Raynors HCA 2020-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/27/2020
Union Soldier's letter written by Lt. Charles W. Smith, although "Charlie'. Smith served in Co. I, 1st CT Heavy Artillery. The 4-page pencil letter is datelined 8 In Mortar Battery near Petersburg, Aug. 1st 1864. In part, ".. Gen. Burnside who has been to work for a month past mining a Rebel fort on our left, had completed his work and had got everything ready to blow up the fort at daylight and then charge on the Rebels as soon as he made a breach in their works, and we were to support him with our artillery and confuse the Rebels ... So we were all up and ready for action at 3 o'clock, but the explosion didn't take place until near sunrise .... for one hour there was a constant roar of artillery, the most terrific that I ever heard. The mining and explosion was a complete success. there was six Companies of Rebels in the fort, and all but five men were either killed or buried alive by the explosion as they were nearly all asleep at the time and were taken by surprise. Burnside's colored troops made the charge, supported by the white troops. In less than twenty minutes they captured the first line of works and a large number of prisoners .... but about half past four in the afternoon, the Rebels charged on the colored troops and they, instead of standing their ground and repelling the attack, turned around and charged on our white troops and broke up the whole line and all started for the rear, pell mell in one complete rabble, leaving the Rebels in possession of all their works that we had captured the whole forenoon. We lost 3000 men during the day in killed, wounded and missing. This was all the faulty of the nigger troops for the Rebel force that opposed them was not more than one third as large as our own. This sad disaster has completely discouraged the white troops in Burnside's Corps, and they say that they will never fight again as long as the nigger troops are with them. the disaster has completely changed the program .... This morning everything is quiet as there is a flag of truce out! And we can walk around in sight of the Johnny Rebs for the first time in 35 days without being shot at ...: Original cover is included.
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