Hand-painted bass drum with engraved silver-handled drumsticks and original leather case. Boston, Massachusetts: E.G. Wright & Co., 1864. Drum approx. 17 5/8" x 14 1/2". Sticks l. 17". 

Silver plaque to drum's side finely engraved: "Presented to / Wm. A. McKinzie / Co. B. / 78th Reg. Ill. Vol. Infantry / Made by E.G. Wright & Co. / Boston." Silver handles of sticks engraved in the same manner. Original Wright & Co. paper label affixed to the interior of the drum. 

Bass drum with hoops and rims painted red, both original drumheads intact with original gut snares, rope fasteners, and 8 original leather tighteners.

Hand-painted with a patriotic vignette featuring a stars & stripes shield with a spread-winged eagle grasping a "National Union" ribbon in its beak. A ribbon above reads, "78th Reg. Illinois Vol. Infty," and another below, "March 4th 1864." 

William A. McKinzie enlisted on 22 August 1862 as a private and was mustered into Company B of the 78th Illinois on September 1st. The regiment departed on September 19th for duty in the Western Theater. After traveling by steamboat to Louisville, it spent the rest of 1862 defending Kentucky railroads. Company B, along with C, was captured during a raid by Col. John Hunt Morgan on 26 December 1862. The soldiers were sent to St. Louis and were not exchanged until October 1863. 

In early 1863, the regiment moved into Middle Tennessee and aided in the repulse of Nathan Bedford Forrest's attack on Fort Donelson. That summer, it joined the Chickamauga Campaign and played a vital role on the final day of the battle as part of Mitchell's Brigade, reinforcing Thomas at the height of the Confederate attack and suffering a 40% casualty rate. In autumn of that year the 78th joined the Chattanooga Campaign, participating in the siege of the city.

It is noted in his records that McKinzie was promoted to musician. Although the date is not recorded in HDS, we can speculate that it occurred on 4 March 1864, the date finely painted on the front of the drum. 

In 1864, the regiment joined the Atlanta Campaign, fighting at Rock Face Ridge, Resaca, Marietta, Pine Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, and finally Jonesboro, where it spearheaded a successful attack on the Confederate line as part of Baird's Division. It closed out the war with Sherman's Army in the March to the Sea and the subsequent Carolinas Campaign, and the men of the 78th were present at the surrender of Gen. Johnston.

One of the best drums we have seen. In addition to featuring exquisitely painted and engraved presentation identifications, it certainly saw action during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, March to the Sea, and Carolinas Campaign.

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Militaria, Accouterment, Equipment, Uniforms] [Musicians, Musical Instruments, Drums, Percussion Instruments]