Saturday Morning, May 16, 2026
He has Sounded out the Trumpet that shall never call Retreat
Boots and legs. Legs and boots. Left then right. Right then left. Call to Advance. Call to Retreat. A scurry flurry surrounded him. Again and again, day after day, marching, marching, marching. A sea of humanity. Commands and cadences drilled so often, even his hands, his arms, and his back ached. Twenty-six rudiments, fundamentals of percussion, forever instructed.
Copper & wood Civil War drum,
rosewood drumsticks, 16" D. 11" H.
He wanted to be a rifleman, but was assigned to the drum and bugle corps. Responsibilities so great, they were entrusted to them, boys as young as fourteen. He was proud and worked hard. Paradiddles. Flamadiddles. Flamacues. Ratamacues. Double Strokes. Single drags. They had to be perfect. From trumpets to drums, musicians guided the soldiers' movements. Amid the smoke and mayhem, their performance saved lives, or lost them.
Signed Pennsylvania Governor Andrew G. Curtin appointment of John H. Haslett to rank of colonel. 197th Regiment Infantry, Pa Volunteers, 22 July 1864.
Auction includes many CDVs/tintypes and Haslett family ephemera. Also, collected into a three-ring binder, are the orders received by John Haslett through the length of his enlistment.
Little Drummer Boy
Meet Albert Henry Woolson. Civil War veteran. An icon of a commitment that moved and changed a nation. He spent his life working as a mechanical and electrical engineer and stood as a proud member in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). His most noted achievement in the Civil War was longevity as the last verifiable survivor dying in 1956 at the age of 106.
Gettysburg, August 22, 1863. Order for dispersal of soldiers from Col. Hopkinson with details how to handle troops - Company Officers will watch over those men whose judgement and military pride are not strong enough to restrain them from intemperance and disorder.
His father fought, but lost his life, a victim of nonexistent medical treatment following a steamboat injury.
Oliver H. Bair's funeral invoice for Col. Haslett's burial.
An amount totaling $132.85. 24 October 1907.
With Albert's mother's consent, the boy enlisted. Though he was legally too young for recruitment, boys like him were not refused. War demands a very high price. He joined Company C, 1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment. Boys in battle bled like men. Some were killed or maimed. Albert was lucky. Despite his endless drilling, the Civil War ended before he faced battle. Youthful experiences follow an entire life. He participated in GAR ceremonies where he carried the flag his dead comrades fell under. At the age of 99, he marched in New York's Memorial Day Parade, laying a wreath at General Grant's Tomb. With Albert Woolson's death, so too did the GAR. It was dissolved, reduced to a chapter in history. A time and place for everything.
Be Swift, my Soul, to answer Him!. Be Jubilant my Feet!
Albert's funeral attracted thousands to Duluth, Minnesota. There he was given full military colors. Musicians, 109 chosen, honored his age. Reveille. Onward Christian Soldiers. Battle Hymn of the Republic, backdropped the pageant. Speeches and tributes filled the armory, streets, and cemetery. Everywhere you turned officers and privates were marching, marching. Left and right. Right and left. Boots and legs. Legs and boots. A scurry flurry. All surrounding the coffin in Henry's final cadence to the grave. The knot complete. Birth to death. This time, no Call to Advance, only a tribute to Retreat, played by his brethern, the buglers and drummers of the Army Corps. Our God is marching on...
Civil War hand-sewn 35-star United States flag.
On July 4, 1863, West Virginia was admitted to the Union. Its place in the seniority lasted until July 3, 1865 after which Nevada entered the Union.
Stencil label - From Wm. J. Powell's U.S. Flag Depot, 151 South Street. New York.
This, the final auction of a very intriguing Civil War collection. Sleep well Ed Laypo for a life well-lived.
Doors open at 8 AM. Auction starts at 9 AM. PA AU 1265L [bb]