Provenance note and label for unspent cartridge from John Brown's Raid

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A provenance note (a) and label (b) related to an unspent cartridge from John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. The note was written by Civil War veteran Benjamin Holt Ticknor to document its chain of custody. The note, written on the back of Ticknor’s business card, reads [This bullet / was carried on the John / Brown raid by / Francis Jackson Merriam / and was by him given / to Dr. David Thayer / by whom he was se- / creted after his / escape. Given by Dr. / T. to me, today / Aug. 31 1889. / B.H.T.] in iron gall ink. The front of the card reads [Mr. Benjamin Holt Ticknor]. The label, also in iron gall ink, is paper on card and reads [A / "John Brown" / Bullet] with John Brown's name underlined. There are no marks on the back.

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