US Civil War Soldier’s Hymnal ID PVT. James Welsh , Andersonville, W/ Provenance
$ 651.43
Description
Offered is an original mid-19th century Christian hymnal , bound in full leather, with strong evidence of Civil War soldier ownership . The book is personally inscribed and carved with the name of a Union soldier, and was reportedly associated with the CSA Andersonville prisoner of war camp during the American Civil War. This is not just an antique book it is a personal artefact carried by a named soldier during wartime . Book Details Type: Protestant Christian Hymnal / Psalm Book Date: Circa 1820–1860 Binding: Full leather Size: Small, portable devotional format Content: Psalms, hymns, and structured worship text (C.M., L.M., etc.) Condition reflects extensive real-world use , including: Heavy wear to leather Page damage and separation Staining and aging consistent with field use The book is incomplete Name Carved into the Leather Binding The front leather cover features a hand-carved inscription , not ink, reading: “James Welsh” (clearly visible) Additional line appears to include “Co. L” and likely a regimental reference This is extremely important because: Civil War soldiers often carved names into personal items for identification Carving (rather than ink) suggests field use under rough conditions The name matches a documented soldier: James Welsh Company L 4th Regiment, U.S. Artillery (Regular Army) Union Army This creates a direct ownership link between the book and a real Civil War soldier . CSA Andersonville Prisoner of War Connection CSA Andersonville Prison: CSA Andersonville was one of the most infamous Confederate prisoner-of-war camps, known for: Severe overcrowding Harsh conditions High mortality rates Personal religious books like this were: Carried by soldiers into captivity Used for comfort and worship Often heavily worn, traded, or preserved under extreme conditions Names Found Within the Book In addition to the carved exterior name, there are handwritten inscriptions inside the book , including: A name consistent with James Welsh Additional markings and writing typical of personal ownership Period handwriting consistent with mid-19th century use Accompanying research also identifies: Christopher Dillon Company L 4th U.S. Artillery This suggests the possibility that: The book may have passed between soldiers , or Was associated with multiple members of the same unit Historical Context The 4th U.S. Artillery ( Massachusetts ) served in major Civil War engagements, including: Battle of Antietam Battle of Gettysburg Siege of Petersburg Artefacts directly tied to identified soldiers from active units like this are highly collectible and historically meaningful . Collector Significance This item offers: Identified Civil War soldier ownership Period-correct devotional book Physical personalization (carved name) Strong wartime use characteristics CSA Andersonville association Dimensions: Weight - 242g Height - 20cm Width - 12.6cm Thickness - 1.8cm
Item arrived much better than described and is such a privilege to own, ty as this probably cost you more to send than I paid (honestly, I expected the item to be of much, much poorer quality for the prise!), well packaged and shipped fast. would encourage anyone to buy from this person! A +++
Couldn't be happier! Very fast shipping from the UK. Packaged well and all arrived in great shape. Exactly as described at a very fair price. I will put them in Pride of Place in my library. Thanks much! 5*
Beautiful! A piece of history in great condition for being 250 years old. Fast shipping with tracking was very helpful. Very pleased with kind and fast service.
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