Id’d Civil War Grouping of Rank Straps, Hardee Hat Eagle and Hat Cord – Major Isaac V. Mullen, Surgeon, 14th NY Volunteer Artillery

Id’d Civil War Grouping of Rank Straps, Hardee Hat Eagle and Hat Cord – Major Isaac V. Mullen, Surgeon, 14^th NY Volunteer Artillery – About 25 years ago, the well known auction house – Christie’s – auctioned off an impressive grouping of several war period items that had belonged to Major Isaac V. Mullen, a surgeon who had served with the 14^th NY Heavy Artillery. (Lot 44 – 11 May 1999).The auction catalog listed the grouping of items as follows:

“A GROUP OF CIVIL WAR UNIFORM ITEMS BELONGING TO MAJOR ISAAC V. MULLEN, SURGEON 14TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY
Medical Officer’s staff sword (diamond cross-section) inscribed on gilt brass mount I.V. Mullen Surgeon 14th N.Y.V. Art. May 23rd 1863. Straight taper blade etched with panels of scrolls and US; together with a pair of large gilt brass and gold bullion epaulettes set with embroidered patch M.S. (red Moroccan leather backing and red satin pads); Black and gold hat cord with acorn-type finials; Two lieutenant gold bullion shoulder boards; two sets of majors gold bullion shoulder boards; a GAR hat badge; an American Eagle hat badge (faded) and an American Eagle hat badge (rectangular, with losses). Blue cloth kepi (post-war era) by W.A. Raymond, New York. Embroidered SURGEON/ST. JOHNS HOSPITAL (lacks one strap retaining button).”

 The grouping sold to a collector in the Midwest. We recently obtained what remained of the grouping from the descendant of that buyer; unfortunately, in the intervening 25 years, several items in the grouping had been sold separately. We now have the following elements that remain, all Id’d to Maj. Mullen: a single, triple bullion, Colonel’s rank strap, a pair of triple bullion, Major’s rank straps, a pair of double bullion, Lt. Colonel’s rank straps, an officer’s, bullion embroidered, Hardee hat eagle badge and an officer’s black and bullion hat cord, with bullion acorns; with these items is an old, typed, file card that states:

“MAJOR’S SHOULDER INSIGNIA

CIVIL WAR

                WORN BY ISAAC MULLEN”

The Christie’s catalog exhibited a single, color photograph of the entire grouping – we have included that image in this listing. All of the remaining elements in the grouping are in overall good condition; the single Colonel’s strap does have a small area of loss in the upper right corner of the strap; the double bullion, Lt. Colonel’s straps each have a loose bullion, border wire.

Isaac V. Mullen, a graduate of Castleton Medical College in Vermont, enlisted initially, in August, 1862, in the 13^th New York Infantry; he mustered out of that regiment in May, 1863 and almost immediately re-enlisted in the 14^th NY Heavy Artillery in the same month. Mullen would remain in the 14^th NY HA until the end of the war.

Isaac V. Mullen

Residence was not listed.
Enlisted on 8/28/1862 at Alexandria, VA as an Asst Surgeon.

On 8/28/1862, he was commissioned into Field & Staff New York 13th Infantry.
He was Mustered Out on 5/14/1863 at Rochester, NY

