American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

[CIVIL WAR]. 2 pocket New Testaments identified to Austin Walker, 77th Illinois Infantry, WIA.Austin Walker, Company K, 77th Illinois Infantry Regiment, WIA Arkansas Post and Sabine Cross Roads. 

Wrap around pocket Bible (New Testament), 2 3/8 x 3 5/8 in., 368 pages (front cover fully separated, wear to extremities; old staining to upper edge of pages throughout volume). New York: American Bible Society, 1862. Front flyleaf inscribed "Presented To Austin E. Walker Sept 11th 1862 At Peoria Camp By Kate Snyder." Inscription to leaf opposite reads "This is Blood stains. When Pa was wounded. In Battle in the year of 63." 

Cloth bound pocket Bible (New Testament), 3 x 4 1/2 in., 316 pages (wear, some separation to spine and other extremities, spotting/staining to pages). New York: American Bible Society, 1862. Front flyleaf inscribed in ink, "From Austin To Mother," and below, in pencil, "This book presented from Chaplain of the 77th Reg. Ill Vol Sept 1862." Back flyleaf inscribed in pencil, "Austin E. Walker Book 77th Regt Ill Vol Company K."

Provenance: David Taylor's Civil War Antiques (catalog featuring the pocket testaments; note from David Taylor to consignor dated 8 September 1903). 

Austin Walker (middle initial inscribed in books "E" but reported as "W" in HDS database) enlisted in August of 1862 and mustered into Company K of the 77th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment the following month. He was wounded in the arm on 11 January 1863 at Arkansas Post, and wounded in the leg on 8 April 1864 at Sabine Cross Roads. He survived the war, having been ultimately promoted to first lieutenant, and mustered out on 10 July 1865. He became a member of GAR Post 67 (Col John Bryner) in Peoria, IL after the war, and passed away in 1923. 

Accompanied by photocopies of veteran's records including muster rolls, casualty sheets, and more.