Raynors HCA 2019-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/30/2019
War-date Union soldier's battle letter, 8pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Harrison Gibble (Gipple in the CW database), Co. A, 79th Penn. Vols., Stevenson, Ala., Sept. 27, 1863, to his friend, Henry C. Gringrich, in part: "…I will give you a short history of this horrible fight. Our regiment is in the centre corps commanded by Gen. Thomas, a brave man. Our boys was left…at Racoon Mountain to repair the road…worked for two days…on Thursday night we was ordered to come forward…next morning [Sept. 19th] the whole division started on a slow march in pursuit of the enemy…before…one mile they met the rebs. They were concealed in an ambush near the road. The 79th had the advance, 24th Ill. next, 21st Wisconsin & 1st Wisconsin…and Bushes battery. We had two companies of skirmishers out, but they did not fire at them and left them pass…kept themselves concealed till we had almost past…then they came out 8 men deep and gave us one volley after another. We retreated in double quick…here we lost considerable. The 24th Ill. lost the most, 64 men fell of theirs. About 40 or 50 of ours fell. Here John Grosh from our Co. was killed and 6 or 7 more of our company…the battery was taken the same time. Our men went back about 1 mile and then formed a line of battle…went back…and fought them and recaptured the battery…by assistance of Gen. Johnson['s] Division…it cost a good many lives. They fought a hand to hand fight…[we] was victorious for this day. The next morning (Sunday) the rebs commenced to fire shells into our lines at about 9 o'clock A. M. Our artillery could not play on them with any advantage…the command was given forwards towards the enemy…after we had a better position for our cannons they commenced to peel into them as fast as they could, but it did not scare Longstreet's men. They came up before the cannons mouth and was shot down by hundreds…in spite of all this. They captured 4 pieces…two our men saved. The horses was nearly all killed and some run away. At this fight the rebs lost 6 to our 1…their men was nearly all killed, not so many wounded, as on our side. Our brigade did not get into the engagement on Monday. On Tuesday morning their was 87 men at roll call…the balance of the 380 men which went into the battle on Saturday are missing …I did not know which minute they might make a strike on the provision train…I am still with the wagon train and am now at Stevenson for provisions…we will leave for Chattanooga…a distance of about 50 miles. I was astonished to see so many of our men going back to Nashville on the cars…they said it where those that are only lightly wounded…those that are mortally wounded are all left at Chattanooga. (Old Rose as we call him.) Has given orders to press all the negroes and white citizens to dig entrenchments at Chattanooga which they did and at present our army is resting in front of the town, ready for battle. He did not only fight Bragg's army he also fought most part of Lee's army. While our men…was sleeping and doing nothing, but fixing their paper collars. Lee sent his best men to reinforce Johnson & Bragg to swallow up our Brave Gen. Rosecran's…little band…of about 75,000…but it failed…they are now trying to cross the river again and get into our rear…Rosecrans don't sleep to let…the whole rebel army move towards our rear (like the commanders of the Potomac. I…talked with some of the prisoners which was in Longstreet's Corps. They say they would sooner fight the paper collars in Virginia…than you Bull dogs…we have our wagons loaded and tomorrow…we leave for Chattanooga. Today 2 brigades of cavalry came back to this place to strengthen this post. The 9th Pa. Cavalry is amongst them…Rosecrans has been reinforced since we left the front…our men captured some whiskey at a distillery and took 8 barrels to a place to store it…in view of the rebels. (This was the trap.) Our men put a guard out…this whiskey and fixed another point for the reserve…at night the rebs made an attack for the whiskey and our men killed over 300 of them and kept the whiskey…H. Gibble…". Light toning, else near fine.
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