Raynors HCA 2020-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/27/2020
War-date Confederate officer's letter, 10pp. 8vo., written by Lieut. Mann Page [WIA Cedar Mountain, Va., Aug. 9, 62], 21st Virginia Infantry, "Camp near Winchester," [Virginia], May 28, 1862, to his uncle, David Copeland Randolph, reading, in part: "…news of our great victory will reach you before this…we left our camp near Rines on…17th May. Took the Harrisonburg road…up the Valley to New Market…we crossed the Massanutten Mt. to Luray (in Page County) where we camped…near Stribling Springs…Luray is 25 miles from Front Royal…the morning of the 23rd…marched thirty miles that day giving battle to the enemy…our Regt. did not get into the fight only the 1st Md. Regt. & Wheat's battalion of Tiger from New Orleans…we took two Rail Road Engines with some cars and a large quantity of stores…2 sutler's stores, filled with all sorts of things to eat, a good many saddles, sabers & boxes of the most improved kind of arms…with about nine hundred prisoners. The next day (24th) we took up the line of march…to Middletown…Genl. Ewell [was] on the Winchester road to get in Bank's rear. It was a grand day with us. We cut the enemy's lines in two…driving some three thousand back towards Strasburg taking…some three or four hundred prisoners, a great many wagons filled with…arms, horses, saddles & sabers…here our Brig. was very much exposed to their artillery fire, but our Regt. did not loose a man…we then marched toward Strasburg where we routed…the Yankey army and taking…six pieces of artillery. We then turned back and marched back through Middletown…the road was so filled with the wagons, horses & baggage of the Yankey army…we could hardly get along while eve side of the road our cavalry were beginning squads of Yankeys. At Newtown they made a short stand firing up the road at us…they knew…we could not bring our artillery to bear on them without killing the women & children of Newtown, but as we commenced to flank them they fell back…set fire to some thirty wagons…taking advantage of the night to fall back to Winchester. Ee had…ben all day on the march (some 25 miles) and our poor soldiers could hardly drag one foot after the other for we had been marching 25 out of 27 days…but we were not to stop here for…old Jackson ordered our & the Stonewall Brigs. forward. There [on our] left was the battlefield with the graves of our Brothers who fell on the 23rd of last March…with old Jack at our head…we pressed onward driving the Yankeys back slowly for they would fall back and ambuscade us as we came up & so the night went on. It was along night…many asked themselves…if they would live to see the bright morning sun…about one hour before day we were ordered to lay down for one hour but it was too cold to sleep…we were now about one mile from Winchester…I could almost see the cannon of the Yankey…around Winchester…just as day was breaking Genl. Ewell sent Genl. Jackson word that he [was] almost to the rear of Winchester and that he could attack the Yankeys in front. I went around rousing the sleeping portion of our Regt…no sooner did it become light…than the Yankeys opened with great effect upon our artillery…our Regt. was ordered…to support the Rockbridge artillery. It was a grand but awful sight to see those deadly missiles fling…above us & in our very lines…thank God no one was killed in our Regt. while the battery we supported was cut up so badly that they did not have enough men left to work their guns…I was struck by a spent ball on my left leg which glanced off striking a poor horse…behind me…bruised [me]…and made it hurt very much…soon after there came for the hole army to charge. In an instant we were on our feet and with a yell that shook the very earth as it was taken up along the hole of our lines which was over half a mile long we rushed up hill and down hill until the bewildered Yankeys went flying through Winchester…in the excitement of the moment I forgot all about my leg and it has never hurt me since except when I put my hand on the place which is a little bruised. It was a happy day for us and for the first time since I have been with him I saw Old Jack smile as he dash[ed] along through the streets of Winchester while cheer after cheer was greeting him as he pass through…our Regt. is ordered to take the prisoners to Richmond so I hope to see you all…your devoted nephew, Mann Page." Negligible spotting and soiling, else VG.
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