SADDLE PURPORTEDLY USED BY CONFEDERATE MAJOR JOHN PELHAM WHEN HE WAS KILLED IN 1863.

SADDLE PURPORTEDLY USED BY CONFEDERATE MAJOR JOHN PELHAM WHEN HE WAS KILLED IN 1863. You are bidding on a saddle with a 5″ crescent shaped pewter plaque on pommel which reads “In This Saddle Our Hero/JOHN PELHAM/Was Martyred at Kelly’s Ford VA March 17, 1863”. This saddle is pictured in Howard Crouch’s book “Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era” published in 2003 on pg. 73, a copy of which accompanies this lot. The saddle in this book is described as “Well constructed saddle of a McClellan-type pattern”. This saddle is covered in black leather and decorated with iron tacks, all other hardware is iron also. The stirrups are bent wood. Accompanied by a period saddle blanket of the type pictured on p. 78 of Crouch’s book. John Pelham was a famous Confederate artillerist with several books written about his life. The plaque on this saddle is old but we have no further provenance as to where saddle originally came. We cannot warrant that this indeed was the saddle Pelham was riding when he was killed; however whoever applied this plaque thought so. Although “The Gallant Pelham” served the entire war with the artillery, he was destined to fall while moonlighting in a cavalry charge. A native Alabamian, he withdrew from West Point upon the outbreak of hostilities and joined the Confederate army. His assignments included: lieutenant, Wise (Va.) Artillery (early 1861); captain, Stuart Horse Artillery (March 23, 1862); major, Artillery (August 9, 1862); lieutenant colonel, Artillery (April 4, 1863, to rank from March 2); and commanding Horse Artillery Battalion, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia (August 1862-March 17, 1863). After fighting at lst Bull Run, he became the captain of the first horse artillery battery that served with JEB Stuart, becoming close friends with the general. Commanding his unit, he saw action at Yorktown and during the Seven Days. Promoted, he commanded all of Stuart’s horse batteries at 2nd Bull Run and Antietam. At Fredericksburg he held up the advance of a Union division against the Confederate right with only two guns. With only one gun left, he continued to shift positions despite the fact that 24 enemy guns were now concentrating their fire on him. Disobeying repeated orders to withdraw, he only did so upon running out of ammunition. General Lee observed and said, “It is glorious to see such courage in one so young!” Known as the “Boy Major,” he heard of an impending action at Kelly’s Ford on March 17, 1863. Away from his battalion at the time, he joined the fray with the cavalry. He fell victim to a shell fragment while directing a column past a fence. Thought to be dead, he was thrown over a horse and led from the field. Quite a while later he was lowered to the ground and found to be still alive. He died shortly thereafter. Some believed that prompt attention might have saved his life. (Hassler, William Woods, Colonel John Pelham, Lee’s Boy Artillerist>). CONDITION: Overall very good. The leather is dry and cracking. Iron hardware is all rusted and a bottom pad seems to be missing. 4-40100 JS54 (5,000-7,500)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010

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.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2379	$0.00	SADDLE PURPORTEDLY USED BY CONFEDERATE MAJOR JOHN PELHAM WHEN HE WAS KILLED IN 1863. You are bidding on a saddle with a 5″ crescent shaped pewter plaque on pommel which reads “In This Saddle Our Hero/JOHN PELHAM/Was Martyred at Kelly’s Ford VA March 17, 1863”. This saddle is pictured in Howard Crouch’s book “Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era” published in 2003 on pg. 73, a copy of which accompanies this lot. The saddle in this book is described as “Well constructed saddle of a McClellan-type pattern”. This saddle is covered in black leather and decorated with iron tacks, all other hardware is iron also. The stirrups are bent wood. Accompanied by a period saddle blanket of the type pictured on p. 78 of Crouch’s book. John Pelham was a famous Confederate artillerist with several books written about his life. The plaque on this saddle is old but we have no further provenance as to where saddle originally came. We cannot warrant that this indeed was the saddle Pelham was riding when he was killed; however whoever applied this plaque thought so. Although “The Gallant Pelham” served the entire war with the artillery, he was destined to fall while moonlighting in a cavalry charge. A native Alabamian, he withdrew from West Point upon the outbreak of hostilities and joined the Confederate army. His assignments included: lieutenant, Wise (Va.) Artillery (early 1861); captain, Stuart Horse Artillery (March 23, 1862); major, Artillery (August 9, 1862); lieutenant colonel, Artillery (April 4, 1863, to rank from March 2); and commanding Horse Artillery Battalion, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia (August 1862-March 17, 1863). After fighting at lst Bull Run, he became the captain of the first horse artillery battery that served with JEB Stuart, becoming close friends with the general. Commanding his unit, he saw action at Yorktown and during the Seven Days. Promoted, he commanded all of Stuart’s horse batteries at 2nd Bull Run and Antietam. At Fredericksburg he held up the advance of a Union division against the Confederate right with only two guns. With only one gun left, he continued to shift positions despite the fact that 24 enemy guns were now concentrating their fire on him. Disobeying repeated orders to withdraw, he only did so upon running out of ammunition. General Lee observed and said, “It is glorious to see such courage in one so young!” Known as the “Boy Major,” he heard of an impending action at Kelly’s Ford on March 17, 1863. Away from his battalion at the time, he joined the fray with the cavalry. He fell victim to a shell fragment while directing a column past a fence. Thought to be dead, he was thrown over a horse and led from the field. Quite a while later he was lowered to the ground and found to be still alive. He died shortly thereafter. Some believed that prompt attention might have saved his life. (Hassler, William Woods, Colonel John Pelham, Lee’s Boy Artillerist>). CONDITION: Overall very good. The leather is dry and cracking. Iron hardware is all rusted and a bottom pad seems to be missing. 4-40100 JS54 (5,000-7,500) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010 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.

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