A group of items identified to Private William H. Shaver, Battery M, 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, highlighted by war-date tintypes, CDVs, and army mess gear.
The collection is comprised of the following:
Quarter plate tintype providing full view of William Shaver armed with his M1861 Springfield rifle and fixed bayonet and wearing a knapsack with rolled blanket, belt, and cap box. His cartridge box sling and breastplate are also visible. His blanket and trousers are tinted sky blue (horizontal creases in plate, few surface imperfections). Housed in full case.
[With:] Sixth plate tintype of Shaver seated with his mess gear. Stacked on his tin plate are two pieces of hardtack and what appears to be a piece of salt pork. Another piece of hardtack sticks up out of his tin cup while his spoon with food is raised half-way to his mouth. His clay pipe is stuck into his vest with the pipe bowl visible (image is dark). Housed in full case (separated at hinge).
[With:] 3 CDVs of William H. Shaver, including: BRADY, Mathew, photographer. CDV of Shaver signed in ink below image. New York: early 1860s. This photograph is described in a 1940 family letter, “The one of Will in uniform (such as it is), I would not recognize, but his name is on it in his own writing.” -- TYLER, photographer. CDV, shoulder-length portrait of Shaver, possibly signed below image. Easton, PA: 1870s. -- BYERLY, Samuel, photographer. CDV of Shaver with a friend identified as David Landis on verso. Sunbury, PA: 16 January 1869.
[With:] Shaver’s mess gear, including: Brown wool covered bullseye canteen complete with sling, stopper and chain. -- Regulation tin cup with wire reinforced handle. -- Shaver's knife, spoon, and tin plate. Shaver’s initials, “W.H.S.” are carved into the bone handle of his knife.
[Also with:] Envelope containing Shaver’s Civil War discharge, an Army pass, and a Confederate $20 note.
Provenance: 19th century envelope with period ink notation, “W.H. Shaver’s Knives, spoons, napkin ring & pictures.” -- A 1940 letter from Estelle Shaver to Kate Shaver in which she mentions getting “the old letters and things pretty well overhauled and keep finding things stuck away.”
William H. Shaver mustered into Company M, 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery on 22 August 1862 and was discharged 22 May 1865.
The Civil War Collection of James C. Frasca
