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Civil War Veteran Named Grouping 19th Iowa Confederate Prisoner


$1,450.00


Civil War Veteran Named Grouping 19th Iowa Infantry Confederate Prisoner for 10 Months

This is the last offering from a huge Civil War Veteran/GAR collection that I am selling. It is an outstanding grouping all named to one soldier - Corporal George W. Meredith, 1838-1903, of the 19th Iowa Volunteer Infantry (Note that in the Iowa Genealogical Website IAGENWEB and possibly other places, his named is spelled Merideth. Also, while his obituary states he was in "D" Company, IAGENWEB placed him in "I" Company).

According to his obituary, which is published on the Internet (ROOTSWEB):

At the breaking out of the rebellion, he evinced a desire to show his love for his country by participating in its struggles, so on Aug. 14th, 1862 he enlisted, and was mustered into the U.S. Service at Keokuk, Ia., August 25 as corporal of Co. D 19th Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The Regiment was assigned to 2nd Division, 13th Corps, Army of Frontier and he participated in the following engagements: Prairie Grove, Ark., Dec. 7, 1862; Capture of Van Buren, Dec. 21-27, '62; Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4, '63; Yazoo Expedition, July 12-21 '65; Sterling Farm, Sept. 29, '63. At the latter place he was captured and confined in prison at Tyler, Texas and for 10 months he endured and suffered all the horrors of life. At the expiration of this time he was exchanged and rejoined his regiment and put on detached service; sent home on recruiting service for 3 months. In Dec. 1864, he proceeded to Florida where he performed guard and garrison duty; later went to Alabama and took part in the campaign against Mobile, from March 25, to April 9, '65. He was honorably discharged at Davenport, Iowa, Aug. 1, 1865, having worn the blue for almost 3 years or until the war was over.

Ever since, he has manifested a deep love for his old regiment and for his old comrades. He was a loyal member of the Vernon G. A R. Post and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to partake of their different services and to talk over events of the past. It is true that a strong tie of friendship binds the hearts of our soldiers together and none manifested this more than did Mr. Meredith. He lamented the thinning ranks of the "Boys" as they have been dropping out "one by one" but now he in turn will be greatly missed by those who are left and today they are sorrowing because of his departure.

The grouping consists of 25 medals and ribbons, plus two post Civil War photos and and modern documentation. Note that the items are not affixed to the display case, they are just lying in it, so the case with glass cover is not included unless you can arrange a pickup.

Photo of George Meredith - 5 3/4" x 9" photo of Meredith in his Corporal's uniform. Note: This is a professional photographic COPY of the original full plate tintype. Very well done on photographic paper - it is not a cheap scan.

1896 Reunion Ribbon - 1 15/16" wide x 8 1/14" tall silk ribbon with an attached portrait button of Lt. Colonel Samuel McFarland, 19th Iowa Infantry, and reads "Reunion - 19 Iowa - Oct. 6-7, 1896. - Keokuk, Iowa".

1896 Reunion Ribbon - 2 7/8" wide x 8 7/8" tall silk ribbon reads "1861 - 1865 - Souvenir - Iowa Union - Ex-Prisoners of War Association - 'Yeou Yanks, Stand Back Thar!' - Death Before Dishonor - Headquarters Military Prison - Andersonville, Ga., July 27, 1864 - Order No. 13 - The officers on duty and in charge of the battery of Florida Artillery at the time, will, upon receiving notice that the enemy has approached within seven miles of this post, Open upon the Stockade with Grape-Shot, without reference to the situation beyond these lines of defense. - John H. Winder, Brig. Gen. Commanding - Des Moines - 1896".

1883 Reunion Ribbon - 1 15/16" wide x 7 1/2" tall silk ribbon reads "19th Iowa Infantry Volunteers - Organized August 17th, 1862 - Disbanded August 2d, 1865 - Reunion - Keokuk, Iowa - Oct. 3,4,5, 1883".

1883 Reunion Ribbon - 1 5/8" wide x 5 5/8" tall silk ribbon reads "Iowa Prisoners of War - Reunion of 1883".

1887 Reunion Ribbon - 2 1/2" wide x 7 5/8" tall silk ribbon with a portrait of Lt. Colonel Samuel McFarland, 19th Iowa Infantry, reads "1861 - 1887 - Col. McFarland - Third Reunion - 19th Iowa - Washington, Iowa - Dec. 7, 1887 - Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Battle of Prairie Grove, Ark.".

1890 Reunion Ribbon - 1 7/8" wide x 6" tall silk ribbon reads "5th Annual Reunion - Van Buren Co. Veteran's Association - Farmington, IA - Thursday - October 2, '90".

1909 Reunion Ribbon - 1 15/16" wide x 6 3/4" tall silk ribbon reads "Delegate - Reunion - Eighth, Nineteenth and Twenty-Fifth, Iowa Vol. Infantry - Washington, Iowa - Sept. 29 & 30 - 1909 - 19th". There is a scotch tape repair to the back of the ribbon.

GAR Membership Medal - Serial Number V655971. There is scotch tape repair to the back of the ribbon.

