Description
Very nice carte view identified as Colonel James Perry of the 48th New York Infantry. James would attend West Point for three years in the 1830s, before resigning to serve prominently in the Army of the Republic of Texas during its War of Independence with Mexico. He would command the left wing of General Houston’s Army during the Battle of San Jacinto. His service would however not go without controversy. He would be arrested in 1836 for criticizing Sam Houston and accusing him of incompetence. Disillusioned by the bloodshed and carnage of that war, he turned his attention to the ministry in the post-war years and became a major figure in the Methodist Church in New York. He would give up his ministry position and took up arms once more in July of 1861 when he was commissioned colonel of the 48th New York Infantry. Because of Perry’s prominence as a minister, the 48th attracted a different kind of recruit. Included were many seminary students and others from strongly religious backgrounds. Perry contributed to the unusual, if not unique, composition of the unit by discouraging the consumption of alcohol. In April, 1862, the regiment would participate in the capture of Fort Pulaski. Following it’s capture the men of the 48th would be garrisoned at the fort. On June 16th and 17th a fierce storm would ravage the coast which ravaged and stranded a sutler’s schooner near Cockspur Island. On board the vessel were countless cases of champagne as well as barrels of beer and wine which washed ashore. A large number of men from the regiment confiscated the liquor, and on the 17th were found to be in a terrible state of drunkenness. Colonel Perry, a devout Methodist minister who had preached abstinence from liquor to his men was greatly mortified by the incident and had many of the men confined to the dungeon and guardhouse. The stress and vexation from the incident weighed heavily on Colonel Perry and at 3 in the afternoon on the 18th, the colonel was struck down by a stroke. Within minutes he would be dead. Whether the stress of the event resulted in his demise is unknown but it was more than likely a contributing factor. This one is signed on the front bottom in period ink by Perry reading, “Col. J. H. Perry 48th N.Y.V.”. A second ink inscription on the reverse of the card incorrectly states that Perry was killed in battle reading, “Col. James Hegard Perry 48th Regt Bken Vol. Killed in Battle (Civil War). Back marked by Brady.
