2025-01 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/25/2025
Confederate soldier’s 2pp letter with original cover written by Alfred Irving Young who in November 1861, enlisted in Capt. Croft’s Battery Light Artillery at Columbus, Georgia. Capt. Croft’s light artillery saw active service attached to various cavalry commands, earning the nickname “Croft’s Flying Artillery.” Datelined: Savannah, Georgia, September 3d 1862, in part “I feel it a very sad duty to write you the particulars of your son Edward’s death. Nothing was so unsuspected to me as his death. On the morning of the night of his death, he was free from fever and apparently much better than he had been (never having been considered dangerously sick by the Surgeon). On that morning he walked about with the aid of his servant boy and at 12 o’clock that day, cast his vote for a member of the company at an election held for Jr. 2nd Lieutenant, indeed he was perfectly rational and appeared to be much better. Towards dark he lost consciousness & his breathing was very labored. From that time he continued to get worse until he died at half past eleven o’clock on the night of the 1st September. Everything was done for him that could possible be done. On the morning of the 1st when he seemed so much better he requested that you should be telegraphed to come down that he was sick, which was done. ... The night of his death I was confined to be with fever. I regret exceedingly that the Sergt. in charge of his body to Savannah neglected to telegraph you of his decease before the body arrived in Columbus as it was necessarily a great shock to you. ... May God & the knowledge that your son died in the service of his country sustain you in this day of your calamity.”
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