Description
Rare personalized bible belonging to 1st Lieutenant William Purdy of the 1st New York Mounted Rifles. Purdy would muster with Company D as a private in mid September, 1861. One most assume that he was quite the admirable soldier based on the number of his promotions. Throughout the year of 1862 he would receive promotions to corporal, sergeant and 1st sergeant by the end of the year. A promotion to 2nd lieutenant would come in 1863 followed by his promotion to 1st lieutenant in 1864 and several months later to adjutant. In January of 1865 he would receive a promotion to captain and the 1st New York was re-designated to the 4th New York Provisional Cavalry. William would end the war late in November, 1865 when he was discharged at City Point, Virginia. The 1st New York Mounted Rifles would see no shortage of fighting during their tenure. Principally at Fortress Monroe, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Williamsburg and Yorktown taking part in over 50 battles and skirmishes. Its heaviest casualties being at Scotts Mills, Va. in 1863. This rare example is embossed in gold leaf on the front flap “1st Lieut. Wilson Purdy 1st N. Y. M. Rifles”. It is missing a portion of the closure flap but it does not intrude into the identity embossing. This example bears a publishing date of 1862 by the New York American Bible Society. The binding is solid on this one with all the pages intact. Very rarely do you see these personalized bibles issued to individual soldiers. Wonderful example.
