American Historical Ephemera & Photography

34 1/8 x 23 in. silk flag, hand-sewn in 16 panels (some staining to silk, with several holes mostly to right portion of flag). Canton features 31 embroidered stars arranged in a star pattern, with "J. P. Casler. Co. G. 23rd Mich." embroidered in black below. Silk tri-color cockade and streamers affixed to upper left corner with brass eagle pin. Hoist with 2 cut-and-sewn holes, the bottom one having a red silk sash inserted through it.

[With:] 5 3/4 in. sky blue satin ribbon (fraying to edges, light surface soiling throughout, no top bar or pinback attached). Ribbon features stitched-on printed paper reading "Company," "'G'," "23d," "Michigan," and "Infantry" all in separate pieces. Gold fringe sewn to bottom. -- Approx. 3 in. memorial badge comprised of tricolor ribbon and celluloid pinback featuring GAR badge (bottom of ribbon frayed, surface soiling and some wear to gold lettering). Gold lettering on satin ribbon reads, "DeGolyer / Post No. 110 / G. A. R, / Hudson, Mich. / In Memoriam." -- Together, 2 ribbons.

[With:] 3 x 4 3/4 in. leather bound journal (wear to leather surface including heavy loss to closure flap and missing closure loop, with dampstaining to edges and corners of nearly all pages). 69 pages feature writing in Casler's hand, of which 12 contain war-date journal entries, while others contain records of distances travelled daily, names of fellow company men, a poem, personal accounting ledgers, and a list of battles. Casler's journal entries date from 6 April to 8 June 1864, covering, among other events, his regiment's participation in the Battle of Resaca from 13 to 15 May, 1864. In his entry dated 13 May, Casler records his unit's arrival at Snake Creek Gap, and their ensuing advancement in the line of battle toward Dalton, GA. The following day's entry reads, in part, "...we are near the enemy. Skirmishing very brisk still advanced on in to battle we had a very hard battle and fell back to the rear [of] our brigade." Casler then details the daily marches in pursuit of the rebels, until catching up with them on 31 May, when he writes, "Skirmishing this morning, the Enemy making a charge this morning and were repulsed we capturing some prisoners and killing one Rebbel [sic] Captain..."

[Also with:] BLAKESLEE, Henry N. Autograph letter signed ("H.N. Blakeslee") to John P. Casler, Esq. "Mapel [sic] Rapids," MI. 2 pages, 5 x 8 in., creased, with wear to right edge. Blakeslee asks if Casler remembers taking care of him in camp at Mossy Creek. -- CASLER, John P. Autograph letter to Henry Blakeslee. Hudson, MI. 29 November 1886. Written on back page of previous letter. Casler answers in the affirmative and provides additional details. -- And 18 other letters written by and to John P. Casler and members of the Casler family. -- Together, 20 post-war letters discussing matters from family wellness to Casler's pension to Casler's later business enterprises.

[Also with:] 3 letterpress broadsides advertising remedies sold by J.P. Casler, including "Casler's All-Healing Balsam," an allegedly cancer-curing plaster, and "Schell's Blood Purifying Syrup!" Ranging in size from 5 3/4 x 10 3/8 in. to 8 1/2 x 12 in. -- Approx. 1000 advertising cards for various remedies sold by J.P. Casler including "Castler's Vegetable Liver Pills," "Casler's All-Healing Balsam," "Magic Relief. Internal and External medicine for All Pains and Aches, Both Nervous and Inflammatory," and "Rheumatic Oil! For External and Internal Use." Ranging in size from  3 1/4 x 7/8 in. to 3 1/4 x 2 1/2 in. -- 49 account statements and receipts kept by Cassler from various Michigan establishments including The City Pharmacy; Wolcott & Letcher, Druggists; A. Opdyke, Dealer in Lumber, Lath, Shingles, Sash, Doors, Blinds and Glass; S.E. Lawrence, Dr., General Dealer in Choice Staple and Fancy Groceries; F.A. Retan, Paint Contractor, Dr.; and many others. -- 3 1/8 x 5 3/4 in. notepad containing accounting ledgers and lists. -- 20+ newspapers, newspaper clippings, and other pieces of printed matter.

[Also with:] Miscellaneous other items including a jacquard weaving, paisley weaving, 3 pin cushions, and a shellwork box.

All items housed in a 27 1/2 x 14 7/8 x 14 1/4 in. wooden trunk with metal mounts and buckles (metal fittings rusted, some loose, leather carrying straps broken off but present, general wear throughout).

Provenance: Trunk discovered in attic of a home in Three Rivers, Michigan.

John P. Casler enlisted as a private on 13 August 1862 at Lebanon, Michigan. The following month he mustered into Company G of the 23rd Michigan Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to the rank of corporal on 1 May 1864, and it was that summer, when Casler's diary entries begin, that the 23rd joined in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. After unsuccessfully charging Confederate forces at the Battle of Resaca, and suffering around 60 casualties, the regiment pursued the evacuating rebels and was engaged multiple times on the way to Atlanta, including at Lost Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, and Chatahoochie River. After participating in the Siege of Atlanta, the 23rd redirected in pursuit of General Hood, engaging at Columbia, Franklin, and ultimately defeating Hood's Army of Tennessee at Nashville in December. Casler was finally mustered out with his regiment on 28 June 1865 at Salisbury, North Carolina.

It is clear from the advertising materials and account statements in this archive that Casler spent at least a portion of his post-war career dealing in medicines and remedies. This is confirmed in the 1880 federal census, where his occupation is listed as "peddling medicine." Casler eventually died in 1922, at the advanced age of 89. He is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Hudson, Michigan.