2020-09 Putnal
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2020
War-date Confederate medical staff non-commissioned officer's battle letter, 2pp. folio, written by Hospital Steward David F. Kagey (1834-1923), 25th Virginia Infantry, "Camp near Mechanicsville 6 miles below Richmond, Chickahominy Swamps, [Va.], June 2, 1864," reading, in part: "…we have not changed our position much…our hospital is in a level thick pine grove about a mile in rear of [the] line of battle…we are now on the main road leading from Richmond…on by Coal Harbor to White House on Pamunky River. This is a poor flat, pine swampy region…I have…stood the fatigue of marches pretty well. There has been more or less fighting daily since the first day we arrived here. Our army [are] fighting behind breastworks thrown up during the first night we got to this locality. Thus far the enemy have been easily repulsed. Our loss is not heavy. Yankee's…loose more as they often charge our breastworks. Sometimes our forces go out & run the enemy 1/2 mile or more when we lose more but capture a good many prisoners. In the fight of yesterday afternoon our loss was more than the three previous days together. This morning heavy cannonading & very heavy skirmishing on our right. I have heard…such a constant roar of cannon during the past month…to wake up in the morning without that sound seems a little strange. This has been a long & protracted siege…Gen. Lee will finally brush the enemy well & drive them beyond the Potomac…I was truly gratified to hear New Market had not suffered so much during the battle & that the people had been so hospitable to the wounded…you don't find much genuine hospitality in this portion of Va…I need a pair of boots or shoes badly…I will try to draw a pair of brogues…Henry Theiss of the Staunton Battery was wounded throughout the shoulder today by a minnie ball, tolerable bad wound …Rice's Battery…are on another part of the line in Hill's Corps. Gen. Early has been made Lieut. Gen. & commands our corps (Ewell's). Gen. Ewell has been relieved on account of ill health. We are in the centre. Whilst I am writing this another great battle is being fought…heavy cannonading commended & volleys of musketry soon followed. The fighting is raging terribly. Our division is engaged also Rode's…it is about 5 o'clock P. M. The engagement will no doubt become general by morning. Our line of battle is about 11 miles long…9 o'clock the wounded are coming in. Johnson's division has acted nobly this evening. They charged the Yankee's out of three lines of breastworks-capturing about 600 prisoners & killed & wounded many paying back for the loss at Spotsylvania in the division. Our loss has not been heavy. Most of the wounded are not serious. We had about 25 wounded in the brigade. Dr. Miller had 9 wounded in the 3 regiments in his charge. D. F. K." Very minor soiling, else VG.
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