BEAUTIFUL CIVIL WAR FIND!!!!!

[quicksilver]

Got out of work ancouple hours early today, on the way back to my hotel room, I stopped at an antique store. Found this marker in there. Bought it on the spot. This is an item that obviously we will never dig, not sure how it could end up in an antique store in East Haven CT, however, it is going home with me. It will reside within site of Antietam. Thanks for looking.

 

[brianc577]

Grave marker?

 

[Larry (IL)]

I agree, a grave marker for a CW Veteran most likely.


Grand Army of the Republic. 1866 to 1956.

 

[Confetrit]

That was indeed a Great Find. I love to watch the old footage of those old Veterans from the GAR from around the turn of the century marching in the parades with their flags and colors. Oh the stories these old gentlemen could tell. It is sad that this piece turned up in an antique store, but this story has a happy ending. It winds up with someone who knows this piece and appreciates its History and what it and most importantly who it represents. It is also only right that it is home within site of Antietam or Sharpsburg. My Great Great Grandfather was there with the 44th Ga. Volunteer Infantry Co. D. He would be wounded, shot through the shoulder by one of the veterans from the GAR. Congrat's to you on a very nice piece of History.

 

[quicksilver]

Thanks Confetrit, that's really cool to hear about your Great grandfather. We all know how tough them Georgia troops were.

 

[Confetrit]

Thanks, Quicksilver. Those old soldiers back then had to be tough, and they were. Both sides. With everything going on in our country today, we as Americans Can and Must Not Ever Forget what these men did and today what men and women do to protect our country . No war is good, but a Civil War is horrible, hard to comprehend today, some 158 years later. Some nuts today talk about a modern Civil War. These folks don't know their History or what hundreds of thousands of men and women endured during the 4 years of that war. In this country during that war there were virtually very few that weren't touched or affected in one way or the other by the War Between the States. A lot of Southerners today don't revere the name of Gen. William T. Sherman, but he was right 100% correct when he said "War is Hell". That war is something this country never wants to see again. JMHO

 

[Gamma_Joe]

Hey quicksilver ... thank you for rescuing that relic and giving it the respect it deserves.

Confetrit ... you said it straight. My great-grandpa was in the 112th Illinois Volunteers. He enlisted at a month before his 16th birthday (lied about his age) and was wounded just two months before his 18th birthday. He got hit in the Union charge at Resaca, Georgia on May 14, 1864. Then he spent eleven months in two hospitals, before being mustered out at the end of the war. He got a serious intestinal disease (like so many other men, on both sides). His body weight went down from 160 pounds to 117 pounds, he spent years in pain, and died at an early age.

Every time a "Minie ball" comes up out of the ground, we think of the brave men on both sides.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[Confetrit]

You are right Joe. Every minnie' ball or piece of shell frag or ordinance dug, we wonder if this piece of our History caused a wound or even death to the soldiers who fought in that war. We sometimes kid back and forth about Yanks and Rebs, but in the end and even while the war was being fought they were All Americans. That to me is what made this war so tragic. God Bless them all.

 

[quicksilver]

Your spot on Confetrit, we are all Americans now, more than ever because of the war, the most important event that truly formed this union. Just look at 9/11, we come from all these great states in defense, of this country.

 

[Confetrit]

Well said Quicksilver. Mr. Charlie Daniel's sang a song entitled "God Bless America Again". It was about the same topic you speak of. Americans coming together in defense of our country. Like the cowboys, and the hippies,.......and the rebels and the yanks. Great song with a Patriotic flare. Charlie Daniel's is a great American and Patriot IMHO.

 

[Cajuncoinhunter]

An interesting piece of history. Glad you saved it from the antique store. CCH

 

[Big Treble]

That's a great find, my wife has her Great Great Grandfathers. Its pretty cool!