2020-07 2 sessions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/23/2020
War-date letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by U.S. Christian Commission Agent William Van Wagenen, "U. S. C. C., Fredericksburg, Va., May 20, 1864," to his sister, reads, in part: "…I was assigned to a hospital in the Methodist Church. Here every church and almost every house is filled with the wounded…there is one other delegate besides myself here…two ladies and seven or eight gov't. nurses & two doctors…there are about 200 wounded there. In the morning I dress wounds and feed them…write letters and in the evening talk to them…I have…several pets among my 'boys'. One is a boy of 18 who has lost his right arm & is so wounded in his left arm that he cannot use it…another boy of about 17 has lost one arm…there have been a great many amputations some of which will die. One of my 'boys' (aged about 30) is to have his foot taken off tomorrow and I expect to assist. I got up my appetite for breakfast…by assisting at the amputation of a hand. Several hundred wounded have just come in…this morning I officiated at my first funeral…last night three of my men died & tonight one is just dying …there are about 11,000 wounded in the city & many passed through every day…my nervousness is pretty well over…guerrillas are all around the town & everyday attack some soldiers. There are not many troops here…there are not more than 100 people left in town. This morning 40 men were sent to Washington as hostages for those wounded when the Mayor sent on to Richmond when the battle just begun. We can hear the cannonading here plainly…direct to me care of U. S. C. C., Fredericksburg, Va. Yours, Willie." Negligible stains, else VG.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.