ID'D US INFANTRY BELT AND BUCKLE CHAS. SHEPARD CO.C 13TH VT; PRESENT AT GETTYSBURG IN THE 2nd VERMONT BRIGADE BAND

$395.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1256-46

“My wife came to see me six days before we started on the march in pursuit of Gen. Lee and his army, June 25, 1863. She returned home and I went to Gettysburg.” So recalled Charles E. Shepard of Co. C 13th Vermont in a contribution to the regimental history.

This is a regulation Civil War enlisted infantry belt and buckle with the soldier’s name and a date crudely scratched into the lead-solder fill on the back, reading “C.E. Shepard” and “1863” in a loose script. We have not tried to remove the leather to see if there is anything else. This comes with an old ink label, with some wear at bottom, summarizing his military history: “Charles E. Shepard Co. C,  13th Vermont Inf. / Cpl. from Marshfield, Vt. / enlisted 29 Aug 62. Mustered in 10 Oct 62/ reduced to Pvt. 12 Jan 63 / must[ered] out 21 [Jul] 63.”  The belt is in solid condition, though showing wear and losses to the black finish, but with buckle and brass C-clasp keeper in place. The plate is the regulation 1829 pattern oval US infantry plate used throughout the war, showing some dings to the edges, but matching medium patina with some dark age stains to the plate and the keeper. The plate is the arrowback style that came in from some makers starting in 1862, with the round stud pattern being referred to as the “old style” by Gaylord as early as April 1863.

The 13th Vermont was a nine-month unit, due to muster out shortly when they were caught up in the battle. Organized in September 1862 at Brattleboro, VT, and mustered into service there in early October. Shepard, born in 1837, enlisted from Marshfield, VT, on 8/29/62 and mustered into Co. C of the 13th Vermont as a corporal on Oct. 10. His records list him as reduced to the ranks 1/12/63 and mustered out 7/21/63 at Brattleboro. (CWData lists him as “promoted” on that date. To balance that out, the regimental history ranks him as sergeant in the caption of his photo. Both were apparently mistaken. Not only do other records list him as reduced in rank, he supplied a biographical entry, as well as a photograph, to the regimental history, both of which we illustrate. It turns out that he requested a reduction in rank to enable him to transfer to the brigade band and in that capacity he seems to have been at Gettysburg, likely serving with the medical personnel of the 2nd Vermont Brigade, the typical duty of bandsmen in action.

The 13th Vermont left the state October 11, the day after his muster in, reached Washington October 13 and then spent its time posted to Washington, Arlington, Munson’s Hill, Fairfax Courthouse, Wolf Run Shoals, and Warrenton Junction. Its sole brush with any enemy was taking part in the repulse of Jeb Stuart at Fairfax Courthouse on December 29. This changed on June 25 when they, as part of Stannard’s Second Vermont Brigade, were assigned to the First Corps and started north, crossing the Potomac on June 27 and reaching the battlefield on the night of July 1. Posted near Cemetery Hill, they got their first taste of combat the next day when five of its companies were called upon to reinforce Hancock’s line along Cemetery Ridge, where several Confederate brigades had pushed across the Emmitsburg Road, driving back Union infantry and capturing some artillery. They arrived just in time to come up on the exposed left of Hall’s brigade and strike the right of Ambrose Wright’s Georgia brigade, which had come closest to the stone wall, helped repel the attack, and were credited with recapturing several guns and taking 83 prisoners when they managed to surround a farmhouse full of Confederate skirmishers and pickets later in the fighting.

On July 3 the reunited regiment was posted in roughly the same location, to the left of the Angle and Copse of Trees. Under fire from sharpshooters, and later artillery in the bombardment preparatory to Pickett’s advance, men of the regiment had created a low breastwork of fence rails in advance of the line on some better protected ground, as Pickett’s Charge began were posted with the 13th holding the right front of the brigade, the 16th VT on their left (and part of the 16th deployed as skirmishers even further to the left,) and the 14th VT in the second line. Their crucial action in the fight was Stannard’s decision to change front to right on the first company of 13th and advance 100 yards bringing them into position to deliver a devastating fire into the right of Kemper’s brigade despite the deployment by Kemper of his 11th and 24th Virginia, and the 8th Virginia by Garnett, to counter them. Not only that, as Pickett’s force began pulling back, Stannard then turned around part of the brigade, sending the 16th Vermont to hit the left of Lang’s and Wilcox’s Confederate brigades advancing belatedly to bolster Pickett.

It was a splendid performance by a brigade undergoing its first, and last, real combat. They took part in some of the follow up movements against Lee’s retreating army, but were soon on their way home to muster out in Vermont. Shepard returned to his wife and family in Marshfield, where he lived until 1916.    [sr][ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire About ID'D US INFANTRY BELT AND BUCKLE CHAS. SHEPARD CO.C 13TH VT; PRESENT AT GETTYSBURG IN THE 2nd VERMONT BRIGADE BAND

For inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

featured item

WONDERFUL HALF-PLATE AMBROTYPE OF A CONFEDERATE CAPTAIN

This perfectly crystal-clear photograph of a seated Confederate officer is only slightly marred by a three-branched crack in the lower right portion of the plate. The cracks are hair thin with only a small bit of emulsion loss away from the subject,… (846-514). Learn More »

Upcoming Events

03
Dec

Dec. 7 - 8: Middle Tennessee Civil War Show Learn More »

Instagram