1860s CIVIL WAR GENERAL ALEXANDER HAYS CDV PHOTO KILLED IN ACTION THE WILDERNESS
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:24520867 | Original/Reprint: Original Print |
| Original/Reproduction: Antique Original |
Very rare and original, 1860's CDV Photograph of Union Civil War General Alexander Hays (Killed in Action at the Battle of the Wilderness) by Charles Fredricks. This fantastic, period, albumen Photograph measures approx. 2 1/4” by 3 5/8” and is mounted on its original square corner, gold rule border Card Mount (card measures approx 2 5/8" by 4").
This is a wonderful, vignette, bust portrait of General Hays wearing an officer's frock coat with shoulder bo...ards identifying him as a Union Army General. The rear of the card mount carries the mark of the photographer – Charles Fredricks of New York City.
Alexander Hays (July 8, 1819 – May 5, 1864) (known as "Fighting Elleck") was a West Point graduate with Mexican War experience, ex-regular Hays rejoined the army in 1861 as Colonel of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry and went on to win three brevet promotions, including one at Gettysburg for "gallantry" while in command of the 3rd Division of Hancock's 2nd Corps. Promoted Brigadier General in September 1862, Hays was severely wounded at 2nd Bull Run and later killed in the Wilderness on May 5, 1864. His promotion to Major General was posthumous.
This very rare and original, Albumen CDV Photograph is in very good condition – generally clean and crisp with sharp focus, strong contrast and rich tonality. The card mount has light soiling and light edge wear.
A very rare and very attractive, 1860's CDV Photograph of Civil War Union General Alexander Hays - KIA during the Battle of the Wilderness - and a fantastic addition to any collection!!
Be sure to check out this sellers other auctions for a number of other, fantastic, original Civil War Photographs which are also being offered for sale this week on eBay!!!
Alexander Hays was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania, the son of Samuel Hays, a member of Congress and general in the Pennsylvania militia. He studied at Allegheny College and then transferred to the United States Military Academy in his senior year, graduating in 1844, ranking 20th out of 25 cadets. Among his classmates were future Civil War generals Alfred Pleasonton and Winfield S. Hancock. He became a close personal friend of Ulysses S. Grant, who had graduated the year before. Hays was brevetted as a second lieutenant in the 8th U.S. Infantry. He served in the Mexican-American War, and won special distinction in an engagement near Atlixco. In April 1848, he resigned his commission in the army and returned to Pennsylvania.He settled in Venango County, where he engaged in the manufacture of iron from 1848–50 before briefly leaving for the California gold fields to seek his fortune. Failing that, he returned home and became an assistant construction engineer for the railroad until 1854. From 1854 through 1860, Hays was a civil engineer for the city of Pittsburgh, helping plan several bridge building projects.
At the beginning of the Civil War, Hays re-entered the service as colonel of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry, also holding the rank of captain in the 16th U.S. Infantry in the regular army to date from May 14, 1861. His men knew him to be "as brave as a lion." During the Peninsula Campaign, he was attached with his regiment to the first brigade of Kearny's division of Heintzelman's III Corps. He fought in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Savage's Station, and Malvern Hill. At the close of the Seven Days Battles, he was appointed a brevet lieutenant colonel in the regular army for gallantry in action, as Hays had directed a bayonet charge with his regiment into the enemy lines to cover the retreat of his brigade. Hays briefly went on sick leave a month later, suffering from partial blindness and paralysis of his left arm, injuries incurred from battle.
Hays resumed command of the 63rd Pennsylvania during the Northern Virginia Campaign in August and again led a charge in the Second Battle of Bull Run, receiving a painful wound that shattered his leg. While recovering, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers, September 29, 1862. Early in 1863 Hays was made a brigade commander in XXII Corps in the defenses of Washington, D.C. His brigade, composed largely of troops surrendered after the Battle of Harpers Ferry, was added to the Army of the Potomac as the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, II Corps
Due to his seniority, after the reassignment of William H. French, Hays was assigned command of the third Division during the Gettysburg Campaign. (Col. George L. Willard took command of Hays's brigade.) During the Battle of Gettysburg, Hays's division defended the right of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. The division held firm in the repulse of the Confederate attack on July 3, 1863, even counterattacking the left flank of the Confederate attacking force. Hays's passion and flair for the dramatic led to a notable incident as Confederate prisoners were being rounded up: "When the smoke cleared, Hays, who was unhurt but had had two horses shot out from under him, kissed his aide in the exhilaration of the moment, grabbed a captured Rebel battle flag and riding down the division's line dragged it in the dirt ..." For his efforts at Gettysburg, Hays gained the brevet rank of colonel in the regular army. Later returning to divisional command before the Bristoe Campaign, he was engaged at Auburn and Mine Run.