13th NY Infantry

Organized: Elmira, NY on 5/14/1861

Mustered out: 5/14/1863

NEW YORK THIRTEENTH INFANTRY (Two Years) Thirteenth Infantry.-Cols., Isaac F. Quimby, John Pickell; Elisha G. Marshall, Lieut.-Cols., Carl Stephan, Francis A. Schoeffel; Majs., Oliver L. Terry, Francis A. Schoeffel, George Hyland, Jr. The 13th, the “Rochester regiment,” composed of eight companies from Rochester, one from Dansville and one from Brockport, was mustered into the U. S. service at Elmira for a term of three months. It left Elmira on May 29, 1861, for Washington with the 12th, and camped on Meridian hill until June 3, when it was ordered to Fort Corcoran, where it was employed in construction work until the opening of the Manassas movement. It then became a part of the 3d brigade, 1st division, Army of Northeastern Virginia; was engaged at Blackburn’s ford, and was active at Bull Run, losing 58 members. In August, under special orders, the regiment was mustered into the U. S. service for the remainder of the two years’ term for which it had been accepted for state service. As in the case of the 12th the order was received with dissatisfaction, so openly expressed that some members of the 13th were sentenced to the Dry Tortugas for discipline, but afterward returned to the regiment. From Oct. 1 to March 10, 1862, the 13th performed guard and picket duty along the Potomac near Georgetown and was then assigned to Martindale’s brigade, Porter’s division, 3d corps, with which it participated in the Peninsular campaign. It had its share of the arduous duties in the siege of Yorktown, the tiresome marches on the Peninsula; and lost heavily in the Seven Days’ battles. In May, 1862, it was assigned to the 1st brigade, 1st division, 5th corps, and after the Peninsular campaign and a brief rest at Harrison’s Landing moved to join Gen. Pope. In the second battle of Bull Run the regiment was closely engaged and out of 240 in action, suffered a loss of 45 killed and many wounded and missing. Withdrawing to Washington, the regiment proceeded from there to the front; was held in reserve at Antietam and went into camp at Sharpsburg, after a sharp encounter with the enemy at Shepherdstown. It reached the vicinity of Fredericksburg on Nov 19 and lost heavily in the battle there the following month. Returning to its former camp, the 13th participated in the “Mud March” and thereafter remained in winter quarters until the end of April, 1863, when the term of enlistment expired. The original two years men were mustered out at Rochester, May 14, 1863, and the three years’ men and recruits were consolidated into two companies which were attached to the 140th N. Y. The total strength of the regiment was 1,300 men; its loss by death from wounds was 85 and from disease, accident or imprisonment 44.

Isaac V. Mullen

Residence was not listed; 36 years old.
Enlisted on 5/3/1863 at Albany, NY as a Priv.

On 5/26/1863, he mustered into Field & Staff New York 14th Heavy Artillery.
He was Mustered Out on 8/26/1865 at Washington, DC

14th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery

Overview:

Organized at Rochester, N. Y., and mustered in by Companies as follows: Companies “A” and “B” August 29, Company “C” September 11, Company “D” September 12, Company “E” October 18, Company “F” October 20, Companies “G” and “H” December 7, Companies “I” and “K” December 21, 1863; Company “L” January 8, and Company “M” at Elmira, N. Y., January 17, 1864. Companies “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “E” and “F” ordered to New York October 13, 1863, and assigned to garrison duty in New York Harbor till April 23, 1864. Companies “G” and “H” ordered to Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, December 8, 1863. Companies “I” and “K” to Fort Richmond, New York Harbor, December 24, 1863. Companies “L” and “M” to Fort Richmond January, 1864, and duty at these points till April 23, 1864. Ordered to join Army of the Potomac in the field April 23, 1864. Attached to Provisional Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to June 1, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to June, 1865. 1st Brigade, Hardin’s Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington, D. C., to August, 1865.

Service:

Rapidan Campaign May-June, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. North Anna River May 23-26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Reconnoissance on Vaughan and Squirrel Level Roads October 8. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Occupation of Petersburg April 3. Moved to South Side Railroad and duty at Ford’s Station till April 20. Moved to Washington, D. C., April 20-27, and duty there till August. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out August 26, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 220 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 299 Enlisted men by disease. Total 527.

