2023-03 HCA Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/7/2023
Union officer's 3pp. letter, written by Major Thomas S. Trumbull who mustered into Field & Staff CT 1st Heavy Artillery was promoted 1st Lieut 5/28/1861, Major 3/18/1862, Lt Colonel 12/5/1864. Trumbull was a graduate of Harvard Law School, participated in numerous operations, including the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Petersburg Campaign. He died of disease in Washington, D.C., 3/30/1865, a few days before the fall of Richmond. Datelined Battery No. 3, May 31, 1864, writing to his mother. In part, "HE ENEMY OPENED ON US FROM THREE BATTERIES, GIVING US A VERY TROUBLESOME CROSSFIRE. BUT HOW WE DID PLUG IT BACK TO THEM. WE NEVER MADE BETTER SHOOTING. WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED THEY YELLED LIKE DEVILS AND I SUPPOSED THEY WERE MAKING AN ASSAULT, BUT I SUSPECT THEY MADE A DIFFERENT KIND OF NOISE AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS HAD PASSED, FOR WE SAW THE STRETCHERS CARRIED ALONG THEIR WORKS FOR THE KILLED & WOUNDED. ... JUST AFTER I LEFT MY TENT A SHELL BURST IN MY REDOUBT, THROWING A FRAGMENT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF MY TENT FROM SIDE TO SIDE. ANOTHER STRUCK ONE OF MY MEN IN THE CHEST KILLING HIM INSTANTLY. A THIRD KILLED OUR SURGEON'S HORSE HITCHED JUST OUTSIDE THE WORK. A FRAGMENT STRUCK A SERGT. IN THE BOWELS, HURTING HIM SEVERELY, PERHAPS NOT MORTALLY, AND THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH FRAGMENTS & BURSTING SHELLS.
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