2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
A great early war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. John M. Chandler, Co. H, 2d Rhode Island Volunteers, on "United States Capitol" patriotic stationery, "Camp Brightwood", [Va.], Aug. 23, 1861, to his mother, in part:"- I am at Camp Brightwood about three miles from Camp Sprague - we all find plenty of work to do - such as cutting down woods and throwing up breastworks and building forts, preparing for an attack. Our company are on picket duty once in very nine days and guard the camp every five days - I was on sentinel duty last night and there were several of the N. Y. regiments alarmed by some of their pickets firing - suppose it was some soldier that got frightened and discharged his musket as one of our guard did the other night at a mule and killed it. When one sentinel fires the whole line is obliged to do the same in order to alarm the camp. We have orders to fire on any one that attempts to pass without the counter sign. Gen. Scott expects an attack upon Washington and this reason we are at work preparing for it - we are kept very strict, not even allowed out of camp without a pass - I am with a regiment that is not afraid to fight. They were at the battle of Bulls Run. The first to make an attack and the last to retreat. The colonel of the Reg. fell [Col. John S. Slocum] and some of my roving acquaintances in Prov[idence]. I should not advise anyone to go to war for it is a hard life and [there is] some danger of getting your head blowed off in the battlefield which is not very pleasant to think of. We have one prisoner in the guard house now that fell asleep on his post. He is awaiting his sentence whatever it might be. The penalty is death but I do not think that he will suffer that - direct your letters to J. M. Chandler, Co. H, 2d Reg. R. I. V., Camp Sprague, Washington, D. C." Negligible spotting, else VG.
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