Gettysburg Artifacts Picked Up on the Battlefield in the Late 19th – Early 20th Century by a Gettysburg Resident

Gettysburg Artifacts Picked Up on the Battlefield in the Late 19^th – Early 20^th Century by a Gettysburg Resident – This piece of heavy cardstock, the type used to mount cabinet card images in the latter half of the 19^th century, has wired to it two Gettysburg artifacts, picked up on the battlefield by local resident, Cora Blanche Dougherty. Mrs. Dougherty, born Cora Minnigh, in 1875, in Gettysburg, married J. Frank Dougherty, also of Gettysburg, in 1897. She seemingly collected the two artifacts, off what would be for her, a local battlefield, sometime after her marriage; Mrs. Dougherty died in 1939 and is interred in Gettysburg, alongside her husband. There are three items crudely wired to the cardstock: a Confederate spur; a tinned, sheet iron soldier’s, “US” stamped, mess spoon; an ornate, old English, sheet brass, letter “D” (presumably for the name Dougherty). Although questionable that the ornate, letter “D” had military usage, the other two artifacts are of military origins. Inked along the top of the cardstock is the following inscription:

“Picked up on Gettysburg Battlefield

By Mrs Dougherty

Gettysburg, Pa.”

This labeling appears to have been written sometime in the late 19^th century; to buttress this supposition is a small, paper, U.S. flag pasted on to the cardstock, just below the inked labeling and above the spur and spoon – this flag appears to have 45 stars, thereby dating it from 1896 to 1908. The spur, seemingly Confederate, as the strap slots on the strap plate are rounded at their outer edges, unlike most Federal spurs that have vertically cut strap plate, strap slots. Written on the back of the cardstock is the word “Arborita” with two letters beside it that seem to be “T f”. The artifacts and cardstock remain in overall, very good condition, with an obvious, early water stain in the upper right corner on the cardstock.

Measurements of the cardstock: Height – 8.75”; Width – 6”

Cora Blanche Minnigh Dougherty

Cora B Dougherty

in the 1900 United States Federal Census