Raynors HCA 2017-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2017
Union soldier’s letter (Joseph) Atwater (Hall) who enlisted on 6/21/1861 as a musician into Band CT 5th Infantry. The four page letter is datelined “Williamsport, Md., June 3rd, 1862.” The first battle of Winchester was fought on May 26th, 1862. In part, “We are in the Gen. Banks Division which at that time amounted to 15 or 20 thousand men. We drove Gen. Jacksons (the rebel Gen) force before us to the end of the valley…. Sec. Stanton withdrew part of his command leaving Banks with only about 5,000 infantry. ... one morning we recd. news that Jackson had been reinforced and was going to make an attack. We struck tents in the night and began on retreat. We kept falling back until we arrived at a place just below Strasburg, when it was found Jackson and Gen. Ewell were in our rear. We immediately fell back to Winchester when we took position ready to fall into fire of battle any moment. ... We (the Band) were with the regt. and the shell burst around us on every side. Soon the rebels began to advance upon our extreme left which position was held by the 5th C. V. A Georgia Regt. advanced on them, and when near enough our Col. gave the order to fire, which was obeyed, and it is reported that the first fire our regt. knocked over 150 of them. They immediately fell back and just at that time the right wing was driven back with orders to retreat, which was done in good order. ... Our loss was considerable but nothing like that of the enemies. The rebels intended to bag the whole of us, as their force was 30,000 and ours but 5,000. We fell back to Williamsport, a distance of 35 miles. ... When we were retreating through Winchester the citizens fired upon us from the buildings and the boys say if they ever get back there, they will leave it in ashes. ... News has come in that Fremont has followed up Jackson and had an engagement taking 27,000 prisoners. I don’t know whether Jackson escaped within that loss or not but I hope the whole of them will get bagged. ... Lookout for those cussed Indians for they are like a snake in the grass, and when you get a chance draw a fine bead and be sure of your mark. ...’
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