Raynors HCA 2017-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2017
Union soldier letter written by William F. Smith using the alias “William Wallace” (an alias noted in the Civil War Data base) enlisted on 5/23/1861 as a musician into "B" Co. MA 1st Infantry. The four page letter is datelined Near Spotsylvania Court House, May 19. In part he writes, “This is the roughest campaign we ever had and we have run across the roughest works we ever found to take… We were placed here and told to fortify ourselves as we had so much of the lines to hold while the rest of the army attacked the flanks. Our regiment is not much larger than our company used to be a perfect skeleton nothing left. ... The next day they attacked us but we repulsed till towards night when they made a charge on a regt. in the 6th Corps that never was under fire before and they broke and run but the rebs were quickly drove back. ... Our regiment made a charge, went in with 170 men and came out with only 88 running down fast... Was on picket night before last and yesterday, did not fire a shot, but talked with their pickets. This morning our pickets and theirs have been meeting half way and exchanging papers and talking together. ... There is an awful pile of wounded so far on this campaign. A larger percentage of the loss is wounded than on any other campaign…” Comes with original cover.
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