Battle of Carnifax Ferry, West Virginia Letter

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/20/2018

Good war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. folio, written by Corp. John C. Barton, Co. C, 23rd Ohio Vols. (President Rutherford B. Hayes' command), "Cross Lanes, Va., Sept. 10, [18]61," reading, in part: "…you have undoubtedly heard a thousand different reports concerning the struggle between Gen. Rosecrantz & Floyd…after a forced march of 12 days, on less than one fourth rations, we arrived in the vicinity of the Enemy's fortifications…7000 men heavily fortified. Our forces were about the same…the battle was opened by our forces without ceasing when we withdrew for the night intending to scale their breastworks at an early hour in the morning…put them to the point of the bayonet, but…we found but one live man and that was Gen. Floyd's waiter. They had made a hurried retreat leaving everything behind, their dead & wounded among which was upwards of 2000 lbs. of ammunition…300 stand of arms…& camp equipage…and all the officer's private property among which was Gen. Floyd's trunks…their loss…is 150 dead, wounded unknown. Our loss will not exceed 17 dead & 50 wounded. Our Reg. suffered but little…11 wounded…none killed…the deserted battlefield was…sickening. The heart piercing shrieks…& the mangled corpses…can only be imagined…one of our noble color sergeants, while marching in front of the enemy's hottest fires, bearing the emblem of our country received a musket shot severing one of his fingers completely…he placed the flag in his other hand and marched tersely on…the next round…torn him almost in two. He was buried and the flag of liberty was his winding sheet. Our men fought…like tigers…can whip double their numbers…Gen. Cox had an engagement on the 10th but cannot tell…we leave…to Gauley Bridge for the enemy is between here and there…there will be another battle soon…in the vicinity of Gauley's Bridge. Part of the men started for there this morning…tell Bruce not to enlist under any circumstances…he could not stand it a month…many are dying all along the road…J. C. Barton, Co. C, 23 Reg. O. V. via Weston…we are all well…except Abraham Nice. He had a fall…they did not expect him to recover." Usual soiling, else VG

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