2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
Autograph Letter Signed, "I.H. Rhinesmith", 2p. quarto, Winchester, Scott Co., Ill, March 17, 1864, and reads in part: '...I am still engaged in the old business of teaching. I have just closed a term of six months. I have had the best school I ever taught. If not conscripted I propose remaining in this place all summer...People [in the county] are mostly from the South. A great many of them do not pretend to disguise the fact that they would rather see the South triumph in the present struggle than the North. They threatened quite a serious rebellion for a time last fall; but the soldiers came upon them sooner than expected, captured the right leaders, after which the rest dispersed to their homes. On another occasion a squad of our soldiers went to the house of an old man by the name of Hatcher, for the purpose of arresting a deserter, whom they had reason to believe was concealed in the house. No sooner did soldiers come up to the door than those within, especially the girls, commenced firing upon, inflicting several slight wounds. Engaged at such base treachery, the men fired into the house and at the first round brought the old man to the floor. In a day or so after this the old villain died. Since this affair the neighborhood is perfectly quite..." VG.
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