94th New York Officer Writes of Fredericksburg and More

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/21/2019

War-date Union soldier Autograph Letter Signed by Lt. Edward Charles Parker, 94th New York Infantry, POW at Gettysburg, 16pp. quarto, Opposite Fredericksburg, Va., May 18, 1862, with excellent camp description and reads in very small part: “...The ladies are the strongest secessionists in Fredericksburg. The ladies are so prejudiced that they will not pass under or near the stars & stripes....He [General McDowell] rode a splendid dapple grey horse… The Chaplain addressed the Regiment on the text ‘we have all got to give an account unto God.’ After the Chaplain had finished, Col. stepped forward & said, “Soldiers, I don’t know as I can say anything more that will set this truth that our Chaplain has been addressing us about, but I want to bear my testimony to this truth. This is my principles which I intend to live & die by, so far as it is in my power to do,” & also told the men that he expected “we should all go home before we die,” but he wanted “the men to do so that they could give a good account of themselves, etc.” His remarks were to the point & the heart of every man to him, and most every night after dress parade, the Chaplain stepped forward & makes a prayer which was never done while Col. V was command of the Regiment. He told the men that he wanted them not to drink Liquor & not to swear any more than they could help & that he wanted them to be Christian soldiers....The most part of Virginia is settled by a lauded aristocracy. That is a few own all the land & cultivate just what they choose & keep the rest in a state of nature so that the poor man stands no chance. There those that are rich are very rich & those that are poor are very poor. While we were encamped at Brook’s Station, I went to find some milk, & I found all the people poor, living in log houses that looked as if they were 100 years old, just high enough for a person to stand up. Some of the houses had thatched roofs. A great of the wealthy have joined the Rebels, & many of the poor have been pressed into the Rebel service. I stopped at one house where I found a woman 30 or 35 years old with two children, one a little child about 2 years old, and another about 4. Her husband had been pressed into the Rebel service, & now I think a different class of people will settle this state which will be better for all....” Much more. Fine condition.

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