Powder Horn ID Info

[JSMOSBY]

I purchased this horn in Madison, Wisconsin several weeks ago. It's about 10" straight across from tip to base. I'm trying to validate the ID on the sales tag: "...owned by Pvt John Wells, 2nd Minn. Cavalry, served at Ft Snelling, MN, 1864". I bought the horn and not the story although I've exhausted my attempts to verify the ID. The horn has an etched deer head, and in the painted dark green field with a black painted band adjacent to the base the above information, with a small sword and long arm depiction. The rectangular shape cut through the wood base plug is a small glass window to view into the horn to see fill level (?). The tip plug came with the horn. Certainly not military and may be folk art, probably not a working horn.  Any help, thoughts, comments, etc. would be appreciated. Thank you.

[geologyjohn]

I looked at a database of Civil War soldiers and believe that I found your man, though the information does not exactly match the information that you had on that tag.

John Wells enlisted at age 18 on Febraury 8, 1865 at Holt, Mn., as a Private. He mustered in as a “Substitute” into Company G, 2nd Minn. Volunteer Infantry. He was hospitalized ( date and place not stated).  Additionally, his date of mustering out is not listed on the Minn. Adjutant Generals Report. I do know that the 2nd Minnesota Volunteer regiment mustered out in July ‘65.  I wonder if he participated in the 2nd Minn’s sweep through the Carolina’s (with Sherman) after the March to the Sea, or did he spend it in the hospital?

[JSMOSBY]

This is great information!  Yes, I'm excited.  I was initially a bit skeptical about the information on the sales tag.  It seemed a bit "disjoined" especially the Ft. Snelling, MN, 1864 reference.  I can envision someone making this horn between total boredom (hospitalized) and terror. I wonder if he was wounded in MN in that Indian activity, especially Sioux, was intense in the Dakota Territory between 1862-1864, during the Civil War or both ("memorial horn").  One of my first impressions when studying the horn was the dark green and black painted banding around the base was unusual.  I believe those to be early hospital corp insignia colors during this period.
Thank you and take care,
John