Raynors HCA 2019-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2019
War-date Confederate cavalry officer's battle letter, 2pp. large folio, written by Capt. Alfred B. Mulligan, [WIA Burgess' Mill, Va., Oct. 27, 64], Co. B, 5th South Carolina Cavalry, "Chickahominy Swamp about 18 mile N. E. from Richmond", [Va.], June 5-6, 1864, to his mother & sisters, in part: "…I have under gone the extremist exposure weever since I came to Va.I did not think it possible for men to undergo so much exposure without breaking down…we take rain & sunshine and are getting so that we can lie down in a mule hole & sleep…we have let constantly employed looking up the Yankee army & as soon as we locate them the infantry & artillery come up & engage them and we go on our way…Grant has been constantly moving down toward the James river ever since he left Fredericksburg-Lee moving down in a parallel line so as to keep between him & Richmond. Our cavalry have been kept employed feeling the enemy & skirmishing in his front so as to retard his movements & prevent him from getting on the south side of the river. We never remain in one place for…a day. Our horses suffer more than we d as we get enough to eat & they do not…I do not expect the campaign to close as soon as some do. Grant will not venture a general engagement. He is afraid to meet us out in the woods. He is trying to get in digging distance of Richmond so as to reduce the city by a siege. His men cant fight on open ground, but [from] behind entrenchments. They fight very well. I have not as much hopes of a speedy peace now s I had before I arrived here. The Yankees are trying to exhaust us. They think that they can starve us out etc, etc. They say they cant whip us but will starve us out…[Monday afternoon, June 6th 1864]…I was prevented from finishing my letter…by the relief coming [in]…I was ordered off to picket in another direction & have just returned to camp…our scouts all report the enemy quiet. The Chickahominy is the line now & we are keeping it well picketed…have my pants & sack made well. The pants must be very full from the hips to below the knees but not sloaped out at the feet. I am wearing my new pants every day & they are nearly worn out…". Light soiling, else VG.
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