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A Confederate Veteran's Uniform


SARGE
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Gents,

 

I thought I would post a grouping that I have to a Confederate Veteran that includes his UCV uniform. The grouping came from the veteran's daughter and includes his UCV uniform, various papers and memorabilia, as well as many photographs. I have also done research on this grouping and found that he went South with General Shelby at the end of the war and refused to surrender. He was with Shelby when they marched into Mexico in 1865 and buried their colors in the Rio Grande rather than surrender them. He stayed in the confederate colony in Mexico for about ten years and then re-entered the United States by ship through Oregon. He never signed a Parole that I can find.

 

UCV_Lt_Col_uniform.JPG

 

This uniform consists of the coat, vest, and trousers and is of the rank of Lt. Colonel in the UCV. While he was a Trooper in the 3rd Missouri Cavalry during the war he held the rank of Lt. Col. in the UCV while he was head of the Confederate Veterans Home in Oklahoma during WWI. These veteran homes were established and operated by the Governments of the various old Confederate States as there were no federal pensions or facilities for Confederate Veterans.

 

UCV_Lt._Col_insignia.JPG

 

The uniform is UCV regulation with UCV S&F buttons and insignia. The coat is cut in the cutaway sack coat style and here is a view of the back of the coat.

 

UCV_Lt_Col_back.JPG

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This vet died in 1921 and received a UCV funeral. I was able to find his obituary in the local paper and it indicates that he died at home while waiting for a ride to the 1921 UCV Reunion. He was subsequently buried with full military honors performed by the United Confederate Veterans. Part of the paperwork with the grouping includes his funeral bill marked "Paid in Full." I was able to find his grave in the cemetary and took a picture of his tombstone.

 

Box_grave.JPG

 

He is buried next to his wife and I have many photographs of both of them side by side over the years. Here is one of both of them taken after he returned to the United States.

 

Box_postwar_pix.JPG

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Here is another photograph of our veteran showing what he looked like as a young man during the war.

 

Box_wartime_pix.JPG

 

And finally, a photograph of him wearing the uniform shown above.

 

Box_UCV_pix.JPG

 

He and his wife both ran the Oklahoma Confederate Veteran Home until his death. I hope you have enjoyed this grouping as much as I have over the years.

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He and his wife both ran the Oklahoma Confederate Veteran Home until his death. I hope you have enjoyed this grouping as much as I have over the years.

 

I surely have, indeed.

 

Thank you.

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SARGE,

 

That is an outstanding grouping! I love the coat. It is in quite an amazing state of preservation. Do you have to do anything special to maintain it?

 

I see from the photograph of Mr. Box that he is wearing a Southern Cross of Honor. Do you know where that particular medal is?

 

Kevin

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Thanks guys, I am glad you are enjoying it.

 

The coat does have a few moth holes but I can put up with that due to the rarity of the grouping. I generally go through a process with new uniforms and/or cloth before they enter the collection. I spray it with bug killer and visually inspect every inch in strong light to see if there are any unwanted guests. If, after a few days, there are no signs of life after another inspection it is good to go. Sometimes I send things to the cleaners, which kills everything, to remove dirt or stains, etc. This garment is too old to send to the cleaners, but I did treat it. If there are signs of life the process continues by placing the garment in a plastic bag and it goes to the freezer for a few days. When it comes out it gets warmed up a few days and then sprayed again. Then, once more in and out of the freezer after 30 days or so to allow the killing any larve that may hatch out.

 

Unfortunately I did not get the Southern Cross of Honor. I believe that was burried with him. At least that was the story from my picker. But... you know how pickers are if they can make an extra buck.

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Championhilz

What a great grouping! You were really lucky to get such a complete set of UCV artifacts belonging to the same man. The only thing that would make it better is his Southern Cross of Honor, but as you said, it was probably buried with him. You may already be aware of this, but Box has an obituary in Confederate Veteran Magazine. Here is the listing from the Library of Virginia's online index:

 

 

Full View of Record: Confed. Veteran Mag.

Choose format: Standard formatCatalog cardName tagsMARC tags

 

Record 1 out of 1

Title Box, Sam. ,

Note Died: July 16, 1921, aged 76; Muskogee, Oaklahoma

Note Service Unit: 3rd Regiment Shelby’s Old Brigade, Company C.

Note Confederate Veteran: v. 28, p. 386.

Subject - Personal Box, Sam. , d. July 16, 1921, aged 76.

Subject - Topical Veterans -- Virginia.

Subject -Geographic Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.

Added Entry Library of Virginia. Archives.

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That's just incredible. Thanks for sharing that for sure.

 

A true "UnReconstructed" Confederate!!!!

 

I'm a member of the SCV and you just don't see that sort of thing.

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That's just incredible. Thanks for sharing that for sure.

 

A true "UnReconstructed" Confederate!!!!

 

I'm a member of the SCV and you just don't see that sort of thing.

 

I'm an SCV member also (camp 1441), and sure enjoyed viewing this. Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:

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  • 4 months later...
Misanthropic_Gods

Great uniform man! A true piece of History you have there.

 

I have one question though, is there any way to get a closer pic of that ARC pin..It looks enamel and porcelain. I have a similar pin and that one looks very close in design. thanks man!

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Great uniform man! A true piece of History you have there.

 

I have one question though, is there any way to get a closer pic of that ARC pin..It looks enamel and porcelain. I have a similar pin and that one looks very close in design. thanks man!

 

The red cross pin is simply a rather plain jane metal stamping with an enamel paint finish. It is made like the common reunion buttons made by such firms as Whitehead & Hoag and others but it is nice and clean. The stamped reunion pin below is magnetic steel with a bronze wash. If I could find a nice screwback Cross of Honor without a name I would probably buy it just to put in the buttonhole to complete the outfit.

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That's just incredible. Thanks for sharing that for sure.

 

A true "UnReconstructed" Confederate!!!!

 

I'm a member of the SCV and you just don't see that sort of thing.

Great uniform and story,glad to see my fellow SCV guys here.

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A great uniform. I went to a local museum and saw a UCV uniform and kepi.

 

 

he was a Trooper in the 3rd Missouri Cavalry during the war

 

I've been researching the Battle of Fort Pillow and other campaigns of Chalmers and Forrest in North Mississippi and West Tennessee. The 2nd Missouri Cavalry fought at Fort Pillow. This unit and Black Bob McCulloch also fought at the Battle of Collierville, Tenn where they almost captured Gen. Wm Sherman.

 

Too bad there wasn't a connection with this Veteran.

 

Steve

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  • 3 weeks later...
Outstanding, Sarge! :bravo: Along these lines, I think I'll post some Civil War reunion photos that I hope you will enjoy.

 

Thanks a lot and I am really enjoying looking at your CW reunion photos on the adjacent thread. :thumbsup:

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  • 3 years later...

Thank you for the kudos gentlemen. These identified uniforms are few and far between. And as we know... documentation is everything. The picture of him wearing the uniform at the Confederate Veterans Home was the icing on the cake for me. I also have photographs of this Cavalry Trooper from the time he was in the war until he was an old man. Thankfully everything was kept together until I got it. For me the neat thing is that he fought at the local Battle of Westport and those battle lines are now contained (and marked) within a local cemetery so one can literally walk where he walked during the battle. Finding his Confederate unit marked tombstone in another cemetery sort of completed the story for me.

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  • 2 months later...

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