PIECE OF HISTORY RETURNS TO MUSEUM


PIECE OF HISTORY RETURNS TO MUSEUM

A significant piece of local Civil War history has come home to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Oakland.

Recently a unique Civil War sword that appeared in a local antique market was purchased  by an area collector. The collector, realizing that he may have acquired a significant artifact, contacted Ron Gancas, CEO and Michael Kraus, curator at Soldiers & Sailors to discuss the history of the piece. On the surface the artifact was quite a find but it was the "rest of the story" that increased its historical value and connected it to Soldiers & Sailors.

Elaborately engraved script on the scabbard showed that it was a presentation sword belonging to Captain A.P. Davis of the 11th Maine Infantry dated July 4, 1862. Davis's army service was fairly typical of an officer in the Civil War, but it is what he did later in life in Pittsburgh that would prove to be historic.

A prominent Pittsburgh businessman and member of the Alexander Hays Post No. 3, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Augustus Plummer Davis conceived and founded an auxiliary organization which offered membership to the eldest sons of Civil War veterans, who Davis projected to be the likely successors to the GAR when the last Civil War men were gone. Once raised and chartered the organization would become nationally known as the "Sons of Union Veterans (SUV)".

Organized in 1881 in the Old City Hall in Pittsburgh the first chapter "Davis Camp No. 1" was named in honor of its' founder. Popularity of the "Sons" grew across the country to peak membership of 200,000 in 1904. The Sons of Union Veterans continues to be active today across the country. Modern membership requirements have changed to encourage any descendants of Union Civil War soldiers to join the organization.

Augustus Plummer Davis passed away in May of 1899. His will stated that, along with other artifacts, the 4 swords he used during the Civil War would be donated to the national SUV organization. Some of those personal artifacts most likely came to Soldiers & Sailors the home of the Davis "Star" Camp after it opened in 1910.

When and how the sword originally left Soldiers & Sailors is a mystery but it has again become part of the museum collection after the local collector agreed to let the museum acquire the artifact stating that he wanted to see it back in its rightful place.

Plans are to house the A.P. Davis presentation sword in a showcase near the original hand painted silk flag of the Davis Camp No. 1 and oil portrait of Captain Davis which are currently displayed at Soldiers & Sailors.