Sunday, 1864 July 31, [Headquarters Camp William Penn, Chelton Hills, Virginia]: “We, the undersigned . . . Musicians . . . acknowledged to have received . . . several articles of Clothing”

[Record of clothing and equipment, and their monetary value, issued to sixteen African-American soldiers of an United Stated Colored Troops brigade band]

[Form] No. 52. We, the undersigned . . . Musicians of Brigade Band No. 2 U. S. C. T, do hereby acknowledge to have received of George E. Wagner, Captain, 8th U. S. C. T., Post Adjutant, the several articles of Clothing set opposite our respective names.

Joseph Costley [Band Leader], 2 items, $9.50
Joshua Jones [Musician Third Class], 2 items, $9.50
Moses Bolden [Musician First Class], 2 items,$9.50
Thomas J. Simmons [Musician Third Class], 3 items, $10.40
William Jones [Musician First Class], 2 items, $9.50
James Aaron [Musician Second Class], 3 items, $11.55
James M. Loney/Louey [Musician First Class], 2 items, $9.50
William Cole [Musician Third Class], 2 items, $9.50
John C. O’Brien [rank unknown], 2 items, $9.50
James R. Ray [Musician First Class], 2 items, $9.50
William Ludlow [Musician Second Class], 2 items, $9.50
Theophilus McCall [Musician Second Class], 2 items, $9.50
John L. Peck [Musician Third Class], 2 items, $9.50
John Randolph [Musician Third Class], 2 items, $4.55
John Morris [Musician Third Class], 2 items, $9.50
Jonathan Grobes [Musician Third Class], 12 items, $24.93
[Total: 44 items issued, $165.43]

[Editor: Lieutenant Colonel George Emil Wagner (1842-1904) of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, served as an officer of the 88th Pennsylvania Infantry and later the 8th and 9th regiments of United States Colored Troops. Form 52 required an enumerated statement of soldiers’ clothing allowances during their enlistments; throughout a five-year period each was to be issued a predetermined number of hats (5), forage caps (5), uniform coats/jackets (5), blue flannel sack coats (10), trousers (13), flannel shirts (15) and drawers (11), pairs of bootees (20), pairs of stockings (20), leather stockings (2), great coat (1), stable frock (2), fatigue overalls (5), blankets (2). Most of these African-American band members were privates and signed their names with the exception of James Aaron, who signed with his ‘X’ mark.]

MSS 11174