A very nice “military register” for the 15^th Maine Veteran Volunteers. Various “registers” and “soldiers’ records” were marketed during the war as service memorials to be sent home by soldiers to family. This one has the typical architectural graphics imitating a memorial or temple, with scenic panels inserted and various patriotic motifs such as Columbia with drawn sword at top center defending the Constitution with the come of the Capitol appearing through clouds in the background, scenes of war and peace at left and right, and “her dream” at bottom showing a woman saying farewell to her husband going off to war, dreaming of his heroics, and his return. This one, however, is unusual in being specifically for a regiment’s field and staff, NCO staff, and company musicians, listed in the center column, and flanked by line officers and company sergeants in the left and right panels.

In this case, the regiment is the 15^th Maine, which was officially remustered as a veteran regiment in January 1864, though the roster itself dates from their official reorganization in late 1864 and shows the regiment at that point in time. The roster bears Baltimore lithographer’s and printer’s bylines and the regiment was posted to Monocacy, Md., from August 4, 1864, when the reenlisted veterans went home on furlough. They returned in September and the regiment was posted there and at Martinsburg until going to Washington and points south in April.

This comes from the large archive of material preserved by family of Brevet Brig. Genl., Isaac Dyer (1820-1913,) Colonel of the 15^th Maine. The group was published in North South Trader 11.1 (Nov-Dec 1983,) purchased in its entirety by a collector about the same time, and only recently dispersed. (The NST article wrongly reported it had been broken up in 1983.) Dyer, a native of Skowhegan, joined the 15^th Maine as Lt. Colonel in late 1861, became Colonel in September 1862 and commanded it to the end of the war. The regiment took part in Butler’s expedition against New Orleans in early 1862, transferred to West Florida later in the year, and then returned to Louisiana in mid-1863 for Banks’s campaign along the Texas Coast and his Red River Campaign of 1864. In mid-1864, as part of the 19^th Corps, they moved north, part of the regiment going to Bermuda Hundred and part to Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, where they were reunited in August at Monocacy Junction, Maryland. From here the reenlisted veterans went home of furlough, returning September 27. In October they went to Martinsburg, and in April to Washington and on to Georgia and South Carolina. The regiment remained in service after the war ended, doing occupation duty in South Carolina until 1866.

Dyer mustered out in September 1865. He received a brevet to Brigadier General as of March 1865, and reportedly had actual command of a brigade at Martinsburg in late 1864. The regiment took part in several active campaigns and expeditions, seeing action at Fort Esperanza, Sabine Crossroads, Pleasant Hill, Cane River Crossing and Mansura Plains. Dyer was well liked and very active in the G.A.R. and the regiment’s veteran association.

This is unmounted and ready for framing. Measures 19” x 24”. It has no tears and is lightly tinted with some thin blue and red. There is some foxing at the left and lower edges that blends in with the toning of the central panels. There is some very minor creasing along the top and right edges. Please see the photos.  [sr]

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