11th Virginia Letter Group - Present at Pickett’s Charge

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2006

Group of eleven (11) Autograph Letters Signed by cousins John H. Conley and Christopher C. Clark of the 11th Virginia Infantry, from May 1863 to July 1864, including Gettysburg content, at which both men participated in Pickett's Charge. Conley enlisted April 23, 1861 and was paroled on June 7, 1865, Clark was not so lucky he was killed in action at Drewry's Bluff. The letters read in small part: "...[5/12/1863]No doubt you have heard of the great battle & victory recently gained on the Rappahannock & the death of our great man Gen. Jackson who died last Sunday & whose remains are now in Richmond awaiting its final resting place. The great must fall as well as the small....[6/1/63] We have had a very interesting meeting in our Brigade for the last week, conducted by the Rev. Mr. Pryor (Father of Roger A) & Mr. Granburry. A large number has professed & the meeting is still going on. God grant that it may continue for we need it...You spoke of the remains of a young man carried from the battle field on the Rappahannock. It reminds me that nearly every day I see several corpse that are being carried from that place by their friends. I have not been there since the battle saw one man who told me it was the greatest slaughter of human flesh perhaps ever seen on this continent. Torn in all conceivable manners you could think of some burnt to death in houses & some trod to death by horses & men & the whole earth covered with clothing haversacks, guns & every thing that we use in war. I was going to say I wish you could see a battlefield but will not for it is no place for a Lady...[7/22/63]your kind favor of the 27th is just at hand had been delayed no doubt on account of my being in Maryland & Pennsylvania...The enemy is in front about 2 miles from us. We are expecting a fight today....we were in an awful battle at Gettysburg Pa. Lost at least half of our division. Myself & brother...unhurt...[8/17/63]You have no idea how tired I am getting of this terrible war...I wish sometimes that I was in some foreign land where I could never hear the thunder of artillery or the rattle of musketry again, but our native land demands our services and we must obey. I wish I had time to inform you of our trip through Pennsylvania which was a very interesting one as well as amusing. The Yankee ladies if they can be called Ladies were scared almost to death and would do anything requested of them. They gave us plenty of apple butter milk, coffee, & c which are rarities to soldiers. All the inhabitants in the country through which we passed are principally Dutch and I concluded that I had turned to a genuine dutchman before I left there. I saw very few pretty ladies and if they are a specimen of Yankee land I pity the male population for they will get a hard set of wives...[9/6/63]I want you to understand if you please that I hold no Ladies equal to Virginians, especially since I have learned that you are one. True there are fine looking ladies in Pennsylvania but they dont compare with ours. I want a Va. lady & a Pa. Farmer...We are on the Rapidan about 10 miles below the station in almost a perfect wilderness. Can't go nowhere nor see nothing but soldiers & tented fields & woods...[7/21/64]I have passed through many a trying ordeal, have meet the enemy in several desperate conflicts at Plymouth, N.C., Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor & this place the charge of Pickett's Division...no doubt you have seen Genl Lee's complimentary remarks. All of which I have passed through with one slight wound received in the affair at Drewry's Bluff where our lamented and esteemed friend & cousin C.C. Clark received the fatal bullet while gallantly charging the enemy's works....' More. Fine.

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