Lot 555: War of 1812 related Broadside, Petersburg Volunteers

Extremely scarce War of 1812 related Broadside on silk, commemorating the Petersburg Virginia Volunteers “who embarked in the Service Of Their Country in the War with Great Britain on the 21st October 1812 and consecrated their valor at the Battle of Fort Meigs on the 5th May 1813 commanded by Captain Richard McRae.” It goes on to list the officers and privates, noting those killed or wounded or promoted, along with the survivors as of 1849. It ends with a copy of Acting Asst. Adjutant General Robert Butler’s General Orders of 17th October, 1813, granting the corps’ discharge and permitting them to “commence their march to Victory”. Printed by James Monroe Hamilton Brunet in Petersburg, 1849. Old Richmond, Virginia framing label en verso. Overall: 20 in. H x 14 1/ 4 in. W. Unframed. Note: the Petersburg Volunteers were a group of roughly 100 young militia members from Petersburg, VA who gained national attention during the War of 1812 at the Siege of Fort Meigs in Ohio. British Forces and their Native American allies had trapped a number of Amerian troops inside the fort, when General (and later President) William Henry Harrison ordered a charge on May 5, 1813. The Petersburg Volunteers rushed into the fight and according to one period account “fought like devils”, giving the rest of the army enough time to disable the enemy’s cannons. 

PROVENANCE: A Chattanooga area collection. 

CONDITION: Fragile. Silk has been adhered to a backing board, which shows through in several areas at horizontal and vertical fold lines, affecting some men’s names and the General Orders, as well as the decorative columns. Remaining silk is discolored and spotted. Unframed.