American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

Commercially made four-button sack coat with second lieutenant of infantry shoulder straps. Narrow black twill trim on the front and lower hem of the coat and collar.
Infantry officer's eagle buttons with the top button backmarked "Horstmann Bros. & Allen. N.Y." and the lower three buttons backmarked "Scovill Mf'g Co. Waterbury." Matched original straps are of high quality and feature lieutenant of infantry double borders. Non-functional cuffs without buttons. Sleeve, body, and pocket linings in place. Jacket partially lined with polished cotton. White cotton interior sleeves. Interior pocket at right breast which originally housed a small piece of pink paper with later handwritten pencil identification "Albert C. Sparks."

Coat with scattered mothing, most notably some small holes on lower left cuff, bottom left and right of coat body, middle back shoulder. Interior lining with some separations along seams at left armpit but generally good.

Coat accompanied by an officer's kepi featuring the identical twill trim and matching quatrefoil indicating that cap and coat were likely purchased as a set. Officer's kepi measures visor to crown 3 1/2 in. Embroidered 1 7/8 in. gold bullion and sequin infantry bugle insignia on black velvet. Leather sweat band and liner are complete and overall very good condition. Visor split. Velvet trimmed to insignia edge with tarnish/darkening on insignia. Kepi lacking chinstrap and buttons, also with some mothing, light soil, some splits to lining.

[With:] Post-war 3rd Division, 6th Corps, enameled badge with T-bar pin, 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 in. -- Carpet bag as used by many officers. Approx. 13 x 18 in. with leather looped handles applied to the middle of each side. Generally good condition with worn handles, loose threads, and some fading to color.

[Also with:] BOWEN, James L. History of the Thirty-Seventh Regiment Mass. Volunteers. Holyoke, MA and New York: Clark W. Bryan & Company, 1884. 8vo. Frontispiece and plate. (Light toning.) Original brown cloth with gilt corps insignia and "37" to front board (wear to extremities, some sunning to spine, evidence of previous spine label). FIRST EDITION with history of the regiment including an appendix with Roll of Honor and muster rolls. Book added to original grouping which consisted of the coat, kepi, and carpet bag. 

Provenance:  Sold to private collector Michael E. Colella at Brimfield Flea Market in July 1992 by Doug Simmonds. Simmonds's brother originally owned the Sparks items. Colella sold the grouping to another collector who offered the lot through James Mountain Antiques. 

Albert Chapin Sparks (1841-1921) was born in Tyringham, Massachusetts. HDS indicates he was a 21-year-old merchant living in Lee, MA, when he enlisted on 8/11/1862 as a corporal in Co. B, 37th Massachusetts Infantry. Sparks was promoted to 1st Sergeant on 11/10/1862, 2nd Lieut. on 6/3/1863, and 1st Lieut. on 5/15/1864. He was discharged for wounds 9/20/1864 (as 2nd Lieut. of Co. E). The 37th Massachusetts was steadily engaged during its service, most notably at Gettysburg, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, the Siege of Petersburg, and the pursuit of Lee's army. While serving as 2nd lieutenant, Sparks was seriously wounded in the chest May 12, 1864, at Spotsylvania Courthouse. He was furloughed on 6/3/1864, with a doctor later certifying that Sparks was "suffering from severe fever, chronic diarrhea and is much emaciated, very weak, [and] has a wound in the right breast...." After his discharge for disability, Sparks remained in Massachusetts and was a member of GAR Post #177. See also Lot 444.