New York FOURTEENTH REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY (HEAVY). Colonel Elisha G. Marshall received, May 29, 1863, authority to recruit this regiment for a service of three years. It was organized at Rochester, and contained many men who had served in two years’ organizations. January 13 and 22, 1864, the men enlisted by Milton R. Pierce and Jesse B. Lamb for this regiment were transferred to the 6th and 13th N. Y. Volunteer Artillery, respectively, and April 8 and 15, 1864, the surplus men recruited for the regiment were ordered to be assigned to the 6th N. Y. Volunteer Artillery. The companies were mustered in the service of the United States at Rochester, A and B August 29; C and D September 11 and 12, respectively; E and F October 18 and 20, respectively; G and H December 7; I and K December 21, 1863; L January 8, 1864; and at Elmira Company M January 17, 1864. The companies were recruited principally: A at Ogdensburg, Watertown, Antwerp, Oswegatchie, Camden and Potsdam; B at Rochester, Niagara, Ridgeway, Barre, Buffalo, Waddington, Oswegatchie, Palmyra and Lyons; C at Utica, Malone, Rochester, Watertown, Ogdensburg, Buffalo, Albany, Oswegatchie and Rome; D at Rochester, Dansville, Corning, Horseheads, Veteran, Dix, Bath, Catharine, Odessa, Watertown and Mt. Morris; E at Ogdensburg, Watertown, Rochester, Barre, Canton, Norfolk, Potsdam, Utica, Buffalo, Camden and Russell; F at Manlius, Rochester, Lockport, Lowville, Ogdensburg, Prattsburg, Suspension Bridge, Watkins, Martinsburgh, Dansville, Corning and New Bremen; G at Rochester, Utica, Cold Spring, Dunkirk, Dansville, Great Valley, Canton, Boonville, Havana, Ogdensburg, West Turin, Buffalo, Otto and Lyons; H at Penn Yan, Lowville, Canton, Russell, Watertown, Geneseo, Gouverneur, Colton, Hermon, Stockholm, Boonville, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Buffalo, Greig and Martinsburgh; I at LeRay, DePeyster, DeKalb, Orleans, Ogdensburg, Hermon, Clayton, Rossie, Rochester, Potsdam, Geneseo, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Turin, Oswegatchie, Macomb, Canton, Watertown and Milo; K at Albion, Antwerp, Theresa, Williamstown, Rossie, Richland, Boonville, Diana, Amboy, Alexandria, Denmark, Gouverneur, Macomb, Leyden, Wilna, Lowville and Philadelphia; L at Rochester, Milo, Rossie, Newstead, Geneseo, LeRay, Mannheim, Watertown, Hermon, DeKalb, Penn Yan, Burkfield, Groveland, Denmark, Livonia, Watson, Jerusalem and Leicester; and M at Rochester, Watertown, Chemung, Potsdam, Adams, Utica, Pamelia, Kirkland, Fairfield, Paris, Madrid, Lewiston, Johnstown, Trenton, Camden, Deerfield, Utica, Floyd, Stockholm, Mexico, Rodman, Clayton and Ellisburgh. Companies A, B, C, D, E and F were, October 13, 1863, ordered to duty in New York harbor; G and H were ordered to Fort Hamilton, New York harbor, December 8, 1863; Companies I and K were ordered to Fort Richmond, New York harbor, December 24, 1863, where Companies L and M joined them in January, 1864. The regiment, serving as heavy artillery and infantry, remained in New York harbor, Department of the East, until April, 1864; served in the Provisional Brigade, 9th Corps, from April 23, 1864; in the Provisional Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from May 12, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from June 11, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, same division and corps, from June 18, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from September, 1864; and in the 1st Brigade, Hardin’s Division, 22d Corps, from June, 1865.

The Castleton Medical College Building, now known as the Old Chapel, is a historic building of the Castleton Medical College on Seminary Street in Castleton, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1818, it was the first medical college in Vermont,  and the first private degree-granting medical school in the United States. The college closed in 1862.

The chapel-like building was built in 1821, and is now the oldest building on the campus of Castleton University. Its current use is for special meetings and performances for Castleton University.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Description and history

The former Castleton Medical College Building stands on the Castleton University campus, between Seminary and Elm Streets. It is a two-story wooden structure, with timber framing enclosed by wooden clapboards, and a gabled roof. A projecting vestibule has a lower roof line than the main block, with a fully pedimented gable end, and the main entrance in a recess flanked by pilasters and topped by an entablature. At the front of the main roof a two-stage tower rises, square in the first stage, and with an open octagonal cupola above.

Castleton Medical College was founded in 1818, and this building was constructed in 1821. It is believed to be the oldest surviving medical school building in the United States. It was moved a short distance (200 yards (180 m)) in the 20th century to make way for new construction on the Castleton University campus. It now houses classroom facilities for the university’s art department.