Miniature GAR Membership Medal - 5/8" wide x 15/16" tall, enameled in red/white/blue. Most if not all of the design is hand-engraved.

1889 National Encampment Badge - 1 7/16" diameter badge reads "23rd National Encampment G.A.R. 1889 - Milwaukee, Wis.". There is a scotch tape repair to the back of the ribbon.

1886 National Encampment Badge - 1 1/8" wide x 3/4" tall badge with Bear design reads "San Francisco". Marked on the back "Pat. Feb. 23-1886". (The 20th National Encampment was in San Francisco in 1886).

1895 Reunion Ribbon - 2" wide x 6 1/2" tall silk ribbon reads "13th Annual Reunion - 19th IA. Infantry - Keosauqua, IA. - Oct. 2&3, '95".

1889 Reunion Ribbon - 2 1/8" wide x 6 3/4" tall silk ribbon reads "Prairie Grove, Ark. - Van Buren, Ark. - Springfield, Mo. - Vicksburg, Miss. - Yazoo City, Miss. - Sterling Farm, La. - Pensacola Bay, Fla. - Spanish Fort, Fla. - Eighth Annual Reunion of the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry - Birmingham, Iowa - August 15 and 16, 1889".

GAR Membership Badge - 1 1/4" " wide x 1 3/4" tall, with a design almost identical to the standard GAR Membership Medal, and reads "1861 - 1866 - Grand Army of the Republic Veteran". The front has blue and black glass enameling. The back shows all of the Corps Badge designs, and is glass enameled in red/white/blue.

1914 Iowa Encampment Medal - 2" wide x 4 1/2" tall medal with silk ribbon reads "Delegate - Department of Iowa G.A.R. - Burlington - 40th Encampment June 16-18, 1914". Design feature the famous statue of Burlington's General Corse. Note that 1914 is after Meredith's death, so may have belonged to another member of his family.

19th Iowa Ladder Badge - 2 1/16" wide x 4 3/4" tall overall, ladder badge with blue silk ribbon and tassel - reads "Co. I. - 19 - Iowa - Vol. Inf.". Note that the ribbon has a scotch tape repair to the back.

Department of Iowa GAR Medal - 2" wide x 3 3/8" tall overall, with large ear of corn design, reads "Dept. Iowa G.A.R. - Iowa". Note that the ribbon has much scotch tape repair to the back.

1897 Reunion Ribbon - 1 3/8" wide x 4 3/4" tall silk ribbon reads "Twelfth Annual Reunion - Van Buren County - Veterans' Association - Held at - Bonaparte, Iowa - October 7, 1897".

1892 Department of Iowa GAR Medal - 1 3/8" wide x 3 11/16" tall overall, with large ear of corn design, reads "Member 18th Annual Encampment 1892 - G.A.R. Ottumwa - Iowa".

1891 National Encampment Badge - 1 5/8" wide x 3 1/2" tall overall, reads "Souvenir - 25th Nat'l Encampment - GAR - Detroit - 1891".

1892 National Encampment Badge - 1 5/8" wide x 4 1/2" tall overall, reads "Souvenir - 26th Natl Encampment - GAR - Sept. 21st - Washington - 1892".

1909 Iowa Encampment Badge - 1 3/16" diameter badge reads "30th Encampment - Tama Co. Veterans - G.A.R. - Toledo, Iowa - July 27-28, 1909". Note that 1909 is after Meredith's death, so may have belonged to another member of his family.

1916 Iowa Encampment Badge - 1 5/8" wide x 3 1/4" tall overall, reads "Visitor - 42nd Annual Encampment - G.A.R. - Dept. of Iowa - Marshalltown - June 20-21-22 - 1916". Note that 1916 is after Meredith's death, so may have belonged to another member of his family.

1893 Iowa Encampment Badge - 1 11/16" wide x 3 1/2" tall overall, reads "Keokuk - Gen. W.W. Belknap - Presented by the City of Keokuk - 19 Annual Encampment - Department of Iowa G.A.R. - Keokuk - April 25-26-37 1893".

Souvenir - 1893 National Encampment Badge - 1 11/16" wide x 2 3/4" tall overall, reads "G.A.R. Encampment - Indianapolis - 1893".

Photo of Union Prisoners - Large 7 1/4" x 10" photo shows 11 Union Officers in front of barracks buildings labeled 67 and 68. Back of photo has hand written in pencil in large lettering - "Prisoners - Officers of 19th Iowa at New Orleans after exchange in 1864 - Prisoners Feb 23/1912 - Library of Congress". Appears to be a 1912 reprint of a Library of Congress photo, obtained by Meredith at one of his reunions. This would look outstanding in a period frame.

Letters of Provenance - Letter dated July 7, 2005, explains how the grouping was obtained from the daughter of the vet about 20 years prior. Also explains that the writer of the letter still has the original tintype of George Meredith. Follow-up letter dated August 5th discusses a copy of the tintype having been made to go with the grouping.

Note: Badges will be packaged so that the ribbons will not be stressed during shipping.


  • Model: MB-19th-meredith


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