American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Group of three "Pass Books," ranging in size from 3 3/4 x 6 in. to 3 1/4 x 5 in., each repurposed by Private Lucius Duren Savage (1838-1900), Co. F, 2nd Vermont Infantry Regiment, for use as a diary and identified to Savage on the cover. Pass Books are 32pp, 25pp, and 25pp, respectively, with each page filled in entirety. Various places, November 1861-April 1862.

In late 1861 Savage was ordered to the Defences of Washington, then moved to Alexandria in March 1862 in the lead-up to the Peninsula Campaign. Sample entries include: "25th [March 1862] Tuesday AM sitting on the beach in front of the Fort near the dock Where we lay last night It is a splendid morning have been all around looking things over visited the Navy dock - saw the Monitor Union gun Lincoln Gun (formerly the Foyd Gun) etc etc We left The Fort about 11 o'clock Marched up the James River through what was once the Village of Hampton...." -- Writing regarding the engagement at Young's Mill: "4th [April 1862] Friday Started at 6 o'clock this morning up the river Marched up near Little Bethel where we were sent out skirmishing & scouting all of the 2nd Regt were scouting and skirmishing all day. We found their pickets below Tanner's Mills but they left at our approach Co. D captured one prisoner in the forenoon an Orderly Sergt he belonged to the Hampton Greys - at Tannys Mills they were fortified quite strong Barracks enough for 3 or 4 thousand troops they evacuated it before we got there...."

[With:] CDV featuring an image of a young man in civilian attire, no backmark, and with penciled inscription on verso "Lucius D Savage / Co.F 2nd Reg / 2nd VT Vol. Inf." Image does not clearly match a known war-date likeness of Savage, indicating the attribution may be incorrect.

The 1860 US Federal Census indicates that prior to the war Savage worked as a farm laborer in Waitsfield, Vermont. HDS indicates that Lucius D. Savage of Waitsfield, VT, enlisted on 5/7/1861 as a Priv. On 6/20/1861, he mustered into "F" Co. Vermont 2nd Infantry. He was discharged for wounds on 11/29/1862. He was listed as: POW 6/29/1862 Savage's Station, VA (Paroled); wounded 6/29/1862 Savage's Station, VA; paroled 7/25/1862 (place not stated). POW records indicate that Savage was admitted to the hospital at Savage Station with a wound, but that the hospital was abandoned to the enemy on 29 June 1862. He was then confined at Richmond on July 166, 1862, and his name appeared on a list of sick & wounded paroled at City Point on July 25, 1862.

After the war, Savage returned to Vermont where he was an active member of the GAR, a chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and member of other community boards and positions.