American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents

1 page, 8 x 12 1/2 in., some brown staining, old creases. A manuscript sobriety pledge signed by 38 officers, NCOs, and soldiers from Company I of the 62nd Pennsylvania Infantry. The pledge states: "For the purpose of devoting ourselves more successfully to the service of our Country during the war, be the term thereof long or short, the signers of this paper Officers, Non Comissioned Officers and soldiers of Company 62nd Regiment Pennsylvania volunteers do pledge ourselves on Honor that we will not taste nor drink any spiritous, malt, or other intoxicating liquor for and during the term of our service." 

Organized at Pittsburgh, PA during the summer of 1861, this oath was administered on 1 February 1862 during their early service in the defense of Washington, D.C. before they would see some of the heaviest fighting in the Eastern Theater. The 62nd would begin heavy service at Siege of Yorktown in the spring of 1862 and would see action at Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, all the way to the Siege of Petersburg. 

Signatories include officers Captain Robert R. Means (POW, exchanged) and First Lieutenant Edwin H. Little (KIA, Gettysburg, 2 July 1863; promoted Captain 15 January 1863); NCOs Corporal Ephraim B. Johnston, Corporal Christopher F. Laubrick, Corporal Irad M. McElhose (promoted to sergeant 6 March 1862), Sergeant Isaac S. Osbone (KIA at Gettysburg 2 July 1863), Corporal Thomas H. Budlong (KIA Gettysburg, 2 July 1863); and soldiers Charles H. McCracken (WIA and POW at the Wilderness, 5 May 1864, died of disease in captivity at Salisbury, NC, 1864), Abraham Milliron (POW at Mine Run, VA, 27 November 1863), Josiah Morehead (POW at Mine Run, VA, 27 November 1863), James Alexander Glenn (promoted to corporal 15 Sept. 1863; WIA at the Wilderness, VA, 5 May 1864), William Orr (KIA at Gettysburg, 2 July 1863), C[larence?] R. Thompson (possibly KIA Gaines' Mills), among others.