CANDLE SNUFFER ID’D TO PRIVATE AND SERGEANT GEORGE W. MOWERS, 21st PA CAVALRY AND 87th PA INFANTRY

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Item Code: M26512

We recently acquired a sizeable group of artifacts preserved for the last 150 years in the family of George W. Mowers of Fayetteville, Pa. Mowers was 18 years old and working in his father’s wagon shop when he enlisted in the 21st PA Cavalry, a sixth-month unit during the Gettysburg campaign, and then later joined the 87th PA Infantry in late February 1865, seeing action at Petersburg and Sailor’s Creek. Mower’s property was directly along the Confederate advance to Gettysburg from Chambersburg on July 1 and also at the retreat route followed by Lee’s wagon train on the night of July 4. He gathered relics from Gettysburg, but also brought home some of his own material.

Snuff is iron and meas. approx. 6.25 inches long and looks like a pair of scissors with a flat plate and collar for snuffing out candle wicks. Surface is covered with a coating of light rust but the snuff operates properly.

Mowers had two periods of service, his first just a few months after his eighteenth birthday, when he enrolled at Chambersburg on 7/11/63 and mustered in as a private at Harrisburg on 7/15/63 in Co. D of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry. This regiment was organized during the Gettysburg Campaign, being recruited under the President’s call of June 15, 1863, militia to be called up for six months’ service. After being equipped and mounted at Harrisburg the regiment was sent to Chambersburg for training and in late August several companies were sent to Scranton and Pottsville, one company to Gettysburg, and the remainder, Mower’s company among them, were sent to Harpers Ferry, where they served in the Department of the Shenandoah. Mowers is recorded as present in the company muster rolls for its entire period of service from 7/15/63 to his muster out on 2/20/64.

Mowers reenlisted a little over a year later, signing up in late February 1865 and mustering in on 3/17/65 as a sergeant in Co. K of the 87th Pennsylvania, part of the 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. The regiment had suffered heavy losses and been reduced to a battalion of five companies. Mowers was part of five new companies that joined the regiment in March to bring it back up to strength. During his service in the 87th it took part in the final assault on Petersburg on April 2, 1865, losing 2 officers and 6 enlisted men killed, 3 officers and 22 enlisted men wounded and 5 enlisted men missing (OR.) The regiment was also engaged in the pursuit of Lee, losing one man wounded at Sailors Creek on April 6. After the surrender at Appomattox the regiment moved to Burkeville Station, and from there on April 23 to Danville, arriving there on April 27. On May 16, after the surrender of Johnston, the regiment moved by rail to Manchester, where there was opportunity to visit Richmond. From there it marched to Washington starting on May 24, but Mowers was hospitalized on May 23 and was discharged on a surgeon’s certificate 29 June 1865, the day the regiment was mustered out. He returned to Franklin County, married, fathered four children and died there 28 January 1895, aged 50. He is buried in the Union Cemetery in Fayetteville.  [ad]

Military & pension records available for additional charge of $40.00.

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