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, 5pp. (last page cross-hatched) 8vo., written by Hospital Steward David F. Kagey (1834-1923), 25th Virginia Infantry, "Camp on Banks of Opequon Creek 2 miles below Martinsburg, Va., July 28, 1864," reading, in small part: "…since my last letter this army has had several small fights. Gen. Ramseur let the Yankee's surprise & whip him 3 miles below Winchester last week [Second Battle of Kernstown, July 24, 1864]…the enemy however thought they were whipped & consequently fell back…Breckinridge's, Gordon's, Rode's & Ramseur's divisions all formed a junction at Hupp's Hill…the day after the Winchester fight…the enemy supposed General Early was compelled to fall back [and] advanced as far as Newtown. Sunday morning Gen. Early started down the Valley again. At Kernstown the enemy mad e a stand & offered battle about 2 o'c. p. m. Sunday, but our line of skirmishers drove the Yankee line of battle easily "pell mell" before them. The old 2nd brigade were the skirmishers for the division & our division was the only one engaged. The 3rd brigade, formerly Steward's, were also deployed as skirmishers to support the 2nd. All acted gallantly. The 2nd brigade lost 11 killed & wounded. The 3rd lost 6…[these] brigades form what is now known as Terry's Brigade…the 1st is the Stonewall, 2nd was Jones' [and] 3rd Stewarts. The 25th Va. had 3 wounded, 2 of them badly in the leg. Sergt. Trainer from Highland Co. Priv. Ramsey of Augusta Co. badly & Priv. Beaty of Rockbridge was slightly wounded in leg. Winchester at present is poorly provided with hospital accommodations…our wounded will be sent up the Valley…our Valley is swarming with stragglers & shirking soldiers…I hope the people will withhold their provisions from such cowardly fellows who…cry…'can't you give me a little bread & milk…have you got anything that will lay in a sick man's stomach' etc. If you have any provisions furnish it to the wounded…Dr. Miller & I were left at the field hops. at Barton's House…after the fight. The army pressed on & camped several miles below Winchester that night. We managed to get all our wounded to town that night…we mounted our horses; it pouring down rain we went inbox town…in the morning Dr. Henkel & I went back to Winchester where he was operating nearly all day…Tuesday the army took up the march for Martinsburg…the Yankees in their flight…burned a great many wagons & did not halt till they got across the Potomac. They took the precaution to move all the stores they had in Martinsburg before evacuating…I am told the government agents at Richmond have fixed the price of wheat at 430.00 per bush. If true they ought to be hung to the first tree found. They better never let the privates in the army get hold of them. They have [been] fighting for a few Confederate dollars & they at home buy…are amassing a fortune. Its atrocious to think of…you must economize as much as possible…if you can't buy flour & pork for Confederate money perhaps you can bargain for it payable in specie or current funds after the war…Billy has a dress for each of you if he has not lost them. The cavalry have much better chances for getting goods or plundering than infantry & many of them do very little service [and are] most of the time away from their commands traveling through the country sponging on the people. They ought to be dismounted & put in infantry. Of course there are some excepting, but very few…affectionately, Dave…". Near fine.
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