IMPORTANT ARCHIVE OF LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, INSIGNIAS, AND MEDALS OF LUIS EMILIO, CAPTAIN OF THE BLACK 54TH REGIMENT, COMPANY E. Archive of Luis Emilio consisting of commissions, discharges, diaries, photographs, maps, insignia, etc. Included in this group is a pair of brass officer’s spurs with iron rowls, each having a tag reading “Spur of Captain L. F. Emilio 54th MA Infantry in Civil War when in command of Regiment or detailed as active field officer and mounted”; Officer’s hat cord. This hat cord appears to be the same cord seen on his slouch hat in a photograph taken October 12, 1863 on Morris Island when Emilio was a 2nd Lieutenant. There is a pair of Smith Patent 2nd Lieutenant straps that also appear in this photograph and possibly the ones offered here. Two additional pairs of straps as a Captain accompany this lot, one being a traditional double bordered bullion embroidery standard Infantry measuring about 4-1/2” x 1-3/4”. The most unusual set of straps we have ever cataloged are a pair, no doubt made in Carolina, by someone proficient in basket weaving. This is the first pair of “theater made” shoulder straps this cataloger has ever seen during the Civil War. Emilio was made Captain May 22, 1863 and we have little doubt this is the pair of straps in a September 19th, 1863 letter he sends home that is offered in the next lot. Included is a Civil War Campaign medal serial number 27 (M. No. 27); Gilmore Medal (this medal is uninscribed) but Emilio was present at the assault on Fort Sumpter, August 23rd, 1863. There are five diaries accompanying this lot, the first starts in 1861 while Luis is still a student, but starts in a second diary October 19th with his military life. Every page in this book is filled out going through February 12, 1862. The next diary starts January 1, 1864 and every date for 1864 is filled out continuing in the memoranda pages in the back, January 1, 1865 through February 23. An 1865 diary starts on March 12 and continues through end of year. An 1866 diary begins with only partial entries into June. The 1865 diary has an entry on flyleaf stating this book was left at Hilton Head and Emilio states he has to copy the entries for January & February but he never did but as stated each date from March 12 through the end of the year is filled in with much detail with mostly military inscriptions. The original “Consent to the Enlistment of a Minor” document signed by Emilio’s father when he was 16 to join the Army. All three of Emilio’s commissions in the 54th MA are present signed by Governor John Andrew. Emilio’s discharge from the 23rd MA is present as are other documents concerning Emilio’s service in the 54th MA both wartime and after. His original pension documents are present, the original “mustering out” document of Emilio dated Savannah, GA March 24, 1865 is present. There are numerous bureaucratic documents prepared by Emilio in the normal bureaucracy of the military. Many of these are quite interesting in that they show the amount of bullets used in the various battles and as will be seen in a letter written after Wagner in the next lot an ordinance return stating the damage of an Enfield musket hit by a cannon ball. The original signed muster out roll for Emilio is a rarely seen document but is present and dated March 29, 1865. There are numerous letters received by Luis Emilio, 170 of which are during the war. Also approximately 375 post war letters. Most of these letters are from his family, many in response to his letters which will be sold in the next lot. Almost all of these letters received retain their original stamped envelopes. There are also several passes and a couple of interesting “counter signs” giving passwords when confronted between lines. There is a large grouping of post-war correspondence, much of it referring to the exploits of the 54th MA in reference to research for Emilio’s 1891 book which was a history of the 54th MA “Brave Black Regiment”. There are letters from officer’s in the Confederacy who were present at the assault at Fort Wagner including a long narrative from Confederate General Johnson Haygood detailing Col. Shaw’s death and Shaw’s burial after the assault. There are several letters written by black enlisted men in the 54th under Emilio’s command requesting his help in government matters where commanding officer’s needed to sign in reference to pay or other issues. At least one letter just states it was an honor to serve under him. In one of the letters Luis is told to expect a 25-page letter from “Wendall”, a friend from Salem and several other of his letters are in this archive. This 25-page letter was written July 26, 1863 and pretty well covers the politics and the military details of many of the Salem, MA boys. There are 8 wartime CDV’s of Luis in uniform, 5 different ones are framed and the other three are loose. Images span from his entry into the service until late 1864. There are 7 hand-drawn maps of the different theaters of operation of the 54th MA, the largest of these maps has an imprint of 37” x 13” which shows the field of operations of the 54th detailing the entire South Carolina coast into North Carolina and Florida. There is a good map showing the Battlefield of Olustee, James Island, Boykin’s Mills. It shows positions April 18, 1865 after Emilio left the regiment. There is a good map of Charleston and a couple detailing Fort Wagner. There are also two maps of the Battle of Honey Hill, but both of these maps are facsimiles though all drawn by James D. Gardner of the 44th MA. There is about a 12” x 8“ lithograph printed in 1867 taken from a Thomas Nast painting. Luis Emilio collected newspaper clippings from every newspaper he found concerning his military actions especially those of the 54th MA and there are over 150 clippings dating from 1861 to the end of the war with many concerning just the 54th MA. There are also 200 post-war papers and clippings concerning the 54th MA and Emilio’s military history. Also included in this lot are a few GAR items, a plaster cast of a rare Confederate Navy button, and a typed memoir of Emilio’s father written by Luis Emilio. CONDITION: Generally in very good condition. 9-90969 (40,000-60,000)