Raynors HCA 2017-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/1/2017
Confederate soldier’s letter written by Pettus C. Lehr, who enlisted as a Sergeant into "I" Co. MS 12th Infantry. The lengthy letter of 11 pages, has segments addressed to to each of his 3 brothers giving great advice like…”Keep cool and kill a Yankee everytime you shoot.” Datelined Maryland, Sept. 4, 1862, as his regiment has entered the state of Maryland during the Antietam Campaign. The letter is written on captured Union regimental stationary of the 51st New York. In the letter he comments that, “I captured a good deal of paper and envelopes in fact… more than I could carry!” In large part, “We crossed the Potomac yesterday. We had it to wade. It was nearly waist deep. We came in to Maryland in our shirt tails. I have got used to wading rivers. We have waded all between here and Richmond. ... I have been into two fights since I left Richmond. The last one was in the battlefield that the Manassas Battle was fought. We give them a good whipping. The fight come off on the 9th of last month. I suppose we killed, wounded and taken prisoners over twenty thousand. ... Dark came just about the time we got them to running good. If they had of done as well on the right wing of the army as we did on the left, we would of routed them good. Our old General thinks our Brigade can whip five men to one. He is a great old fellow. He is from Miss. His name is Feathersston. Our Brigade is composed of the 12th, 16th, and 19th Miss. and the 2nd Miss. Battalion. ... I have been in six fights and have been spared though the next one I may fall. If I do, I will fall in a good cause, and I want all of you to meet me in heaven. ... I do wish you could have been with me the other day in the fight to of killed some of the Yanks. You are pretty good to kill any thing a running, and I think it would have been fun for you to of tumbled some of them up. ... Battle of Manassas. General Strand got around in the enemy’s scene and telegraphed to Washington that the Rebels were in full retreat and there were a great many citizens come down in a hurry to see us run but when they came down they found it the reverse, that the Yanks were a running and they were prisoners that have had a chance to see Richmond before this time. ....”
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.