Raynors HCA 2018-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/21/2018
An eight page General’s letter, with original cover, written by Thomas “Howard” Ruger , who was graduated at West Point in 1854, June, 1861, when he became lieutenant-colonel of the 3d Wis. regiment. He was made colonel on Aug. 20, and brigadier-general on Nov. 29, 1862, serving in the Rappahannock campaigns, commanding a division at Gettysburg, and helping to put down the draft riots in New York in 1863. Datelined Camp near Stafford Court House, VA., May 9, 1863. In part, ““My Brigade drove the Rebels without trouble, but they kept bringing up fresh troops, and we were retired after all our ammunition was exhausted. ... “There seemed to be no generalship on our side. I think there is but one opinion among intelligent officers and that is that we could have gained a decisive victory if the forces had been properly handled. ... This way of making a small portion of the army fight till the last point of endurance is reached when there are plenty of fresh troops, I hope, come to an end. ... I believe that we would have gained a great victory if McClellan had commanded, for he has the very qualities that were necessary on that field.... I think the Rebels must have lost many more in killed & wounded than we did. Our loss in killed & wounded was not large for the whole army, but was heavy for the numbers actually in the hard fighting....”
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