American Historical Ephemera & Photography

HURST, Samuel H. Journal-History of the Seventy-Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Chillicothe, OH: N.p., 1866. 

8vo. (Spotting, offsetting from contemporary ephemera tipped in.) Original tan cloth with spine gilt-lettered (front board nearly detached, heavy wear to extremities, leaned). Provenance: Abisha Downing, by descent to his great-grandson Joseph F. Scharrer (typed label to front free endpaper). 

FIRST EDITION regimental history of the hard-fought 73rd Ohio Infantry owned by a veteran of the unit. They saw heavy action throughout the Eastern Theater in the XIth Corps in the Army of the Potomac including Second Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Missionary Ridge, the Atlanta Campaign, and Sherman's March to the Sea.

[With:] Real photo postcard showing three veterans with badges believed to be taken at the 1913 reunion at Gettysburg. Image 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in., card 5 1/2 x 3 3/8 in. Figure at far left attributed as Abisha Downing. 

Abisha Downing enlisted on 15 October 1861 and was commissioned on 30 December 1861 into Company D of the 73rd Ohio. He was promoted several times through his service: 2nd lieutenant (4 November 1861), 1st lieutenant (15 September 1862), and to captain (19 March 1864).