This set of elegant, extra-rich, triple bordered, gold bullion embroidered First Lieutenant shoulder straps, along with a small, gold bullion embroidered infantry officer’s cap insignia comes with a 1942 letter identifying them as belonging to 1^st Lieutenant A.D. John McDonald of Honeoye, Monroe County, New York, who served in the 108^th New York, and was wounded in action at Gettysburg, resulting in the loss of his left arm.

The straps are in excellent condition with dark blue velvet centers and three rows of “alternating dead and bright” bullion for the borders and a gold bullion rank bar at each end signifying a first lieutenant. The gold jaceron wire borders of the rank bars the borders inside and out is complete and in place. The velvet has excellent color and nap. The gold bullion is slightly subdued in color, but only slight oxidation. The hat or cap insignia is likewise very good, with the blue cloth backing trimmed to fit the overall shape, but only a couple of tiny moth nips at the right of bell and either side of the mouthpiece of embroidered hunting horn.

The letter accompanying these was written 11 October 1942 by Mrs. Harry A. Carpenter to “Mr. O’Brien,” presumably McKendree O’Brien, publisher of the “Honeoye Falls Times,” thanking him for a copy of the paper containing an article he published on her presentation of McDonald’s sword to an American Legion post. We show copy of that article from the paper’s October 8 edition. Mrs. Carpenter corrects a couple of details, mainly that her husband had received the sword not from McDonald but from his widow. She also adds that her husband had received these shoulder straps and the hat insignia, keeping them in an envelope along with a newspaper clipping describing the presentation of the sword to McDonald: “A few days ago I came across the old clipping which tells about the occasion when it was presented to Lieut. McDonald. The shoulder straps and bugle were in the envelope also. I do not believe Harry ever had the belt mentioned in the article.”

We tracked down the newspaper article she refers to from the April 30, 1863, edition of the Rochester Union and Advertiser, and print it below. Not only does it refer to a sword belt McDonald received at the time, but it also refers to the shoulder straps as part of the presentation (our emphasis is added below:)

“Incidents and Presentation at Honeoye Falls - Lieut. A. D. J. McDonald left this morning to join his company, Co. C 108th Regiment NY Volunteers, after having spent a few days with his family and friends in this place. Lieut. McDonald was among the first recruited here for the 108th Regiment, and his influence added much in enabling us to fill our quotas. He enlisted with Capt. Andrews and received the office of 3rd Sergeant.

Ready at all times to do his duty, unbending and strict as a disciplinarian, possessed of coolness and soldier-like bravery, as proved at the Battle of Antietam, he gained the confidence of the company as well as of his superiors in command. Since about the first of last December, owing to the illness and absence of the Captain and Lieutenants, he has acted as commander of the company. He also commanded and led the company in the Battle of Fredericksburg, evincing here as before his intrepidity and true bravery. Soon after the return of Capt. Andrews, the promotion of Lieut. Cox and the resignation of Lieut. Tarbox, McDonald received the order appointing his First Lieutenant. His friends have watched, with no small degree of interest, the course pursued by him, expecting much, and in this they are not disappointed. But the hearty welcome upon his arrival, and the God bless you’s at his leave taking were not deemed a sufficient testimonial of esteem.

Whereupon it was thought best to clothe him with the warlike insignia suited to his office-something to wear-something to be proud of-something to nerve him to nobler action-yes, something with which to tap rebellious veins if necessary in the defense of the Union, its Constitution and its laws. In pursuance of the above, Lieut. McDonald was invited to meet his friends at Union School Hall, in our village on Thursday evening, when C. C. Davison, Esq., for the citizens of Mendon, in a happy and beautifully appropriate speech, presented the Lieutenant with a splendid sword, sash, belt and shoulder straps. After having them properly adjusted, McDonald replied in true soldier-like style, making no vain promises, but said, in conclusion: 'Friends, again I thank you, and rather than return with this blade dishonored, may you behold it returned with my body in a box.’”

McDonald did not die in the war, but did pay a price. He was 35 and a lawyer, living in the village of Honeoye Falls in the Town of Mendon (Monroe County, NY) when he enlisted in a rather impromptu fashion while addressing a war meeting there in July 1862. Told that several in the audience would enlist if he did so, he drew a bible from his pocket and had a Justice of the Peace swear him in. The Rochester Union and Advertiser of July 24, 1862, reported, “The effect was electrical.” A half dozen followed his example, earning him a sergeant’s warrant in the 108^th NY, mustering into Co. C on 23 July 1862. He was promoted First Lieutenant with rank from December 30, 1862. At Gettysburg as part of Hays’ Division of the 2^nd Corps it carried 200 men onto the field and was positioned in the center of the battlefield. In the fighting of July 2 and July 3 they lost 16 killed and 86 wounded out of the 200 present. McDonald was among the latter, “Wounded, badly” in the left arm, and reported on July 5 as “arm off.” He was discharged on November 21 for disability from wounds received in action. We are uncertain of the day he was wounded, but it seems to be July 2 from a letter written by Lt. Parsons and reprinted in the regimental history, though Parsons is mistaken in saying McDonald was wounded in the leg. On July 2 they were under heavy artillery and sharpshooter fire during the fighting around the Bliss barn and took casualties. They took more on July 3 in the continued fighting in that area, and then under the Confederate bombardment,  before helping to repulse Pickett’s Charge, fighting among the guns of Woodruff’s battery on the right of Hays’ line.

McDonald returned home to Honeoye Falls and resumed the practice of law. The 1860 census had picked him up with his wife Frances and daughters Eudora and Estella. They welcomed a son, Wellington, about 1865. All of them are picked up in the 1870 census, still in Mendon, with McDonald still listed as an Attorney. He died in March 1871 and is buried in Honeoye Falls. From the sound of Mrs. Carpenter’s letter his widow seems to have been living in a nursing home when she passed on the sword and insignia to Harry Carpenter sometime in the early 1900s.   [sr][ph:m]

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