Snuff Box with Bone Ring, Masonic Token, Buttons ID’d to Lyman Munson Hull, 13th Vermont Infantry Gettysburg and Pickett’s Charge Veteran / SOLD
Hinged brass snuff box measuring 3 ½” by 2” containing a number of items that once belonged to Lyman Munson Hall, who enlisted as a private in the 9-month 13th Vermont Infantry in October 1862. The 13th, 14th, and 16th Regiments of George Stannard’s Second Vermont Brigade played a pivotal role in the Union repulse of Pickett's Charge on the afternoon of July 3rd at Gettysburg. The bottom of the snuff box lid is inscribed “L. Munson Hull / 13th Vt. Vol.” Contained within the snuffbox is a carved bone ring with the inscribed initials “L.M.H.” highlighted in red ink. Also included are two post-war Vermont buttons, a silver ring, a Goodyear patent 1851 hard rubber button, and a quarter-sized bronze masonic token. The lot includes a copy of Nine Months to Gettysburg: Stannard’s Vermonters and the Repulse of Pickett’s Charge by Howard Coffin. A nice little grouping from a Vermont veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Munson L. Hull - Residence Bakersfield VT; Enlisted on 9/11/1862 as a Private. On 10/10/1862 he mustered into "G" Co. VT 13th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 7/21/1863 at Brattleboro, VT. Other Information: Born in Fairfield, VT. Died 4/30/1872 in Bakersfield, VT. (Died by drowning)
MUNSON L. HULL, son of Francello Hull and Sally Fairbanks, was born in Fairfield. His parents afterwards settled in Bakersfield where Munson was brought up, educated and resided till his death. The bride of his choice was Olive Hamilton of Bridport, Vt., whom he married in 1855. To this marriage three children were given. Flora, who married George Atkinson, Erving, Mass.; Hattie, now Mrs. William Prouty, Bolton Springs, P. Q., and Cora, who died young. Munson was a first-class mechanic of more than ordinary skill. He drew the architectural plan of Brigham Academy. He was a worthy, useful citizen, a member of the Congregational church, a kind neighbor and devoted husband and father. He was a good and faithful soldier and helpful in cases of sickness and need. During part of his term he was nurse in our regimental hospital. On his return home he resumed work at his trade. He met with an untimely death by drowning in Bakersfield April 30th, 1872. His wife and two daughters survive him. His widow resides in Bolton Springs, P. Q.
Munson L. Hull:
Residence Bakersfield VT;
Enlisted on 9/11/1862 as a Private.
On 10/10/1862 he mustered into "G" Co. VT 13th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 7/21/1863 at Brattleboro, VT
Other Information:
born in Fairfield, VT
died 4/30/1872 in Bakersfield, VT
(Died by drowning)
VERMONT THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. (NINE MONTHS.)
ENGAGEMENTS.
Fairfax Court House, Va.
(Repulse of Stuart's Raid), Dec. 28, 1862.
Gettysburg, Pa., July 1, 2 and 3, 1863.
Gettysburg after battle report:
Report of Col. Francis V. Randall, Thirteenth Vermont Infantry.
Camp near Middletown, Md.,
July 10, 1863.
Gen.: In compliance with your request, I make the following report of the part taken by my regiment (Thirteenth Vermont) July 1, 2, and 3 instant:
Prior to June 24, my regiment was doing picket duty on the Occoquan River, from Occoquan Bay to near Wolf Run Shoals, headquarters near the village of Occoquan. The balance of our brigade (Second Vermont Brigade) was stationed at or near Union Mills.
On the evening of June 24, I received orders to call in my pickets and join the brigade at Centreville, which I did on June 25. The brigade consisted of the Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Vermont Regt.'s, commanded by Brig. Gen. George J. Stannard. The brigade then marched to Gettysburg, arriving there on July 1, at about 5 p. m. My regiment, with the Fourteenth and Sixteenth, took position on Cemetery Hill, in rear of our line of battle, made up of the First and Eleventh Corps.
On the morning of the 2d, we occupied substantially the same position until about 2 p. m., when I was ordered to advance five of my companies, under Lieut.-Col. Munson, to support a battery in our front. Soon after this, I was ordered to advance the balance of my regiment a little to the front and to the left of our former position, which brought us nearly in rear of the right of the Second Corps. This took me entirely out of the line occupied by the rest of our brigade, and I received no further orders from our brigade headquarters during the remainder of that day. A heavy fight was going on in our front, in which the Second and Third Corps were engaged, and we received some injury from the artillery fire of the rebels without being able to engage in the fight. At this time an officer, whom I did not know at the moment, but who proved to be Gen. Doubleday, came galloping over the hill from Gen. Hancock's position, and approached my regiment. After having found what regiment, we were, and making a few inspiriting remarks to my men, he directed me to take my regiment in the direction from which he had come, and report to Gen. Hancock, whom I would find there, and hard pressed, and he said he feared he would lose his artillery or some of it before I could get there. I started, riding in advance of my regiment to meet Gen. Hancock and find where I was needed, so as to be able to place my men in position without exposing them too long under fire. As I reached the ridge or highest ground between the cemetery and Little Round Top Mountain, I met Gen. Hancock, who was encouraging and rallying his men to hold on to the position. He told me the rebels had captured a battery he had had there and pointed out to me the way they had gone with it and asked me if I could retake it. I told him I thought I could, and that I was willing to try. He said it would be a hazardous job, and he would not order it, but, if I thought I could do it, I might try. By this time my regiment had come up, and I moved them to the front far enough so that when I deployed them in line of battle, they would leave Hancock' men in their rear. They were now in column by divisions, and I gave the order to deploy in line, instructing each captain as to what we were to do as they came on to the line, and, taking my position to lead them, gave the order to advance.
