- Joined
- Jul 28, 2015
Years ago I was able to obtain this wonderful collection of Colonel John Nelson Cromwell, born in 1830 at Plainfield, NJ, Cromwell headed West ending up in Peoria, IL. A silver plater, he became a member of the National Blues, elected 2nd Lt of the militia group. He enlisted on August 8th 1861 and was commissioned captain of company A 47th Illinois infantry. Captain Cromwell stood 5 foot 8 inches tall had a light complexion, gray eyes and dark hair. He was promoted to major on May 9th 1862 and joined the regimental staff that day.
He was captured while checking on night pickets during the Iuka campaign and was interred in Richmond's Libby Prison. Upon parole, he was promoted Colonel of the regiment and due to his POW experiences, vowed never to be captured again, which would prove fatal.
While in command of the rear guard at Jackson Mississippi he went to visit some of his wounded that could not be moved and were certain to fall prisoner that day. Upon resuming his duties he was unaware that Confederate cavalry had come down a side street and had cut him off from his command. He was instructed to surrender, but pulled his pistol and dropped one cavalier from the saddle before he was pierced by multiple carbine rounds.
His collection consists of his dress frockcoat, two pairs of very well made officer's trousers, a vest, sash, sword belt, socks with a tag that reads "Uncle Nelson's army socks", National Blues shako pom pom, feathers and shako bugle insignia, with NB in the center. Also included is his bible with an inscription, "To Nelson, from mother with love".
The chest and chair are not part of the archive, only there to help display the collection. Both pair of officer's trousers have canvas reinforcing about 6-7 inches from hem bottom upwards. Both have double buttons around the inside of the hem so that a strap might be secured around the arch/instep of the foot, securing the pants leg, from creeping up while mounted, the boot being worn on the outside of the pants
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He was captured while checking on night pickets during the Iuka campaign and was interred in Richmond's Libby Prison. Upon parole, he was promoted Colonel of the regiment and due to his POW experiences, vowed never to be captured again, which would prove fatal.
While in command of the rear guard at Jackson Mississippi he went to visit some of his wounded that could not be moved and were certain to fall prisoner that day. Upon resuming his duties he was unaware that Confederate cavalry had come down a side street and had cut him off from his command. He was instructed to surrender, but pulled his pistol and dropped one cavalier from the saddle before he was pierced by multiple carbine rounds.
His collection consists of his dress frockcoat, two pairs of very well made officer's trousers, a vest, sash, sword belt, socks with a tag that reads "Uncle Nelson's army socks", National Blues shako pom pom, feathers and shako bugle insignia, with NB in the center. Also included is his bible with an inscription, "To Nelson, from mother with love".
The chest and chair are not part of the archive, only there to help display the collection. Both pair of officer's trousers have canvas reinforcing about 6-7 inches from hem bottom upwards. Both have double buttons around the inside of the hem so that a strap might be secured around the arch/instep of the foot, securing the pants leg, from creeping up while mounted, the boot being worn on the outside of the pants
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