Presenting, A Chance to Own a True Piece of Civil War History, a Private Pocket Bible, Owned by a Civil War Captain, Capt A. L. Knowlton of the 4th New Hampshire Vols! The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments, etc: American Bible Society, 1863. Bible shows heavier wear to extremities, most notable spine with leather loss, and the pages show spotting; boards are attached but binding has severed into two halves, but, the Bible is complete. Pages lightly soiled. The Bible is inscribed inside the front cover, in period ink, 'A L Knowlton Capt 4th N H Vol Raleigh, NC Aug 14, '65. ' Knowlton's bio is below. He signed this in Raleigh, NC during the occupation of some local railroads, and was mustered out at the end of the rebellion about 10 days later.
From: “History of Butte County, California”i, 1882:Capt ABNER L KNOWLTON
was born in Windsor, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire,
September 1. 1832, and was the son of Gideon Knowlton. He lived at Windsor until
twenty-two years of age. His early advantages for an education were very limited, but, at the
age of twenty-four, he went to the New Hampshire Conference Seminary, supporting himself
while there by sawing wood and teaching. He was there when the war broke out, and joined
the fourth New Hampshire infantry, and served four years. His regiment was in Sherman's
command at the capture of Hilton Head, in South Carolina. He was in the expedition that
captured Fernandina, Florida, and was at the siege of Charleston, participating in the
operations of this division into the winter of 1863. From Charleston, his regiment went to
Virginia, under the command of Butler, and was at the battle of Gloucester Point, at the
occupation of Bermuda Hundred, and the engagement at Drury's Bluff, called the Frog fight.
The regiment was sent to join Grant's forces at Cold
Harbor, and took part in the battle of the Wilderness.
From there, his companions were thrown across James
River in front of Petersburg, where they assisted in the
siege, and remained until the winter of 1864. Mr.
Knowlton was at the battle of the mine. In 1865, he was
sent south, under Butler, and was at the capture of Fort
Fisher, and accompanied Terry on his second expedition.
His regiment joined Sherman on his march from Columbia
to Raleigh, being at the battle of Bentonville, in North
Carolina. Mr. Knowlton was discharged in the summer of
1865, at Raleigh, and went back home, having gone into
the service as private, and come back captain. He opened
an office at Concord as civil engineer, and lived there
four years. He came west in the employ of the Northern
Pacific railroad, as assistant engineer on the preliminary
survey between Olympia and Portland. He then settled in
Walla Walla, and served there as county surveyor for four years. He then came to Butte
county, and was elected county surveyor in 1875, after being in Chico six months. He lost a
re-election in 1877 by one vote, but obtained a re-election in 1879. Mr. Knowlton was married
in 1866, at Concord, to Mrs. Lizzie E Hoyt, of Fisherville, New Hampshire.
Abner L. Knowlton (First_Last)Regiment Name 4 New Hampshire Infantry.
4th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry
Organized at Manchester and mustered in September 18, 1861. Moved to Washington, D. C., September 27-30; thence to Annapolis, Md., October 9. Attached to Casey's Provisional Brigade, Army of the Potomac, Octeber, 1861. Wright's 3rd Brigade, Sherman's South Carolina Expeditionary Corps to March, 1862. District of Florida, Dept. of the South, to September, 1862. Brannan s Brigade, District of Beaufort, S. C., 10th Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1863. United States Forces, Folly Island, S. C., 10th Corps to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, United States Forces, Folly Island, S. C., to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Morris Island, S. C., 10th Corps, July, 1863. 1st Brigade, Morris Island, S. C., to January, 1864. District of Beaufort, S. C., to February, 1864. Foster's Brigade, Dodge's Division, District of Florida, February, 1864. District of Beaufort, S. C., to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to May, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Corps, to December, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 24th Corps, to March, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to August, 1865.
SERVICE.-Expedition to Port Royal, S. C., October 21-November 7, 1861. Capture of Forts Walker and Beauregard, Port Royal Harbor, November 7. Duty at Hilton Head, S. C., till January 21, 1862. Expedition to Florida January 21-March 2. Occupation of Fernandina, Fla., March 5. Occupation of Jacksonville, Fla., March 12 to April 8 (Cos. "E" and "F," Provost duty at Fernandina till April.) Regiment moved from Jacksonville to St. Augustine, Fia., April 9, and garrison duty there till September 6. (Cos. "B," "H" and "K" moved to James Island, S. C., June 8. Action on James Island June 10. Moved to Beaufort, S. C., June 12, and duty there till April, 1863.) Regiment moved from St. Augustine, Fla., to Beaufort, S. C., September 6, 1862, and duty there till April, 1863. Expedition to Pocotaligo, S. C., October 21-23, 1862. Action at Caston and Frampton's Plantations, Pocotaligo, October 22. Expedition against Charleston April 4-11, 1863. Expedition to North Edisto River April 17-28. Moved to Folly Island, S. C., April 29, and siege operations against Morris Island till July. Expedition to James Island July 9-16. Secessionville July 16. Siege operations against Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island, S. C., and against Fort Sumpter and Charleston till January, 1864. Capture of Forts Wagner and Gregg September 7, 1863. Moved to Beaufort, S. C., January 17. Expedition to Whitmarsh Island February 20-22, 1864. Moved to Jacksonville, Fla., February 23, and return to Beaufort, S. C., February 26. Veterans on furlough March-April. Non-Veterans at Beaufort till April 12, then ordered to Gloucester Point, Va. Butler's operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-27. Capture of Bermuda Hundred and City Point May 5. Chester Station May 6-7. Swift Creek (or Arrowfield Church) May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Drury's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred May 16-27. Moved to White House Landing, thence to Cold Harbor May 27-June 1. Battles of Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 15-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16 to December 7. Duty in trenches before Petersburg June 23 to July 30. Mine Explosion July 30. Demonstration north of James River August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Bermuda Hundred August 24-25. Duty in trenches before Petersburg till September 25. (Non-Veterans mustered out September 18, 1864.) New Market Heights, Chaffin's Farm, September 28-30. Duty on north side of the James, operating against Richmond, till December 7. Fair Oaks October 27-28. Expedition to Fort Fisher, N. C., December 7-27. 2nd Expedition to Fort Fisher January 7-15, 1865. Assault and capture of Fort Fisher January 15. Sugar Loaf Battery February 11. Fort Anderson February 18. Capture of Wilmington February 22. Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March 6-21. Guard Railroad from Little Washington to Goldsboro till August. Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 82 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 194 Enlisted men by disease. Total 234.
