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Authentic Soldier's Uniforms Misc. Non-Excavated |
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Enlisted Frock of Private Charles A. Fisk, 11th Mass. Wounded at Gettysburg
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Here is a great looking original Civil War enlisted pattern frock coat identified to Private Charles A. Fisk, 11th Massachusetts Infantry, who was severely wounded in battle at Gettysburg. The coat is a beautiful tailor made navy blue eight-button single-breasted enlisted man's frock coat with standing collar. It has all of the infantry eagle coat buttons going down the front and all of them are marked "Extra Quality." on the reverse. It is designed with the non-functional cuffs that are missing the buttons. On each of the sleeves, they have the fine quality Gold bullion tape corporal chevrons on each sleeve. It has the correct long skirt that measures approximately 15 inches to the rough unfinished edge as it should for a Civil War coat. The sleeves are 7 1/4 inches wide at the elbow. It has the four Infantry coat-size buttons on the rear vent at the waist and tails and they are all marked "Extra Quality." It has the beautiful original sleeve, body, and pocket linings in place. The inside of the coat, it has the stitched lining and sleeves lined in white cotton. It has an interior pocket at left breast and pockets at the tails. The handwritten ink identification on sewn-in cotton tag near collar identifies the coat to "Chas. A. Fisk." An additional handwritten ink identification "C.A. Fisk" is present within the left sleeve at the shoulder. The coat has the scattered mothing from age with wear to the black trim along collar, interior lining with some minimal wear and small tears. The coat was sold in 2005 by James Julia Auctions and then in 2020 by m y Friends at the Horse Soldier in Gettysburg. It is accompanied by a 2005 letter of authenticity from renowned uniform expert, Les Jensen, that indicates that the coat is a well crafted tailor made coat. Jensen's analysis continues: "All the features of this coat indicate a tailor made Civil War date frock coat for an enlisted man. The chevrons, though added after the coat was made, do appear contemporary to its use. It was typical for many Massachusetts troops to wear tailor made, rather than federal issue, frock coats, particularly in the lower numbered regiments." He concludes that while there is no evidence in Fisk's records that he ever held the rank of corporal, "This is a fine example of a ... Union enlisted man's frock coat which belonged to Charles A. Fisk."Charles A. Fisk (1842-?). Fisk was a nineteen-year old farmer from Lexington, Massachusetts, who enlisted as a private on 6/13/1861 and mustered into Co. K, MA 11th Infantry. (Note that while HDS and regimental muster rolls identify this soldier with the last name spelled "Fiske," other contemporary army and pension documents identify him as "Fisk"). The 11th Massachusetts, or "Boston Volunteers," participated in major engagements including the First Battle of Bull Run, the Second Battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. HDS indicates Fisk was wounded on 7/2/1863 at Gettysburg incurring a "severe wound in left arm," with his Certificate of Disability for Discharge specifically categorizing the injury as a "Gunshot wound in left arm shattering the Bone" and "Total Disability." He was discharged for wounds on 3/15/1864 and later mustered into Co. B of the 13th Veteran Reserve Corps. Fisk was discharged on 10/29/1864. Following the war records indicate he entered a U.S. National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Maine in 1869. The stripes on the sleeves are interesting. Mr. Jensen notes that the "chevrons appear to have been added to the coat after it was made, as the ends do not go into the seams." In a printout of the uniform description from the Horse Soldier advertisement, they note that "The likely answer for the gold lace chevrons is Fisk's time in the General Hospital in Boston. Not only was he at the hospital for more than seven months and able to visit home, making a privately purchased uniform during the time likely, given his long stay he may have well served as subordinate to one of the Hospital Stewards assigned to the facility. Woodward's 1862 manual for Hospital Stewards makes clear not only their ranks as NCO's and equivalency to sergeants on staff duty, but that they had subordinates that included ward-masters, nurses, cooks, and other attendants or extra duty men, "who might include both NCOs and privates.(p. 29ff; 77).". This is a great coat with the soldier's name clearly marked in two places. It displays superbly as you can see.
Item #: B6547 Price: $7,750.00 USD (Sale Pending)
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