Beschreibung:

Large, nicely curved powder horn, approx. 17 in. overall. Affixed in center of horn, a small white bone, octagon-shaped carving (actually inletted into the horn itself), with the initials J.B. inset in very tiny brass studs in the shape of those two initials J and B. Matching tiny brass studs also border all eight edges of the bone panel. The name James Lee is neatly carved in the horn itself, above the bone panel, surrounded with a simple, quite delicate branch and leaf motif. To the right of that in much larger letters, filling much of the lower, wider section of the horn in semi-arched motif 3d Div. 24th Army Corps, and below that in a reverse semi-arched motif Sharpshooters. Top of the horn, on the eight flat sections (formed by the horn itself on its upper narrower edge) are the names of eight battles in which this James Lee evidently had served, starting with Drury’s. Bluff. / Cold. Harbor. / Goldsborough. / Whitehall. / Kinston. [sic] / Fair. Oaks, 2nd / Chapin’s. Farm. / Petersburgh. [sic]. At the bottom of each of those battle honors is a large single letter, which, when combined, reads Richmond. Octagon shaped and high relief fluted ring carved mouth of spout. Bottom of the horn with high domed base entirely edged (on the horn itself) with very tiny, fancy brass studded triangular-like series of motifs/designs. The center of the horn's wooden base is inset with what had obviously been a brass military flat corn-type button, very neatly embedded and affixed to the horn with the button ring on the underside intact and facing outward to use as the base for fixing a carrying strap or piece of line for shoulder strap. Brass button affixed is completely original to the powder horn, but the design, unit, and/or state of origin cannot be determined without removing it from the base. The Union Army of the James was formed in April 1864 under the command of Major General Benjamin Butler to take Richmond and Petersburg, VA. Butler failed in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign to take the cities when General P.G.T. Beauregard and his small Confederate force stopped Butler's forces. In December 1864, under the command of Edward O. Ord, most of the corps remained in the Petersburg trenches. It took part in the defeat of Lee at Hatcher's Run in February and was involved in the assaults of Fort Gregg and Fort Whitworth during the fall of Petersburg. It was engaged at Appomattox just prior to Lee's surrender. The corps remained in Virginia until August, when it was disbanded. There are hundreds of James Lees in the Civil War database. Most likely, he was in another regiment and transferred to the 3rd Division, 24th Army Corps. We were unable to definitively locate the soldier identified on the horn, but he could be discovered with more research. Provenance: Property of N. Flayderman & Co. Condition: The horn displays a deep yellow to mustard patina. The engravings are sharp and crisp. All decorative tacks are in place. This is a very good example of a Civil War powder horn id'd to a soldier with battle experience.