Rare Identified Civil War Cartridge Box from a soldier in the 2nd PA Heavy Artillery

This is another great identified piece being offered, it is a maker-marked Civil War Cartridge Box. This Model 1861 cartridge box is equipped with two cartridge tins and the inner flap is stamped ''E. GAYLORD / CHICOPEE'', who had contracts with the U.S. Government. As is common with these boxes, the outer flap is missing the ''US'' brass plate (many soldiers discarded them to reduce weight). On the inside of the outer cover has a large, stenciled name “TALLY”. On the inside of the tool pouch is a piece of the original shoulder strap. An old string tag is attached which reads “Amos S. Tally / Pa 2^nd Heavy / Artillery”.

Tally enlisted as a Private on Feb. 25, 1864, in Company F of the 2^nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. This unit was the largest regiment to serve in the Union Army, with over 5,000 officers and enlisted men in its ranks at one time or another. Recruitment for the regiment started in October 1861 from the city of Philadelphia and the counties of Franklin, Allegheny, and Monroe. Ten companies were mustered in on January 8, 1862, and ordered to Washington, D.C. They spent the next two years constructing and garrisoning various fortifications around the city. So many recruits joined the regiment that by the spring of 1864, it numbered over 3,300 officers and enlisted men.

On April 20, the War Department ordered the "surplus" officers and men to form a second regiment, the 2nd Pennsylvania “Provisional” Heavy Artillery. This provisional regiment was sent to the Army of the Potomac as part of the IX Corps. The original regiment was assigned to that army as well on May 27 as part of the XVIII Corps. It arrived at Cold Harbor on June 4 but did not participate in the battle. Too large to operate as a single unit, it was divided into three four-company battalions.

They fought at the Wilderness, Seven Pines, and Cold Harbor before arriving in Petersburg in July, when the XVIII Corps made some of the first assaults in the Siege of Petersburg. The regiment fought in several battles and skirmishes for the next several months, often losing heavily. The losses were replaced somewhat by the consolidation of the 2nd Provisional Regiment back into the original regiment.

In January 1865, the regiment reenlisted and, with additional recruits, numbered 2,000 officers and men. After the breakthrough at Petersburg on April 2, it was assigned to provost duty in the city. After the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House, the companies were scattered around southeastern Virginia to maintain order.

The 2nd was finally mustered out on January 29, 1866, at City Point, Virginia, and was discharged at Philadelphia on February 16, almost a year after the war ended. Private Tully remained until Jan. 29, 1866. The regiment lost in killed and mortally wounded: 5 officers and 221 enlisted men. 5 officers and 385 enlisted men died of disease.

It is obvious that this cartridge box went through the war with at times heavy campaigning. The black leather is mostly supple and has areas of minor crazing and some cracking, and one of the small buckles on the bottom is missing and the small leather closure strap that connects to the brass finial is off, however it is a very solid cartridge box. This is the first time this box is on the market, being in a private collection for over 50 years. An identified cartridge box is a rare find. A copy of Tally's record from the American Civil War Research Database is included.