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MODEL 1859 CIVIL
WAR McCLELLAN SADDLE BAGS – IDENTIFIED TO CIVIL WAR
VETERAN CAPTAIN ELIHU GRANT OF THE 3RD
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY – A NICE SET WITH A
HISTORICAL IDENTIFICATION:
A necessary piece of horse equipment to complete your
saddle, this set of Model 1859 Saddlebags is in very
respectable condition, with the added value of having
been used by Civil War veteran Captain Elihu Grant who
served as the company commander of Company C, 3RD
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
There
is little room for doubt that this set of Model 1859
Saddlebags were owned and used by Captain Elihu Grant,
as the set was accompanied by no less than four separate
tags identifying them to Capt. Grant. The earliest is a
5 ¼” by 2 ¾” shipping tag from the E.S. Brown Company in
Fall River, Massachusetts, with the inscription written
in pencil “Capt E Grant”. The source of the tag is
significant as the Captain was from Fall River and that
is where he is buried. The next tag in the progression
is a 3” by 2 ½” manila tag with the inscription written
with a fountain pen, “Civil War Saddle Bags used by Capt
Grant Co C 3 Regt MVM -1862-“. The next tag is a small
well worn price tag style that appears to have been a
collection inventory tag with a faint inscription, “CW
Saddle Bags used by Capt Grant Co C 3 Regt MVM 1862”.
The last tag was affixed by the last collector who owned
these saddle bags, repeating the same information on the
other tags. All of these tags will accompany the
saddlebags.
Very little research was
required to confirm that Captain Elihu Grant was from
Fall River, Massachusetts and was involved in raising
the 3RD Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry in 1862, eventually serving as the company
commander of Company C. Grant was born in either 1820
or 1825 – there are conflicting records – in Smithville,
New York. He is reported to have attended the United
States Military Academy at West Point, but I could find
no record that he graduated. The March 24, 1860 edition
of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper reported that
Methodist minister Rev. Elihu Grant of Fall River,
Massachusetts had been arrested for the embezzling of
$4,000 from the Trenton Bank. While no resolution to
this criminal case could be found, apparently it did
nothing to damage the reverend’s reputation or standing
in the community as he served as the town clerk,
treasurer, collector, served on the school committee,
and continued to serve as the pastor of the Brayton,
M.E. Church.
At the outbreak of the
Civil War, Grant was asked by the town of Fall River to
raise a company of volunteers to fill the ranks of the 3RD
Infantry Regiment, and once the company was formed,
Grant was appointed as captain and he apparently served
for the duration of the war. More research would flesh
out the balance of Grant’s life, but apparently he
continued to serve as a religious leader as his
headstone bears the title “Reverend”. He passed away in
1897 at the age of 76 and he is buried in Fall River,
Massachusetts.
There is a persistent
rumor that Elihu Grant is related to Ulysses S. Grant,
General of the Army and President of the United States.
The familial connection is uncertain, however as I write
this I have initiated a search of the Grant family
genealogy to determine if this relationship is true. If
the relation to President Grant is confirmed, that
information will be added here and will be provided to
the eventual purchaser.
These saddle bags have survived in very good condition
with supple live leather throughout. Both of the bags
have full form outer flaps which are complete with the
closing billets and buckles and the interior pouches are
complete.
The interior pocket laces are
present and full length, which is notable as these laces
are normally missing entirely.
The gussets, commonly found
split or torn, are fully intact, smooth and pliable,
with only one small wear spot in the gusset on the rear
edge of the left side bag. All of the seams are
intact. The leather surfaces of the bags are overall
smooth with a bright finish, with only some minor
crazing.
The seat, or yoke
connecting the two bags that passes across the back of
the saddle, is complete with both leather keys used to
secure the saddlebags to the foot loops on the rear
sidebar extensions of the saddle. Quite often the seat
on these bags are broken or torn, and separated at the
saddlebag stud hole, a classic weak point as age, use
and poor storage takes its toll. The seat on this set
of bags is still intact, strong and pliable, and as a
result the bags will display quite well.
The lower tie down strap
and buckle is complete on the left hand bag. The buckle
and extension is present on the right bag, however the
billet is missing. The billet could be easily restored
if the new owner so decides. That these straps are
present in any form is unusual, as so many of the
surviving sets of saddle bags are missing these entire
lower strap assemblies. Either due to wear and age, or
from being intentionally removed by the soldiers
contemporary to the use of the bags as unnecessary when
the bags were mounted on the saddle and all of the
equipment that made up the cantle roll was in place
secured by the coat straps, these straps just didn’t
survive.
Model 1859 Saddlebags in decent condition have never
been easy to find, and sets with all of the components
intact are outright rare. Overall, this is a very
respectable set of saddlebags with the added value of
being identified to a Civil War veteran, and having
survived in very good condition, they will definitely
enhance the appearance and value of your Civil War or
early Indian War McClellan Saddle.
SOLD
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