This group consists of three items identified to Drummer Martin Moore of Company K, 13^th New Hampshire Volunteers.

The first item is a fantastic sixth-plate ambrotype of Moore seated next to an unknown NCO. The NCO sits at left and wears a dark forage cap with an infantry hunting horn attached to the crown. The subject also wears a dark coat that appears to be double-breasted with cloth covered buttons and a velvet collar. Each sleeve has a pair of Corporal chevrons attached just above the elbow. There is no piping on the coat and it has an exterior breast pocket. Subject also wears a dark vest, shirt and bowtie with dark trousers with a light NCO leg stripe. All in all it is a very interesting uniform and not at all common.

Martin Moore sits at right wearing a dark forage cap with a turned up visor. The crown of his cap clearly displays an infantry hunting horn with the number “13” at center and the Company letter “K” above. Below the horn there are two letters that look to be “H. V.” for “HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS.” Moore also wears a dark musician’s frock coat with the horizontal tape across the front and matching dark trousers. An interesting note on Moore’s frock coat is that it also has an exterior breast pocket.

Image is clear as can be with good contrast. There is one small scratch just above the head of the unknown Corporal otherwise the image is clean. Photo comes in a full leather case with an embossed patriotic motif of a spread-winged eagle over a US shield and panoply of flags. Image has the brass mat and frame and the case interior has a red felt cushion. Attached to this cushion is Moor’s wartime Corps badge.

The badge is made of silver and consists of a plain top bar with the original “T” pin on the reverse and a very fine linear border decoration on the front. Suspended from this bar by two small chains is an 18^th Corps badge with wonderful delicate period engraving. At center of the badge in block lettering is “M. MOORE CO. K, 13^TH REG.” This engraving runs from one horizontal arm of the badge to the other. The top vertical arm has the number “18” for the Corps designation while the lower one has “NH” over “VOLS.” All is nicely done with decorative scrolls and lines and though the badge has tarnished with age, it is completely readable. The reverse of the badge has a less refined engraving of “MFM FROM MAM.”

The third item in the group is a small book entitled “BOOK OF PSALMS.” The volume meas. approx. 2.75 x 4.25 inches and runs 120 pages. This little book was published by The American Bible Society of New York in 1862. The very first blank page has a period pencil inscription that reads “MARTIN / MOORE / DRUMMER / CO K 13^th REG / NHV.” Volume is bound in heavy brown cloth with the title embossed in gold on the cover. Front cover is slightly chipped at corners. Binding is good and there is light surface dirt throughout.

Martin Moore was born in Lancashire, England in July of 1845. He enlisted at Portsmouth as a musician in Company K, 13^th New Hampshire Infantry on August 21, 1862. The 18 year old Moore was mustered in on September 20, 1862.

Drummer Moore was present for the battle of Fredericksburg in December but then became ill in January of 1863 and on the 24^th he was sent to a general hospital in Washington. While in the hospital he was visited by his sister Mary A. Moore who states in Moore’s pension file that she went with him to another hospital in Philadelphia and stayed with him for some time. Moore’s sister May is no doubt the “MAM” listed on the back of the Corps badge offered here.

Moore was assigned to the Veterans Reserve Corps where he remained until rejoining his Company on June 19, 1864 during the Petersburg Campaign. Moore was present throughout the remainder of the war and was mustered out at Richmond, Virginia on June 21, 1865.

After the war he moved to the Boston area and married. He was a member of the Joseph Hooker Post #23 of the GAR in East Boston. Martin Moore died on May 24, 1913.

Military and pension records accompany the items.

This is really an interesting little group in museum quality condition.     [ad]

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