2023-03 HCA Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/7/2023
The letters are written by Alonzo A. Vanderford who was commissioned into "D" Co. SC 21st Infantry. He was wounded severely in left leg, which was amputated. Letter #1, datelined Dun's Farm Walthall Junction, Va. May 7, 1864. In part " let you know that we have just been in a fight and have come out all right. We had only one man wounded and it was very slight. Capt. Davis' company lost 2 killed and several wounded. The fight lasted about one hour. ... There were about 500 of us, and three thousand Yankees and we whipped them and they have gone back toward the James River. ... e may have to fight them again today and feel as we will give them the same thing today. The most of our brigade are here now and we have a good position to fight. Letter #2, datelined, Camp in the Woods near Bermuda Hundred May 18, 1864. In part, "WE HAVE BEEN IN 4 FIGHTS AND I HAVE BEEN SPARED AND I THANK GOD FOR IT. I am now in command of the company. Lt. Sanders is sick in Petersburg and Captain Tarth was wounded on the 16th and ten of the company and two were killed. ... IT WAS A TERRIBLE FIGHT, BUT THANK GOD I PULLED THROUGH SAFE. I SAW MY MEN FALLING ALL AROUND ME AND THAT MADE ME FEEL SICK ...". Letter #3, datelined, amp near Petersburg May 25, 1864. In part, "The Yanks have kept still this week but Monday, only a little skirmishing along the lines. Genl. Beauregard thinks they will have to give up soon or leave this place. THEY ARE HEMMED IN AND CAN'T GET OUT WITHOUT THE AID OF THEIR GUNBOATS, and the supposition is that they will soon quit us and I think that when they leave us we will stay about Petersburg or go back to North Carolina. Letter #4, datelined, Camp in the woods near Bermuda Hundred, May 22, 1864. In part, " I will give you this time a list of our killed and wounded. 1st Sergt. E. F. White, killed on the field. James Atkinson, killed on the field, Corp. D. A. Campbell, wounded and died the next day. That was on the 7th of May, and on the 11th of May, Private Caleb Coker wounded, Jno Gulledge do, John L Huggins do, Jno F. Edwards do, Rilah Grant do, H. C. Ousley do, W(illiam) Winburn do, James Thomas do, James Eddins do, E(lijah) Rushing do. A very heavy loss in one Company, but I hope we will not get into any more fights. ... We lost a Brigadier Genl. yesterday. Captured Genl. Walker ...IF OLD LINCOLN WILL ONLY QUIT THIS CRUEL WAR, WE WILL ALL COME HOME. ..." Letter #5, datelined, Camp in the Woods in 12 miles of Richmond June 10, 1864 [Vanderford's last letter home before being mortally wounded]. In part, " We are strongly entrenched and are waiting for Grant to advance on us and he is entrenching and looking for us to march on him. So, I DON'T THINK THAT GENL. LEE WILL ADVANCE ON GRANT, BUT HOLD OUR LINES AND KEEP HIM BACK. But I am afraid that they will send their raiding parties all over the state and ruin everything. THEY SEEM TO HAVE A GREAT WAY OF DESTROYING EVERYTHING THAT THEY GET HOLD OF. GENL. LEE SEEMS TO BE IN GOOD SPIRITS, AND THE TROOPS ALL HAVE THE GREATEST CONFIDENCE IN HIS JUDGMENT AND WILL GO WHERE HE SAYS GO. ... Tell Capt. Tarth that Capt. Davis was killed, also Lt. Hudson, since he left, I think is all. ...." Letter #6, His wife's last letter to Alonzo written from their home in Cheraw, S.C. on June 20th, 186. Very unlikely that Vanderford read this letter. In part, "News came that the Cavalry Company from here were in a fight. Jackie Eleby was killed. Great uneasiness. Mr. Craig got home with his son Saturday. He is improving, I believe. MR. DUVALNE IS ABOUT TO LOSE HIS LEG. THIS DR. SAYS HE WILL HAVE TO CUT IT OFF OR HE WILL DIE. HE SAYS HE PREFERS DEATH. He has been bad off some time. WELL, AT LAST HAVE MADE SOME SORT OF PROVISION FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS HERE. HAVE FITTED UP MR. BRIGHT'S OLD STORE FOR A HOSPITAL WHERE THEY ARE SENT FOR AND TAKEN TO FROM DEPOT AND ATTENDED TO. YESTERDAY TWO POOR FELLOWS WERE THERE, BADLY WOUNDED. DR. AND OTHERS WERE ATTENTIVE TO THEM. THE LADIES OF THE SOCIETY HAVE ALSO MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO BUY A HORSE & WAGON TO SEND THEM HOME FROM HERE. YOU WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR OF THIS, I KNOW, FOR THERE HAS BEEN TOO MUCH NEGLIGENCE HERE ABOUT THE SOLDIERS. ..." Letter #7, The concluding 7th letter is from a woman, Mrs. I. Reid, who is a nurse attending to Vanderford, dateline "Petersburg Va. Jn 24 1864". In part, "MRS. A. A. VANDERFORD, MADAM, AT THE REQUEST OF YOUR HUSBAND, I HASTEN TO INFORM YOU THAT HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED THIS MORNING IN THE RIGHT LEG IN 2 PLACES. ONE ABOVE THE KNEE AND THE OTHER THRU CALF OF THE LEG. THE BONE SO MUCH INJURED THAT AMPUTATION WAS FOUND NECESSARY WHICH WAS DONE TODAY AT 2 O'CLOCK. ... HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CHLOROFORM & WAS NOT CONSCIOUS WHEN IT WAS TAKEN OFF. ... IT WAS ALMOST ACCIDENT THAT I FOUND HIM. ALL THE BALANCE OF THE COMPANY WITH REDGRAVE IS SAID TO BE CAPTURED. ALSO, THE 11TH & 27TH REGTS. & CO. WE HAVE HAD HARD TIMES TODAY. ... IT WILL BE USELESS FOR YOU TO UNDERTAKE TO COME ON FOR THEY WILL NOT ALLOW ANY CIVILIANS TO TRAVEL ON THE RAILROADS NOW. IN FACT, THE YANKS HAVE ALL THE ROADS IN THEIR POSSESSION FROM HERE TO WELDON. ...
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