At The Crater - “just as I always said, the black cowards broke and run”

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/7/2023

A Union soldier's 4pp letteron US Sanitary Commission letterhead, written by William S. Henay who mustered into "D" Co. MA 1st Infantry and was discharged for disability on 11/20/1862. He then re-enlisted on 3/10/1864 into "F" Co. MA 56th Infantry. He was discharged for disability on 6/28/1865 at Philadelphia, PA. Dateline City Point Hospital, July 31, 1864. In small part, "I heard furthur particulars from the front ... there are several hundred more coming in. ... Gen. Grant gave orders to have the rebel works charged in front of that part of the line where our division was posted. ... we had been digging up the ground to undermine one of the rebel principal forts and it appears that they completed and charged it with Powder a day or two ago. The fort was blown up and then charged on through the break. I believe it is intirely cut up. What is not killed or wounded are about all taken prisoners .... Our men drove the rebels from the fort and and 2 lines of breastworks beyond. After that, the nxxxxrs were sent in to charge the rebs but just as I always said, the black cowards broke and run. The rebs of course took advantage of this and followed up with renewed spirit and I suppose the nxxxxrs in running back broke up all the other lines so that after all our loss and bloodsheds, I believe the rebs got back all their lost ground and probably took several thousand prisoners and all on account of the damned nxxxxrs that we have been reading so much of their great bravery. I wish some of those nxxxxr lovers could come hear to to City Point this morning and listen to the accounts thast come from the front ... But for all this, I expect the papers will represent them as brave as ever ....

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