2020-09 Putnal
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2020
War-date Confederate medical staff non-commissioned officer's letter, 2 1/2pp. folio, written by Hospital Steward David F. Kagey (1834-1923), 25th Virginia Infantry, "Camp near Spotsylvania Court House, May 14, 1864," reading, in part: "…we have not had a mail for more than a week & have been entirely cut off from all communications in our rear…I sent my last letter…by one of our wounded men…whilst I am finishing this the constant roar of cannon & musketry can be distinctly heard about a mile off. This is the 10th day of the 'Great Battle'…our army has been in line of battle for the past ten days & nights & been fighting daily. Someday…the fighting has been more furious. It has continued sometimes all night. The rain seems not to prevent the continuation of the fighting…they fight just as much during a heavy shower as any other time…May 5th (the first day of the fight) &…10th (the sixth day of the fight) has been the most hotly contested…the first day they were badly whipped, our loss not much except our regiment which suffered most. The Sixth day…the enemy massed their forces & the morning being so very foggy they got between our skirmishers & our fortifications about the centre of our line of battle just where Johnson's Division were stationed in the breastworks in a long shoe shaped fortification extending far out towards the Yankee fortifications. They advanced through the thick dense fog on both flanks of Johnson's Division…13 columns deep-getting in the rear of the Division & completely cutting it off from the rest of the line. The greater portion of this Division were captured…with Maj. Gen. Johnson (Gen. Johnson was wounded in the arm) & Brig. Gen. Stuart of the 3rd Brigade. Brig. Gen. Walker of the 1st Brigade was wounded. Some other officers of the division [were] killed, wounded or captured. Nearly all of the 25th regiment that were left from the first days fight were killed, wounded or captured at that time. Johnson's Division has suffered more during this battle than all the rest of the army. The entire loss of our army in captured has been estimated at about 2,000 men & officers. We have about 7 or 8000 of the Yankee wounded & not wounded in our hands…after the enemy gained possession of the breastworks where Johnson's Division were, Gen. Lee massed troops at that point & drove them back & charged them out of their lines. Our army still hold their works & a good portion of the battlefield. It is said…the enemy are falling back towards Fredericksburg…there still is however heavy cannonading on our right. The artillery has not suffered much as…they can't operate much. We lost one battalion of artillery when Gen. Johnson & his command were captured, but our men killed the horses & the enemy couldn't get the pieces away…Rice's Battery have been on the extreme left…I saw David Henkel…he told me no one had been hurt in the company. Dr. C. C. Henkel told me…John Henkel was killed in a cavalry fight a few days ago…this…has been the greatest battles recorded in history. Men who have taken part in many of the previous battles of this war say all others rank into insignificance…I have stood the hardships & fatigue…we all try to keep in as good spirits as possible considering the losses we have sustained in this battle…this division have…about 500 men fit for duty. The 37th Va. regiment &…the 25th have each about 25 men …it rains nearly every day & it is very muddy. We have a good many Yankee wounded in our hands. I amputated one's leg just above the knee yesterday-a New Jerseyman I believe. I got along well. He seems to be doing finely. Today he says he will get well…D. F. K…". Light soiling, else VG.
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