Pictured above, for your enjoyement, is a 1856 Large Folio N. Currier (later of Currier & Ives) Hand Colored Western Americana / Native American Indian, Stone Lithograph titled “The Pursuit,” after the original painting by Alexander Fitzwilliam Tait. Measuring approx. 25 3/8 x 17 1/2″ (image area), it is marked at the lower left hand corner “Painted by A. F. Tait” and at the lower right “Litho By N. Currier, New York.” The lithograph is copyright 1856 by N. Currier and signed in the stone “L. Maurer ’55.”
Currier & Ives often based their prints on paintings and “The Pursuit” was drawn on stone by Louis Maurer (a fine artist in his own right) from the Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait original of the same name, painted in 1855. Historians often criticize Currier & Ives in general, and Tait in particular, for the blend of fantasy and reality in their images of the West. In many cases, the prints represented the West as a triumph not of the white man over the wilderness, but over the Native American. The images often promoted the very personal and often armed conflicts between the frontiersmen and the Native Americans living on the Great Plains, rather than the larger military conflicts.
In “The Pursuit,” a frontiersman dressed in buckskin dramatically gallops across the prairie on horseback as he chases a Native American warrior, also on horseback. In the background, several other Native Americans flee from a second frontiersman. The drama of the scene is heightened by the intense looks of concentration exhibited by the hunter and Native American, the bulging, terror-filled eyes of the horses, and the wind-blown grass in the foreground. The break in the clouds echoes the shape of the warrior’s spear and reinforces the deadly seriousness of both participants in the chase.
If you’d like to learn more about this piece, further details can be found at our eBay listing.
This is a historically important, circa 1861 Civil War, Arsenal Issue Silk Cavalry Guidon – a Swallowtail American Flag from an unknown Union Army Cavalry Regiment that Fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. This breathtaking, blood stained Guidon was discovered with a 1917 newspaper account of its “rescue” by a Soldier belonging to the 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry from beneath fallen Cavalrymen and Horses as the 18th Mass moved into position on the Battlefield at Gettysburg on July 2nd, 1863.
Before I even attempt to describe this awe-inspiring Civil War Flag, let me first state that it is with the deepest respect and humility that we offer for your perusal, this important, and previously undiscovered relic of one of the most devastating Battles in American History. This Guidon is stained with the blood of proud and heroic men who lost their lives defending it and we offer it here believing that the Providence which has preserved it for almost 150 years would approve of our humble effort to make certain that it will be remembered and honored not for what it is but for what it stood for in the hearts of the Cavalrymen who struggled beneath its Colors.
The Physical Description:
The Flag is an Arsenal Issued, Cavalry Guidon made of a fine silk and measuring 27 3/4” at the hoist by 39” in width (fly). It a Standard, Swallowtail shape with a field made of 13 alternating white and red stripes. The canton measures 14 1/2” at the hoist by 15 1/2”. The canton is a blue silk with 34 hand painted, white stars arranged in 2 concentric circles (the inner circle with 12 stars and the outer circle with 18 stars) with a single star at each corner of the canton – a total of 34 stars. The Flag is entirely hand sewn except for the stars which are painted with a thick paint – the stars actually seem to have a slightly gold tint but we are unsure if this is actual color or if it is just a remnant of the light in which we viewed it.
The Guidon has some areas of the field where exposure to the elements (during its time of use during the Civil War we believe) have caused the color of the red strips to run onto the white stripes giving them a pinkish hue. There are also a number of small, rust colored spots which are unquestionably blood stains. The Flag is in very well preserved condition. It was discovered, less than carefully folded in a shirt box where it had reposed since 1917 – the last time that it had seen the light of day. At that time the Guidon was on display for 2 days in Attleboro, Massachusetts. It appears that the owner (another soldier from the 18th Mass Infantry) folded the Flag and put it away at that time and it remained undisturbed until we unfolded it a single time to take the scans found below. But we are getting a bit ahead of the story.