At this time my horse was killed, and I fell to the ground with him. While on the ground, I discovered a rebel line debouching from the woods on our left, and forming substantially across our track about 40 rods in our front. We received one volley from them, which did us very little injury, when my men sprang forward with the bayonet with so much precipitancy that they appeared to be taken wholly by surprise, and threw themselves in the grass, surrendering, and we passed over them. Gen. Hancock followed up the movement and told me to press on for the guns and he would take care of the prisoners, which he did, and we continued our pursuit of the guns, which we overtook about halfway to the Emmitsburg road, and recaptured them, with some prisoners. These guns, as I am told, belong to the Fifth U. S. Regulars, Lieut. Weir. There were four of them.
We were now very near the Emmitsburg road, and I advanced my line to the road, and sent my adjutant (James S. Peck) back to inform Gen. Hancock of our position. While he was gone, the rebels advanced two pieces of artillery into the road of about 100 rods to the south of us, and commenced to shell us down the road, whereupon I detached one company, and advanced them under cover of the road, dug way, and fences, with instructions to charge upon and seize those guns, which they did most gallantly. We also captured the rebel picket reserve, consisting of 3 officers and 80 men, who had concealed themselves in a house nearby.
In pursuance of orders from Gen. Hancock, we now slowly fell back to the main line of battle. It was dark, and no further operations took place on our part that night.
In the morning of the third day of the battle, we were placed in the front line, to the left of Cemetery Hill. In this position we remained, sustaining the same against the heavy assaults which were made on our position during the day.
During the heavy artillery fire on the afternoon of that day, preceding Longstreet's great charge, my regiment being badly exposed, I asked permission to advance it a little to the front, about 15 rods, so as to take advantage of some rocky points that emerged from the ground, and also the more favorable conformation of the ground. This was granted me, and I immediately advanced my regiment to the more favorable position, and the Fourteenth Vermont, which occupied the position next to my left, also advanced, so as to conform to my line. This placed us that much farther to the front than the regiments to the right and left of us, but gave us a very favorable position, which we immediately strengthened with loose stone and rails that we found in the vicinity. Before we had fairly completed our little arrangements, the great charge commenced, and the course they took brought them directly on these two regiments.
Our general officers were quite solicitous for this position, Gen. Hancock repeatedly coming to me and giving us the benefit of his advice and encouragement, and offered us supports, but my men, as well as those of the Fourteenth Regt., expressed a desire to hold the place alone if they could. The heavy rebel column, which I need not describe, bore down steadily upon us until about halfway from the Emmitsburg road to our position. Our men were directed to withhold their fire up to this time, when the two regiments rose up and poured in a volley that seemed to level their front rank and all mounted officers. We continued to pour in our fire as best we could, and very soon the charging column seemed to slacken and nearly halt. In this way they staggered for a moment and commenced to move by their left flank toward a position more nearly in front of the cemetery. As our front became uncovered, I moved my regiment a little by the flank, so as to extricate my left from some shrubbery that partially surrounded and hid them, when I changed front forward on my right company, throwing my left flank toward the rebel main line of battle. The Fourteenth Regt. remained in their position. The Sixteenth Regt., or a portion of it, were on the skirmish line, and were driven in by this charge.
Gen. Doubleday at this time rode up to me, and assured me that my movement would be a success, and he ordered the regiments to my right to cease firing and allow me to pass in front of their line, which we did, following the rebel column so close that when they faced to charge up Cemetery Hill we were within 15 rods of them, and they passed directly in review before us, my men at the same time pouring one of the most withering fires I had ever beheld into their exposed flank. We had fired about 10 rounds per man when they seemed to be in utter confusion, and large numbers came in in rear of my regiment for shelter. I do not know how many prisoners my regiment captured, but I had apparently more than there were men in my regiment.
While this was going on, the Sixteenth Regt., Col. Veazey, came up in my rear (having gathered up his regiment as far as he could after having been driven in with the skirmish line), and formed his regiment in rear and partially to my left, where he succeeded in capturing some prisoners. He had been in this position but a few moments when we discovered a small rebel column approaching over nearly the same ground the main rebel column had passed over, and for the moment it seemed as though we should be squeezed between the two, but Col. Veazey promptly faced his regiment about, and advanced to meet this new danger, and I very quickly followed. When I got nearly opposite my original position, Gen. Stannard sent orders to me to bring my regiment back to the main line, and he sent a portion of the Fourteenth Regt. to support Col. Veazey.
This rebel column, however, about that time commenced to diverge in the opposite direction, and entered the woods to the south of us, where they were pursued by the Sixteenth and Fourteenth Regt.'s. This substantially ended our part in the battle Gen. Hancock was wounded while sitting on his horse giving some directions. I was standing very near him and assisted him from his horse. Gen. Stannard was also wounded soon after, and compelled reluctantly to leave the field, since which time I have been in command of the brigade.
The casualties in my regiment, as near as I can now ascertain, were 8 killed, 89 wounded, and 26 missing. As we know of none captured, probably many of the 26 may prove to have been killed, or severely wounded, and cared for in some private house.
FRANCIS V. RANDALL,
Col. Thirteenth Regt. Vermont Volunteers.
Maj.-Gen. Newton,
Comdg. First Army Corps.
Inventory Number: IDE 180 / SOLD