Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. John R. Carnahan, Co. K, 67th Penn. Vols., [Berryville, Va.], Apr. 18, 1863, to his father, in part: "…we are still at Berryville. It is twenty miles from the ferry and 12 miles from Winchester…there not a store in them and the country nearly desolate. There are some sutler store for the soldiers but they sell at their prices…I just came off guard this morning. The duty we have to due…we go on guard every forth day…this week we got new guns. We got the Enfield rifle. They are a good gun…we are in the Shenandoah. The people hear say it [is] the best part of the whole state. It is a very nice country. This valley is about fifty miles long…it [is] level [with] lime stone…the fence is all burnt. Thare [is] no grain, sod…and no plowing for the man all gone to the army but some of the old men. You could scarcely see a young man in the whole country…we are brigaded with a Maryland regiment and a Va. regiment and New York regiment and a battery of four pieces. We being some of the readiness in every day…we are under General Milroy. Report says that they can bring in one hundred thousand men here in 24 hours…if the officers would do their duty we could sure put an end to this war…they have a very easy way to make money. I forgot to tell you how hard way the people here has got it…they have no coffee. I was in a house and they told me they had nothing to eat but cereal and meat and when the old ran was done they did not know what they would do…my rayers is that God will be with us and guide us in the way to Heaven's glory and pray…his will that [this] wicked rebellion soon may be sunk to the bottom of the sea never to rise again…John R. Carnahan…". Most of his phonetic spelling has been corrected. Minor spotting, else VG
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