What does the guy who is in charge of collections, collect?
For Hawthorn resident Ken Burkett, who serves as executive director of the Jefferson County Historical Society, the answer is items relating to the Civil War and, in particular, the 105th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, also known as the “Wildcats.”
Burkett recently displayed a small portion of his collection at the Historical Society’s annual military show at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.
Burkett’s interest in the Wildcats stemmed from a family connection. His great-great-grandfather Adam Fike, who served in Company G of the regiment, was wounded in the face at Gettysburg. Burkett was able to obtain a photo of his ancestor.
Burkett collects personal items — especially letters. “They tell their own story,” he said. “They may have just gone through a terrible battle, but when they write home they’re asking if everyone is OK back home.”
He began collecting at age 12, when he obtained a photograph of an unidentified soldier at Gettysburg. “I like to find CDVs (photographic visiting cards) and personal items,” he said. “I appreciate the personal stories. The letters tell you what these guys went through on a one-to-one basis. It is different than the history books.”
Among his “favorite things,” he said, are letters sent home to families from Col. Calvin Craig — a Clarion County resident who was killed at Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 — and Capt. Andrew Patton — also of Clarion County. “I also like the diary by Henry Weaver.”
Burkett said Weaver, a private from Clarion County, wrote “we had a big battle today and got home in time to play base ball.”
In his collection is a small blue and white, ceramic, pitcher that Pvt. William Wilson brought home to his sister. The jug is now matched with the photo of Wilson. “Who knows why he brought it home,” Burkett said.
He showed a photo of Capt. Sam Craig, of Brookville, and Craig’s orders to stand guard over the body of President Abraham Lincoln as it lay in state in Indiana. Craig was wounded several times during the war and was serving in the Veteran Reserve Corps when he was tasked with standing guard over the president.
“Craig stated that he could look directly into the face of the dead president,” Burkett said. “His duty was to prevent the people from touching the president’s body. How many of these orders exist?”
Sam Craig, in his journal, talks about being wounded in 1862, Burkett said. “He was shot in the face and then in the heel. He wrote home that the heel wound really hurt.”
“He was an attorney before the war and when he went to Virginia in 1861 he sent back a book, the ‘Code of Virginia,’’’ Burkett said.
The book, which is now in Burkett’s collection, was found near Williamsburg, Virginia, during its occupation. Duff sent the law book home to his wife. He also sent home pressed flowers.
Burkett also displayed items that belonged to Duff, who was wounded at the siege of Petersburg and walked the rest of his life on an artificial leg made of cork.
He also displayed a flask and a small “boot” pistol. “It is a .32-caliber Smith and Wesson pistol that was tucked into your boot as a sort of last-resort pistol,” Burkett said. The standard issue Army Colt pistol was not easy to reload; so, another pistol was a good idea. “Some officers carried two of them.
One letter to Calvin Craig’s father in Clarion County detailed the death of Patton, who became the colonel of the 105th for about eight minutes.
The letter said the regiment was enveloped and had to withdraw. Patton was shot through the hips and died on the field.
“The 105th lost their flags after the color party was shot down to a man,” Burkett said. “A letter from the commanding general said they lost their colors with honor.”
Burkett said a few years ago he had been contacted regarding the preservation of a shed on a property near the Appomattox village, where Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
“Inside this shed was some whitewash on a wall and written on it were the names of two men who served in Company K of the 105th Pennsylvania,” he said.
“This shed was used as a hospital … these men were there for several weeks. The owner had no interest in preserving the building. That portion of the war was cut away and is being preserved at the Appomattox historical site.
“It is cool to be able to be a part of preserving history.”