Civil War soldier’s pocket knife recovered at the Chancellorsville, VA Battlefield

This is another nice piece being offered; it is a Civil War soldier’s pocket knife. It has a brass handle which was probably covered with wood at one time.  A small piece of the rusted blade still remains inside. It measures 3 ¾” x 3/4”.  It was recovered at the Chancellorsville, VA Battlefield.

The Battle of Chancellorsville, fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, is widely considered to be Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory during the Civil War. Facing an enemy force nearly twice the size of his own, Lee daringly split his troops in two, confronting and surprising Union Gen. Joseph Hooker. Though Hooker still held numerical superiority, he did not press this advantage, instead falling back to defensive positions.

When Lee once again split his forces and attacked, Hooker was forced to retreat across the Rappahannock River. Lee’s victory came at a high cost, however. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, one of his most trusted generals, was mortally wounded by friendly fire during the battle.

Although it is not functional, the remains are in solid condition. In my book “The Civil War Soldier – His Personal Items”, I discuss pocket knives and their importance to the common soldier (see pictures). This unique example comes in the glass top display case pictured.