A very good condition pocket size New Testament bound in red leather and fitted with a narrow closure tab. This copy was printed in New York by the American Bible Society in 1848 and inscribed and dated twice in 1852 by Luther A. West inside the front cover and on the flyleaf, and also bears his inscriptions relating his birth date, his wife’s birth date, the date of their marriage, the dates of the births of their three children, and was later annotated by a family member with the February and December 1902 dates his wife and then West himself passed away.

This is in good condition, complete, and with the inscriptions fully legible. The initial inscription inside the front cover is “Luther Wests Book / 1852.” That on the facing flyleaf is “Luther West / 1852.” The other entries have been made below those two and inside the back cover. The covers show wear from being carried and along the edges of the spine, etc., but overall this is a very good representative example of a valued personal, pocket bible that a family man might well carry into service.

Luther A. West was born in Tioga County, PA, in 1829, and seems to have spent most of his life there, working as a laborer, though the 1880 census picks him up in Alpena, Michigan, along with his wife, two daughters, and a grandson, but by 1900 he is back in Tioga County, PA, with his wife and listed as a farmer by occupation. The 1860 census appears to miss him, with his wife and three children living on the Kinney farm in Tioga County.

He served in the 11^th PA Cavalry during the war, mustering in as a private in Co. F on Feb. 19, 1864, and serving until Aug. 13, 1865, when he mustered out with the company at Manchester, VA. When he joined the regiment they were serving in the Cavalry Brigade, Portsmouth, Virginia, Department of Virginia and North Carolina. In April 1864 they became part of the 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, in January 1865, part of the 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of Virginia, to August 1865.

Given the date of West’s enlistment he likely received a substantial bounty for signing up, but if he expected a quiet time he must have been disappointed. The regiment was quite active. Dyer’s Compendium summarizes their service during the period he was in the regiment as follows: Gloucester County February 28. Expedition in support of Kilpatrick March 1-4. Expedition into King and Queen County March 9-12. Carlton's Store March 10. Expedition into Matthews and Middlesex Counties March 17-21. Reconnoissance to Blackwater April 13-15. Butler's operations on south side of the James and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Kautz's Raid on Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and to City Point, Va., May 5-11. Birch Island Bridges May 5. Bird Island Bridges, Blackwater River, May 6. Stony Creek Station, Weldon Railroad, May 7. White's Bridge, Nottaway Creek, May 8. Jarrett's Station and White's Bridge May 9. Kautz's Raid on Richmond & Danville Railroad May 12-17. Flat Creek Bridge, near Chula Depot, May 14. Belcher's Mills May 16. Bermuda Hundred June 2 (Detachment). Petersburg June 9. Before Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Wilson's Raid on South Side & Danville Railroad June 22-30, 1864. Staunton River Bridge and Roanoke Station June 25. Sappony Church or Stony Creek June 28-29. Ream's Station June 29. Demonstration on north side of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Ream's Station August 18-21. Vaughan Road August 22. Dinwiddie Road, near Ream's Station, August 23. Near Ream's Station August 24. Ream's Station August 25. Jerusalem Plank Road September 15. Sycamore Church September 16. Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30. Darbytown Road October 7 and 13. Fair Oaks October 27-28. Johnson's Farm October 29. Darbytown Road December 10. Expedition to Fearnsville and Smithfield February 11-15, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Five Forks April 1. Gravelly Ford, Hatcher's Run, April 2. Deep Creek April 4. Amelia C. H. April 4-5. Prince Edward C. H. April 7. Appomattox Station April 8. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Lynchburg, Va., April 12-16, thence to Richmond April 16-24. Expedition to Staunton May 5-11. Duty in the Sub-District of Albemarle till July. Mustered out at Richmond August 13. 1865. The regiment also tallied a significant number of battle deaths, especially for a cavalry unit- 70 officers and men either killed or mortally wounded.  [sr][ph:L]

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