THE BATTLEFIELD OF COLD HARBOR

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/26/2023

The 6 pp., ink letter is datelined, Battlefield at Cold Harbor, Va. Sunday June 12th, 1864. In part, "OUR LINES ARE SO NEAR THAT THE BOYS TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER. A FLAG OF TRUCE WENT OUT A DAY OR TWO AGO AND IT WAS QUIET FOR A SHORT TIME BUT NOW THE BULLETS ARE FLYING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. ... I BELIEVE THE SHELL JUST HIT MY TENT BUT DID NOT EXPLODE. IF IT HAD, SOME OF US WOULD WENT UP. THE POWDER BLOWED OUT WITHOUT EXPLODING THE SHELL. I SHALL TAKE THE FELLOW HOME WITH ME. THAT IS, IF I CAN KEEP IT A LONG OR DO NOT GET HURT MYSELF. IT LAYS ON MY BLANKET BESIDE OF ME NOW, HOT FROM THE MORTARS WHICH SENT IT. ... WITHIN THE LAST HALF HOUR, FOUR HAS HIT IN THE CAMP OF MY REGT. AND NOT ONE HAS DONE ANY DAMAGE. THEY ARE NOT SO DESTRUCTIVE AS THE SHELL FROM THE CANNONS. THE BOYS HAVE GOT SO THEY DO NOT CARE FOR ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF SHOT OR SHELL. THE ONE WHICH STRUCK SO NEAR ME HAS NINETEEN IRON GRAPE IN IT ... ONE MONTH AGO TODAY WE HAD A HARD FIGHT IN FRONT OF SPOTSYLVANIA C. H. POOR JERRY MARTIN WAS KILLED THAT DAY. I HAD JUST FILLED HIS CARTRIDGE BOX WITH AMMUNITION AS HE HAD BURNT FIFTY ROUNDS. I TOLD HIM TO TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF. HE STEPPED BACK INTO HIS POSITION, AND I THINK DID NOT FIRE BUT ONE SHOT BEFORE A REBEL SHOT WENT THROUGH HIS HEAD AND HE DIED INSTANTLY. THE POOR MAN DIED A HERO. HIS LAST WORD TO ME WAS I WILL DO MY DUTY AND SURELY HE DID. NONE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER. ... SOMEONE FROM BETHEL OR RUMFORD HAS INQUIRED IF HE HAD ANY MONEY ABOUT HIM AT THE TIME HE FELL. I WILL HERE SAY AT THE TIME HE FELL, HUNDREDS OF THE WOUNDED LAY AROUND US THAT COULD NOT BE TAKEN CARE OF, MUCH LESS THE DEAD. IT WAS A TIME THAT EVERY MAN WHO WAS ABLE TO HOLD A MUSKET HAD TO DO HIS DUTY. IT WAS AT THIS PLACE THAT I WROTE YOU THAT I SAW THE DEAD & WOUNDED OF THE REBS FIVE DEEP. ... T THIS MOMENT, ONE OF THE 2ND CONN. FROM OUR BRIGADE IS BROUGHT IN UPON A SHELTER TENT, SHOT DEAD BY A SHARP SHOOTER. FOUR OF HIS COMRADES HAS BROUGHT HIM FROM THE SKIRMISH LINE TO BURY NEAR THE GRAVES OF OTHERS OF HIS COMPANY. ONE IS FOLLOWING WITH A SPADE UPON HIS SHOULDER TO DIG A HOLE TO PLACE THE REMAINS OF ONE WHO WITHOUT DOUBTS LEAVE NEAR & DEAR ONES AT HOME TO MOURN HIS LOSS. STILL BUT LITTLE NOTICE IS PAID TO ONE OR EVEN FIFTY. ONE OF THE NUMBER WHO IS BURYING THE POOR FELLOWS HAS JUST CALLED UPON ME FOR A LITTLE PIECE OF BOARD TO PUT AT THE HEAD OF THE POOR MAN. THEY ARE NOW ABOUT TO LAY THE REMAINS IN IT. LAST RESTING PLACE. THEY ARE BUT A FEW FEET FROM MY HEAD QUARTERS, BUT I WILL NOT DWELL LONGER UPON THIS BUT SPEAK OF SOMETHING ELSE. ... "

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