Raynors HCA 2017-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2017
Union soldier’s letter written by “O(liver) C. Trembly” who enlisted on 6/20/1861 into C Co. OH 7th Infantry and died on 6/24/1864 at Ohio River. The four page letter is accompanied with the original cover and is datelined Lookout Valley, Six Miles from Chattanooga, Nov. 8th, 1863. In part, “We are now encamped directly at the foot of Lookout mountain and within easy range of the enemy’s guns from which they have been firing ... Gen. Hooker took them rather by surprise when he appeared here and has gained a very important point and a strong position. ... Some pretty sharp skirmishing the first night after they came in here. ... One Div. of Longstreet’s Corps came down off from the mountain and tried to surprise them, but they found our boys wide awake and ready for the onset. The Rebs came up in their old style yelling don’t fire on your own men, but the ruse this time only proved fatal to them for our men reserved their fire until the Rebs came within short range when they opened on them such a terrific fire that it sent them back in the utmost confusion and with a very heavy loss. The fight lasted two hours and the Rebs were beaten off at every point and fled to the mountain, leaving in front of the regts. of our div. that were engaged, 126 dead and a large number of arms. ... The 11th Corps about two miles farther up had a severe engagement with them at the same time and whipped them as handsomely as did the few regts of our Div. Their loss must have been very heavy for it is calculated in battle that there are six men wounded to everyone killed. The loss of our Div. was 200 killed and wounded. ... Longstreet’s Corps has been relieve on the mountains by Pemberton’s old Corps. commanded at present by Breckenridge. They are very talkative and want to converse with our pickets all day long. They are only separated from us by a narrow deep stream of water. They ask us all kinds of questions about the north and what will be done with them if they give themselves up. ... Now I am telling you the truth when I say that I would rather fight this army here than to fight half the same numbered of Lee’s Army in Va. They are not half so determined and are so disaffected they will desert at every opportunity. Another thing, the good name Lee’s army has acquired will make them always fight well if they have no other hopes. ...
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