The Information About the Flag’s History that Came to Us With The Flag:
The Guidon was found with a small newspaper clipping from the June 14, 1917 edition of the Attleboro Sun (we have confirmed the date of publication of this article). A scan of that clipping is included below but we will reproduce the text in full here as it gives the starting point for research on the Flag.
The clipping has a headline that reads “RELIC OF GETTYSBURG IS SHOWN”. The article reads:
“A most valuable souvenir of the Battle of Gettysburg and a striking reminder of the Civil War and flag day is contained in a window display at Kent & Eliot South Main St. jewelers. It consists of a silk flag picked from beneath a pile of dead cavalrymen by a member of the 18th Mass. of which Charles M. Burbank, owner of the relic, was a member. Mr. Burbank was prevailed upon to allow a public view of the relic before having it encased in glass as a historic keepsake.
“The flag is tattered in a way that denotes long service. Evidently it was the standard of a troop of horsemen. Of silk, hand made and most carefully stitched and with painted stars. It shows discoloration only where the rain washed the white into pink and where rusty stains tell of the blood sacrifice of the men whose dead bodies covered it.
“The 18th Mass., on its way into action at Gettysburg, passed the spot where a tangled heap of men and horses told of a repulse. A Bay State soldier saw the flag and rescued it from the pile of dead. Later, when he was wounded, he presented the emblem to Mr. Burbank in whose custody it has been since.
“The flag will be on view tomorrow also.”
Preliminary Research:
After obtaining concurring opinions from experts in the field, we first determined that the Flag was a standard Arsenal Issue Cavalry Guidon issued during the Civil War. Cavalry Regiments were not allowed to display the American Flag until the start of the Civil War and during the War each Cavalry Regiment was issued on Guidon form American Flag of the material, construction and configuration of the Flag offered here.
We determined from Civil War Records that Charles M. Burbank did serve in Company D of the 18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers but that he was discharges in January, 1863 – fully 6 months before the Battle of Gettysburg. The Newspaper article, however, states that the Flag was recovered by an un-named soldier from the 18th and “presented” to Burbank after that soldier had been wounded (and likely sent home to Massachusetts where he and Burbank reunited).
With the help of 2 amazing historians of the 18th Mass Volunteers (the 18th is one of the few Civil War Regiments that has no published Regimental History), we were able to trace the movements of the 18th in the weeks leading up to Gettysburg. On July 2nd, the Regiment marched from its camp ( a distance of approx 4 miles) to take up a position on the Battlefield at Gettysburg
(Click here to see a plan showing the position of the 18th when it first entered the Battle).
If the story regarding the “rescue” of the Flag told in the newspaper clipping is true, then it is most likely that the incident would have occurred on that march.
We also researched Charles Burbank’s GAR Post (Post #145 in Attleboro, Mass) in hopes that there was information regarding the Flag somewhere in the Post records. We did find an 1894 report about Post #145 which lists all of the Relics on display at the Post and no mention of this Flag is made. There is some confusion, however, because Burbank originally returned to his home town of Mattapoisett, Mass after the Civil War and only later moved to Attleboro where he became a member of Post #145. We are now trying to track down records of any other GAR Post that Burbank may have been a member of before moving to Attleboro.
At the time we sold this awe inspiring Civil war Cavalry Flag there were many questions to be answered regarding its history and to our utmost satisfaction the Guidon was purchased by a Colorado Museum – “The Museum of the Horse Soldier” where , not only will that research be continued but into the hands of those who will have it expertly and respectfully conserved thus insuring its preservation for generations to come. The Guidon will be displayed with other historically important Cavalry Flags where it can be viewed by the public and where the compelling story of the men who so proudly served under it, can be told and thus remembered.
Lifestyle blog Even*Cleveland posted two stunning examples of daguerreotypes of the Moon on her site this month. Excerpted with each are selections from Jonathan Whipple’s The Schoolmate (1854), a tome wherein he describes for future astronomers the best way in which to photograph the moon.
