Oval camp mirror housed in a wooden case. Closed it meas. approx. 5.00 inches long x 2.75 inches at its widest. To expose the mirror one of the wooden covers pivots to the side. The mirror is in good condition with some peppering to its surface and two small chips in the finish of one edge. The underside of the sliding wood cover is marked with a stencil. The ink smudged but other items in this collection are marked with the same stencil. It reads “SGT. LORON F. PACKARD, SDLR. CO. E, 5^TH N.Y. CAV.” The same information is written in light pencil above and below the stencil. Again, this stenciling is smudged and barely readable. Knowing what it is supposed to say helps decipher the text.

From his records it is known that Loron F. Packard was born in Boston, Massachusetts. When or why he moved to New York State is not mentioned. At the age of 18 he enlisted as a Saddler in Company E, 5th New York Cavalry on August 22, 1861. At the time he was described as being 5’ 6 ½“ tall with blue eyes, brown hair and a sallow complexion. He was by profession a farmer.

Packard was present with his regiment until captured at 2nd Bull Run on August 30, 1862. He was paroled and sent to Camp Parole in Annapolis, Maryland. While there he spent some time in the hospital and then was detached to the Navy Yard. There is some confusion in his record at this point. He is listed as deserting under fire at Gettysburg while elsewhere the record states that he did not return to his regiment till October 9, 1863. The record is not clear if he returned to the regiment before Gettysburg, deserted, and returned on October 9th or if he returned to duty from his parole on October 9th. Either way he was never prosecuted as a deserter.

On November 11, 1863 while on a reconnaissance to Raccoon Ford, Va. William G. Peckham of Packard’s Company was cut off and surrounded by three Confederates holding Burnside carbines. Also close by was a large body of Confederate cavalry and infantry. Packard, seeing Peckham in trouble, on his own volition, charged the three Confederates and freed Peckham. Then the two of them fired a few rounds at the larger body of Confederates and made their way back to Union lines through heavy fire from both sides. It was for this action that Packard received the Medal of Honor in 1894.

Packard remained with his regiment throughout the rest of the war becoming a re-enlisted veteran in January of 1864 and was married while home on furlough. He was mustered out on July 19, 1865.

After the war he returned to New York where he settled in Bolivar, Allegany County. He died on July 16, 1903 and is buried in Cuba Cemetery, Cuba, New York.

Full military and pension records come with the item.

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