THE GUILFORD GRAYS and its commander John A. Sloan, a remarkable survival of the Civil War and its documentation, more fully described below

A uniquely bound copy, indeed, a presentation binding for his wife, of Sloan's account of his company's service in the Civil War, the detailed manuscript company roster and service register for the Guilford Grays, and a striking portrait photograph of the former Confederate infantry captain. (1) SLOAN, John A. Reminiscences of the Guilford Grays, Co. B, 27th North Carolina Regiment. Washington, DC: R.O. Polkinhorn, 1883. First edition. 12mo. (2), iv, 129, (1), (2) pp. Howes S-556. In a presentation binding for the author's wife: Contemporary morocco (severely rubbed around the edges and along the spine, joints cracks, lacking front blank endpapers), a.e.g., gilt-stamped on the upper cover "Guilford Grays. / Mrs. John A. Sloan / from / Her Husband." With the author's manuscript notes on the title page and one ink correction by him in the text; also, with two marginal genealogical notes by the author's daughter.

(2) [MANUSCRIPT] Company register for the Guilford Grays, a manuscript journal kept over the course of the civil War documenting the activities of the individual members of the unit. Contemporary 4to legal ledger. (141) pages of manuscript entries, one page devoted to each officer and soldier in the unit and the final few leaves used for summaries and an index. Entries include name, rank, age, eye color, complexion note, height, birthplace, occupation, date of enlistment. enlisting officer, and term of enlistment; pay dates and paymasters are noted, along with remarks (notes on promotions, transfers, furloughs, wounds, illnesses, circumstances of battlefield deaths, etc.). The entries are kept in a number of hands, John A. Sloan's among them, the others presumably company clerks. Included are the records for four officers, starting with Sloan, and 110 soldiers. Contemporary half calf and marbled boards (lacking front board and all blank leaves to Sloan's entry and at least one, possibly more pages of manuscript text to that point); the register begins with the second half of the record for Capt. William Adams who preceded Sloan as Commander before being killed in action at Sharpsburg, with Sloan's note: "His last words 'leave me and fight on' - was carried from the field and buried at the Methodist Grave Yard in Shepherdstown, VA. He sleeps now on the confines of his country by the banks of the beautiful Potomac and the blue mountains of the land he loved. Stand guard beside his tomb. He could have no prouder resting place, for the noble river, that rushes by, has flowed near the grave and sighed the dirge of Washington." Most of the notes are not nearly so poignant, reporting time after time, rather matter of factly "Killed at Battle of Bristow Station, Oct 14," "Killed at Battle of Wilderness May 5, 1864," "Deserted," "Killed in front of Petersburg," "Sent to hospital," "Died of lockjaw," etc.

(3) [PHOTOGRAPH] Handsome studio portrait photograph of John A. Sloan, 8 5/8 x 6 5/8 inches, seated in full military dress uniform, epaulettes on his shoulders, wearing gloves, his sword cradled across his lap, his hat (slightly out of focus) on a table just in the background. Richmond, (VA): Anderson [backmark], nd [ca. 1870?]. Inscribed by Sloan in the bottom margin "Very Respectfully" (the balance of the inscription has been trimmed).
Sloan (1839-1885) began the war as a sergeant in the Guilford Grays, was quickly promoted to lieutenant, and took over command of the company in September, 1862, after Adams was killed at Sharpsburg, serving in that capacity through the end of the war, surrendering his unit at Appomattox. Among the battles the company fought in were the Seven Days, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. We are unaware of other copies of Sloan's unit history in presentation bindings and, of course, the company register might serve as the primary source for any new work involving the unit's service. For the lot of three items,