250 / 326
368
●
(MILITARY—CIVIL WAR.)
Series of pen and pencil sketches chronicling
Desdemona Carter’s attempts to get her husband Joe’s Civil War pension.
Six
sepia ink sketches, each 5
1
/
4
x 3
1
/
4
inches, matted and framed in a 28 inch wide frame.
Np [Washington?], 1870’s to 1880’s
[800/1,200]
These little pen and ink drawings were probably taken from a small sketch—book. They tell the story
of Desdemona Carter, a black woman, together with her little daughter, “aged ten—goes to school,”
trying to get her husband Joe’s pension. A one-armed Joe is pictured in uniform; with this caption
“Was introduced to Genl. Forrest (Nathan Bedford) at Ft Pillow—so glad to see me, he shook my
arm off.” Other images are of “witness (a nun) for Desdemona Carter, wife of Joe;” another
“Desdemona Carter, relief of Joe Carter, applied for pension.” It’s hard not to speculate about the
authorship of this series; perhaps it was someone at the Veterans’ office, or perhaps another soldier at
applying for relief.
369
●
(MILITARY—CIVIL WAR.)
Army Life in a Black Regiment (H.W.
Higginson, 2 copies; 1870, 1882) * History of the Negro Troops in the War of
the Rebellion (G.W. Williams) * Reminiscences of my Life in Camp (Susie King
Taylor).
VARIOUS SIZE AND CONDITION
,
SHOULD BE SEEN
.
Vp, 1870-1904
[500/750]
FIRST EDITION AND LATER EDITION OF THE FIRST TITLE
;
MIXED EDITIONS OF THE REMAIN
-
ING TITLES
.
370
●
(MILITARY—CIVIL WAR.) THAYER, GEORGE A.
The Draft Riots of
1863, an Historical Study (cover title).
13 pages, small 8vo, original printed self-wrappers.
New York, 1916
[250/350]
An hour by hour account of the 1863 Draft Riots, the worst civil disobedience in American history.
The poor, mostly Irish and Germans, were incensed. Unable to pay someone to take their place, they
were little more than cannon fodder. The hot summer of 1863 brought out huge violent crowds. Blacks
were the main targets and many died. It took a regiment with artillery to put down the rioters.
368