Civil war COLT, Medal of Honor, Signed document from Pres Lincoln awarding the medal.

O

Ozzieman

New member
I need to research and hopefully find an expert on Civil War relics that can document a really nice collection.
I have not seen these yet so the information is sketchy. I am going up to his fathers home next weekend and will take pictures of the collection and try to find out more useful information.
I am not trying to buy this set since there is no way I can afford it nor is it for sale, but the problem is that they don’t have a clue as to its actual value which with a little research that I have done so far I am shocked at the possible value of the set,,, if its real.
The person that original owned the set is my friends grandfather and was a man of means (very wealthy) and very knowledgeable of firearms. This set contains the following items.

1. A very good condition Colt cap and ball revolver. (I am trying to find out what model and any other information on the gun.) I was told that the gun looks to be in exceptional condition and was never refinished. And was carried by the Civil war Medal of Honor winner during the war.

2. Medal of Honor won during the civil war.

3. The signed document from President Lincoln for the Medal of Honor with the serial number of the medal.
If any one knows of a professional expert on civil war relics that can research and perform an estimate of the value of the set for insurance purposes, please let me know.
Thank you for your help.
 
Sounds cool.

The Medal and Certificate are easy enough to confirm, but how can you prove that the pistol was owned and carried by him?
 
Post at the Company of Military Historians website. Composed of museum directors, curators, academians, writers, collectors, hobbyists and ordinary people like myself, they've got experts in all aspects of militaria.
 
Thank you ever one.
I don’t need locations for locating medal honor winners, that I already have. What I am look for is information like 4V50 Gary is showing (thank you Gary).
Also since I have not seen any of it yet I have no proof or information on the pieces.
My question was original asked so that I can give them locations and people to contact for research and value of the collection.
I had the owner’s approval to place this thread here and after next weekend if I have his ok I will also share photos of the collection.
Since I AM a cap and ball revolver NUT :D I am extremely excited to see them.
 
I don’t need locations for locating medal honor winners, that I already have. What I am look for is information like 4V50 Gary is showing (thank you Gary).
Click to expand...

Really? Well perhaps when you see the items your first step would be to click on the link I took the trouble to give you and see if the text of your citiation matches the ones listed there.

Works pretty good I got a fraud smoked out that way


WildbutheywhyamieventryingAlaska ™
 
Contact Rafe Eledge at Shiloh Relics. He's a Civil War expert that does appraisals for Antiques Roadshow. If he can't help you he'll know somebody that can. He won't feed you a bunch of B.S. either. Whatever he tells you you can take to the bank.

Shiloh Civil War Relics
Rafael & Lori Eledge
230 Guinn Street
Savannah, Tennessee 38372
Email: Rafael@shilohrelics.com
Phone: 731-438-3541
 
Also since I have not seen any of it yet I have no proof or information on the pieces.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a whole lot of work without much to gain. I wouldn't waste time doing someone else's homework, especially without goods-in-hand. Further, I wouldn't waste the time of any antiquities experts under such circumstances.

Thanks for the link Wild, I just spent 30 minutes reading about medal of honor recipients--quite fascinating. Alvin York's story is still my all time favorite.
 
Sounds like a whole lot of work without much to gain.

Really? Well perhaps when you see the items your first step would be to click on the link I took the trouble to give you and see if the text of your citiation matches the ones listed there.

First off I am not looking for any kind of "gain" this is for a friend and research of this type I enjoy.
Since I had the name and date of the Medal of Honor winner I have already done a great deal of research. If he didn’t exist I wouldn’t be here asking for professionals.
I did not mean to offend any one and thank you for your help. I have already located his grave site on line and a great deal of information on the battle at Sailors creek. He won the medal for taking a confederate flag.
He is the great grand father of my friend’s mother.

Hawg Haggen Thank you, this is the kind of information I am looking for.
 
One thing you should look out for is that your medal of honor winner might not be listed.

During the Civil War many medals were handed out for things almost as trivial as re-enlisting. Somewhere around the turn of the century there was a reassessment of those awards, many of them were withdrawn.
 
Just be careful with a pre WW1 MOH, some were given out by subordinate commanders, some by congress, some by reenlistment boards. It is not the same medal that Alvin York and Audie Murphy were awarded in many cases. Good luck on the research though, regardless, it will be interesting.
 
Sounds very nice.
Depending on condition, the Colt may be worth $3000 or more (significantly more!) because so few of them survived intact. The Lincoln signature just by itself can be worth a lot. As a set (award warrant, and the pistol with a letter from Colt, plus any other supporting documents that could be located), it would be worth a significant sum to a Civil War collector.

Just as an aside, it is a Federal crime to sell a CMH. Before trying to do so, you should consult an attorney.
 
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Sailors Creek, Also know as Saylors Creek ( Correct name ). Coren D. Davis, Pvt. 3rd Indiana Cavalry, 1864 at one of the wars last batles, Jumped over a barricade while riding a mule ( horse's were getting scarce ) , landed in a group of Confederate color bearers, plucked { captured sounds a whole lot better } up a regimental flag from a very surprised color bearer, and then old Coron decided he need to be some where else. A so very human story of the trials and tribulations of the Civil war.
 
OzzieMan can you take a picture or type in the commendation and the soldier's name. The US Army lists a MOH going to a John Davis at Sailor (or Saylor) Creek in April of 1865. First step would be squaring the MOH with the recognized Army sources. Wild ALaska posted a link to their site. The are meticulous with the data and if it corresponds it would greatly aid the case for authenticity.
 
Crap, make that THOMAS Davis. Here is what the Army Center for Military HIstory has on the soldier:

DAVIS, THOMAS

Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 2d New York Heavy Artillery. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: New York. Birth: Wales. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag.
 
that sounds like a great collection and a very amazing part of history. Id be very interested to know how he got the medal of honor?
 
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