Raynors HCA 2017-12
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/7/2017
A great war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Corp. Robert A. Hubbel, Co. K, 14th New York State Vols., Harrison's Landing, Va., July 5, 1862, reading, in part: "We started a retreat from Gaines Mill…on Friday June 27…crossed the Chickahominy after a most sever fight with great loss…it was a perfect slaughter…their loss must have been in all the fights from 30 to 40,000 killed, wounded and prisoners. We whipped them everything, held the battle ground until…the nights and then fell knack to be again chased in the morning. Our brigade has suffered severely. We have only one Col. in the brigade (Col. McQuade) Col. Woodbury of the 4th Mich, Col. Black of 62d Penna, Col. Cass of 9th Mass. are all killed. Our Lt. Col. Skillin was shot and died when being taken off the field. Lt. Col. of 62d Penn. is also killed. The 9th Mass. have no field officers and only one Capt. left…the 4th Mich. have no field officer but Lieut. Col. and major…they are cut up most badly…our Regt…started with about 450 men fir for duty…we have had 185 killed, wounded and missing, 3 officers killed and 5 wounded. Co. K had 2 killed and 18 wounded out of which 3 are missing. Lieut. Butler was wounded in the first days fight and taken back to hospital. The Rebels…drove us and gained possession of the building and…many of our wounded were captured…it was impossible to get ambulances to carry them with us. Many were left on the field as we could not get them. We had nothing to eat and no sleep for 3 days…we suffered more fro water than anything else. They followed us to or present camp on the James River 40 miles from Richmond. It is…called a successful retreat…we held the field at any point we chose…after holding we would again fall back. We mowed them down like grass. In many places they lay 3 and tier 4 deep…they had so many troops that they kept closed in masses…our grape and canister would cut whole Regt at a time. We, after arriving here received 60,000…reinforcements which were immediately sent forward and the Rebels are now retreating…I think Genl. Mac is all right and intended this move…as a decoy…Little Mac will come out all right yet. If some of those darn politicians would stop their blowing and come on and fight we might have had them whipped long ago. We want more men and unless we get them we can not take Richmond or stop the Rebellion. We have to guard everyplace we go…or the guerrilla bands will cut us up…we must have men and plenty of them…if Congress does not give Mac more men they can find no fault. Our division are…a more sorry looking lot of men…hollow eyed, cheeks fallen in and tired out…we lost every thing we had tents, knapsacks etc…they must have from 250 to 300,000 men around…Richmond…R. A. Hubbel." Minor soiling, else VG
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