This is a 1863 Confederate $100.00 note, T-41. It has the very scarce hand signature of Confederate Major, Charles E. Snodgrass, Quarter Master. Slaves hoeing cotton in top center with John C. Calhoun at bottom left. Printed by Keatinge & Ball in Columbia, S.C. Dated January 2nd 1863. Scroll #1. Plate letter X. Printed on plain paper. The catalog number is CR325A and PF53, with the serial # 159662 hand written in red ink. It is in VERY FINE condition and has dark printing with good details. It is circulated paper that still retains some crispness. It is fully framed with a full borderline visible, although trimmed right on the line at the top left. The signatures are faint. There are two small edge tears at the bottom margin, outside of the frame line. There is another small edge tear that does barely crosses the frame line at the top margin. No severe tears. It has two pinholes. Some toning and minor staining is present. No ink erosion. On the backside, are two interest paid stamps from Richmond, Virginia, dated 1864 and 1865. Note that Interest is paid at the rate of $.02 per day. That works out to $7.30 per year and that's more than you'll get today at any bank on $100.00. LOL Also featured on the backside, is a very nice and clear hand issue endorsement from Confederate Major, Charles E. Snodgrass. The endorsement reads as follows: April 7th 1863 C. E. Snodgrass Maj + QM Records show that in 1862, Major Snodgrass was a Chief Quartermaster in General Ewell's Division. In 1863, he served as Quartermaster at the Battle of Gettysburg, in General Jubal Early's Division. He continued in General Early's Division for other campaigns in 1864. In 1865, he was Acting Chief Quartermaster with the Army of Northern Virginia. On page 668 of Mike McNeil's 2016 book "Confederate Quartermasters, Commissaries, and Agents", he writes the following: Snodgrass appeared as Chief QM on March 5th 1865, in Anderson's Corp, Army of Northern Virginia. He was paroled as a prisoner of war, belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered by General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9th 1865. Assigned a rarity of 15, by Mike McNeil in his book. This newly discovered endorsement is clear with no ink erosion or smudges, and now makes it a Rarity 14. This is a scarce endorsement by Confederate Major Charles Snodgrass, who was very active in the Civil War, including serving with General Robert E. Lee, and I seized the chance to obtain it. It will be extremely difficult to find another one in this condition with his signature. I count this as a great find and addition to my growing CSA Notes.
I know absolutely zilcho about paper money, but thought this worth a peek. Very nice! The handwritten signatures on notes of this period and earlier are so much more interesting.
PS- John C. Calhoun looks quite sinister here, doesn't he? I was gonna say, "like the Devil incarnate", but that would've been a bit over the top even for me. LOL "Brainnnsss! I will eat your BRAINSSS!!!
(Sorry.) In a less silly vein, I tried looking up Charles E. Snodgrass but found a younger congressman who was only being born around the time of the war. That, and several apparently living ones.
The signatures are fantastic. I don't know of anyone today that knows how to write that clear, concise and wonderful. I don't have a photo but one of my other bills has a hand written signatures and has the serial number of 2. No lower number is known. The price really skyrockets on that alone. Forget the names and names mean a lot on CSA notes as well as other notes. I'd sure like to get my hands on a note with Gen. Lee's signature. Alas, I have to settle for Maj. Snodgrass but at least her can be placed at important battles and stationed under several generals.
