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A HERO'S DEATH AT CHANCELLORSVILLE. THE UNIFORM OF PETER KEENAN
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$35,000.00
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Item Code: 1268-780
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"In the Catholic cemetery in Scio rests all that is mortal of one of the bravest heroes of our civil war, one whose name stands side by side with Cushing, Winthrop, Lyon and the brilliant coterie of immortals whose deeds have made them deathless. Major Peter Keenan, a resident of this county from 1851 to 1858, educated at Wellsville, and Wilson Academy, Angelica, in 1861 was a businessman in Philadelphia, and raised the 8th Penn. cavalry, the first regiment of volunteers to arrive at the scene of war. In all the bloody battles of the Army of the Potomac he bore conspicuous part and rose from captain to major by his merit and gallantry. At the battle of Chancellorsville, at the sacrifice of his own life and the lives of most of his regiment, he checked the supposed invincible legions of Stonewall Jackson and averted the stampede and destruction that threatened General Hooker's army. At twilight of May 2, 1863, Jackson's division of the Confederate army fell upon the 11th corps (Gen. O. O. Howard's), the right wing of the Union army, and drove it back with such fury that cannon, caissons, cannoniers and infantry, in mingled confusion, covered a mile of the road to Chancellorsville. Gen. Hooker ordered Gen. Pleasanton to do something to stay the conquering rebels, and Major Keenan was ordered to lead his regiment to support the flying corps. With unflinching courage, he charged the Confederates and held them in check some minutes, long enough, before the regiment was annihilated, to allow the Union artillery to be placed in position and repulse the enemy. Major Keenan was shot while charging in advance of his troops. He fell upon the very bayonets of the enemy. In his death agony he tried to remount his horse but was quickly killed. His mangled body was brought from inside the enemy's lines at night. One historian says: “In the pages of history there is not recorded a more gallant or heroic charge. It was a charge against fearful odds; a charge of 400 against 40,000; a charge of a regiment against an army; a charge made in the face of inevitable death, at the crucial moment of a great battle, to save the Union army from panic, disaster and destruction." From the Google book entitled Allegany County and it People: A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany County, New York by John Stearns Minard, Georgia Drew Merrill, W.A. Fergusson & Company, 1896. For further reading see: To the Knife: The Biography of Major Peter Keenan, 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry. By Charles C. Keisey. And for detailed information on the regiment follow this link (8th Cavalry /89th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers).
THE UNIFORM COAT: This double-breasted Civil War U.S. cavalry officer's frock coat is a private purchase with a 14-button front, three-button cuffs, and four buttons on the rear waist. The inspiration for this jacket was a pattern adopted in 1858. The dark blue-black frock has a double row of 7 gilt eagle "C" officer's buttons. Of the original buttons there are 8 total (4 front 4 on tail) and all are back marked "SUPER FINE PLATED" the remaining were added and are all back marked "EXTRA QUALITY". The material used to tailor this frock is black/blue wool broadcloth. The sleeves bulge to 8 3/4 inches at the elbow and are 5 inches at the functional 3 button cuff. Of the 6 cuff buttons 4 are eagle "R" buttons which can be explained by the fact that the 8th was originally raised as a rifle regiment. The un-piped stand-up black velvet lined collar is 1 inch at the front and 2 inches high at the rear. The coat has a bottom that is raw edged or unbasted. There are 2 rear pockets lined in a brown colored polished cotton. The fau pocket flaps are decorated with 4 large eagle C buttons. The exterior of the frock is excellent with a few moth nips. The interior of the frock is fully lined with a quilted green/black polished cotton. There is 1 interior breast pocket on the left lined with polished brown cotton. The sleeves are fully lined in white cotton. The condition of the lining is very good showing minor wear and splashes of discoloration. Sewn tightly to the shoulders are two excellent cavalry major's epaulettes. These are embroidered in metallic gold bullion with 2 exterior borders and 2 oak leaf "pips" on a yellow velvet backing. The velvet shows minor losses. They measure 2 inches by 5 1/4 inches.
PANTS: The wool broadcloth trousers are dark blue/black with a narrow yellow (now white) 1/16-inch wool broadcloth cord running down and inset into center seam of both legs. Suspender, waistband, and fly buttons were iron. The waist was fitted with six iron suspender buttons all now are gone. The waist is tightened by a small adjusting belt with an iron, painted black, frame buckle at the rear. A silk 7-inch gusset under the rear belt is deteriorated greatly. The waist is fastened by a single button on the waist band. The fly was fastened by 3 buttons 2 are present. The fly is lined with white glazed cotton. Two instep boot strap iron buttons are present inside each side of the cuffs. The waist band is in lined in white glazed purple lined cotton, which extends down about 2 inches. There are 2 horizontally vented hip pockets made of linen and they have single button closures. There is no rear pocket. There is a linen lined watch pocket on the right hip. On the inside it is stamped in a circle: E. Owen Washington D.C. (1849 to 1864. After 1864 became Samuel. W. Owen). Below this is penned, "Major Keenan". The leg is 33 inches long from the crotch to cuff. The condition of the pants is great with some wear and a few minor insect losses.
PAPER ITEMS: 1) A 35-page publication called "8th Pennsylvania Cavalry. CEREMONIES AT DEDICATION OF MONUMENT OF THE Eight Penna. Cavalry Regiment AT GETTYSBURG SEPTEMBER 1, 1890. WITH HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE REGIMENT.". 2) Peter Keenan's Captain's commission in the 89th Regiment (8th Pennsylvania Cavalry). From the office of Governor Curtin, the document is dated at Harrisburg, PA, 19 August 1861. This is a pre-printed state commission. It measures 17 inches by 14 inches and is under seal and shows the state of Pennsylvania coat of arms. It is signed by Eli Slifer, then Secretary of the Commonwealth. This is nicely framed.
We reference Don Troiani's wonderful painting "CHARGE" "The 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863, vividly captures a dramatic moment from the Battle of Chancellorsville during the American Civil War. The artwork portrays the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry lead by Major Keenan executing a bold and desperate charge against Confederate forces. Amidst the chaos of battle, Union cavalrymen, clad in their distinctive uniforms, surge forward with determination, their horses galloping through the smoke and turmoil of the battlefield. The scene is a dynamic representation of bravery and action, emphasizing the intensity and peril of the cavalry charge in one of the war's most significant and harrowing engagements." This grouping was on display at Ray Richey's Texas Civil War Museum. [pe] [ph:L]
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