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Mushroomed Confederate ‘Minié ball’ bullet that grazed the head of Brigadier General Isaac J. Wistar during the Battle of Drewry's Bluff in Chesterfield County, Virginia, on May 16, 1864. The bullet, 1˝ in diameter, includes a handwritten statement of authenticity from Wistar, who signs at the conclusion, “I. J. Wistar, then Brig. Gen’l Com’dg 2nd Div. 18th A.C.,” and writes above: “This flattened bullet passed through the brim & crown of my hat, slightly drawing blood on the scalp, & was dug out of the oak tree in front of which I was standing by Capt. Reynolds A.A.G. at the battle in front of Drury's [sic] Bluff, Va. May 16, 1864.” Both are mounted and framed with a carte-de-visite portrait of Wistar to an overall size of 13.25˝ x 15.25˝. In fine condition. A rare grouping illustrating a Union general's brush with death.
Isaac Jones Wistar (1827 - 1905) of Philadelphia enlisted in the Union Army as a captain, but was soon serving as Lieutenant Colonel of Baker's California Regiment, the 71st Pennsylvania Volunteers. Wounded at Balls Bluff and Antietam, Wistar's excellent combat record earned him a brigadier general's commission on November 19, 1862. The general resigned from the army late in 1864 and proceeded to excel in civilian endeavors. A railroad financier, Wistar later founded the Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology.
The Collection of Dr. Joseph Matheu.
