Original U.S. Civil War Federal 1861 Cartridge Box Plate with Period Provenance Tag - Found on Battlefield of Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana While Siege was Ongoing

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. The siege of Port Hudson (May 22 – July 9, 1863) was the final engagement in the Union campaign to recapture the Mississippi River in the American Civil War. While Union General Ulysses Grant was besieging Vicksburg upriver, General Nathaniel Banks was ordered to capture the lower Mississippi Confederate stronghold of Port Hudson, Louisiana, to go to Grant's aid. When his assault failed, Banks settled into a 48-day siege, the longest in US military history up to that point. A second attack also failed, and it was only after the fall of Vicksburg that the Confederate commander, General Franklin Gardner, surrendered the port. The Union gained control of the river and navigation from the Gulf of Mexico through the Deep South and to the river's upper reaches.

This is an outstanding 1861 Cartridge box plate which retains a fantastic period provenance note which reads:

Found on the
Battle Field of
Port Hudson La
By J D Barton June 14th 1863

This would indicate that J. D. Barton found this cartridge box plate on the 14th of June, 1863, while the Siege of Port Hudson was still taking place. There was a James D. Barton heavily involved in Republican politics in Mississippi during the Reconstruction era, so it’s possible that he was also a battlefield hunter who searched for relics during the era. A great research project. 

The provenance note is torn in two but was taped back together recently. The note is stamped on the reinforced paper washer around the hole DENNISON’S QUALITY GG, and we were able to find that this company was already making tags during the 1860 and 1870 period, confirming this as a period-attached tag! E.W. patented the reinforcing of the hole on June 9th, 1863, 5 days before this cartridge box plate was found on the battlefield.

The cartridge box plate itself shows heavy service wear and verdigris spotting. Both of the loops are retained on the reverse.

A phenomenal artifact, with great provenance worthy of further research! Comes ready to display!