Provenance note and label for unspent cartridge from John Brown's Raid
Object Details
- Description
- A provenance note (a) and label (b) related to an unspent cartridge from John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. The note was written by Civil War veteran Benjamin Holt Ticknor to document its chain of custody. The note, written on the back of Ticknor’s business card, reads [This bullet / was carried on the John / Brown raid by / Francis Jackson Merriam / and was by him given / to Dr. David Thayer / by whom he was se- / creted after his / escape. Given by Dr. / T. to me, today / Aug. 31 1889. / B.H.T.] in iron gall ink. The front of the card reads [Mr. Benjamin Holt Ticknor].
- The label, also in iron gall ink, is paper on card and reads [A / "John Brown" / Bullet] with John Brown's name underlined. There are no marks on the back.
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Data Source
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Date
- 1889
- Object number
- 2023.84.3ab
- Written by
- Benjamin Holt Ticknor, American, 1842 - 1914
- Subject of
- John Brown, American, 1800 - 1859
- Francis Jackson Meriam, American, 1837 - 1865
- Dr. David Thayer
- Restrictions & Rights
- Public domain
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
- Type
- notes
- Medium
- iron gall ink on paper and cardboard
- Dimensions
- H x W (a): 3 3/16 × 1 11/16 in. (8.1 × 4.3 cm)
- H x W x D (b): 1 3/4 × 2 11/16 × 1/16 in. (4.5 × 6.8 × 0.1 cm)
- Place depicted
- Washington County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
- See more items in
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
- Classification
- Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
- Topic
- African American
- American South
- Antislavery
- Resistance
- Slavery
- U.S. History, 1815-1861
- Violence
- Record ID
- nmaahc_2023.84.3ab
