2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
Union soldier's war-date letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by a certain "Charles", to his father, "Camp near Petersburg, June 21, 1864," in part: "- since we came to Bermuda Hundred - I have been enjoying luxeries, there being plenty of sutlers about - we buy up a quantity of flour and make cakes of it. I found some salaeratus in a house - and put it in my pocket hardly expecting ever to have use for it, but now I have found it very convenient to 'raise' cakes. The way we cook them is to fry them swimming in grease - till the flour becomes dough - we were congratulating ourselves at Cold Harbor that we had come to rest, expecting to siege the place, and now perhaps we will rush off on another flank movement without warning - we occupy part of the breastworks and frost that the rebels threw up to oppose us and have them turned against them. Grant could easily destroy Petersburg but that is not his object - yesterday morning the rebels did some of the best artillery firing that I have ever seen them 'guilty' of. They planted their shells and spherical case directly in our breastworks - preventing some of our batteries from firing a shot. The shells flew over us, around us and among us causing very unpleasant sensations - no one was injured in our regiment. They did much damage however to other troops - I saw Tom today. I went to the Division Hospital - he is quite sick. Something ails his back - so he walks like an old man and looks quite badly - your affectionate son, Charles-". Light soiling, else VG.
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