Raynors HCA 2018-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/21/2018
A rare Medal of Honor winner's war-date letter, 6pp. 8vo., 1st Sgt. Wilmon W. Blackmar, Co. K, 15th Penn. (Anderson Troop) Cavalry, "Hd. Qr. Escort", near Stevenson, Ala., Aug. 27, 1863, to his mother, in part: "…yesterday we returned from a trip we have been taking with the General…reveille sounding at 3 a. m. roused me…by daylight our horses were fed & cleaned…the Gen. came down in his Dummy [train car] and met us at Bridgeport. Then he mounted his horse-which we brought- and off we started for Jasper…on entering Bridgeport the beautiful Tennessee burst upon our view and all exclaimed 'how beautiful', wide and smooth as glass…I was proud to see the old Flag floating there once more. We watered our horses in the Tenn. where Beauregard said he would water his or "in Hell" at the battle of Shiloh…[Aug. 28]…we went with Rosy to look at the workings of some pontoons and a portable bridge…we went through the woods at full jump between trees and over logs and gullies…[while at] the Tenn. River as I was dusty & thirsty I tied up my horse and…went for a wash. When well into it I looked up and saw three men on the other side of the river, but as they did not fire I suppose they were not armed Rebs…we rode all the afternoon and evening touching at various points on the river…Rosy is thinking of several places to run his pontoons across…we left the Gen. about 11 on the RR where his Dummy met him. I slept on my horse as we marched along…what became of the young man whose horse was sick…his name was [Pvt. James E.] Requa…he was murdered [August 1, 1863] by some guerrillas. They took him prisoner and then after disarming him told him he might go. He had not gone many steps when one of those brave men, chivalric, sons of the South, beau ideal of the Andover Copperheads…raised the carbine, just taken from him, and murdered him in cold blood…all don't forget it and all hope for a chance to get hold of some bushwhacker. Andover is a mean hole and we must not be surprised…Wilmon…". Near 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).
Click above for larger image.