Beschreibung:

Lot of approx. 114 letters and documents. Mitchell C. Lilley (1819-1882) is probably most well-known as the founder of sword and regalia maker M.C. Lilley & Co., but this former bookbinder and publisher from Cincinnati saw combat in both the Mexican-American and Civil Wars. The majority of this archive covers Lilley’s service as Captain of Co. “E”, 4th Ohio Infantry, in the Mexican War. Lilley kept a large number of his company’s muster and pay rolls, as well as ordnance and store receipts. Many of these returns and receipts are dated Puebla, Mexico, where the 4th was stationed after lifting the siege of that city. Captain Henry L. Kendrick, 2nd U.S. Artillery, who was serving as ordnance officer at Puebla, signed several receipts. Kendrick was brevetted Major for gallantry at Puebla, and served in campaigns versus the Navajo in the 1850s. Also included are several reports regarding men from Co. “E,” who were either discharged for disability or died in hospital. One interesting document is the June 27, 1848 final disposition of the men of Co “E”: Promotions, deaths, and discharges for the history of the company. Among the printed items, there is a pocket copy of the 1847 U.S. Army Register, several blank Mexican War discharge forms, and blank company returns. A highlight is a partially printed broadside issued by Edmund F. Brown from Washington City, 1848, with the heading: Claims Against the Government of the United States, in which Claims arising out of the Mexican War for Balances of Pay, Bounty Lands, Pensions, Lost Horses, Contracts, Unsettled Accounts, etc. are addressed. The Mexican War-portion of the archive also includes three copies of the Proceedings of the 16th Annual Re-Union of the Ohio State Association of Mexican War Veterans, in 1890. Inter-war items include personal correspondence, and Lilley’s copy of the July 17, 1849, formation of a bookbinding and publishing partnership with William Liebert. Lilley returned to the service of his country on October 2, 1861, when, at the age of 42, he enlisted into the 46th Ohio Volunteers and was elected Captain of Co. “H”. Lilley led his troops in their first major engagement at Shiloh, in Sherman’s division. He resigned his commission on January 21, 1863, and Lieut. John Ramsey was promoted to take his place. The Civil War items include five mud-stained muster and enlistment rolls of Co “H” that pre-date Shiloh. It may be that these rolls were trampled underfoot by Rebel troops who overran Sherman’s positions on the first day of Shiloh! Other Civil War items include Lilley’s copy of the 1862 Instructions for Officers on Outpost and Patrol Duty, the original officer’s commissions as 2nd Lieutenants for both Lilley and John Ramsey, and an 1862 Oddfellows certificate declaring Lilley’s right to a $5 a week stipend and $20 towards funeral expenses from whichever lodge he may be near during the war. Included are printed transcripts of two notable speeches by Congressman Samuel S. Cox – his defense of General McClellan before Congress on January 31, 1862, and his infamous “Miscegenation or Amalgamation” speech of February 17, 1864. Several post-war personal and business documents round out the archive. Condition: NULL