1865 Civil War Bethel Bounty Fund Broadside Lincoln 300,000 Troops PA # TOC2146

Original Civil War-era “Bethel Bounty Fund” broadside dated July 1, 1865, measuring approximately 12” x 18”. This large-format historic notice was issued in Bethel Township, Pennsylvania in connection with the township bounty fund created following President Abraham Lincoln’s December 19, 1864 call for 300,000 additional troops. The broadside lists hundreds of local subscribers by name along with the dollar amount each contributed. It also announces a meeting for Saturday, July 29, 1865 at the Fredericksburg School House, where surplus bounty funds were to be returned and distributed among eligible subscribers. Prominently printed are committee members George Brutzman and D. W. Uhrich. The extensive subscriber lists make this especially interesting for collectors and researchers of Civil War history, Pennsylvania history, genealogy, military recruiting, and 19th-century Americana. Size: Approximately 12” x 18” Condition: Shows substantial age-related wear consistent with an approximately 160-year-old paper document. There is toning, staining/water discoloration, fold lines and creases, edge chipping, tears, small areas of paper loss, and handwritten pencil notation near the upper edge. Despite the wear, the dramatic “NOTICE—BETHEL BOUNTY FUND” heading, decorative border, main text, subscriber names, and contribution amounts remain largely readable. Please carefully review all photographs for exact condition. An impressive large-format 1865 Civil War home-front broadside documenting the financial effort of a Pennsylvania community during the final months of the war. Note: Sold as a historical collectible. No restoration or professional conservation is represented.