This piece is the thick, bottom iron plate from a 3” artillery canister.  This souvenir of the Battle of the Wilderness was recovered from the battlefield by Anna Holstein. It is a piece from a small collection of relics she acquired in her travels.

It is marked with old pen & ink, “Wilderness. / May 5^th 1864.” on an old paper tag. Iron exhibits some light surface rust but overall is very good and looks like it was just picked up.

Anna Morris Holstein and her husband, William H. Holstein, of Montgomery County, PA, were quite wealthy. But they still had a strong sense of duty. William had served in the Pennsylvania militia during Lee’s 1862 invasion. And when the couple witnessed the carnage at Antietam, they felt called to serve. Anna noted, “we have no right to the comforts of our home, while so many of the noblest of our land renounce theirs.”  The couple enlisted with the US Sanitation Commission. Anna struggled with the grisly realities of war and later admitted that she was of little use till she could gain control of her composure and stop crying.  Anna began ministering to the wounded at Antietam, and also cared for the wounded after the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Anna served as matron-in-chief at Camp Letterman after the Battle of Gettysburg.

After the war she authored "Three Years in Field Hospitals of the Army of the Potomac".

Below is the text of a letter written to Surgeon General Hammond from General Hancock regarding the useful actions of Anna Holstein. This letter was originally part of this small collection of relics.

Falmouth, Va.

April 14, 1863

Sir,

Mrs. Holstein, wife of Wm. H. Holstein Esq of Montgomery County Penna came to Falmouth some time since to distribute certain supplies for the sick of this army, which had been collected in Montgomery County. Being here, she directed herself to the sick in the hospital of my division and was very useful while there. She has since returned home, but expecting to make another visit hereafter, for the same purposes, at an appropriate period, she has requested me to write you a note stating that her services were valuable.  I can here do so and knowing her and her husband well, I can speak confidently on the subject.

They are from my own county and I have known them for very many years.  Mr. Holstein is the representative of a family as old as the county in which he resides.

I have the humble

Very Resp

Your Obd Serv

Winfd Hancock

Maj. General U.S. Vols.

To

Surgeon General Hammond

U.S. Army

Washington, D.C.

Early souvenir from a witness to the battle.  [jet]

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