Raynors HCA 2017-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2017
A good war-date Union surgeon's letter, 6pp. 8vo., written by Asst. Surgeon William C. Towle 12th Maine Veteran Battalion, "Army of the Shenandoah, Camp Russell, [Cedar Creek, Va.], Nov. 20, 1864, to his wife, in part: "…our army has received a new name and our present camp the name of Gen. Russel of the 6th Corps who fell at the battle of Winchester…we have been very busy settling…accounts of the 12th Me. Regt or rather of the volunteers…they started for home yesterday morning and took the regimental colors. Gen. Grover…decided that the colors belonged to us and…telegraphed to Martinsburg to have them stopped…and sent back. The Genl….is a Maine man [and] thinks a great deal of the old 12th…he says it will be filled up again…I don't like the idea of consolidation…we have now 397 men all told, 210 of which are here. The rest are in hospital, prisoners and etc. We have formed…for the present into four companies and it will go by the…12th Veteran Battalion of Me. Vols…Dr. [Eldridge A.] Thompson would if he had his own choice remained but the Col. had a different idea…the Col. and myself are quarters together in a long wall tent…our Regt went out as guard to the forage train last Wednesday after hay and corn. I stopped at a house while the teams were loading, got some bread and milk and…quite a talk with the female portion of the family who as usual were thoroughly secesh. They informed me that Mosby took dinner with them ten days before and…his band were not forgot that day. Finding that I was from Maine they told me of two teachers who taught school in that vicinity…her child that was left there died about a year ago. The other one went North. These people had two sons both in the Rebel army. The old man, his wife and two daughters constituted the balance of the family. I told them I thought the best way to settle the war would be to send all of the Southern women North and the Northern women south. They would hardly consent to that for they tho't that the South would…win independence…the chaplain of the 14th Me went home with the body of their Lieut. Col. who was killed at the battle of Cedar Creek. While there he made known the wants of our Maine boys in the field and the noble, generous ladies of Bangor…gave him 350 pr. of nice woolen gloves, quite a number of fair socks and a large quantity of stationery…many thanks to the Maine ladies…Wm. C. Towle." The original transmittal cover is included. Minor toning, else VG.
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