A two-piece officer's document group tracing the Civil War promotions of Howell H. Trask, Company B, 13th Michigan Volunteer Infantry.

1) NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER'S WARRANT. Partly-printed regimental form headed "THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT OF MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS," with printed eagle-and-shield vignette. Appoints Trask First Sergeant of Company B, 13th Michigan Volunteers, to rank from August 21, 1862. Given at "Head Quarters of the Regiment, at Camp near Nashville," December 8, 1862. Signed by Colonel Michael Shoemaker, commanding the regiment, and countersigned by Adjutant James E. White.

2) STATE COMMISSION. Engraved State of Michigan commission headed "STATE OF MICHIGAN. Henry H. Crapo, Governor in and Over the State of Michigan," with allegorical state-seal vignette. Appoints Trask First Lieutenant in the 13th Regiment, Michigan Infantry Volunteers, to rank from April 25, 1865. Given at Lansing, April 26, 1865, and bears a large embossed red paper state seal. Signed by Governor Henry H. Crapo, with countersignatures of the Deputy Secretary of State and Adjutant General John Robertson. Verso carries the printed oath of allegiance form, left unexecuted (blank).

Howell H. Trask enlisted October 10, 1861 at Yankee Springs, Michigan as a sergeant, and mustered into Company B, 13th Michigan Infantry, January 17, 1862. He was promoted First Sergeant August 31, 1862 (this warrant states rank effective August 21, 1862), and Second Lieutenant January 20, 1863. He was wounded at Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19, 1863, and wounded a second time near Savannah, Georgia, December 12, 1864, during Sherman's March to the Sea. He was promoted First Lieutenant April 25, 1865 — the commission offered here — and discharged May 28, 1865. Trask was born September 12, 1829 and died October 7, 1911, and is buried at Coman Cemetery, Middleville, Barry County, Michigan.

The 13th Michigan Infantry organized at Kalamazoo and mustered in January 17, 1862, seeing action at Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, the Chattanooga campaign, Sherman's March to the Sea, and Bentonville before mustering out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 25, 1865. Colonel Michael Shoemaker commanded the regiment from its departure from Michigan in February 1862, succeeding Colonel Charles E. Stuart; the regiment was on duty at Nashville through late December 1862, consistent with the "Camp near Nashville" warrant date.

CONDITION

Warrant: institutional fold lines, light toning, else sound.

Commission: separated along the center horizontal fold into two conjoined pieces, with chipped losses to the right and lower-right margins affecting blank paper only; text, signatures, and seal fully present and legible; moderate toning and edge wear.   [ss] [ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!