Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
Confederate Stonewall Brigade letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. John W. Middleton (1835-1907), Co. H, 27th Virginia Infantry, (WIA & POW Pickett's Charge, Gettysburg 7/3/63), Manassas Junction, July 29, 1861, in part: "…General Jackson's Brigade are encamped three miles north of Manassas Junction…we will stay here until another battle takes place which…will be some time as it will take the enemy some time to organize such an army as they are going to attack us with…Lincoln intends to send a sufficient force to surround us and make us surrender…then he will overrun Virginia with his Northern hordes…he will be mistaken as the Lord is on our side…I have great faith in the justice of our cause. I sincerely wish they would move us over to Winchester or somewhere in the valley where we could get good water…we have very bad water here, bit muddy and warm…I do assure you I have no anxiety to go into another battle…it makes my heart ache to think of the pain and suffering caused by the death of brothers, husbands and fathers both North and South. I talked to a wounded man from New York who said he had a wife and five children…he would have given all he had in the world if he could see them once more, but he never expected to have that pleasure. Our new recruits are doing very well. They are doing very well. They are learning to drill very fast, but it makes me fell sad to see so many fine looking healthy young men, anxious to learn to fight that they may either kill or be killed…they who are prepared to die and get killed are more fortunate than them that survive only to be made targets of. I intend to do my duty as long as I am with the company and intend to stay until I can get off honorable…I will stay here until cold weather, then I will try and come home and stay a while…I suppose you have received the pistol I sent home by John Breton…keep it and make use of it…there are no gardens here and I have not seen any vegetables since we left the valley…J. W. Middleton…". VG The original transmittal cover is included. VG
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