testament that I have carried through the Campaign on the 15th of Aug. 1864.”
Joseph M. Alexander - 22 years old. Enlisted in Pittston, PA as a Private. On 8/19/1862 he mustered into "M" Co. PA 2nd Heavy Artillery. He was discharged on 6/20/1865.
At Petersburg and the Regiment was active at the explosion of the mine, where it lost heavily.
Presented by Chaplain Thomas P. Hunt in the field near Petersburg.
Joseph M. Alexander:
Enlisted on 8/8/1862 at Pittston, PA as a Private at 22 years old.
On 8/19/1862 he mustered into "M" Co. PA 2nd Heavy Artillery
He was discharged on 6/20/1865
Other Information:
born in 1840
died 3/12/1921
Buried: Maplewood Cemetery, Carbondale, Lackawanna Co, PA
Gravesite: Sec 2
Federal Pension Information:
He applied for a pension on 7/10/1890 from the state of PA application # 807,899
Thomas P. Hunt:
Enlisted on 8/12/1861 as a Chaplain.
On 8/12/1861 he mustered into Field & Staff PA 36th Infantry
He Resigned on 7/16/1862
On 1/8/1863 he was commissioned into Field & Staff PA 178th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 7/27/1863
On 2/8/1864 he was commissioned into Field & Staff PA 2nd Heavy Artillery
He was Mustered Out on 1/29/1866
He was listed as:
* POW 5/5/1864 Wilderness, VA (Confined at Macon, GA & Columbia, SC)
Promotions:
* Chaplain 1/8/1863 (As of 178th PA Infantry)
* Chaplain 2/8/1864 (As of 2nd PA Heavy Artillery)
PENNSYLVANIA 2ND HEAVY ARTILLERY & 4th ARTILLERY 112TH INFANTRY
Second Artillery.-Cols., Charles Angeroth, August A. Gibson, James L. Anderson, William M. McClure, S. D. Strawbridge; Lieut.-Cols., J. H. Oberteuffer, S. D. Strawbridge, Benjamin F. Winger; Majs., William Candidus, James L. Anderson, David Sadler, Thomas Wilhelm, Edward S. Rowland, Benjamin F. Winger, David Schooley, William S. Bailey. The 112th regiment, 2nd heavy artillery, whose members were principally from the counties of Franklin, Allegheny and Monroe, was mustered in at Philadelphia in Jan., 1862, for three years. On Jan. 9, three companies were ordered to Fort Delaware and the remaining companies moved to Washington on Feb. 25, when they were assigned to duty at Bladensburg, Md., where the command was reunited on March 19, and in November, two independent companies from Fort Delaware were added to the regiment. The regiment remained at Bladensburg until March, 1864, when it was ordered to the forts near Chain bridge. So large a number of recruits were added to the originally large regiment, that in April, the 2nd provisional heavy artillery was organized from the surplus, the two regiments numbering 3,300 men. The 2nd was attached to the 9th corps and participated in the Wilderness campaign, fighting at Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. The 1st regiment joined the Army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor on June 4, when it was divided into three battalions and attached to the 18th corps. The 2nd battalion shared in the charge at Petersburg on June 18, by which the ground was gained that became the front line of the army. The provisional regiment joined the 1st on Aug. 26, 1864, having been on duty at Petersburg and active at the explosion of the mine, where it lost heavily.
Its ranks were by this time reduced to 400 men. In a charge on Sept. 20, the 1st and 2nd battalions lost 200 men, after which they were stationed with the remainder of the regiment near Fort Harrison until December. In Jan., 1865, a large number of the men re-enlisted and the regiment joined in last charges upon the enemy's works, afterward entering the city with the army. For the remainder of the year the regiment was occupied in detachments in preserving peace and order in the southern part of Virginia. Returning to City Point, Va., it was there mustered out on Jan. 29, 1866.
Fourth Artillery.-In the latter part of April 1864, this regiment was organized from surplus men of the 112th (2nd Pa. Artillery), and after participating in the Wilderness campaign and in the operations before Petersburg until Aug. 26, 1864, it was disbanded and returned to the regiment from which it was taken.
Inventory Number: IDE 087 / Sold