Raynors HCA 2018-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/21/2018
A lengthy 16pp Union letter written by Edward Charles Parker who enlisted 1/13/1862 into E Company NY 94th Infantry, POW at Gettysburg, confined at Macon, paroled 3/12/1865, VG. Parker signs with initials, “ECP”. Writing to his wife Julia, dateline Head Quarters 94 Regiment NY Vol, Opposite Fredericksburg, Va. May 18th, 1862. In small part, ““The ladies are the strongest secessionists in Fredericksburg. The ladies are so prejudiced that they will not pass under or near the stars & stripes ...” Parker spends several pages giving explicit details about his visit to Washington, D.C., describing each building he visited. As example, “The patent office where we saw so much that you could not tell what you did see. It put me in mind of an immense toy shop. I saw there Washington’s Cabinet coat worn by Gen. Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, Jany 8, 1815. Also saw the silk robes presented to James Buchanan by the Japanese, & also swords and swords, guns, etc. presented to the President of the United States by the Turks and other heathen powers which are of very curious workmanship. I saw the torpedo & infernal machine that was to blow up the vessels of the Union fleet, constructed by the Rebels. Besides getting a view of Washington, the Patent Office is a great curiosity.” Then he describes the review by General McDowell, “He rode a splendid dapple grey horse… The Chaplain addressed the Regiment on the text ‘we have all got to give an account unto God. ... His remarks were to the point & the heart of every man to him, and most every night after dress parade, the Chaplain stepped forward & makes a prayer which was never done while Col. V was command of the Regiment. He told the men that he wanted them not to drink Liquor & not to swear any more than they could help & that he wanted them to be Christian soldiers....” he then begins his close, “The most part of Virginia is settled by a lauded aristocracy. That is a few own all the land & cultivate just what they choose & keep the rest in a state of nature so that the poor man stands no chance. There those that are rich are very rich & those that are poor are very poor. While we were encamped at Brook’s Station, I went to find some milk, & I found all the people poor, living in log houses that looked as if they were 100 years old, just high enough for a person to stand up. Some of the houses had thatched roofs. A great of the wealthy have joined the Rebels, & many of the poor have been pressed into the Rebel service. ...”
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.