Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
War-date Union soldier's battle letter, 8pp. 8vo., written, on McClellan and American Eagle patriotic stationery, by Pvt. David W. Sharpe, Co. B, 1st Conn. Hvy. Art., "No. 1 Battery near Yorktown, Va., May 1st, 3rd and 7th, 1862," in part: "…we had the first brush with the rebels yesterday…the engineers commenced to throw up a breastwork on the right of the battery for another two-hundred pounder (in plain sight of the rebels). They commenced to throw shells at us…their shells all went over us but few of them burst. They had fired but a few times when we had orders to prepare for action…we had those guns loaded in least time imaginable. We threw shot and shells into Yorktown and in their batteries and solid shot from our two-hundred pounder at their shipping in the harbor. One of our shots carried away the end of the dock and another struck a schooner and damaged it so much that it had to be towed away…we fired thirty five rounds during the afternoon and the rebels between twenty and thirty. None of us was hurt and it is not known how many of the rebels were killed…the war will be ended soon after we take Yorktown…[May 3rd]…Hurrah for the war! Yesterday we had another brush with the rebels and the only gun they got that can bear upon us burst…they threw twenty-three shells at us, ten of which burst. Only two struck very near us-one in the ditch front of the battery and the other two or three rods in the rear. The rest struck about five hundreds yards in the rear of the battery. You would laugh to see us drop on our breast when we see a shell coming. We like…dodging the shells but we gave them fun…one of our shells struck and burst in a crowd of beseech soldiers who were at work on the dock…they have got a steamboat load of troops lying off in the river but dare not land them…everytime they go to the wharf we fire at them…[Saturday evening]…we have been firing at the rebels this afternoon and have silenced a water battery…May 7th]…the rebels evacuated Yorktown saturday night. McClellan with the army is following them up…he has already taken ten thousand prisoners…[at Yorktown} they left a great quantity of commissary stores, a good many of their cannon and ammunition. I went into several magazines and there were great quantities of solid shot, shells, powder and musket cartridges. The cannon they loaded and spiked before they left. They also placed torpedoes in the ground which burst as soon as they are stepped on. Two men have been killed by…them. I picked up a beseech almanac for 1862…David…D. W. S…". Overall VG
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