Original Listing Description

US Civil War Sword of Lt. Seward C. Nelson, honored at Illinois Memorial in Vicksburg National Military Park Mississippi. With I.D. disc.You are bidding on the actual sword, I.D. disc, and family bible of Civil War officer Seward C. Nelson (1838-1875) of Company C, 41st Illinois Volunteers, Union Army.His name appears on the memorial at Illinois Memorial in Vicksburg National Military Park Mississippi. The Wapella, IL Chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic (No. 251) was named the Seward Nelson Post.Lt. Nelson received this sword (July 12, 1863) when he was promoted from Sgt. to first Lt. in the field at Jackson, Mississippi after the officers in his regiment were all killed or wounded. This sword was never used in battle.Also included with this sale for Civil War historians, are old photos of Seward taken after his service, a handwritten letter, his obituary, and some Confederate currency he brought back from the war. I don't have his war diary but I have an old photocopy of part of it that is included.This collection has never been for sale. Lt. Nelson is my great-great grandfather ABOUT THE SWORDThis is an officer's sword.The blade obverse ricasso is engraved IRON PROOF like blades made in Solingen, Prussia (now Germany). The blade is acid-etched with foliage, military symbols, "U.S.", and "E Pluribus Unum". It has a grey tone, some dirt and light corrosion and is not restored. It is unbent and the tip is pointed and unbent.The hand guard is cast in solid brass and has the USA eagle perching on shield in front of 8 furled flags and 13 stars. Flared pommel.Wood grip covered with black leather and wound with twisted brass wire flanked on each side by a strand of single wire. Some of the single wires are present but are no longer in the right place next to the twisted wires. See photos.Leather washer where the blade and hilt meet is intact but the hilt is slightly loose on the blade.Scabbard is steel with brass drag and throat, screwed to the steel. There are two mounting bands with brass rings and a chain between the rings. The sheet brass is engraved with flowers and vines CONDITION:I have not cleaned, repaired, or polished any of this in any way and I believe this is the deep patina of a 160-year old piece of history. There is a small dent in the steel scabbard.Weight of sword and scabbard is 3 pounds.ABOUT THE I.D. DISCThe I.D. disc that Seward C. Nelson wore in the Union Army is made from a Liberty Seated silver half dollar: Inscribed, "July 12 '63 / Lunt S.C. Nelson / 41st / Ills". It is likely that this disc was worn at Jackson where Nelson was wounded on August 6, 1863. The back of the disc is the back side of the half dollar with a simple hand-crafted pin soldered on. The front of the quarter has been ground smooth (including the coin's date) and then hand-engraved as shown in the photos.The Liberty seated half dollar used (large letters in legend, mint mark O) was issued between 1842 and 1845 and is 0.900 silver with diameter 30.6mm. It was minted at the New Orleans mint.The disc has not been polished.ABOUT SEWARD C. NELSONBorn December 16, 1838 in Norway. He renounced allegiance to King of Sweden and Norway October 9, 1860.Enlisted in Captain Conklin's Company, Col. I.C. Pugh Commanding, 41st Ill. Vol. Inf. Joined regiment at Decatur 7 August, 1861 at age 23 for three years or the duration of the war.The enlistment muster states, Seward C. Nelson was born in the kingdom of Norway, was 23 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches high, light complexion, blue eyes, light hair and by occupation a farmer.His war diary indicates he was at Shiloh, Memphis, Vicksberg, and Jackson, and before that marched through Kentucky.He was promoted from Sgt. to first Lt. in the field at Jackson, Mississippi after the officers in his regiment were all killed or wounded. It was at this ceremony he received this sword.Two years after he enlisted, he was wounded at Jackson on 6 August 1863, "slightly wounded in the foot." He also contracted dysentery which he never fully recovered from.He was Discharged 22 October 1863 at Vicksburg, Miss. to accept a commission Seward is one of the heroes honored on the Illinois Monument (Company C, 41st Ill. Vol.) at Vicksburg National Military Park Mississippi Married to Rachel Woy April 4, 1866. He owned and ran a general store in Wapella, Illinois and was postmaster there until his death. He left an estate of $1710.Died March 13, 1875 at age 31. Funeral services were held at Presbyterian Church, Wapella March 15 at 1pm. Seward was a Mason and member of the Odd Fellows. Members of Masonic Fraternity and Order of Odd Fellows requested to attend.His gravestone can be found in the Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wapella, Illinois, and is shared by his brother Lewis Nelson.WAPELLA OBITUARYSeward C. NelsonWhen a good man dies the people mourn. The town of Wapella was called upon last Saturday to mourn the death of Seward C. Nelson who had been a resident of that town and township for the past sixteen years. Seward was one of those genial, clever gentlemen who secured the respect and confidence of all with whom he associated, either in business or social circles. He was a man whose word was as good as his bond, and during his long residence in Wapella his neighbors had formed such a strong attachment for him, and had such confidence in his clear judgement, that he was made a prominent leader in nearly every enterprise that looked to the advancement of this town. