2021-10 Raynors HCA Live
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/15/2021
An extremely heart-felt Confederate home front letter concerning the impact the battle of Gettysburg has had upon his family and neighbors, 4pp. 8vo., written by Lt. Romulus L. Cox, Co. K, 52nd North Carolina very much shaken brother, Madison, N. C., July 24, 1863, to "Dear Bro.", reading, in part: "Your letters came to hand in due but - I opened it & Henderson's & found you heard from Romulus & that he was safe. I was afraid to open the letters for fear I would find the sad news of his fall or of being wounded - a kind Providence has therefore saved him & I humbly trust - a safe deliverance through every trail & danger that may beset him during the continuance of this unholy war - our poor soldiers have [to] go through so many battles we can hardly expect them to escape safe, unhurt. I am now almost as anxious about Romulus as I were after the Battles at Gettysburg. I am afraid he was in another fight after he wrote. I see in the papers that Genl. Pettigrew died from a wound recd. in a fight with the rear guard & the enemy's cavalry & that fight was - between Hagerstown & the Potomac - the Northern papers say they captured one brigade of 1500 & one Genl. Pettigrew command[ed] his [Romulus'] brigade [and] was of course in the fight - now [he] may be in the hands of the enemy. If - Romulus was not killed or wounded we will perhaps be in the hands of the enemy a good long while as they are not exchanging officers - I feel the more uneasy because I have not had any letter from him - I was truly sorry to hear of the death of Capt. B. [Arelius C. Blackburn, Co. K, 52nd N. C., KIA Gettysburg, July 1, 1863] but I trust it was for his good & that his soul now rests in Heaven. If so, our loss is his eternal gain. We had heard before receiving your letter that he had fallen, but was not certain. Mr. Ryerson from Stokes had been north of Richmond & said he saw some of Capt. B. men who told him - Miss. Nannir believed it was so. She was in town when she heard the sad news. She takes his death very hard. I feel truly sorry for her. She did not know how well she loved him until he was taken away. I can sympathize with her - she went home last Sunday. I would have gone up - to see her but had no horse. I let her know the next day what news I had - Miss. Fay asked me to do so & I thought it would perhaps be some consolation to her. Miss. Fay & Miss. McGhee are much distressed also. The whole family thought a great deal of Aurelius & were pleased at the thoughts of his being more closely alined to them - he & Miss. Nannie have been engaged two or three years. All - anticipations have been blasted by this cruel war - our prospects now are more gloomy then ever & unless Providence interposes in our behalf. I am afraid we will be subjugated as the North has so many more men than we have. The call now takes all to 45 & another call will take all to 50 - then we are all done if the war goes on for a year - the Yankee's are as much [?] on subjugation as now - I would like to get a soft place to fall before the call is made to 50 but don't - see the place. If I could get the clerkship as you proposed it would be an easy place for both of us - I don't think there will be any chance for that for - Capt. Ellington will not resign. I saw him the other day. He said nothing about it." Unsigned, but addressed to "Dear Bro." with original adversity transmittal cover with Madison, North Carolina "Paid 10" cancellations addressed to "P. A. Cox, Hospital, Wilson, N. C." The interior of the cover, reads, in full: "U. S. Coast Survey. A. D. Bache Superintendent. Sketch J, Showing the Progress of the Survey in Section No. X. Lower Sheet from San Diego to Pt. Sal. From 1850 to 1857 Scale 600.000, 1857." Minor spotting, else VG.
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