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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BRandM, post: 2347765, member: 22729&quot;]This ugly, corroded Civil War token is actually extremely rare and historically significant. Although struck and engraved examples of Civil War dog tags are quite scarce and thus hold significant value, counterstamped coins or tokens used as body identification are almost unknown today. I haven&#039;t seen more than one or two that I feel are genuine, those that were actually carried by a soldier during the war and not made after as a memento or remembrance piece. After researching and closely examining this one that I acquired just recently, I&#039;m certain that its a genuine example. The caption appears on the reverse of a holed 1863 McClellan Patriotic token...die 141. While the reverse has been smoothed off, I believe it&#039;s a 141/307a or b. </p><p><br /></p><p>The counterstamp reads &quot;C. Cate / A12NH / Alton,&quot; After researching the piece, I found that a Charles E. Cate from Alton, NH saw duty with A Company of the 12th New Hampshire Regiment during the Civil War. He probably stamped it himself as it&#039;s very crudely done.</p><p><br /></p><p>Cate was born in 1842 in South Berwick, ME. His father, Eliazer or Eleazer Cate, was a shoemaker as Charles would be in later years. By 1860 that family had removed to Alton, Belknap Co., NH. Two years later at age 20 Charles enlisted in the army. The bulk of the enlisted men of the 12th hailed from Belknap, Strafford or Grafton Counties. The regiment mustered in in late August or early September, 1862. Cate served with them until October 29, 1863, when he was transferred to 49th Co., 2nd Battalion at a convalescent camp in Virginia. Apparently, he had been wounded or had become diseased while serving. He mustered out on June 26, 1865 in Washington, D.C.</p><p><br /></p><p>During Cate&#039;s active duty with the12th they were heavily engaged at Fredericksburg, VA. December 12-15, 1862 and at Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863. At Gettysburg his regiment saw desperate combat north of the Klingel Farm against Wilcox&#039;s Alabama Brigade. Of 224 men who fought at the farm 32 were killed, 73 wounded and 50 captured. The next day...3 July... the regiment could muster only 50 men fit for duty, and were transferred to Co.B under Capt. Thomas Barker&#039;s command. There they were placed in the middle of the Union line that would withstand the desperate Confederate assault known as Pickett&#039;s Charge.</p><p><br /></p><p>I do know that Cate survived the war, but haven&#039;t yet found much about his later life. He died on February 10, 1927 in Haverhill, MA. at age 85. </p><p><br /></p><p>This piece appears to have been dug, so he may have lost it on the battlefield or simply discarded it when his service ended with the 12th in October, 1863. Thanks for looking.</p><p><br /></p><p>Bruce[ATTACH=full]477622[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]477623[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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