BRIGADIER GENERAL JOSHUA B. HOWELL - MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT SIGNED 11/09/1863 CO-SIGNED BY: MAJOR GENERAL QUINCY ADAMS GILLMORE - HFSID 262765

JOSHUA B. HOWELL, CO-SIGNED: QUINCY ADAMS GILLMORE
War-dated inspection report of camp and garrison equipment at Folly Island, South Carolina, signed by Joseph B. Howell of the 85th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers in 1863. Howell signed this document less than a year before his death.
Manuscript document signed "Joseph B. Howell" and, on docket, "Q A Gilmore" as Major General commanding Folly Island, South Carolina. 1 page, 7¾x9¾ folded, 15 ½ x9¾ unfolded, docketed on verso. Folly Islands, South Carolina, Nov. 9, 1863. Headed: "Inventory and Inspection Report of unserviceable Camp and Garrison Equipage for which Colonel Joshua B./Howell 85th Regt. Penna. Vol. Infantry is responsible and which have been examined and Reported on by/Capt. R. W. Dawson Inspector, at an Inspection made on the 9th day of November 1863." According to this report, Howell received two command tents and two sets of command tents poles in new condition on March 16, 1863. When inspected, they were found to be "unfit for use" and were "to be dropped". Howell signed this document after fighting at the Battle of Seven Pines and the First Battle of Fort Wagner and less than a year before his death. HOWELL (1801-1864) was the victim of one of the crueler ironies of the American Civil War. Howell entered the war as a colonel in 1861 after raising the 85th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers and fought at the Battle of Seven Pines (May 31 and June 1, 1862), the First Battle of Fort Wagner (July 10 and 11, 1863) and the Second Battle of Deep Bottom (Aug. 14-20, 1864). He survived these battles without receiving a major wound, but also without promotion. Howell was thrown from his horse while returning from corps headquarters the night of Sept. 12, 1864 and was so severely injured that he died two days later. Six months later, his promotion to brigadier general came through. Union Major-General GILLMORE (1825-1888, born in Black River, Ohio), who graduated from West Point at the top of his class in 1849, was Assistant Instructor of Engineering at the Military Academy from 1852-1856. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, his 7th Connecticut Regiment Infantry was assigned to Wright's 3rd Brigade in Sherman's Expeditionary Corps until April 1862. Following the successful campaign in Port Royal, South Carolina, Gillmore was in charge of building fortifications at Hilton Head. Later in 1862, he assisted in the capture of Fort Pulaski. Promoted to Major-General in 1863, Gillmore commanded forces occupying Morris Island, Fort Wagner and Fort Gregg, and he participated in the destruction of Fort Sumter. After being wounded in the defense of Washington in 1864, Gillmore did not participate in the remainder of the war, but he remained in the Army Corps of Engineers. Ironically, Gillmore was later involved in the reconstruction Fort Sumter, which he had helped destroy, and other fortifications and harbors along the Atlantic Coast. Gillmore also wrote several books on engineering, including The Siege and Reduction of Fort Pulaski (1863), The Strength of the Building Stones of the United States (1874), A Practical Treatise on Roads, Streets and Pavements (1876) and Limes, Hydraulic Cements and Mortars. Lightly toned and creased. Light show-through on both sides, which touches manuscript handwriting and Williams' signature, but not Howell's. Folded once vertically and twice horizontally, comes folded once vertically. Otherwise in fine condition.