A FINE WEST VIRGINIA CIVIL WAR MEDAL TO A 1ST LIEUTENANT, 2ND WEST VIRGINIA CAVALRY WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT GENERAL LEE’S SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE IN APRIL 1865, PREVIOUSLY A SERGEANT, CAPTAIN GILMORE’S COMPANY, 1ST WEST VIRGINA CAVALRY, HIS REGIMENT COVERED ITSELF WITH GLORY DURING THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN

WEST VIRGINIA CIVIL WAR MEDAL ‘ABIJAH B. FARMER. 1ST LIEUT 2ND REG CAV VOLS’. SUSPENSION CLASP REPLACED BY SILVER AND ENAMEL PINBACK CORPS BADGE, SUSPENDED BY A CHAIN.

Abijah B Farmer, aged 27, enlisted into Captain Gilmore’s Company, 1st West Virginia Cavalry as a Sergeant on 24 July 1861. Having been promoted Quartermaster Sergeant, he reenlisted as a Veteran Volunteer on 30 November 1863, transferring to the Company L, 2nd West Virginia Cavalry and was promoted Sergeant Major on 6 August 1864. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of Company A, by order of General Sheridan on 4 December 1864 and served as Acting Adjutant. He was advanced to 1st Lieutenant of Company C on 11 January 1856 and mustered out of service on 30 June 1865.

Captain Gilmore’s Company was formed as the Pennsylvania Dragoons, became a company in the First (West) Virginia Cavalry before later joining the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry. From ‘History of the Second Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry Volunteers’;

‘George Washington Gilmore formed a company of cavalry independently at the request of General George B McClellan and Gilmore was its captain. Gilmore's company was originally called the Pennsylvania Dragoons and was formed July 1861 with men from Fayette County Pennsylvania. An example of it fighting detached is the Wytheville Raid, where it fought with an additional company from the 1st West Virginia Cavalry, an infantry regiment, and another cavalry regiment. Beginning July 14, 1863, Gilmore's Company served with the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry, and finished its service as Company L of that regiment’.

The 1st West Virginia Cavalry saw a good deal of action during 1862 and from May 1863, were conspicuous for the part they played leading up to, including and after the battle of Gettysburg….

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Sold with digital copies of full musters for Farmer’s service.