50th New York Engineer’s Carved Bone ID Tag, & More – SOLD

Description

50th New York Engineer’s Carved Bone ID Tag with battles in which Wesley D. Remington of Co. C, participated in during the Civil War, along with several other items in this small but significant lot.

Wesley D. Remington, enlisted at Rome, New York on August 26, 1862, into Co. C. of the 50th New York Engineers.  He mustered out at Fort Barry, Va, on June 13, 1865. His battles are recorded on the back of his tag; Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Deep Run, “Stick In Mud,” Germania (Germanna,Va), Ford,  PO Run.”  Germanna Ford was the point were the 50th Engineers built a pontoon bridge across the Rapidan River in May of 1864, and shortly after built another bridge across the Po River, for Hancock’s Corps to cross. The bone badge/tag has the unit name with the engineer castle on one side of the shield, and battles/ place names on the other, using red ink to highlight.  A hole was fastened from the back side and angled upwards through the top point of the shield to allow the shield to hang straight from a fob or chain.  37mm high,

The lot also includes his cap insignia (48mm bottom measurement), 5 section ladder badge for Remington Company C, a miniature engineer castle insignia made for a later reunion, and a 50th NY engineer ribbon made of yellow silk ribbon with graphics, and letters glued on (4.5″).

A  2 page letter dated at Camp in the Woods near Fredericksburg, Feb. 11, 1863 by Remington reads in part, “Major Brainard has arrived…..(concerning his brother)  “I will make him a present of a nice little laurel root ring with a castle upon the top and the united states coat of arms upon one each side what would you think of tht Woodie, I have made a  Bible of the root and wear it upoin my watch cord with a clasp and raised binding upon the  back cut out of wood with a knife and sealing was set in the corners……”  It would appear that Remington is handing in carving, and no doubt mad his own identification badge.

The last item is a CDV of the chapel built by the 50th Engineers at Poplar Grove, Vanear Petersburg)  ( in 1865.  The image was sketched by Louis Bernkopk of the 50th.  See the description of this chapel below. The image is of a sketch, photographed by E.G. Fowx, Photographer, Eng. Brig. City Point, Va. Egbert Guy Gowx, born in Kentucky in 1821, began working at the start of the Civil War for Matthew Brady, as on of Brady’s photo-documentarians.  Sometime in 1864, Fowx set up a studio at City Point, Va and worked for Brady on commission, and produced images on his own. He was one of the first photographers to produce images of the ruins of Richmond at the end of the war. After the war he worked in Baltimore, Md.

“Too great a measure of praise cannot be bestowed upon a more noble and industrious body of men than the Fiftieth New York Volunteer Engineers. In the midst of the great demands made upon their services in tune of battle and of siege, the officers and men found pleasure in designing, planning, and building the beautiful rustic structure presented in this view, and devoting the same to the worship of the great God of Battles. The timber upon the spot, and the tools, with which they were provided for engineering purposes, furnished the material and means wherewith to exercise the taste, genius, and energy displayed. The first services, though they cannot well be styled a dedication, were conducted on Sunday, March 5, 1865, by the Rev. Mr. Duryea, of New York, and on each succeeding Sabbath day, and during many evenings of the week, the army chaplains and visiting clergymen were invited to officiate. It is built not far from the site of the old Poplar Spring Meeting House, a plain country board church, which was used successively by both armies as a hospital during the operations on the 29th and 30th of September, and 1st and 2d of October, 1864, near the Pegram House, now the site of Fort Fisher.The present Church was used for the same purpose during the movements on the last of March, and 1st and 2d of April, 1865. The Regiment, upon moving away from its camp to take part in the pursuit of Lee’s army, left a wooden tablet over the entrance to the Church, with these words inscribed upon it: “Presented to the Trustees of the Poplar Springs Church, by the Fiftieth Regiment New York Volunteer Engineers.” Colonel Ira Spaulding commanded the Regiment, Captain McGrath, the architect and builder of the Church. In front is a group of several of the officers of the Regiment. On the foreground stands the architect himself. One view of the Church also shows, on the left, the quarters, neatly and tastefully arranged, of the Regimental officers.It has been proposed to move the edifice to the great Central Park of New York City, as one of the mementoes of the war, and certainly no more interesting or striking feature could be added to the already many beautiful adornments that embellish those grounds. This monument to the skill and ingenuity of the builders, receives universal admiration.”   (From Gardner’s Photographic Sketchbook of the War. Vol II.)

A nice historic grouping.