"…..Willis has laid himself on the altar of his country….” Thus the words of Samuel Babcock as he wrote to his two surviving sons, also serving in the Union army. As he informed them of the death of their younger brother at Gettysburg, Samuel had little notion that his two remaining sons would also give their lives for the cause, a year later and one day apart from each other.

Lt. Babcock’s personal effects include a Manhattan Navy Series II revolver, produced in a quantity of just over 10,000 by Manhattan Arms in Newark, New Jersey beginning in 1859. It has a five shot cylinder roll engraved in five decorative oval panels, its frame and hammer once casehardened. It’s barrel is 6½” in length, with address MANHATTAN FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. NEW YORK. The gripstraps are brass and bear the original period inscription "W. G. Babcock 64th N.Y.S.V." for Lt. William G. Babcock, of Company G, 64th New York Infantry. The revolver is in good condition with even patina and light pitting. All metal is uncleaned and all serial numbers match. The pistol is accompanied by a .36 cal bullet mold and by Lt. Babcock's brass pattern 1851 eagle belt plate which bears script initials on reverse WGB, bench number 215 with number 81 on keeper.

Young Babcock enlisted in the Union Army from Owego, New York at the age of 20, on November 4, 1861 as a Sergeant. He was promoted Lieutenant on July 26, 1862. His regiment fought at Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, was heavily engaged at Antietam, and again at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. The carnage he witnessed at Chancellorsville prompted Willis to write his father for advice, as he was considering leaving the army. Samuel Babcock recommended that Willis stick it out for the final months of his enlistment period, when he could then leave the service with honor for himself and his family.

A few weeks later, the 64th endured their most severe fight of the war, in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg where Lt. Babcock was killed in action on the far edge of the field. His body was recovered on July 5th, stripped of his weapons and accouterments, but with a small note pinned to his coat. Written in a strange hand on the paper was "W. G. Babcock, 64th New York Infantry,” the exact notation shown on the gripstrap of his now missing revolver. Thankfully, the scavenger who stripped Willis of his possessions had conscience enough to leave such a note, or Babcock would have been lost to the ages, added to the numerous unidentified casualties of the battle.

The identity of the forager, the role played by Babcock’s revolver and belt rig for the duration of the war, and the paths they followed in subsequent years leading them to this collection, all remain a mystery.

This grouping includes a privately made 4-button sack coat, tailored with officer’s grade broadcloth. It belonged to Sgt. Hugh W. Burns of the 40th New York Infantry, or the "Mozart Regiment." The jacket features a black velvet fold-down collar, four standard federal infantry buttons and is lined with an officer’s grade green polished cotton. The 22½” sleeves are widely tapered at the elbow and bear their original 1st sergeant’s chevrons. The standard white cotton lining is marked inside the left sleeve in period ink: "H. W. Burns.” Accompanying the jacket is Burns’s forage cap made of the same fine quality broadcloth, adorned by a cloth First Division, 3rd Corps badge, which is embroidered with the Mozart regiment’s "40”. The cap's original cotton liner, Federal eagle I buttons and leather sweatband are intact. The grouping also includes Burns’s Mozart Regiment reunion pin (absent its original ribbon) and the regimental history, History of the Mozart Regiment published by Stanhope Press in 1909.

Hugh Burns left his work as an engraver and enlisted originally with the 55th New York Infantry, also known as the Garde Lafayette, on October 23, 1861. As a corporal in the Army of the Potomac, Burns saw action at the following engagements; Battle of Williamsburg; Seven Pines; Malvern Hill; and the Battle of Fredericksburg. On December 21, 1861, the depleted 55th New York was merged with the 38th New York Infantry. The refurbished 38th went into action at Chancellorsville a few weeks later.

On June 3, 1863 the 38th was merged into yet another unit, the 40th New York Infantry, known alternatively as the Mozart regiment and the Constitution Guard. A month later, Burns was wounded in desperate fighting at the Slaughter Pen in Gettysburg. In November, 1863, he returned to the regiment, his recovery now complete. He reenlisted for the duration of the war and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. As the conflict continued, Sergeant Burns took part in the actions at Kelly’s Ford, Payne’s Farm; The Wilderness; Spotsylvania; the Bloody Angle; and Cold Harbor. During fighting at the Wilderness, Burns was wounded for a second time as a bullet creased his chin.

Surviving the Civil War, Sergeant Burns returned to New York where he married and raised four children. He returned to his work as an engraver and is credited with the illustration of the Mozart Regiment’s charge into the Slaughter Pen at Gettysburg that appears in the 40th’s regimental history.

