A Union Drunkard Claims He is Captured by the Confederates

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/31/2006

A nice war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp.8vo., written in pencil by Corp. Arthur M. Stone, Co. E, 34th Mass. Vol., Cumberland, Md., Feb. 4, 64 to his mother concerning chasing the rebels in northern Virginia and Maryland in 1864, reading, in part: "…we received orders on Monday morning…to take three days rations…we took the cars at Harpers Ferry…when we arrived at Martinsburg we found we were going on still further…we found we were in Cumberland. We do not get out of the cars…we were in freight cars…there were 46 of us in one car in what was still worse…cattle had just been taken out of the cars…without cleaning out the car…but we managed to all stretch out some way by taking turns [with] one laying [on] top of the other…we remained in the cars…then marched up on to a hill…behind the 12th Virginia, and 1 Battery…Gen'l Kelly came up also with his staff. Very soon, a man came to Col. [George D.] Wells [KIA 10/13/64 Cedar Creek, Va.] who belonged to Co. D of our regt and reported that there were about 400 rebels in the woods…and that they had taken him prisoner…he got away…Col. Wells immediately ordered us to take our overcoats off…as quick as possible. Two companies were sent off a skirmishing…we were drawn up in line of battle behind the battery…we found…that the man made a false report…he had been away all day…got drunk…lost his gun and equipments and told that story to shield himself…he is now under guard…since we have been here the rebels have burnt a small bridge on the railroad between here and Harpers Ferry…the guard that was stationed there ran at the fire approach of the rebels without firing at all…we shall go back to the Ferry…our things are all there, and about 200 of the regiment were left there…". The original stamped transmittal envelope is included. Stone served throughout the remainder of the Civil War seeing at action at the battle of New Market before being discharged in June 1865. Minor toning, else very good.

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