Religious and charitable societies devoted energy and money into purchasing or publishing inspirational and wholesome reading material for soldiers in camp or hospital. Many barracks were supplied with small libraries by the well-intentioned. This is a green-cloth bound volume printed in Boston by the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society and meant for the wholesome entertainment of soldiers, entitled “Pleasant Reading for Our Soldiers.” This is listed in a publishers’ circular of 1863 listing new books and a copy identified to the Second Mass. Cavalry is also known, likely a part of its Chaplain’s library. This one has a presentation to “Charles S. Hart / from your teacher, / M. Hutchins.”

This is possibly private Charles Hart of the 1^st Mass. Heavy Artillery, for whom we do not find a middle initial, but he was in his 30s when he enlisted and the presentation looks like it was made to a younger man, so it may not be military related. The book also bears an owner’s embossed name stamp on the lower title page. This is a good representative volume to illustrate soldiers’ pastimes in camp, or at least as the folks at home would have liked to picture it.

Further research certainly a possibility.  [sr]

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