1st Massachusetts Cavalry Correspondence Grouping

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/30/2019

Group of nine war-date Autograph Letters Signed by Calvin Rice, 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, most 4pp. quarto, dated March 7, 1862 through June 14, 1862, and read in small part: “...[Edisto Island 3/7/1862 There are some rebels on the island but how many we do not know. The first week we was here we had a false alarm every other night caused by our pickets shooting secesh cows which they take for men in the dark. The second day we was here we all went out scouting. We went about twelve miles, run afoul the Rebel Pickets, drove them in but could not get at them on account of a large creek which our horses could not cross. They run as if the very devil was after them...We have great sport going out after cattle of which there is any quantity running wild on the island. We have Colts, largest size revolvers & we chase them and put them on our horses behind us...[Edisto Island, 3/20/62] it is hot enough here some days to roast eggs...we do things on the jump here we being around secesh we have to. We had an alarm the other night about 2 o’clock a.m. and from the time the bugle sounded first it was only 3 minutes that every man had his horse saddled ready to mount. We are allowed seven minutes...The infantry pickets siad they had seen secesh and fired at them but we saw not even a ghost of one...[Edisto Island 3/23/62] I know a darkey down here that looks just like him and I would like to have young Pratt her too. I would like to have him out on picket dusty some night. He would think a Rebel had hold of him. I never thought Frank Snow would get baptized but you can’t always tell. I should like to get in the water myself but I should want to put my head under myslef and as often as I wanted...Our revolvers are tip top ones and I would not be without one for anything...[Edisto Island 4/17/62]Give my love to all the folks, Ma in particular and tell her if she thinks proper she can have them photographs framed. I think they are worth it. In the picture of the mess you will see a large tree over the tent. It is a fig tree full of figs...[Edisto Island 5/8/62]You said you thought I was gone for a prisoner. Not quite yet my honey. When they take Co. G they take dead men....The Rebels do not trouble us much lately. I was out all last week ten miles from with a detachment of our co. and while I was there one of our gun boats cleaned out a secesh battery...[Edisto Island 5/21/62] Both of the other Co’s of Lancers have come here from Hilton Head and Co. L & M and Sherman’s battery has come too. They are all landed all here in the night so the rebels can not see what is going on. And straw is place on the bridges so they cannot hear the horses feet tramping...hoping to see that Old Eagle scream over every dung hill in America...[Edisto Island 5/31/1862] I told you in my last letter that I had been promoted to a Sergeant and am getting along tip top...[On the road to Charleston 6/8/62] We are about six miles from Charleston and skirmish everyday with the Rebels....We cut off two of the rebels Cav and the infantry took them...We will have Charleston pretty soon...[James Island 6/14/62] The secesh are very close to us and throw shell every day at us. But they do us very little harm. They shelled us all last night and only hurt one man. They can’t get the right range of us. I have heard the war of musketry in battle for the first time and I tell you it sounds rather queer. The Rebs advanced on our camp, that is the camp of the Union troops...They killed 4 of our men and lost over 80 of their own. Our men fought like devils. The New York 47th stood the brunt of it. Their prisoners said that they were drove into it. We killed one Capt. He had seven bullets in him. We took their Colonel. He was wounded in the shoulder. ...Their men are dressed very rought and look quite down hearted...” All very good to fine condition. A nice group of soldiers letters.

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