Our Spencer Carbines "Make The Rebs Scatter."

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

War-date Union cavalryman's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. William Wallace Sanborn, Co. F, 1st New York Dragons "Sitty Point, [Va.], July the 4, 1864," to his friend Elisha Reynolds, of Belfast, New York, in part: "…everything is quiet at the front…Elisha take care of mi old sister until I come back…since I left home our regiment have bin in 14 hevy battles and are now gon out on a nother raid…I am taking care of the sick and wounded…our men is got on 3 sides of Richmond and they are going to make a strike soon…I hope this strike will end the war…they have drafted out those rite…tell me who is in the trap this time…the boys is drinking lemonade and milk punch today. It is all free to soldiers. They have bin fiting nite and day for the last 3 weeks… how is Mr. and Mrs. Kelly. Hank [Henry Kelly, Co. C] is all rite. He aint for got to whistle yet I needn't look for him for I can hear him. It don't make much [?] gong to a fite or not. He is a good soldier…Elisha, when you have bin in a battle 5 minutes you wont care of anything only load and fire. We had the best guns [Spencer Carbines] that was out. They would shoot 8 times with the load in the gun. They make the rebs scatter I tell you. The 1st Dragoon stands No. 1. They cant be beat. They don't back [down] for anything. I saw some prisoners when I first come [out.] They said whare is the 1[st] Dragoons. We told them tha to the front. They said that they gave they hell yesterday. That was the time Atherton was shot…the last battle I was in Willard got wounded through he left hand and what does you suppose he said when they shot him[?] He said the[y] Don…[?] shot me threw mi hand. George Roice went with him to the hospital. Alher's went with him to the boat. It took some days to go…Wimbee got shot threw his arm…Cavalry Corps hospital1st N. Y. Dragoons, Co. F…Wm. W. Sanborn…". The original stamped transmittal cover is included. Minor soiling, else VG

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