Description:

John L. Burns, "Old Hero of Gettysburg" & Sexagenarian Sharpshooter, Signed CDV 1 Year Before His Death

A vintage carte de visite of John L. Burns (1793-1872), "the old hero of Gettysburg" who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg as a 69-year-old civilian combatant, signed by him as "John L Burns / Gettysburg / '71" along the top verso. 1871. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The sepia-colored albumen photo is affixed to a stock card printed with the backstamp "Photographed by / P.C. Weaver, / Baltimore Street, Hanover, York Co., Pa." verso. Expected surface wear including minor scuffs and stains. Lightly pencil-inscribed along the bottom verso. Slightly curled. Else very good to near fine. 2.5" x 4."

John L. Burns joined Union Army forces at the Battle of Gettysburg as a sexagenarian volunteer on July 1, 1863. Burns, a former War of 1812 and Mexican-American War veteran was serving as a constable in Gettysburg when the fighting broke out. Undeterred by the fact that he had previously been rejected from the armed forces because of his advanced age, Burns, dressed in a black silk hat and swallowtail gentleman's coat, entered the fray armed only with a powder horn and flintlock musket. Later, with a borrowed rifle, he was assigned to soldiers of the 7th Wisconsin Infantry and 24th Michigan Infantry where he served as a very effective sharpshooter. Burns was injured multiple times during the Union retreat to Seminary Ridge.

Burns became a national celebrity after his exploits at the Battle of Gettysburg were recounted. He was photographed by Timothy H. O'Sullivan, of Mathew Brady's studio, and as we can see, Burns also ventured out to neighboring Hanover, Pennsylvania to get photographed eight years after the battle. According to "Appleton's Cyclopedia," the nineteenth-century biographical encyclopedia, Burns suffered from mental decline during the last two years of his life, which included the period in which he signed this carte. Burns died in February 1872 at the age of 78.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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February 21, 2024 10:30 AM EST
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