Raynors HCA 2019-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/21/2019
War-date Union officer's letter, 4pp. folio, written by 1st Lt. Sheldon C. Treat, Co. E, 4th Iowa Vols., "Camp at Woodville, Ala., Jan. 10, 1864, to his sister, in small part: "…most of the old soldiers are enlisting again for 3 years…the 4th [Iowa] is in for it…I suppose you have got a Bean tonight and I should like to know who he is but it aint none of my business…their is plenty of girls around here but they all chew tobacco and snuff, too much to suit me. I should like to have you see one of these fair damsels with her pretty mouth filled with the weed and spitting the juice around like some old Tar. That is one more accomplishment than most of the Ladies have up their, besides that, they smoke and swear. If that don't place the Southern dames above the Yankee women then it is a wonder…their is…something did before long…I saw the batteries filling up their caissons today with ammunition and the infantry drawing cartridges…they intend to shoot at somebody…1 year ago to night I marched all night for Arkansas Post…it will be one year since the battle…I was waked up…after sleeping about 1 hour on the roof of a log shanty by a round shot witch cut the ridge pole into(sic) and scared me as I felt the roof shake…it scared Capt. worse than it did me. It came very near taking his head off. It was very impolite in the rebus to do so after us being out all night in the mud…after Capt got down he said…Treat I don't know what I should have done if that shot had taken my head off. O says I, never mind Capt. if it had…I would have throwed you off the end of the shanty…that was the hottest little fight that this Div. was ever in. A 12 lb. shell burst tight over my head…and knocked the man down that I stood beside…a piece hitting him in the stomach hurting him so bad that he had to be discharged. It stunned me so I saw Stars for about 10 minutes but it did not hurt me or scare me as bad as the round shot in the morning…I have got barracks built for my men…they are made out of logs and mud with large stone chimneys. They are not healthy but are warmer than tents. I still keep my tent…warm…with a pan of coals…if it gets colder…I shall have to build a house for my self…S. C. Treat, 1st Lieut. 1st Div., Pioneer Corps, 15 A. C.". Near fine.
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