Hays's last major engagement as a division commander was at Morton's Ford on the Rapidan River in Virginia on February 6, 1864. A demonstration in force by II Corps became a bloody fiasco with Hays's division suffering 252 casualties. Stories about Hays being drunk on duty arose from that defeat by Confederates of Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell's corps. When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized in early 1864 under his friend Grant's guidance, Hays was placed in command of the 2nd Brigade of Birney's 3rd Division of the II Corps. Hays was unhappy at losing division command but was happy to serve once more under Birney, with whom he had campaigned in III Corps. During the Overland Campaign, Hays was killed in action near the junction of the Brock and Plank Roads in the Wilderness, being struck in the head by a Minié ball.Overseasshippping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax. Please check out other early and interesting items offered by this seller on ebay. Click Here to See Our Items We Have for Sale in the eBay Gallery and Click Here to Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers List.
Important Notes about Shipping Charges: The amount quoted for Shipping & Handling is calculated by eBay and is equal to the EXACT amount charged by the Post Office plus a $1.00 "packing fee" - the $1.00 fee is our only compensation for the virgin packing materials we use on all of our professionally packaged boxes as well as our cost for the salaried help that does most of our packing - as I am sure you can see, we make NO profit on the Shipping charges and, in fact, our costs are usually greater than the $1.00 fee. Please contact us if there are any issues regarding the cost of shipping.
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ATTENTION FRIENDS!!!We are pleased to announce the start up of a second weekly auction by WALNUTTS-2.0!!! The next generation of NUTS have decided to take a crack at listing some of the hundreds of items that we have accumulated over the past 38 years.Click Here to See What WALNUTTS-2.0 is Offering in this week’s Ebay Auction!! Rest assured that WALNUTTS2 will be offering the same high standard of customer service and 100% unconditional satisfaction guarantee that you have found here in our weekly auctions. The "young'uns" will be starting off slow as they learn the ropes but we ask that you support them as you have supported us over the past 22+ years!!
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This is a wonderful, vignette, bust portrait of General Hays wearing an officer's frock coat with shoulder bo...ards identifying him as a Union Army General. The rear of the card mount carries the mark of the photographer – Charles Fredricks of New York City.
Alexander Hays (July 8, 1819 – May 5, 1864) (known as "Fighting Elleck") was a West Point graduate with Mexican War experience, ex-regular Hays rejoined the army in 1861 as Colonel of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry and went on to win three brevet promotions, including one at Gettysburg for "gallantry" while in command of the 3rd Division of Hancock's 2nd Corps. Promoted Brigadier General in September 1862, Hays was severely wounded at 2nd Bull Run and later killed in the Wilderness on May 5, 1864. His promotion to Major General was posthumous.
This very rare and original, Albumen CDV Photograph is in very good condition – generally clean and crisp with sharp focus, strong contrast and rich tonality. The card mount has light soiling and light edge wear.
A very rare and very attractive, 1860's CDV Photograph of Civil War Union General Alexander Hays - KIA during the Battle of the Wilderness - and a fantastic addition to any collection!!
Be sure to check out this sellers other auctions for a number of other, fantastic, original Civil War Photographs which are also being offered for sale this week on eBay!!!
Alexander Hays was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania, the son of Samuel Hays, a member of Congress and general in the Pennsylvania militia. He studied at Allegheny College and then transferred to the United States Military Academy in his senior year, graduating in 1844, ranking 20th out of 25 cadets. Among his classmates were future Civil War generals Alfred Pleasonton and Winfield S. Hancock. He became a close personal friend of Ulysses S. Grant, who had graduated the year before. Hays was brevetted as a second lieutenant in the 8th U.S. Infantry. He served in the Mexican-American War, and won special distinction in an engagement near Atlixco. In April 1848, he resigned his commission in the army and returned to Pennsylvania.He settled in Venango County, where he engaged in the manufacture of iron from 1848–50 before briefly leaving for the California gold fields to seek his fortune. Failing that, he returned home and became an assistant construction engineer for the railroad until 1854. From 1854 through 1860, Hays was a civil engineer for the city of Pittsburgh, helping plan several bridge building projects.
