2021-10 Raynors HCA Live
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/15/2021
A great Union soldier's battle of Fredericksburg letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Sergeant Charles J. Baxter, Co. F, 27th New Jersey Vols., "In camp opposite Fredericksburg, Va., Thursday morning, Dec. 25, 1862," to his family, reading, in part: "-the delay of the mail is owing to our being unbrigaded-when I last wrote I was in Fredericksburg momentarily expecting to be taken into the battle-orders were given for us to participate in the action (some say to storm a battery) but-we arrived on the ground too late in the day & laid down on our arms for the night instead of going into the engagement. The shells in the meantime flying over us occasionally-during Monday there was no fighting excepting occasional artillery firing. The whole attention being given to the wounded. They were taken across the pontoon bridge at the lower part of the city (this being the best protected from the enemies fire& also within a hundred rods of us) in ambulances & on stretchers the whole day. Quietude reigned among the soldiers. They had explored the city to their heart's content & seemed perfectly willing to lay behind their unsticks & watch the many mournful processions that crossed the Rappahannock. We lay there until dark, when we rolled ourselves up in our blankets for a night's rest. We had scarcely fallen asleep when our officers were running among us telling us to fall in & to observe the utmost silence while doing so-some thought we would move to some point closer to the enemy from which we could open fire on them in the morning, others that we would cross the river & aid in an attack on either flank-I was under the impression we were moving toward the left flank of the enemy until we got nearly back to our old camp ground. The idea of an inglorious retreat ( I say inglorious, it was also wise) had at once entered my mind. Each company was ordered to take possession of the same ground previously occupied-Chas. Cry. & myself spread our blankets & slept on the very same heap of boughs on which we reposed the Thursday night before; awaking-to find it raining smartly & myself laying in a little puddle of water. Oh; what a night that was to the poor wounded soldiers if any of them laid on the battlefield uncared for & exposed to the storm-among those who were engaged in it (the soldiers) regarded it as a disastrous failure and the hopes of a speedy termination of our present difficulties & an early return to their homes-is blasted. The battle of Fr. has disheartened them. They were not led onto battle but to slaughter. I saw a copy of the N. Y. Times which states our troops were not discouraged by our defeat, but were anxious to meet the enemy again. Tis, I know, to be untrue-the enemy took possession of Fg. very soon after we evacuated. Our pickets are now stationed on one side of the Rappahannock & theirs on the other-on picket-I could have good view of the Rebs as they were moving about in the city-almost in hailing distance. They are a dirty, miserable looking set. Those I saw had clothes of every color & kind. I remarked to an artilleryman (exile looking at them) that they were sorry looking soldiers-he said their fighting was not to be laughed at-we are now stockading our tents-we will stay here several weeks-do not look on the dark side of everything. The great probability is that we will all return-I would be just as likely to die at home as here-the army is not reduced half as much by engagement-as by exposure-John Henry was somewhat unwell during the march-he eats his own rations & borrows all he can [get] besides-in the army borrowed articles are never returned-the Orderly has just told me he ins on the sick list & I must take charge of his duties-Chas. J. Backster-Company F, 27th N. J. Vols., Christy's Brigade, Burn's Division, 9th Army Corps, Washington, D. C." The original transmittal cover is included. Minor soiling, else VG.
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