online catalog

• What's New
• Reduced Price Items
• Artillery
• Books
• Bottles
• Buttons
• Confederate
• Contemporary Artist Prints
  • Framed Prints
  • Unframed Prints
• Currency, Bonds & Tokens
• Documents & Paper Goods
  • Art
  • Broadsides
  • Commissions
  • Discharges
  • Letters
  • Newspapers
  • Signatures
• Edged Weapons
  • Bayonets
  • Knives
  • Scabbards
  • Swords
• Firearms
  • Carbines
  • Cartridges & Gun Tools
  • Handguns
  • Holsters
  • Longarms
• Gettysburg Items
• Identified Items
  • Accoutrements
  • Edged Weapons
  • Firearms
  • Personal Items
  • Photography
  • Uniforms & Cloth
• Medical Items
• Military Accoutrements
  • Buckles/Plates
  • Canteens
  • Insignia & Badges
  • Leather
    • Belts
    • Cap & Cartridge Boxes
    • Haversacks / Knapsacks
    • Holsters
    • Scabbards
  • Spurs
• Personal Items
  • Amusements
  • Cooking
  • Jewelry
  • Personal Hygiene
  • Sewing
  • Smoking
  • Writing
• Photography
  • Albumens
  • Albums
  • Cabinet Cards
  • CDVs
    • Identified CDVs
    • Unidentified CDVs
  • Hard Images
    • Ambrotypes
    • Daguerreotypes
    • Tintypes
  • Stereoviews
• Relics
• Stock Items
  • Books
  • Clothing
  • Riker Cases
  • Shell Bases
  • Wood Display Cases
• Uniforms & Cloth
  • Flags
  • Headgear
  • Sashes & Hat Cords
  • Uniforms
• Veteran Memorabilia
  • GAR
  • UCV
• WWI / WWII
  • Equipment
  • Posters

SCARCE F.B. SMITH MADE WASHINGTON BUST IDENTIFICATION TAG OF LUTHER RICE – 14th and 1st MASS HEAVY ARTILLERY: HE UNDERSTATED HIS AGE TO GET INTO SERVICE

• 
• 

We are used to stories of underage soldiers lying about their age or getting a guardian’s permission to enlist out of patriotism and adventure. There were also a number of recruits at the other end of the age spectrum who managed to get around regulations.

This is a scarce “McClellan A1” identification disk in classification of Maier and Stahl, rated “scarce” for rarity. The obverse has an inner raised serrated border with “MAJOR GENERAL GEO. B. McCLELLAN in raised letters in an arc at top and “WAR OF 1861” at bottom, set off by a small five-pointed star on either side. McClellan is shown as portrait bust facing left, with the top three buttons visible on his left lapel and the two stars of a major general clearly visible on his shoulder strap. The maker’s name is clearly visible on the general’s shoulder: “SMITH F,” one of four different stamps used by maker Frederick B. Smith on two versions of this disk and another with Lincoln bust, indicating either that his work was in high demand, or there was a problem with the dies compelling their replacement. Bazelon lists him as an engraver and die sinker, working in New York City at 68 Nassau 1835-40; 96 Fulton 184045; 122 (or 122 ½) Fulton 1848-64; and 95 Fulton 1865-91. He had earlier experience as well with James Bale as Bale & Smith, doing engraving and die-sinking.

The reverse is stamped with the suspension hole at the bottom of the soldier’s identification stamping so that it would hang upside down. The same positioning shown on both of Smith’s McClellan tags in Maier and Stahl’s catalog and style gallery. Perhaps it was convenient for the soldier to look down on and read while it was pinned on his coat, without thinking too much about it. The soldier’s name  “LUTHER RICE” is crisply stamped in an arc at top with his hometown “HOPKINTON,  MASS.” at bottom. His unit is stamped in four lines in the middle: “CO. F / 14^th REG. / MASS / H. ARTY.”

Born in E. Sudbury, MA, Rice was a bootmaker and is listed as 45 years-old when he enlisted at Boston on Aug. 4, 1862. This was the very upper age accepted and acceptable on military records. He was actually born in 1811. He may have gotten in with a wink and nod from the recruiter, but having married in 1848 and with a wife and two young daughters at home he may have needed the army pay, as meagre as it was, if his motives were not purely patriotic. He would not live to see them again.

The regiment was first organized as the 14^th Massachusetts Infantry, leaving the state August 7, 1861, and being posted to the defenses of Washington. It was determined to convert it to a heavy artillery regiment in January 1862, necessitating the addition of fifty men to each company and the recruitment of two additional companies to bring it up to strength, explain Rice’s enlistment. The change of title was officially accomplished under Special Order No. 1, War Department, dated Jany. 2, 1862, but the designation was not formally changed to 1st Regt. Mass. Vol. Heavy Artillery until the issue of Special Order No. 421, War Department, dated Sept. 19, 1863, leading to some confusion in the records, but which explains the mixed designation of the unit used on Rice’s tag as the 14^th Reg. Mass Heavy Artillery. The regiment is well known for its field service in 1864 when it was taken from the Washington defense and took heavy losses at Spottsylvania. The regiment, however, had seen some field service in Pope’s Second Bull Run Campaign, some of their medical staff and teamsters being captured in the retreat. Four companies were also posted at Harpers Ferry in 1863, losing some 44 men to capture in June 1863.

Rice was initially assigned to Company F and they seem to have been posted at Fort DeKalb in the Washington defenses when was transferred to Co. L on Dec. 29, 1862. His Nov-Dec 1862 and Jan-Feb 1863 muster rolls show him indebted to the sutler for $4, perhaps in part for this tag. He is listed as present on all rolls until Sep-Oct 1864 when he is listed as transferred from the regiment, then at Ft. Tillinghast, to the Invalid Corps under a General Order of Oct. 22, 1863, with his official transfer dated Sept. 30. This eventually placed him in Co. B of the 18^th Regiment of the VRC, posted in Washington as part of the 22^nd Corps, largely assigned to provost and guard duty.

Rice’s age and earlier service caught up with him, however: he died at Judiciary Square Hospital at Washington, June 24,1864. The cause was listed as diarrhea. Testimony indicated he incurred it in service, suffered from it since November 1862 and had been “incapacitated from military duty” much of the time since while in the Mass unit. His widow applied for and was granted a pension Sept. 19, 1864, which amounted to eight dollars a month, plus two for each child until they reached the age of sixteen (in 1871 and 1874.) His widow passed away in 1898. He is buried at Arlington.

The tag is in excellent condition with strong gilt finish remaining on the face and significant traces on the back. It is a scarce pattern that shows off very well and has an interesting, if not uncommonly tragic, story attached to it.    [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 »