Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
A great family archive from the family of Corp. Charles L. Fox, 8th Indiana Light Artillery. Included in the lot are ten (10) war-date letters written by Fox to his sister, a resident of Massachusetts, dated between February 1863 and near the end of his service in Sept. 1865, totaling over 40 pages of commentary including his thoughts on the neglected of battlefield wounded, witnessing the battle of Chattanooga, claims of Gen. Joe Hooker's drunkenness at Chancellorsville, McClellan's unjust removal from command, plus an interesting eyewitness account of colonel who was sent to Libby Prison claiming that Richmond could have been captured and burned in 1863 by Stoneman's Cavalry. Fox's war-date letters, read, in very small part: "…[Murfreesboro, Tenn., Feb. 24, 63, 6pp. 8vo.]…of the sick and wounded they are as a general thing…very poorly taken care of…but it is as well as they can do in the army especially after a battle for there is so many wounded that it [is] very little attention any of them get…theirs many a poor fellow with a mangles limb which might be saved were he at home…but enough of this…there is some prospect of getting a furrow now as our general is going to adopt the plan of the generals of the Potomac army. That is to let five percent of the army have furrows from ten to thirty days…but how soon I will get to go is the question…for there can only [be] about seven or eight from our battery at once and we have 149 men in the company…[Murfreesboro, May 4, 63, 6pp. 8vo., with stamped cover]…[of] our camp. We have the prettiest camp and park in the Army of the Cumberland, at least Gen. Rosecrans who was riding through our division…staff said so. There has been a picture taken of it band if they make a photograph of it I will send it…we are too easy on the copperheads and traitors at home for our own good, but it seems we are making more progress at the present time then we have for a long while. We are giving them Jesee on all sides from the Potomac to the Gulf of Mexico and all intelligent men think that there is a better prospect of peace now than there ever was before. I hope it is so…the Secesh have got a new general which they don't like a bit…still they are compelled to be under his lee. His name if Gen. starvation which Gen. is doing more for us…than a good sized army could do…Charles L. Fox 8th Ind. Battery…[Murfreesboro, May 10, 63, 5 1/2pp. 8vo.]…as you say about our army in Virginia. It seems that the place must be almost impregnable for we have attacked it so many times and in so many different points and…so many different generals…I think that is what is the trouble…if McClellan had been kept there and continued in his command…we should have had possession of the rebel's capitol before this time without doubt…it is generally thought in this part of the army…there is a small prospect of our army moving before long…you will see what Rosecrans can do…of Gen. Hooker's drinking. This is the first I have ever heard of it…no drunken general is fit to commandant army…I expect that when Hooker moves agin…it will be a simultaneous move by the armies of Banks, Grant, Rosecrans, Burnside, DuPont and the land forces near Charleston which…would have been done before this only for the high water [which] compelled Hooker to recross the Rappahannock…a colonel in our brigade who was captured between here and Nashville says that [while] in Libby Prison could hear distinctly the reports of the guns which were from Stoneman's Cavalry and also says that with a thousand men…he could have taken the city and burned it to ashes because theater were no fighting men in the city only convalescents and sick…if that stronghold is taken we have them pretty well whipped for they have driven us back so many times that they begin to think they are invincible…[Murfreesboro. June 7, 63, 4pp. 8vo., with stamped cover]…it seems that the ladies are still very patriotic there as yet which I am glad to see but…I hope I shall not have any use for the garments…they are manufacturing for the soldier's benefit…the prospects is better for the closing of this bloody war than ever. This is if Vicksburg is taken and no doubt…it will be sooner or later…we had a photograph taken of the battery today which I mean to get a copy of when they get them struck off…if they don't come too high…Charles L. Fox…[Chattanooga, Dec. 2, 63, 4pp. 8vo., with stamped cover]…I have some news to tell you in regard to the late battle fought here on the 27th & 28th of last month…I had a very good view from one of the high hills surround[ing] Chattanooga…we completely whipped them, drove them back to their old battlefield of Chickamauga and on they went…when last heard from they were on their way to Atlanta…we have taken about five thousand prisoners…and 85 or 90 pieces of artillery…it has been the greatest victory of the war…Joe Hooker will be the praise of taking Lookout Mountain and to Sherman flanking them on their right and cutting off the railroad between the rebs and Atlanta and capturing so many prisoners. They say that they are tired of this war and of the Southern Confederacy. We now have possession of Lookout Mountain and the railroad…they are repairing it as fast as possible…before long the old iron horse will be steaming up around Lookout to Chattanooga…our transportation is all by steamboat from Bridgeport…to this place. One boat with one gun and some of our battery went up to Knoxville as a guard with a boat load of prisoners…Charley…[Chattanooga, Feb. 4, 64, 5pp. 8vo.]…the reason is this as I lost all their pictures in the fight at Chickamuaga. I wrote to father for more and father said that if I would send him 4 of my photographs…he would send his and Hurbert's…Chas. L. Fox…[Hart's Island, New York Harbor, Aug. 17, 65, 3pp. 8vo.]…I am not at Trenton, N. J. as I expected…but at Hatrs Island about 20 miles from New York on the East river and a poor place it is…there are about 100 acres in the island and not a tree on it…nothing but weeds, rocks and barracks. We are stationed to guard New York Regts who are waiting to be discharged and mustered out. There is some talk of our being mustered out here…I was looking on the office of the U. S. Quartermaster to get transportation to Trenton…he showed me that boat we would go to camp on …the boys call it Dry Tortugus No. 2…Charlie L. Fox…[USA Genl. Hospital, No. 3, Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Sept. 21, 65, 4pp. 8vo. with cover]…my term of service expires on the 13th day of December…Chas. L. Fox…". Also included are nearly a dozen pre and post war letters (several on St. Louis and San Francisco Railway stationery with accompanying stamped transmittal covers) written by Charles, four tintype style CDVs of Fox family members, a leather bound account book both war and postwar dates along with several unmatched transmittal covers. Most letters are readable, but some with lightness. Overall expected wear and soiling, else VG
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