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RARE ~ Identified Officer's Camp or Document Box

1st Lt. Franklin Atherton Clark
Co. E, 1st Maine Heavy Artillery

~ Wounded in action at Boydton Plank Road ~

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From my personal collection comes this RARE identified camp box, belonging to 1st Lt. Franklin "Frank" Atherton Clark, Company E, 1st Maine Heavy Artillery . Camp boxes are scarce, so one identified to an officer in the regiment that lost the most men in a single battle of any unit in the Civil War is a particularly nice collector's item.

The box is constructed in a classic, early-to-mid 19th century style; it is covered with embossed dark brown leather, and decorated with brass tacks. Clark's name is stenciled on the lid, and though several of the letters are faded, one can definitely read the following:

"Lt. F.A. Clark
1 H. Art."

This type of box would have been privately purchased by an officer, and used to hold his personal items, or perhaps documents. Judging from its apparent wear, this particular box was probably carried by Clark through most of his service. It has the following approximate dimensions: 6 inches high, 11 3/4 inches long, and 7 1/2 inches deep. It has a leather strap handle on the lid, which has broken over time such that only the ends are present, held in place by tacks. The interior is lined with the original period blue and white floral-print cloth. The outer latch is the original, and a swiveling lock cover is marked with the word "patent". The latch does not work, and t is no key. The interior hinges are replacements, but remnants of the original leather hinges are still present. T are some nails which do not appear to be period, which have been used to secure the fabric edge into place. T were only three officers whose initials match an "F.A. Clark", and although the other two are also lieutenants, t is only one who was in a 1st Heavy Artillery regiment - Frank Atherton Clark. The box came with old copies of pension records, which are included with the sale.

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About Our Soldier.

Franklin (he is listed in the rolls and records as Frank) Atherton Clark was born on July 18, 1842, in Sangerville, Piscataquis County Maine, to William Goding Clark and Elizabeth White Stevens Clark. His middle name was in honor of his paternal grandfather Atherton Clark, who was a Baptist minister in York County, Maine. William Clark was a lawyer, and Franklin and his twin brother Alonzo Francis were the third and fourth of eleven children born to William and Elizabeth. Tragically, Alonzo died just before his 15th birthday. When the Civil War erupted, the four oldest sons enlisted for the Union cause - three fought alongside each other in the same regiment, and one won the highest military award - the Congressional Medal of Honor. The eldest, Whiting Stevens Clark, was Major (and Brevet Colonel), and James William Clark, Adjutant of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. Not surprisingly, given the heavy casualties inflicted on the unit, all three were wounded - and only two would return home. James and Whiting were wounded on the same day - June 18, 1864 - at Petersburg. James suffered a severe wound to his right arm, necessitating its amputation, and died a few weeks later. Whiting was also severely wounded and was discharged for disability. Franklin was shot in the left arm four months later, at Boydton Plank Road. Charles Amory Clark was Adjutant of the 6th Maine Infantry, and won the MOH at Banks Ford, Virginia (outside of Fredericksbug), in May 1863. His citation reads as follows:

"Having voluntarily taken command of his regiment in the absence of its commander, at great personal risk and with remarkable presence of mind and fertility of resource led the command down an exceedingly precipitous embankment to the Rappahannock River and by his gallantry, coolness, and good judgment in the face of the enemy saved the command from capture or destruction."

Franklin enlisted on December 24, 1863 as a...

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