Item No. 3121435

A fascinating and very rare courier’s receipt book from a combat brigade in the Army of the Potomac’s 3rd Corps. This small 104-page book contains more than 300 officer signatures. It was used by a union courier in the 3rd Brigade (Gershom Mott’s) of the 2nd Division to log documents delivered between brigade headquarters and the various regiments of the brigade (5th New Jersey, 6th New Jersey, 7th New Jersey, 8th New Jersey, and 115th Pennsylvania). When an order, circular from headquarters, field returns, or other official military message left brigade headquarters an entry was made in the book, indicating the officer to whom it was to be delivered, the date and time, the nature of the message being carried, and a signature of the officer receiving the message from the courier. Messages could pass both ways in this fashion.

Following is a list of the officers’ signatures found in the book. In most cases, there are several examples of each in the book. More than twenty of the signatures belong to Major Charles Hamlin, 2nd Division adjutant and son of former Vice President Hannibal Hamlin.

5th New Jersey - Col. William J. Sewell, Maj. Ashbel W. Angel, Capt. Henry H. Woolsey, Lt. John M. Flanigan, Lt. George J. Mitchell, Sgt. Maj. Thomas Wilson, Clerk S. H. Sherron

6th New Jersey - Col. George C. Burling, Lt. Col. Stephen Gilkyson, Lt. Charles F. Moore, Sgt. Maj. John Wilson, Clerk John M. Webster

7th New Jersey - Maj. Frederick Cooper, Capt. Samuel J. Hopkins, Lt. Charles R. Dougherty, Clerk William T. Spencer

8th New Jersey - Col. John Ramsey, Lt. James Gillen, Lt. William B. Mason, Lt. John A. Whitney, Clerk Charles H. Archer

115th Pennsylvania - Lt. Col. John P. Dunne, Maj. William A. Reilly, Capt. James Doyle, Capt. A. Frank Seltzer, Lt. John Blain, Lt. Robert M. Jeffries, Lt. James McIntyre, Lt. Thomas E. Stevens, Sgt. Maj. Charles H. Archer

The cover is of thick paper stock covered with a thin layer of embossed leather, into which an intricate design was made that states “1863 / RECEIPT / BOOK / A.G.O. / E / 3D. BRIDADE / 2nd Division / 3D CORPS.” Another “E” is on the back cover (several books were in use simultaneously and throughout the year and each was assigned a letter). The date of the first entry is August 26, 1863 and the final entry is January 5, 1864. Previous autograph snatchers clipped several out of the book at some point in the past, but all the field officers are represented here. The book measures 4” x 6 1/2” and is about 1/2” thick and is in very good condition.