This is a non-regulation cavalry saber with an inscription on an escutcheon made of gold taken from the California foothills, and attached to the scabbard above the top mount in script letters: "Presented June 1865 to Lieut. James W. Hepburn. By the Citizens of Mokelumne Hill. and Vicinity. As a token of their appreciation of his Services while a Soldier in the Army of the POTOMAC."

The cast brass guard displays a winged eagle surrounded by oak leaves and a panoply of arms and banners. All mountings are cast brass and heavily decorated with eagle and leaf designs. The blade is 35½” and is marked W. Clauberg/Solingen at ricasso with Iron Proof on top and importer’s name "Schuyler Hartley & Graham, New York”. The blade is marked with etched motifs of a swept eagle over E Pluribus Unum banner on one side and "U.S.” with intricate scrolls on the other.

James Hepburn served as a Lieutenant with Company E of in the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry, having originated as part of the Cal Battalion out of San Francisco during the winter of 1862/1863. Surviving the war, Hepburn returned to his small town of Mokelumne Hill in the gold country of California. A newspaper account details the ceremonies heralding his arrival and the presentation of the sword on July 5, 1865.  After a long speech from the Mayor, Hepburn made a concise and eloquent expression of gratitude:

 "Gentlemen: The army is a poor school in which to learn the arts of oratory, and I cannot find words to express my feelings of gratitude to my old friends of Mokelumne Hill for their noble gift which you have just presented me. Whatever may be the sum of the services I have rendered to our country in the war which has just closed, and whatever the peril incurred, thousands and hundreds of thousands of others have freely done the same. And in the future we may be sure of this: that our country will ask no service of any of her sons which myriads will not cheerfully volunteer to perform.”

For a more complete biography on Lt. Hepburn and additional information on the Cal Hundred and Battalion, please visit the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry website hosted by Earl Robinson at http://2mass.omnica.com/.

35¼" cane from the staff of a Mexican standard captured by Lt. Colonel William Goldsmith Belknap 9 May 1846 at Resaca de la Palma, Texas during the Mexican War. Colonel Belknap rallied his troops to break the Mexican line and later had the "split mexican stick" sent to New York to have it mounted in gold. Belknap was brevetted Colonel for his actions and later Brigadier General at Monterey. For the full story of this historic personal battle honor see "Gen. Belknap's 'Old Split Mexican Stick" in the Articles Section.

This Colt 1860 Army revolver is a .44 cal percussion pistol with fluted cylinder, 7½” barrel, Serial #2171. It bears an original period script inscription, "Lt. Gordon A. Stewart from Co. D. 4th Reg’t, O.V.M. May 9th, 1861”. The revolver is in very good original condition and is 100% complete and correct.

Colt's factory letter states that the pistol was shipped to Colt’s New York office where it was likely inscribed. Lt. Stewart enlisted with the 4th Ohio Infantry on April 14, 1861, four days after the bombardment of Ft. Sumter. He was promoted through the ranks from Lieutenant of Company D to his eventual rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served until June 21, 1864.

Stewart saw action in the battles of Winchester, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and others. He was wounded by a shell fragment during his regiment's assault on Marye’s Heights at Fredericksburg. Surviving this wound, he returned to service with the 4th and was later shot in the chest by a mini-ball at Robinson’s Tavern. Stewart survived the Civil War.

This presentation grade sword bears the following inscription on the upper mount: "Presented to Capt. S. P. Sayles by the members of Co. D, 2nd N.H.V. Feby 28, 1863".

The sword has a German silver grip with brass mounts and blued scabbard. Both the mounts and drag have fine engraving, the guard and quillon are a high grade oak leaf design in very fine untouched condition. Blade is marked with Schuyler Hartley & Graham, New York in circular mark at ricasso and is of Solingen origin. It bears an engraving of a winged eagle over a banner. On the opposite side is "U.S.” with floral motifs. The blade is untouched and in very fine condition.

Sayles enlisted very early in the war with the 2nd New Hampshire, one of Fox’s fighting 300 regiments. Their engagements included Bull Run (early on the field, yet the last regiment to depart from Henry House Hill), Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Glendale, Malvern Hill (where Sayles was wounded), Kettle Run, 2nd Bull Run (against Stonewall Jackson at the railroad cut), Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg.

Although the 2nd continued its military service through Cold Harbor in 1864, Sayles was badly wounded at Gettysburg while fighting in the peach orchard along the Emmitsburg Road on the 2nd day. Left lying on the field after his regiment was overrun, he remained there through the night. While thus exposed, his boots were forcibly taken from him by a rebel skulker. During the night, he made his way across the battlefield, strewn with the carnage of the day's fighting, to the Trostle Barn where he sought shelter among wounded of both armies. Here, Captain Sayles was discovered by Union search parties on July 4th, two days later. The Captain's wound ended his Civil War service.