Raynors HCA 2019-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2019
War-date Union soldier's letter, 2pp. 4to., written by Sgt. Mathew Halpin, [POW Second Bull Run, Va., 8/29/62], Co. K, 22nd New York Vols., "Camp near Bell Plains, Va., Jan. 27, 1863," to his friend Albert A. Fletcher, reading, in part: "…we have just got back from our 2d onward to Fredericksburg…we left camp about one o'clock P. M. and started for Falmouth. It was slow going as the roads was blocked up all the way by artillery…baggage & wagons…we got within 1/2 mile of Falmouth that night. About 11 o'clock it commenced raining and next morning the roads that were hard & dry the day before were knee-deep with mud and there was the whole army stuck in the mud…it was just as much as a man could do to navigate at all…our division laid by for 2 days in a piece of woods and…we would be there yet, but the[y] could not get rations to us. It took from 8 to 12 span of horses to draw the artillery to say nothing of a Regt of infantry to each battery. We marched back to camp as we best could across lots…it was a good sight as far as the eye could…see each brigade taking a Bee-line for their old camp. The order was read here…that Burnside, Franklin & Sumner had resigned and that Joe Hooker was in command of the Army of the Potomac. We recd. the news as a matter of course & that is all we care about it. The general cry is 3 months more & we don't care who runs this show…from all appearances we are getting ready to onward to Richmond again. For my part I don't much care…if we go into it again I'll take good care not to be taken prisoner unless I'm poked so I cant help it…Lieut. Huntley has not been to the Regt. yet…Mathew. N. B. We got about 4 inches snow." Also included is the original transmittal cover. VG.
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