Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 4to., written by Pvt. John R. Carnahan & Pvt. John S. Fleming, Co. K, 67th Penn. Vols., Harpers Ferry, Va., Mar. 24, 1863, to his father, in part: "…we have made 2 very hard marches to Winchester and back…we went down to Winchester to reinforce General Milroy while the Virginia troops went home to vote and as soon as they came back…we started back to the Ferry. The whole of the 9 army chore went through this place this week. They are going down to Tennessee…to reinforce Rosecrans…they will soon put a stop to the war. We made a forced march both ways and I think that our old colonel would kill any set of men if he had much marching to do if he was the chief commander. There was one Maryland regiment along with us all the time. We stopped at the town [Charlestown, Va.] that John Brown was hung at. They are all secesh and our boys used them as such. They took all the turkey and chickens and ducks that they could find…and they killed one calf but it was too poor to use…so they let it lay. The place is a very nice place. It is not much destroyed yet but I think if the 67th was thare awhile it would have to make some fence anyhow we got our breakfast there and we went to work on a post and board fence…to make a fire. Our chaplain and John Fleming was pulling out a post and they was jerking it very hard and it hit John Fleming on the head and made him reel round like a chicken with its head cut off…marching is not what it is cracked up to be. It makes a man very tired to carry one of Uncle Sams cooking stoves on his back all day…at Winchester salt is 30 dollars pr sack, potatoes is 6 dollar pr bushel. Coffee cant be had at any price and all other things are in proportion…the secesh women will come to our cook houses and take the coffee grounds after we have drunk the coffee off them and boil them over again…they cant buy anything without a written permit from General Milroy and then they must buy from our sutlers for nobody…has things to sell…John R. Carnahan. Then his friend Pvt. John S. Fleming adds this to his father, in part: "…we got marching orders on Sabbath day…we left Winchester at nine and marched to Berryville where we stopped for dinner…then we took up our line of march…and marched until dark then we got the orders…to quarters. I tell you the boys was soon scattered all over the woods and sleeping. We lay here till to o'clock in the morning when the bugle was again sounded…to march on. We had 4 miles till Charlestown. We marched thare then we stopped for breakfast. I think the boys stole twenty or thirty or maybe fifty turkeys. We commenced one, a nice board ever you seen and the railing of the yard which we soon had a good fire…we made some coffee then we [marched] 8 miles further…some of the boys is pretty tried…most of them got their knapsacks hauled part of the way but I carried mine the whole road. I think the war will soon be over…they told you about me getting hit on the head. I was only stunned. I am very well…but I am a little sore…John S. Fleming…". Most of their phonetic spelling has been corrected. Minor spotting, else VG. Minor toning, else VG
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