Raynors HCA 2019-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2019
A great early Civil War volunteer's letter, (Written on the day Fort Sumter was fired upon!), 3pp. 8vo., on patriotic stationery, written by Pvt. Mathew Halpin, [POW Second Bull Run, Va., 8/29/62], Co. K, 22nd New York Vols., Albany, [N. Y.], April 12, [1861], to his friend Albert A. Fletcher, reading, in part: "…I take my pencil in hand to write…this long neglected letter…but owing to the noise and excitement…among the troops. I got to the lake…and got aboard the boat and enlisted immediately…we went through inspection . At night we got beds and blankets…about the middle of the night we were aroused by the mob, a set of young men that go around this city making disturbances. We immediately got up and found it necessary to place a guard at four different entrenches of this building…the mob retreated and did not disturb us more that night…next morning the[y] returned and commenced throwing stones at the guard when one of them drew his revolver and fired three timing missing twice and killing one man. That night his comrades came back, probably with the intentions of revenging him, and snatching a musket of one of the guards thrust the bayonet at his breast, but before he could do any damage he [was] knocked down and [was] pinned to the ground by the bayonet. Yesterday…a soldier tried to run away but was seen. He was going over the fence and shot through the thigh and died last night. We are stationed near the center of Broadway at the Adams house…get all we want to eat, but…it is none of the best. I could not get room to write…by emptying the water pale and placing the paper on the bottom…Clark Huntley is ensign [later made 2nd Lieutenant on May 9th when the 22nd was organized] and Tom Foy is 2nd Sergeant." Also included is the original transmittal cover. Wrinkled and unsigned, but else VG.
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