Probably most of our readers will like to hear of this remarkable experiment in daguerreotyping. This wonderful invention has been used for years to amuse the public, and minister to our affections, by presenting faithful portraits of the absent or lost ones. It has now been fairly pressed into the service of the science of astronomy, and has been eminently successful.
For the past five weeks, we have been featuring items on our auction page that once belonged Lt. Colonel Lucius V.S. Mattison. The real cream of the crop, however, are these exceptionally rare keys that once unlocked the doors of Castle Thunder and Libby Prison. (You can find our auction listings here.)
We offer for your inspection the exhibition display, above, containing original keys to the infamous Confederate Civil War POW Prisons of Castle Thunder and Libby Prison belonging to Lt. Colonel Lucius V. S. Mattison – named in various reports as the “liberator” of Castle Thunder and the first Union Officer-in-Charge of both Libby and Castle Thunder, immediately after the fall of Richmond. The key to Castle Thunder offered here is THE most extensively documented and publicized (in 1865 and later) example of a Confederate Civil War prison key. It was even photographed in 1865 when it was offered at auction for the benefit of War Orphans shortly after it was brought north by a prisoner released by Lt. Col Mattison from Castle Thunder (a scan of that photo will be found below).
Lucius V. S. Mattison was mustered into service in December, 1861 as a private in Company D of the 81st Regiment, New York Infantry and served throughout the Civil War raising to the rank of Lieut. Colonel when mustered out in July of 1865.
Mattison led troops of the 81st NY who were among the first to enter Richmond, Virginia when the Confederate capital fell. The report of his death in The National Tribune newspaper (Washington, D.C. – April 27, 1911) reads in part:
“Col L. V. S. Mattison, the man who tore down the stars and bars from the flagstaff when the Union forces entered Richmond, died at his home in Oswego N Y– aged 67 years. Col Mattison was one of the best known veterans in northern and central New York. At the age of 17 he was enroled a private of Co D 8lst N Y and served thru to the close of the war. He was in 22 engagements and left the service with the commission of a Lieutenant. He was in charge of Castle Thunder and Libby Prison while in Richmond and was the first to release, without waiting for orders, between 300 and 400 union prisoners confined there.”
Mattison has been called the “liberator” of Castle Thunder and various reports during and after his lifetime report that he possessed well-documented keys to both Libby Prison and Castle Thunder– the very keys being offered here. He was also a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic throughout the later years of his life.
These two large and heavy, brass and iron Keys are contained in a hand-made, shadowbox display, which dates from 1954 when the Keys were part of a Memorial Day exhibition of Civil War mementoes belonging to Lt. Col. Mattison at the Fairport, New York Public Library in 1954.
The first among a number of questions we had when we first began researching this fantastic POW Prison Keys was how to determine just which key was from Castle Thunder and which was from Libby Prison. We found a published report which talked about the “Key to the front door of Castle Thunder” that was brought north by a liberated prisoner to New York where in 1865 it was auctioned off on the steps of the Astor House by Reverend Solomon Gale and a “Rev. Dr. Brown, editor of the American Baptist” to “help raise funds for the orphans of Union Soldiers”. We also found a much later report that stated that this Key “passed to the heirs of Col. Mattison”. To our great amazement, we eventually discovered a ca1865 photographic negative in the Library of Congress which pictured Reverend Gale HOLDING THE KEY TO CASTLE THUNDER!!! In this photograph, Gale is holding what is very obviously the key, which is mounted vertically in the display. Here is a scan of that Photograph:
Reverend Gale with the keys
By elimination, we then were able to rest assured that the key mounted horizontally in the display is the key to Libby Prison. We were unable to discover any Civil War period reports regarding this key, but we can only assume that Colonel Mattison secured this key himself while serving as Commander of these two notorious Confederate prisons. The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has in its collection a key purported to be the “Key to Libby Prison.” At least 3 other “Keys to Libby Prison” were reported to be in the hands of various Civil War veterans (most being ex-prisoners at Libby) in the years after the Civil War. In refuting the claim of one northern soldier that he held the “Key to Libby Prison,” a Richmond newspaper in 1865 stated “there were certainly many keys to many doors at the prison,” and we certainly must agree here. We cannot state for sure that this was THE key to Libby Prison, but given the facts surrounding the Civil War service of its original owner, we feel that there is no doubt that this was “a Libby Prison key.” In fact, of any of the numerous keys that are purported to be the key to Libby Prison, one owned by the first Union Army Officer to turn that key and liberate the wretched prisoners confined there, as well as the first Union Officer in charge of that prison after the fall of Richmond, seems the most likely to have been truly THE key to Libby Prison!!!
