Please check some of our other recent additions from this wonderful collection assembled by Civil War veteran George W. Mowers of nearby Fayetteville. Mowers (1844-1895) spent pretty much his entire adult life near Gettysburg, working in his father’s wagon-making shop along the Chambersburg Pike and later taking it over himself. Fayetteville was just east of Chambersburg and the area was the point of concentration for Lee’s army just before Gettysburg. No fewer than seven of Lee’s nine divisions camped in or marched through the area before the battle, and Lee’s hospital wagon train, escorted by cavalry and artillery, turned south a short distance east of Mowers’ property during the retreat of July 4. Mowers thus had plenty of opportunity to pick up souvenirs around his own farm and wagon shop, but he was close to the first day’s battlefield and, living in the area until his death in 1895, he had plenty of opportunity to pick up things from other areas of the battlefield as well. He was a member of the local G.A.R. post and attended reunions in Gettysburg. He brought back a few mementos of his own service, but also amassed a large group of Gettysburg material, all of which we purchased directly from the family and are proud to offer.

This is a Confederate solid shot, measuring 4.52 inches and showing a faint seam line and slight casting dimple, that was for the “light twelve pounder” Napoleon field piece. On the battlefield solid shot was good at long ranges against massed troops, but less effective at shorter ranges than case-shot and canister. The surface condition of the metal indicates it did not lie outdoors very long and was likely an early acquisition by Mowers, who spent only two short tours of duty away in the army and was well positioned to collect things soon after the battle. It is possible that he acquired it along the retreat route near his house. Lee supplied a large number of cannon to escort his hospital wagons south. They headest west on the Chambersburg Pike and turned south before reaching Fayetteville, but this portion of the trip was made in mud and rain with orders not to stop, and an artillery crew may have lightened a limber chest along the way, but Mowers was near the first day’s field and had ready access to the rest of the battlefield as well. In any case, it is certainly from the battle and campaign.

Mowers’ family preserved the material intact for 124 years after his death. Groupings like this do not come out much anymore. The provenance is great and we were happy to get the collection. The items he gathered would be strong additions to any Gettysburg collection.  [sr]

Military & pension records included with purchase.

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