This Document is docketed on the reverse and titled “Inventory & Inspection of Camp & Garrison Equipage Pertaining to Company C, 118th Regt. U. S. C. Infty. For which Chas. B. Randolph, Capt. 118th U. S. C. Infty. is responsible”.

     A further notation below the docketing is a manuscript “Approval” of the contents of the Document signed by Major General Weitzel and dated August 21st, 1865 from 25th Corps Field Headquarters at Brownsville, Texas.

     The Inspection report was written by Captain Randolph and signed by him. It is dated August 4, 1865 at Brownsville, Texas. It details the number, condition, value, disposition, etc. of the 21 Field Tents (here called “Shelter Tents”) belonging to Company C of the 118th USCT which were all deemed “worthless” and were “To be turned in to the Quarter Master of the 118th USCT and Removed from the returns”. The Inventory is attested to by Captain Randolph and countersigned by Major General Giles A Smith as Commanding Officer of the 1st Division of the 25th Army Corps.

    The 118th Regiment USCT was organized at Baltimore, Md., October 19, 1864. The regiment moved to City Point, Va., October 26, 1864 and was attached to Provisional Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James until December, 1864 at which time it was transferred to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 25th Corps and Dept. of Texas until February, 1866. The Regiment saw service in the siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond from November, 1864 to April, 1865 and took part in the occupation of Richmond April 3, 1865. The Regiment then saw duty in the Dept. of Virginia till June, 1865 when it moved to Brazos Santiago, Texas, They saw duty at Brownsville and at various points on the Rio Grande till February, 1866. The regiment was mustered out February 6, 1866.

     This very rare and original, Civil War Colored Troops Manuscript Document is in excellent condition. The Sheet is clean and crisp and very well preserved and the manuscript text neat and easily legible. There is no physical damage and no repairs of any kind. This Manuscript Inventory Document came to us with a small collection of Civil War manuscript items related to various USCT Regiments and are unconditionally guaranteed original and as described above. The signatures of Major Generals Weitzel and Smith are unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic and executed by the officers of the XXV Corps.

     A very rare and fascinating, original, 1865 manuscript Civil War Inventory Report signed by United States Army Major General Godfrey Weitzel and Major General Giles A. Smith and a fantastic addition to any collection!!!

    Godfrey Weitzel (November 1, 1835 – March 19, 1884) was a major general in the Union army during the American Civil War, as well as the acting Mayor of New Orleans during the Federal occupancy of the city.

    Godfrey Weitzel was appointed to the United States Military Academy (then under the superintendency of Robert E. Lee). Weitzel demonstrated a strong proficiency for mathematics and engineering, and graduated 2nd out of 34 cadets in the Class of 1855. He was initially assigned to help improve the defenses of New Orleans. In 1859, he returned to West Point as Assistant Professor of Civil and Military Engineering. Weitzel married Louisa C. Moor of Cincinnati on November 3, 1859, but she was tragically burned to death only three weeks later. He was promoted to first lieutenant of engineers in 1860. In 1861, he was reassigned to Washington, D.C. in the Corps of Engineers. His company served as the bodyguard during the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln.

    Weitzel commanded a division in the XIX Corps in the Lafourche campaign. From May through September 1864, he was chief engineer of the Army of the James, being engaged at Swift's Creek, the actions near Drury's Bluff, and in constructing the defenses of Bermuda Hundred, James River, and Deep Bottom. In August, he was brevetted major general of volunteers "for meritorious and distinguished services during the civil war."

    He assumed command of the XVIII Corps from September 1864 through the end of the year, and was brevetted colonel in the regular army for the capture of Fort Harrison. On November 7, 1864, he became a full major general of volunteers and was assigned command of the XXV Corps, consisting of U.S. Colored Troops under white officers. He participated in the ill-fated attacks during the First Battle of Fort Fisher. He and his corps were reassigned to Virginia when his commander, General Butler, was relieved of duty.

    On January 6, 1865, while on furlough in Cincinnati, Weitzel married Louise Bogen, daughter of Peter Bogen, a prominent pork-packer and grower of Catawba grapes for winemaking. During the final months of the war, Ulysses S. Grant named Weitzel to command all Federal troops north of the Appomattox River during the final operations against Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Weitzel took possession of the Confederacy's capital, Richmond, on April 3, 1865, establishing his headquarters in the home of Jefferson Davis. His aide, Lieutenant Johnston de Peyster, is credited with raising the first Union flag over the city after its fall.