History of the Fortieth Illinois Inf., (Volunteers).
Cincinnati, Ohio: H. S. Bosworth, 1864. Hardcover. A Union soldier's copy, with his ink signature (Corporal John W. Shaw) on the title page above the author's name, and the notation, "46th Ohio, 5th Division, Aprl 6 & 7, 1862", and (next to the author's name) "Dear Friend". A handwritten eyewitness account and tribute by Shaw to the troops at Shiloh is at the back of the volume.
The tribute reads:
"Have photo of all our officers, they will surely furnish them. Do not Boast as Eph has of the 40th, showing their [indecipherable] Broken- bits of Foraging on all occasions. Let us Stand before our children and the readers as Loyal and Honest.
Mention Col. Walcutt + our 2 companies that drove the Rebs back when they had Broke the lines of the 15th Michigan on the Left of Atlanta. I can never forget his Bravery on that occasion as he went dashing on his Noble Steed. Their help in that hand to hand fight put the Rebs in their works again".
Colonel Charles C. Walcutt (1838 -1898), referred to above by Shaw, was in command of the 46th Ohio in October of 1862. The regiment saw its first action in the war at Shiloh on April 6, 1862, where Walcutt, riding his "Dashing Steed" was wounded in the left shoulder.
A first hand account of the 40th Illinois' role in the Civil War to date, in which the author describes how highly regarded the 40th Regiment was in the opinion of the 46th (Shaw's regiment). The 40th Illinois Infantry was organized at Springfield, Illinois, was mustered into service on August 10, 1861 and was mustered out on July 24, 1865. The 40th took part in the Battle of Shiloh, the siege of Vicksburg, the battles of Missionary Ridge and Kennesaw Mountain, the siege of Atlanta, and the March to the Sea.
The 46th Ohio Infantry (John Shaw's) was organized in Worthington, Ohio October 16, 1861, through January 28, 1862, and mustered in for three years service under the command of Colonel Thomas Worthington. John Washington Shaw (1837 -1907), entered the Civil War on December 26, 1861 and served for three years. He was promoted from Corporal Co. I, January 1, 1864 to 1st Lieutenant Co. E, on May 31, 1865.
There is some pencil underlining in the text, obviously by Shaw, mostly indecipherable as to why certain words are chosen. A few pencil annotations and one commentary on a statement ("true"), and the other "truly grand".
8vo, 198pp. In the original embossed green cloth, gilt title at spine. Lightly rubbed with a couple of light marks, nevertheless a nice, solid binding. Internally some early pages exhibit a light water stain; there is general fox spotting, not a real distraction. Inside the front cover the owner J. W. Shaw signs his name in pencil and writes his regiment in pen below. OCLC 1563800. Good + overall. Item #24162
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