At the beginning of the Civil War, Hays re-entered the service as colonel of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry, also holding the rank of captain in the 16th U.S. Infantry in the regular army to date from May 14, 1861. His men knew him to be "as brave as a lion." During the Peninsula Campaign, he was attached with his regiment to the first brigade of Kearny's division of Heintzelman's III Corps. He fought in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Savage's Station, and Malvern Hill. At the close of the Seven Days Battles, he was appointed a brevet lieutenant colonel in the regular army for gallantry in action, as Hays had directed a bayonet charge with his regiment into the enemy lines to cover the retreat of his brigade. Hays briefly went on sick leave a month later, suffering from partial blindness and paralysis of his left arm, injuries incurred from battle.
Hays resumed command of the 63rd Pennsylvania during the Northern Virginia Campaign in August and again led a charge in the Second Battle of Bull Run, receiving a painful wound that shattered his leg. While recovering, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers, September 29, 1862. Early in 1863 Hays was made a brigade commander in XXII Corps in the defenses of Washington, D.C. His brigade, composed largely of troops surrendered after the Battle of Harpers Ferry, was added to the Army of the Potomac as the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, II Corps
Due to his seniority, after the reassignment of William H. French, Hays was assigned command of the third Division during the Gettysburg Campaign. (Col. George L. Willard took command of Hays's brigade.) During the Battle of Gettysburg, Hays's division defended the right of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. The division held firm in the repulse of the Confederate attack on July 3, 1863, even counterattacking the left flank of the Confederate attacking force. Hays's passion and flair for the dramatic led to a notable incident as Confederate prisoners were being rounded up: "When the smoke cleared, Hays, who was unhurt but had had two horses shot out from under him, kissed his aide in the exhilaration of the moment, grabbed a captured Rebel battle flag and riding down the division's line dragged it in the dirt ..." For his efforts at Gettysburg, Hays gained the brevet rank of colonel in the regular army. Later returning to divisional command before the Bristoe Campaign, he was engaged at Auburn and Mine Run.
Hays's last major engagement as a division commander was at Morton's Ford on the Rapidan River in Virginia on February 6, 1864. A demonstration in force by II Corps became a bloody fiasco with Hays's division suffering 252 casualties. Stories about Hays being drunk on duty arose from that defeat by Confederates of Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell's corps. When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized in early 1864 under his friend Grant's guidance, Hays was placed in command of the 2nd Brigade of Birney's 3rd Division of the II Corps. Hays was unhappy at losing division command but was happy to serve once more under Birney, with whom he had campaigned in III Corps. During the Overland Campaign, Hays was killed in action near the junction of the Brock and Plank Roads in the Wilderness, being struck in the head by a Minié ball.Overseasshippping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax. Please check out other early and interesting items offered by this seller on ebay. Click Here to See Our Items We Have for Sale in the eBay Gallery and Click Here to Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers List.
Important Notes about Shipping Charges: The amount quoted for Shipping & Handling is calculated by eBay and is equal to the EXACT amount charged by the Post Office plus a $1.00 "packing fee" - the $1.00 fee is our only compensation for the virgin packing materials we use on all of our professionally packaged boxes as well as our cost for the salaried help that does most of our packing - as I am sure you can see, we make NO profit on the Shipping charges and, in fact, our costs are usually greater than the $1.00 fee. Please contact us if there are any issues regarding the cost of shipping.
Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution
ATTENTION FRIENDS!!!We are pleased to announce the start up of a second weekly auction by WALNUTTS-2.0!!! The next generation of NUTS have decided to take a crack at listing some of the hundreds of items that we have accumulated over the past 38 years.Click Here to See What WALNUTTS-2.0 is Offering in this week’s Ebay Auction!! Rest assured that WALNUTTS2 will be offering the same high standard of customer service and 100% unconditional satisfaction guarantee that you have found here in our weekly auctions. The "young'uns" will be starting off slow as they learn the ropes but we ask that you support them as you have supported us over the past 22+ years!!
00466
