A Rare Civil War Poem at Auction-

A cup of cold water
For him wounded sore:
He asks if a brother
Needs it not more.
Look! On this dark skin
Grim slave-scars are found,
Where blood rushes red
From the freedman’s deep wound.

"Our Work" Author unknown, probably printed in New York, circa 1862-1864.

5.5”x8.5” pamphlet. Printed in red and blue. Light soil, and a few spots.

A poem paying tribute to the work of male and female nurses on the battlefield in the Civil war, with an intriguing reference to wounded African-American soldiers.

The poem was also printed in the book “Pen Pictures of the War, and Sketches of the Rebellion”, edited by William Ledyard and published in 1864.

The 1864 printing of Ledyard’s volume is itself somewhat uncommon in the marketplace, and our printing of the poem appears to be downright scarce, with OCLC locating only one copy, which is in the New York Historical Society.

You can see and bid on the poem here.

We have several other interesting 19th Century Americana items up for auction this week. See our Current Auctions for all four Americana items.