Sgt. Charles Weber, 10th Ohio Infantry, Archive Including Photographs, Accouterments, & Post-War Memoir 

Lot of approx. 25 items related to Sergeant Charles Weber and his family, ca 1861-1920.

Charles Weber (nee Daniel Karl Weber) was born October 14, 1835, in Permassens, Bavaria. In 1852, at age 16, he immigrated to the US, arriving in Cincinnati, OH, two years later. During the Civil War, Weber was a soldier and officer in the Union Army, and after the war, he became a plumber, was married twice, and fathered 15 children. He died April 2, 1920, at the age of 84 and is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.

Weber volunteered for Union Army service with Company B of the 10th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment on April 22, 1861. He mustered in as a sergeant and was promoted to second lieutenant in November 1862, and to first lieutenant in May of 1863. He mustered out June 17, 1864, and returned to Cincinnati. Weber was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and acted as Commander of the William Nelson Post 186 in Cincinnati.

The 10th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Harrison near Cincinnati, OH, for three month's service under Colonel William Haines Lytle. It was later reorganized at Camp Dennison for three years of service and subsequently assigned to General H.W. Benham's Brigade, Kanawha Division, Western Virginia. The 10th Ohio Infantry disassembled in June 1864. The 10th Ohio was active in the West Virginia Campaign of 1861, and saw action in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, at Perrysville, Murfreesboro, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Dalton and Recasa. The regiment lost a total of 168 men during its service.

The archive features the following: Sixth plate tintype of Charles Weber as second lieutenant, housed in patriotic union case, accompanied by a photographic enlargement, almost certainly made from the aforementioned tintype of Weber, enhanced with charcoal or pastels, 13.5 x 16.5 in. (sight), framed, 24.5 x 27.5 in.; 2 ninth plate tintypes, including hand-tinted view of a young soldier in uniform, identified by consignor as one of Weber's sons, wearing US belt buckle, with period note behind plate, written in German, with reference to October 8, 1864 date and Perryville, KY, and a view of a young boy, possibly another one of Weber's sons, also identified on period, German note behind image; partially printed GAR certificate presented to Weber, with his war-period photo mounted at center, 21.5 x 27.5 in. (sight), framed, 29 x 35 in.; 14 GAR buttons; 2 GAR calling cards; 2 flasks; eagle pin; eagle belt buckle; framed chalk portrait identified by consignor as Weber's second wife, Caroline, 13 x 16 in. (sight), framed, 20.75 x 25 in.; a hanging, plaster profile portrait in relief of a gentleman identified by consignor as one of Weber's sons, signed and dated 1877, 14 x 17 in.; and 2 obituaries.

The lot also includes Webers' post-Civil War memoir written in pencil, approx. 30pp (6 lose pages and tablet with 25 completed pages), titled Our Last Campaign in WV 1861, accompanied by a clean manuscript copy of the memoirs. The account provides a strong perspective of a soldier’s life as General Benham skirmished with CSA Forces led by General John B. Floyd (who went on to Fort Donelson); plus an ALS from Joseph Heiser, GAR Post (Maysville) to the William Nelson Post (Cincinnati), regarding a suggested donation of General William Nelson’s hat and plume to his namesake Post. 

Provenance: Descended Directly in the Family of Sgt. Charles Weber

Pages of original memoir are in fragile, brittle condition. Two ninth plate tintypes housed in half cases, some wear to cases. Some light staining to GAR certificate.