RARE FRAGMENT OF A LOST CIVIL WAR MISSOURI MANUSCRIPT

Description

A total of 19 pages (15 single-sided, 4 double-sided, mostly 6” X 9”, the rest slightly smaller) of a manuscript written by Captain John G. Langguth and entitled “History of the Osterhaus Brigade consisting of the 3d 12
th
& 17
th
Mo. Infty and Hoffman’s (Battery) who were brigaded together during the whole of the Civil War from 1861-1864,” “Compiled by John G. Langguth of the 17
th
Mo. Infty. and dedicated to his Comrades in Arms, St. Louis.”  A date has been scratched out and is hard to read, but it may be 1899.  Consists of 3 distinct sections.  First, a short introduction, a table of contents, index to illustrations, and several pages with a brief history of events in Missouri from Lincoln’s election to the formation of the 17
th
Missouri Infantry.  Second, 3 smaller pages that appear to be a rough draft of the previous section.  Third, 5 pages covering the activities of the Osterhaus Brigade beginning at midnight on November 24, 1863 at Chattanooga and going through November 29, 1863.
Where is the rest of this great account?  I wish I knew.  Hopefully it’s out there waiting to be discovered.  What remains is a fragment of a unique manuscript detailing events in Missouri and the activities of General Peter J. Osterhaus’ hard fighting brigade.  Thanks for looking!