Image Lot Price Description















2242B
$11,500.00

GENERAL GEORGE WILLIAMSON BALLOCH ARCHIVE. This grouping consists of General Balloch’s frock coat, sword, and group of 20 war time CDVs. Also included are a couple post-war letters, and a wartime one dated Nov. 14, 1863 letter to his sister talking about the pitiful people of the area where he was stationed near Chattanooga, TN. “It can be all traced to one thing “slavery”. Let us thank God that our home is in old New England with her free soil and her free schools.” This letter shows Balloch’s true feelings which would later, after the war, see him as Chief Dispersing Officer of the newly founded “Freedman’s” Bureau that would make sure newly freed slaves were not the “pitiful sights” he saw in Chattanooga in 1863. Balloch entered service as a 1st Lieutenant in Oct. 1861. He was made a Captain of Commissary Subsistence under General O.O. Howard. He was promoted to Lt. Colonel in May 1863 and accompanying coat is no doubt his Lt. Colonel coat, which is now sporting Brigadier General straps as he was breveted Brigadier General March 1865. Coat is typical war time double breasted staff coat with fold-down velvet lined collar and with the typical bulbous elbows measuring just over 9″ with cuffs just over 5″. Bollach’s sword is a model 1860 staff and field officer’s sword, being a French import sold by Schuyler, Hartley and Graham of New York. CDVs include a signed Brady by Major General John Mower, 11 other signed cards of various officers with remainder being unidentified. This is an interesting archive of a New Hampshire soldier who was born in 1825 and died in 1907. His military career and government service lasted for 10 years. He later worked in the banking and insurance businesses and wrote his memoirs in 1900, including military articles. His memoirs are unpublished and are archived along with letters dating 1845 to 1902 at the Norwich University Archives, Kreitzberg Library, Northfield, VT. CONDITION: Frock coat is sound and solid, missing one button on face and one button on tail, buttons are back marked “D. Evans, Attleboro, Mass.” Coat has areas of moth damage with worst area on hem about 5″ x 1″ about 8″ below inside row of buttons. Lining is polished green cotton, typical of the era, with fine quilted padding in breast and around arms. One Brigadier General single star strap is retained, though just held now by a few tacking stitches, which has areas of loose and missing bullion. Ghost of second strap is easily seen in photos and does not appear to have been missing very long. Velvet collar shows much wear and loss of nap over much of its surface, as can be seen in photos. Cloth holding velvet nap is quite shattered with numerous cracks and tears, as can be seen in photos. 1860 staff sword has 31″ diamond shaped blade with French maker marks on ricasso and a 3″ panel reading “SCHUYLER, HARTLEY & GRAHAM / NEW YORK”. Agent mark is surrounded by floral and patriotic motifs. Steel body scabbard is brass mounted, brass drag is loose and missing one tail and screw. There are several bends in scabbard body which is overall rusty and pitted but appears “as found”. Photographs are all in average good condition with some soiling and foxing, as can be seen in photos. 4-48876 JS7 (6,000-10,000)


Auction: Firearms - Fall 2013
Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.