Rare 1862 Civil War Countersign Order Burnside 19th Michigan, Col. KIA

Authentic Civil War Countersign Order - September 21, 1862. From the field headquarters of the 19th Michigan Infantry Regiment, issued at Camp Crane River, Ohio. This rare handwritten order provides the countersign (password) for pickets on duty that evening. Civil War countersign slips were typically destroyed after use, making this an exceptionally scarce survivor of Union Army field operations.

The document is signed by Colonel Henry C. Gilbert, commanding officer of the regiment, and Adjutant H. Countersign for Pickets this night. Named for Major General Ambrose E.

By late 1862 Burnside was preparing for his ill-fated command at Fredericksburg, making this a poignant connection to a major figure in the war. Burnside's unique facial hair also gave rise to the term sideburns. Commander of the 19th Michigan Infantry.

Gilbert led his regiment through Kentucky and Tennessee campaigns until he was killed in action at Thompson's Station, Tennessee on March 5, 1863. Documents signed by officers who fell in battle are highly sought after by collectors. The regimental adjutant who recorded this order. His role was to manage correspondence, orders, and daily administration-making his signature a guarantee of authenticity and field usage.

Organized at Pontiac, Michigan in August 1862, this regiment served in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, fighting at Thompson's Station, Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, and Bentonville. The regiment lost over 250 men during its service. Original Civil War period lined paper, light folds and faint toning consistent with age, but overall crisp, legible, and well-preserved. A rare and fragile field order that remarkably survived the war.

Civil War countersign documents are among the most ephemeral wartime papers. The survival of this slip-especially tied to General Burnside and Col. Gilbert, killed in action-makes it an outstanding piece for advanced Civil War collections. First time offered from a private estate.

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