2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
A lengthy eight page, 4to., letter, written by a member of the Coahoma Invincibles (Company B, 11th Mississippi Vol.) beginning with being stationed at a defensive fort along the Potomac River and finally completed after a Christmas eve security breach by a Union observation balloon. Corporal Henry W. Chambers (POW Pickett's Charge, Gettysburg and drowned while imprisoned at Fort Delaware, Nov. 1, 1863), Co. B, 11th Miss. Vols., entitles his letter: "Camp Fisher, Army of the Potomock, Prince William City, Va., Nov. 4, 1861," to his sister, Maggie A. Chambers, in small part: "- we have had another march to meet the enemy since I wrote but were disappointed again in our expected engagement. On the 31st let. we were ordered to cook supper & breakfast & be ready to march at 3 o'clock p. m. - we had to go - to guard the battery erected on the Potomack, 5 miles below Dumphries for the purpose of cutting off the ship navigation to Washington City. Every man had to carry his gun & ammunition, one blanket & his supper & breakfast in his haversack, all of which weighs about 30 lbs. - we fell into line with our Col., Major & Adjutant mounted & at the head of the column - we passed through Dumphries - very old & in an advanced state of dilapidation - I wandered off some distance in search of wood - I listened a minute & heard distinctly the enemy's drums beating - the battery was fixed within 20 feet of the bluff in a ditch about the depth of a man's shoulder - the cannon were fixed on a pivot - there was only 3 pieces at the battery - the heaviest here threw 110 lbs. - [there] was dug a wide ditch in the bottom of which was driven sharp spikes - a soldier of the 1st Arkansas regt. fell in - the first vessel that fired on the house threw a ball direct through it - Col. Evans & family were at breakfast & fortunately not one hurt. He left immediately with his five sons [and] joined our army - necessary for the support of Southern principles & independence - we left our secret encampment before sunrise to prevent the enemy from knowing our force - there is 12 thousand of the enemy on the Maryland side under the command of Genl. Dan Sickles. They have erected a battery on that side opposite ours with the hopes of destroying ours but have failed. The river at this point is about 2 miles in width -". second half continues, in part: "I will now come nearer home and the scenes of mess number 9 and the Coahoma Invincibles. Our company was sent out on picket guard - about 4 miles from camp - halted at an old dilapidated building in the middle of a large pasture field and took the place of a company of North Carolinians - our company left immediately - to make eggnog - a water bucket was appropriated - a toast was called for - here's to the girl who knit my socks - here's to the girl who knit my gloves - you would have smiled at our wild but innocent folly - we were then almost on the line of the enemy - we had several in the company whose sober deportment was a good guard - while the sentries were - on their posts - two blazing rockets were thrown up above the horizon by the Yankees. Soon after that a larger one rose which was supposed to be a balloon. It seemed to be tethered with a chord & would waver to & fro. Then it was lowered after it stood there half an hour - H. W. Chambers." Overall VG.
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