1850 Staff & Field Officer’s Sword Presented to Orrin M. Gross 1st United States Colored Heavy Artillery / SOLD
1850 Staff & Field Officer’s Sword Presented to Orrin M. Gross 1st United States Colored Heavy Artillery - Inventory Number: SWO 226 / SOLD
Beautiful non-regulation style 1850 Staff & Field Officer’s Sword with an inscription on the German silver scabbard that reads “Presented to Capt. O. M. Cross by the Members of Co. E. 1st U.S. CA(H). Nov. 5th, 1864. Gross enlisted in August 1862 as a sergeant in the 112th Illinois Infantry and saw significant fighting during the Knoxville Campaign. In April 1864 he was commissioned Captain of Company E, 1st United States Colored Heavy Artillery. The unit participated in operations in Tennessee and Alabama and joined General George Stoneman in Virginia and North Carolina in 1865. The sword has a non-regulation, three branch floral motif guard decorated with laurels and a patriotic shield. The sharkskin grip remains in good condition with some areas of slight wear. The blade bears the maker’s mark of W. Clauburg, Solingen on the ricasso, and has aged to a light gray with frosted foliate designs, a spread winged eagle gripping olive branches, panoplies of arms, and “U.S” in script lettering. The original leather washer is still intact around the ricasso. The German silver scabbard is deeply engraved with “E PLURABUS UNUM”, a spread winged eagle, patriotic shield, and flowing foliate designs. The opposite side of the scabbard has an old presentation engraving that has been scratched off but appears to read “Lieut A. B. Smith.” This is a very attractive presentation sword for any Civil War collection.
Orrin M. Gross - Residence Galva IL; Enlisted on 8/8/1862 as a Sergeant. On 9/20/1862 he mustered into “G” Co. IL 112th Infantry. He was discharged for promotion on 4/20/1864 at Knoxville, TN. On 4/20/1864 he was commissioned into “E” Co. US CT 1st Heavy Artillery. He was Mustered Out on 3/31/1866. Promotions: Capt 4/20/1864 (As of Co. E 1st USCT Heavy Artillery). Major 5/4/1865. Intra Regimental Company Transfers: 5/4/1865 from company E to Field & Staff.
ILLINOIS ONE HUNDRED AND TWELFTH INFANTRY (Three Years)
One Hundred and Twelfth Infantry. - Col., Thomas J. Henderson; Lieut.-Col., Emery S. Bond; Majs., James M. Hosford, Tristram T. Dow. This regiment was mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 20 and 22, 1862, at Peoria, and was ordered to report to Maj.-Gen. Wright, commanding the Department of the Ohio, at Cincinnati. It accordingly moved by rail from Peoria on Oct. 18, and arrived at Cincinnati about midnight on Oct. 20, when it was immediately ordered across the Ohio river to report to Maj.-Gen. Gordon Granger at Covington, Ky. It was under fire for the first time at Monticello, Ky., in the spring of 1863, and although it was not severely engaged and suffered no loss, it was complimented for its steadiness. A detachment of the regiment joined Col. Sanders in his celebrated raid over the mountains into East Tennessee and lost 11 men captured and 5 drowned in swimming Clinch river at night. In July the regiment was engaged in the pursuit of a body of Confederates under Scott, and after capturing about 500 prisoners and scattering many others in the woods, Scott was finally driven over the Cumberland river and into the mountains, when the regiment again returned to Danville, having had 1 man killed and 6 wounded in the pursuit. It then began the work of preparing for a campaign into East Tennessee, where its operations were at Kingston, Post Oak springs, Athens, Calhoun, Charleston, Cleveland, Sweetwater, Philadelphia, Loudon, Campbell's station Knoxville, Bean's station, Blain's cross-roads, Dandridge, Sevierville, Fair Garden, Kelly's ford, Flat Creek gap, and other places, at many of which it was engaged in numerous skirmishes or battles and being constantly in the presence of the enemy. At Cleveland, 1 captain was killed, several men wounded, and about 20 captured. It had 21 men cut off and captured while guarding a ford on the Hiawassee river. In a handsome charge at Philadelphia 1 man was killed and several wounded. At Knoxville the regiment, with cavalry and mounted infantry, was thrown out in front to hold Longstreet in check, while the town was put in a defensible condition, and on Nov. 18 behaved most gallantly, losing about 100 killed and wounded, and some 20 men cut off and captured. At Bean's station, Dandridge and Flat creek, the regiment lost several killed and wounded in each engagement. At Kelly's ford it had 19 wounded, including 4 commissioned officers, and 1 man killed. The regiment then participated in the Atlanta campaign, and was actively engaged at Resaca, losing some 50 men killed and wounded among the latter the colonel. At Utoy creek it was with its brigade in an unsuccessful assault on the enemy's works, and lost 71 men killed, wounded and missing. It was engaged in numerous other battles and skirmishes of this campaign. Going into Tennessee in pursuit of Hood, it participated in the battles of Columbia and Franklin, losing some 30 or 40 men killed and wounded, and also participated in the battle of Nashville. It was then transferred to North Carolina, where it aided in the reduction of Fort Anderson, in driving the enemy from his works at Town creek, and finally from Wilmington, which place was occupied on Feb. 22, 1865. After the surrender of Johnston's army it moved to Greensboro, N. C., where it remained until June 20, 1865, when it was mustered out and ordered to Chicago, Ill.
First U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery
Organized at Knoxville, Tenn., February 20, 1864. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 23rd Corps, Dept. of Ohio, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to March, 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, to March, 1866.
SERVICE.優uty at Knoxville, Tenn., till January, 1865. Operations against Wheeler in East Tennessee August 15-25, 1864. Operations in Northern Alabama and East Tennessee January 31-April 24, 1865. Stone- man's operations from East Tennessee into Southwestern Virginia and Western North Carolina February to April. At Greenville and in District of East Tennessee till March, 1866. Mustered out March 31, 1866.
Frederick A. Dyer "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" vol. 3.