We recently acquired these items from a descendant of the soldier and include a signed letter by the seller on our stationary to that effect. The soldier was Samuel Shultz of Lancaster, PA., born about 1835, the son of a wagon maker, and died in April 1894 at age 59. According to the 1890 veteran census, he was the blacksmith of Co. D, 2^nd PA Cavalry and served the entire war, enlisting Oct. 17 and mustering in Nov. 11, 1861, (though he says mustering at the earlier date,) re-enlisting as a veteran, and transferring into the 1^st PA Provisional Cavalry (an amalgamation of the 2^nd with the 20^th PA Cavalry) on June 17, 1865, until muster out on July 13, 1865, at Cloud’s Mills, Va. After the war he lived in Columbia, PA, and worked as a railroad fireman.

The group includes his pair of army issue brass spurs with the iron rowels intact. These are the “gutter-back” pattern, having a groove on the interior of the heel, a variation encompassing about ten percent of issue spurs by Howard Crouch’s estimate. The brass has some thin brown age stains and dots of green verdigris, but overall a nice, even, medium tone. The rowels have their points, turn freely, and have a dusty brown surface. There are no bends. These are referred to specifically in the letter. With the spurs comes a pair of wire-frame glasses, likely from his later life.

Along with these is a commercial haversack with a lockable metal frame. These are smaller than an army issue haversack and higher grade, more appropriate for personal possessions, necessary records and paperwork than for foodstuffs, but had the advantage of being key locked. The main compartment opens like a modern woman’s purse, and there is a second, outer pocket covered by a flap. These are tough to date, but the frames have been recovered from Civil War campsites. Stan Phillips, Excavated Artifacts (1974,) illustrates a similar frame in Plate 146, though he takes it to be from a carpet bag. We have seen some that are foreign imports and others with US eagles stamped on the frames. This one is unmarked but of the same type, and shows not only a cloth lining, but some tooling on the outer flap, and rectangular escutcheon plate like those used on luggage of the period that might be engraved with the owner’s name, but has been left blank. Two oval plates with holes at the center are fastened below the lower edge of the flap and seem to have anchored the ends of retaining straps, now missing, that passed through brackets on the flap, one of which is in place on the lower left edge of the flap, and the other missing. As a blacksmith, Shultz would be drawing tools and supplies and likely responsible for a certain amount of paperwork, at least in camp and the haversack certainly provided more room for personal effects than army issue saddlebags.

The 2^nd Pennsylvania Cavalry organized at Philadelphia in Fall 1861, and served in the Middle Department, the Military District of Washington, and the Army of Virginia before joining the Army of the Potomac in June 1863, serving in the Provost Guard and guarding Meade’s headquarters during the Gettysburg campaign until October 1863, when it joined the 2^nd Brigade, 2^nd Division of the Cavalry Corps. CW Data lists 38 points at which they suffered losses of some sort and throughout their service they lost of total of 6 officers and 52 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. In 1862 they took part is a number of skirmishes and expeditions under Generals Buford and Bayard, seeing action as well at Second Bull Run and significant losses at Occoquan against Wade Hampton. According to The Union Army, once they joined the Army of the Potomac, they served on “frequent reconnaissances and as guard at Meade’s Headquarters” until their transfer to the Cavalry Corps on October 19, after which the regiment almost immediately, “moved towards the Rappahannock and Mine Run, was active at Beverly ford and Rappahannock crossing and again at Bealeton.”

“From this time on during the campaign it was constantly engaged in skirmishing and scouting, and on Nov. 29, at Parker's store, fought with great gallantry, losing 35 men. In December it shared in the raid on Luray, and then went into winter quarters at Warrenton. During the winter its ranks were swelled by many recruits and many of the men reenlisted and received a veteran furlough. On the opening of the spring campaign it moved with the army of the Potomac; was active at the Wilderness and at Todd's tavern, shared in Gen. Sheridan's raid to sever Lee's communications with Richmond. It participated in Sheridan's second raid and was active at Haw's shop and on June 7, shared in the destruction of the Virginia Central railroad. It then crossed the Pamunkey, destroyed the Fredericksburg Road at Chesterfield, and was heavily engaged at Trevilian. It assisted in the effort to cut the enemy's lines at Gordonsville, was active at St. Mary's Church, where it was commended for its gallantry, and after the raid it rejoined the army in front of Petersburg. It was active at the engagements of Deep Bottom, Charles City Cross roads' and Malvern hill, suffering considerable loss; and was heavily engaged at Reams, station.”

“Since the beginning of the campaign in May,” the regiment, “participated in 16 general engagements, and its strength was reduced to about 200. It shared in the subsequent fortunes of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, being engaged at Wyatt's farm, Boydton plank road, McDowell's hill and Five Forks, and was present at Lee's surrender. It took part in the grand review at Washington in May, 1865, and on June 17, was consolidated with the 20th Pa. cavalry to form the 1st Pa. provisional cavalry, commanded by Col. William W. Sanders of the regular army. Members whose term of service had expired were sent to Philadelphia to be mustered out, and the provisional regiment was finally mustered out of service at Cloud's mills, Va., July 13, 1865. During its long period of service the regiment enjoyed an excellent reputation for discipline and courage in battle.”

This is a nice grouping associated with a very active Pennsylvania cavalry unit.  [SR] [ph:m]

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