A US civil war frock coat belonging to a major general of the Union army is to auction at Cowan's in Ohio on April 30 with an estimate of $15,000-20,000.
During the civil war, the majority of the Union forces were made up of volunteers - resulting in a large influx of officers who were promoted to more senior positions than they had held in the regular army.
 The coat was worn by an unknown major general in the Union army |
The owner of this particular coat is a mystery - an interior label reads "property of" but the name is illegible, a factor that negatively affects its value.
It is in otherwise excellent condition.
A Brigadier General's coat attributed to John Pope Cook is estimated to make $12,000-18,000.
Cook was born into a wealthy family and was appointed mayor of Springfield, Illinois in 1855.
At the outset of the war, Cook took command of the Springfield Greys militia under the rank of colonel. He was promoted after capturing a key position during the Battle of Fort Donelson in 1862.
After hostilities ceased, he was recommended for the rank of major general by President Andrew Johnson and was again promoted in 1866.
There are a large number of collectors specialising in US civil war memorabilia, resulting in significant sums for the most important artefacts.
Last year General Ulysses S Grant's coat sold for around $1.5m in a private sale. You can read our rundown of the top five pieces of civil war memorabilia sold at auction here.
Check out our fascinating militaria range here.
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