The text of the newspaper article about the 1954 Exhibit of these keys:
HISTORICAL EXHIBIT AT FAIRPORT LIBRARY
“Mrs. Charles Scoville has generously allowed the Perinton Historical Society to display some of her family treasures from the days of the Civil War. With the cooperation of Mrs. Gaffney these articles will be in the display cases in the Fairport Public Library during the last two weeks in May, over Memorial Day. The great-grandparents of Mrs Scoville, Solomon and Lydia Mattison, took up 500 acres of virgin forest around S’criba. They lived in the blockhouse at Fort Oswego while their log house was being built. Her grand-parents had two sons, Malcolm and Lucius Van-Scoyke. Malcolm went to sea and died on a whaling expedition in the South Pacific, before the Civil War.
“When Fort Sumter was fired upon and President Lincoln called for troops, Lucius, her father, a lad of 17, enlisted and served throughout the war! Col. Mattison was promoted to Major for bravery on the “field” at the storming of Peterborough Heights. On April 3, 1865, the 81st Infantry with Lieut. Col. Mattison in command were the first to enter Richmond. His hands pulled down the Stars’ and Bars and raised the Stars and Stripes instead. These are the two flags on display in the library. He and his men were placed in charge of Castle Thunder and Libby Prison. He liberated about 400 Union prisoners and soon had his men guarding 2500 rebels in their place. After two weeks In Richmond the 81st Infantry went to Williamsburg where they remained until mustered out and sent home. While in Richmond “he shook hands” with President. Lincoln who had come to inspect the field.
“When you visit the Fairport Public Library you will have the privilege of seeing the following: The Confederate Flag hauled down at Richmond, the Union Flag raised in its place, the keys to Libby Prison and Castle Thunder, a framed picture, of Libby Prison as it then appeared, an old purse with Confederate money, the housewife carried by Mrs. Scoville’s father, during the War, his canteen, revolver, sword, and a scrapbook with an account of his life. There is also a daguerreotype of her great grandparent Solomon and Lydia Matttison. Miss Charlotte Clapp, our town historian, has also loaned two bullets picked up at Gettysburg, a copy of an early newspaper and a copy of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address.”
(The Herald-Mail, Fairport, N. Y. of Thursday, May 13, 1954)
Engraving from a window of Libby Prison, with a view of Castle Thunder (found at mdgorman.com)
If you’d like to learn more about this piece, further details can be found at our eBay listing.
Walnutts FAQ’s is a series of common questions… and their answers.
Q. Listen. I found this really great item in my barn/attic/great grandmother’s tea cozy. Will you sell it for me? We can split the winnings!
A. Thanks for thinking of us regarding the sale of your items. Unfortunately, we made the decision many years ago that we would only sell items that we own ourselves at our weekly eBay auctions. We have a LARGE backlog of items that we simply do not have the time to list and it just did not seem smart to list consignment items (for which we would get 20%-30% of the final value) rather than items of our own (for which we get 100% of the final value).
Another issue we discussed back then was the fact that we start all of our items at $9.00 and sell with no reserves. It is one thing to lose money on something we own ourselves – is is a whole different story to do that for a consignor!!
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