A group of items identified to Corporal William J. Ricketts, Company D, 21st Massachusetts Infantry, WIA Fredericksburg and Bethesda Church, VA, incl. bullet-struck haversack, utensils, and mucket.
The grouping is comprised of:
13 x 13 in. tarred canvas regulation haversack with a fragile strap attached only on the right side. The haversack includes a bullet entry hole on the left front side with an exit hole on the right rear. Accompanied by 17 in. ln. wooden rod. used for demonstrating the path of the bullet through the haversack (wear to haversack and rod consistent with age and use).
[With:] A pewter fork and spoon (fork intact). The bowl of the spoon is bent back at the tip and is accompanied by a tag stating, “A bullet from the enemy put this spoon in the form you see it,” signed Wm. J. Ricketts.
[With:] 2 letters from Ricketts to his parents. In the first letter dated 6 August 1862 from Falmouth Station, Virginia, Ricketts recounted the move of his regiment from the Virginia peninsula to Fredericksburg. In the second letter dated 18 December 1862 from “Camp near Fredericksburg,” Ricketts describes his role in the battle: “The ball passed through all my bread & through my spoon & my coat & pants & scratched my hip a little. I was on my knees at the time firing at the rebel sharp shooters & one of them came near getting me. If you could see my haversack you would say I truly had a narrow escape.”
[Also with:] 6 in. ht. mucket with browned ink tag, which reads, "W.J. Ricketts / cup & spoon" (wear consistent with age and use).
English native William J. Ricketts enlisted as a private on 8/13/1861 and mustered into Company D, 21st Massachusetts Infantry on 8/23/1861. He was WIA 12/13/1862 at Fredericksburg, VA; promoted to corporal 12/3/1863; and WIA 6/1/1864 at Bethesda Church, VA.
He was mustered out on 8/30/1864 and later became a member of GAR Post # 155 (Marcus Keep) in Monson, MA.
The Civil War Collection of James C. Frasca
