A Maryland Farmer Joins The Fight During The Gettysburg Campaign

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008

A great war-date Pennsylvania soldier's letter, 4pp. 4to., written in ink by William F. Keyes, Bealton Station, [Va.], Aug. 13, 1863 concerning the pursuit of Lee after the battle of Gettysburg and of a Funkstown farmer joining the fight, in part: "…I think I last wrote you immediately after the Battle of Gettysburg…if I ever see you again I will tell you somethings about it that will illustrate to you as they did to me certain portions of the history of this war that I could never before understand. Those were terrible days, those three and I thought after they were over that I would rather do almost anything than undergo another such…ordeal…I feel as though I would not care to try it again. I fully expected once since then to be a prominent actor in another tragedy of similar dimensions. One day (I think the 12th July) we crossed Antietam Creek and arranged ourselves in line of battle in a devil of a hurry…our Brig in the front right before us was some rising ground covered by an extensive wheat field from various parts of which smoke would spurt out and in a while and the next moment the bullets of rebel sharpshooters would throw up the dirt at our feet. As soon as our line was fixed we went to throwing up breastworks also sent out skirmishers who soon made the 'Johnnys' skedaddle from the wheat field. The skirmishing continued till after dark and was renewed at daylight and kept up with great pertinacity till noon when the rebs fired three guns throwing their shells over a detachment that were putting up a breastwork on rising ground before mentioned, this stopped the firing of muskets on either side for the day and by next morning at 9 oclock old Bobby was safe on the south side of the 'Rubican'. We followed his trail to Wmsport and found his entrenchments in our front very strong. If we had made an attack I think it would have proved the last of the 2nd Brig. We also found six graves by his lines in our front showing that our sharpshooters took better aim than theirs. Our loss was only a few wounded from Kenly's Brigade. While the skirmishing was going on a citizen of Funkstown whom the rebs had robbed of everything he possessed came out and took a position on our line with gun and equipments to try as he said to get a little satisfaction. He blazed away very industriously and with evident delight presently bang! Whizz spang! Came one of the shells I spoke of right on his head and exploded in the rear. Ye citizen was startled, his sport began to assume a serious aspect when bang! Goes the rebel gun again and once more the iron message to 'get out' went hissing over his head. Ye citizen was frightened and before the third report came his coat tails were toying with the breeze at right angles with his flying body. He did not go to the rear at double-quick but as the Artilleryman would say he richocheted touching once in forty rods and bounding like a spherical 12 pdr shot…the Batterymen are perfectly indifferent to shells no matter how thick they come or what destruction they create; but a the little singing 'minie' they evince a wholesome fear. With the infantry the case is exactly reversed. They do not care for bullets, but have a dread of shells…". Fine.

Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).