Raynors HCA 2018-03
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/15/2018
Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Altus H. Jewel [WIA Fredericksburg, Va., May 3, 1863], Co. E, 77th New York Vols., White Oak Church, Va., Feb. 12, 1863, in part: "…we are…about three miles from White Oak Church. When we first came here it was a dense forest…now…the woods are all cut off for a square mile. We have to go nearly a mile to…get wood. Some places that were woods when we came here look now as though it had been cleared fifty years. Our camps are laid out in streets about two roads wide with a row of tents on each side…we have to keep everything out of the streets and sweep them every day…now that the Army of the Potomac were going to be split up…they have been going abroad of boats at Acquia Creek and Belle Plain Landing for some time…I don't wish to go to South Carolina nor west. Let those that like Negroes fight for them for they are all the war is for and all we are fighting for…we…have got to make the best of it now. If I had believed what people…told me I should not have been here now…if I get out of this scrape alive I will never get into another such one…I would like the fun of…support[ing] batteries to destroy the Reb's pontoons…for we have got…advantage of them as they had of us when we crossed…since Burnside tried to cross the Rappahannock there were so many deserted that the Gen. [Burnside] has come right down…we have roll call at half past six in the morning, at noon…and again at half past six in the evening. Out of five that deserted from our Co. three got away…we have heard that they…got back to Saratoga. The two that were caught are over to brigade headquarters. They have been court marshaled and plead guilty…three that got away were…Bakers. Clad and Jerry [both] brothers to Bill that lived in Dan Tailor's house. Bill is here yet, but is going to get his discharge. [The Baker brothers were all in their late thirties when they enlisted. Corp. Claudius Baker, 39 years old, deserted Jan. 23, 1863; Jeremiah Baker, 38 years old, remained in the army and was WIA Wilderness while William Baker, 43 years old, was discharged for disability on March 1, 1863.]…the whole Co. are glad that they got away for a desire that gets off clear is thought to have done a big thing by the army…you can see how much the soldiers think of the war…A. H. Jewel." With fully detailed transcription. Minor soiling, else VG
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