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in this city in Co. C, Forty-first Illinois Infantry, and for three years faithfully served his adopted country in some of the most trying and arduous campaigns in the south-west. He was promoted to orderly sergeant because of his peculiar qualifications for the place. At the battle of Jackson, Miss., he led his company into the fight, being the highest ranking officer present. After passing through the storm of bullets during that long and persistent contest, and when the fight was about over and victory for the union army was completed, he received a severe wound in the foot, which disabled him. For his cohrageous (sic) conduct on that day he was promoted First Lieutenant. At the close of his three years enlistment, and when he was about to re-enlist for the war, Lieut. Nelson was seized with that terrible disease camp diarrhoea. This so reduced him in health that he was unfitted for further active service, and consequently he resigned and came home. From that disease he never recovered, and from the time of his retiring from the army till his death he was almost constantly under medical treatment. Men may say that the war is over and that the past should be forgotten, but think you that poor emaciated Seward C. Nelson could ever forget the cause that was slowly but surely dragging him down to his grave. After his return from the army he engaged in business in Wapella, and by strict integrity built up a reputation and trade that was profitable. During the greater part of the las eight years he was postmaster in that town, the duties of which office he conducted with that methodical care whlch (sic) guided him in every duty in life. Nine years ago he was married to Miss Rachael Woy. He leaves a wife and two children to mourn their loss. The funeral services were held on last Monday, and were conducted by the Masonic and Oddfellows lodges, in both of which he help membership Pease to his included with this sale for historians and collectors, are six photographs of Seward C. Nelson:• Two photographic prints by Cook & Fenwick, Bloomington, IL taken in his later years.• One colorized & retouched convex bubble glass portrait of the same photo above. The bubble glass is cracked. It has been poorly repaired with scotch tape, probably by my late mother.• Two small Daguerreotype prints, one in a hinged wooden case, both behind glass. (These are rare early photographic prints printed on polished silver plates.) Both frames are in poor condition. The hinged wooden case has a broken hinge mount. A younger Seward is seen in these photographs with two other people (perhaps his mother in one, and his brother in the other).• One desktop printer print of an internet photo from unknown source that looks like Seward in uniform. I have no information on this image.BIBLEAlso included in this sale is Seward C. Nelson's home bible, 1865. This has Seward's handwriting in it, and entries he made in the "family records" pages before the New Testament Publisher is the American Bible Society, "translated from the original Greek."The bible is in very poor condition, has an embossed leather cover (one side not attached) and weighs 6 pounds, three ounces. Dimensions are 7.5"W x 10.5"L x 3.75H" This will be shipped separately OTHER MEMORABILIA INCLUDED IN THIS SALE• Original obituary for Seward, clipped from the Wapella newspaper in 1875 (transcribed above)• Original printed funeral notice for Seward.• Clipping showing the Illinois monument, typed on by Seward's son, Norman.• A handwritten letter and envelope written by Seward in August 1871.• Three pieces of Confederate currency Seward brought home from the war:1. 1863 10¢ Ten Cent United States Fractional Currency2. 1862 Mansura Avoyelles 25¢ postage currency, hand numbered No. 623, Sept. 24th and hand-signed by the mayor and treasurer.3. 1863 $100 State of Louisiana, No. 1570 (hand numbered), hand signed by the Auditor and Treasurer.• An old (1990s) photocopy of Seward's handwritten war journal (incomplete), which begins on August 7th, 1861, and ends (incomplete) March 12th, 1862.PROVENANCE OF THIS C. Nelson is my great, great maternal grandfather. All these items were passed down over generations to me. They have never been for sale. (Condition: Pre-Owned)

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Civil War collectors and appraisers.