Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
War-date Union soldier's letter, 20pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. George S. Youngs, [POW Harper's Ferry, Va., 9/15/62], Co. G, 126th New York Vols., "Provost Guard Hd. Qrs., Second Corps near Burkesville, Va., April 15, 1865", in very, very small part: "…the delay has been unavoidable as no mail has been sent…since the 2nd…we marched…every day…until the surrender of Lee's army…the 30th ult…we lay in camp not far from Hatcher's Run…that evening…S. E. B. [Samuel E. Blaisdell] and myself walked arm-in-arm, smoking, and talking of past, present and future…it was a beautiful bright moonlight evening…the 31st…we got orders to pack up…the Hd. Qrs. train, considerable artillery firing to the right…there was considerable musketry on the left…indicating that the enemy was being driven…our train moved very slowly…one of the boys…informed me that Clint Pasko [WIA White Oak Ridge, Va., 3/31/65] was…wounded and wished to see me…we found him laying on some blankets spread on the ground surrounded by quite a number of others in the same position. The bullet which entered the breast…below the arm had been extracted from the back. He was pale and suffering some. A dull heavy pain he said…it was a sever wound…we found..some two hundred and fifty prisoners which we were wanted to guard…in an open field just in front of the house, Major Mills of Gen. Hancock's staff was killed this forenoon by a solid shot. I saw his corpse at the 1st Div. hospital…[April 1st]…some musketry on the left probably the cavalry…[April 2nd]…sometimes the firing would be on the left, then on the right, then in front…Gen. Wright of the 6th Corps has taken the line of works in his front…our corps has succeeded in taking the front and line of works in our front with the artillery and 150 prisoners. There is great cheering among the troops. The 3rd Div. Band…has just finished playing "The Star Spangle Banner", "Hail Columbia" and "Yankee Doodle"…[April 5th]…very bad roads…the troops have had a hard march but are in the best of spirits, plenty of music. Saw a number of Sheridan's scouts dressed in Rebel uniforms…[April 6th]…our advance encountered the Rebels who have been fought and pushed all day as fast as our train could conceivably move. They left their dead and many of their wounded on the field…sharp fight about five…which ended in the hasty retreat of the Rebs…[April 7th]…passed High Bridge…a magnificent structure…the Rebs attempted to burn it this morning, but one succeeded in burning three spans. Our Corps captured some prisoners…three wounded Rebs lay in the bushes…about three…the Rebs made the most determined stand…since the 2nd…[April 8th]…saw three dead cavalrymen on the road. They were some of Sheridan's men killed…yesterday and not yet buried. Farmville is…a pretty little place…several of the prisoners had friends residing here. Gen. Grant's Hd. Qrs. were…at this place…[Sunday April 9th]…moved on about six o'clock…marched to the prisoners camp…turned the prisoners over to the officer in charge…we were 35 miles in the rear. Think of that, 35 miles i the rear and we found stragglers from the army all the way up to the front…April 10]…about noon persons coming from the front reported that Lee had surrendered. We…could not believe it. We met over a hundred different persons who reported the same thing…we could hardly realize that such an all important event had really taken place. The Lt. left us…he rode on to Hd. Qrs…we went out foraging, killed four pigs, two sheep and one three year old beef…[April 11]…our Corps reached here about dark…Lee's surrender is fully confirmed nothing definite can be learned as to the real number of his army…they will probably be paroled. Our Corps captured in this campaign 5000 prisoners, 400 wagons, 35 pieces of artillery and 15 battle flags…[April 12th]…the roads were bad…a great many horses and mules 'played out' on the road…[April 16th]…a telegram was received at Hd. Qrs…that President Lincoln had been assassinated at Grove's Theatre…and that Secretary Seward and his son had met the same fate at their residence in Washington on the same evening…a telegram was sent to City Point to ascertain the truth of the message…a message was received from there…that it had not been heard…there. It is supposed that the wire had been 'tapped' by the guerrillas…I have not seen any papers…since we moved. I am therefore in a state of ignorance if not bliss…Geo. S. Youngs…P. S. No. 2, I enclose some scrapes of letters picked up on the route….G. S. Y." Also included is one of those "scrapes" he refers to here. It is a letter written by a certain "E. S. McElroy" who no doubt was a Richmond tailor. In this letter he writes that the coat he he has made and is sending might not fit the recipient. The original stamped transmittal cover with dual three-cent postage stamps. Minor toning, else overall VG
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