OUTSTANDING ISSUE BLANKET WITH SOLDIER ART ID'D TO 1ST MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRYMAN

OUTSTANDING ISSUE BLANKET WITH SOLDIER ART ID'D TO 1ST MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRYMAN

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$5,950.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1179-468

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This is a standard Federal issue blanket that has been cut down by the soldier and decorated with corps badges, his name and where he was at the time he applied the decoration. There is a lot to cover on this item so lets start with the basics. The blanket is made of brown wool with dark end stripes. It meas. approx. 6 feet in length x 5 feet 7 in. in width. The top end stripe is approx. 2 in. wide while the bottom one is approx. 3.75 in. wide. For some reason the soldier trimmed a little off of each end of the blanket, hence the difference in stripe width. At the center is a chain stitched "US" done in three rows of stitching with closed ends. Each letter meas. approx. 4.50 in. high x 3.0 in. wide.

Now for the design. Across the length of the top edge is "BRANDY STATION MARCH 1864" and across the length of the bottom edge is "CHARLES A. FEYHL." The capital letters are approx. 4.50 in. high x 3.50 in. wide. The small letters are approx. 2.50 in. high x 2.0 in. wide. The numbers "1864" are each approx. 4.50 in. high x 3.75 in. wide. In the upper left corner is a First Corps badge and across from it in the right corner is a Second Corps badge. Likewise, on the bottom left corner is a Fifth Corps badge and the bottom right has a Sixth Corps badge. The badges vary in size and are the following ; 1st Corps - 4.0 in. high x 4.0 in. wide, 2nd Corps -4.25 in. high x 4.25 in. wide, 5th Corps -4.0 in. high x 4.0 in. wide and 6th Corps - 5.25 in. high x 5.25 in. wide. All the lettering and design on the blanket are done in sky blue thread. Even the "US" at center is outlined in the same color thread.

The whole thing is beautiful and very pleasing to the eye. The soldier who did the design, Charles A. Feyhl, listed his pre-war occupation as a jeweler. His attention to detail and eye for fine work shows here. The blanket itself is in fine condition with raw edges at top and bottom and finished side edges. There are four or five wear holes scattered over the blanket but none are larger than a quarter and do not interfere with the lettering. The letters "B" and "Y" in "Brandy" show moderate wear with minor amounts of thread missing. The same can be said for the "S" in "Station" and the "M" in "March." Also the letters "C" and "R" in the soldiers name show the same wear.

Charles A. Feyhl started his military service when he enlisted as a private in Company D, 1st Mass. Vol. Inf. His records from the National Archives show him listed as Charles A. Field but by May of 1862 they realized their mistake and changed to the correct name of Feyhl. The records show that Charles was a 20 year old jeweler when he enlisted on June 14, 1861 at Cambridge, Mass.

The 1st Mass. served at 1st Bull Run in Richardson's Brigade of Tyler's Division With the organization of The Army of the Potomac the regiment was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps. Private Feyhl and the 1st Mass. fought with the 3rd Corps through many of the major campaigns in the East in 1862, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, The Seven Days and 2nd Bull Run. After 2nd Bull Run the regiment was assigned to the Defenses of Washington until November when they returned to the 3rd Corps and took part in the battles at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. In March 1864 while the 1st Mass. was at Brandy Station, the 3rd Corps was dissolved and the regiment was transferred to the 1st Brigade, 4th Division 2nd Corps. It was at this time that Feyhl decorated his blanket. The 11th and 12th Corps had been transferred West and the 1st and 3rd Corps were dissolved leaving only the 2nd, 5th and 6th Corps. At the time the blanket was decorated Feyhl must not have known of the dissolution of the 1st Corps. Since the General Order dissolving both Corps' was published on March 24th 1864 it is a mystery why Feyhl would not have known. For whatever reason, he decided to include the 1st Corps badge on his blanket. Private Feyhl and his regiment continued its service and fought at The Wilderness and Spottsylvania. Its last action was the attack on The Bloody Angle on May 12, 1864. On May 20th the regiment left the front and returned to Boston, Mass where it, along with Private Feyhl, was mustered out on May 25, 1864.

Feyhl no doubt kept his blanket as a prized souvenir of his hard and faithful service. The whole time of his enlistment Feyhl was present for duty except for a short span in September and October 1861. This blanket is an outstanding relic of one man's service in the toughest battles of the war. It must have kept Private Feyhl warm on many a cold night and his constant companion on many a long march.  [ra] [ph:L]

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