1860 CIVIL WAR. Holy Bible Presented to Soldiers of 43rd Regiment, New York by Civil War Chaplain!

What a wonderful little item! A charming full morocco near-pocket sized Bible retaining its original embossed presentation from the period of the Civil War!

"Presented by the Chaplain of the 43rd Regt N.Y.S.V."

The 43rd Infantry, also known as the "Albany Rifles," contained five companies from Albany, two from New York city, one from Montgomery county, one from Washington county and one from Otsego county and was organized at Albany, where it was mustered into the U. S. service in Aug. and Sept., 1861. 700 strong, it went into camp at Alexandria, Va., being first assigned to Hancock's brigade, then in May, 1862, to the 1st brigade, 2nd division, 6th corps, with which it participated in the siege of Yorktown, fought at Lee's mill, Williamsburg, and in the Seven Days' battles, losing in that week 71 killed, wounded and missing.

The 43d took part in the bloody battle of Antietam, went into camp at Sharpsburg, Md., where five new companies joined it in October, and was next actively engaged at Fredericksburg. As part of the light brigade, 6th corps, it fought in the Chancellorsville campaign, losing 138 men at Salem Church, and 66 in the assault upon Marye's heights. It again encountered the enemy at Deep Run crossing in June, when the loss of the light brigade was so severe that it was broken up and the 43d was assigned to the 3d brigade, 2nd division, 6th corps, with which it continued to serve during its term of enlistment. The brigade reached Gettysburg on July 2, after a forced march, and went into action the next day.

Even when reduced to only 7 officers and 92 men [from its original 700], the regiment  continued and shared in the first assault on Petersburg. The deserved reputation of the 43d as a crack fighting regiment is confirmed by Col. Fox, who names it one of the "three hundred fighting regiments."

The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated Out of the Original Tongues; and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared, etc. Oxford. Printed at the University Press. 1860. Deimaond 16's with Refs. 

Original morocco, rear board stained and corner singed; clearly in a fire at some point [perhaps war related]. That said, the whole is very attrctive still and very much still in stable, good condition. Text very clean overall.