ACTION FOLLOWING RAPPAHANNOCK STATION – 8 LONG PAGES IN INK

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/26/2023

The lengthy letter is datelined, Head Quarters 5th M. Vol. Camp near Welford Ford, Va. Dec. 3rd, 1863. In part, "Well, I AM ONCE MORE BACK TO OUR OLD CAMP AFTER ONE OF THE HARDEST MOVES I HAVE SEEN SINCE LEAVING MAINE. I CAN TRULY SAY I HAVE NEVER SUFFERED SO MUCH IN THE COLD AS OF THE LAST EIGHT DAYS. WE BROKE CAMP AT THIS PLACE LAST WEEK, A THURSDAY, NOV. 26TH AND MOVED ON BY BRANDY STATION, AND WHEN ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THAT PLACE, WE FOUND NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED TEAMS STUCK IN THE MUD. ... AT DARK WE HAD NOT LESS THAN SEVENTY-FIVE, SIX-MULE TEAMS TO MOVE NEAR ONE MILE IN THE MUD AND WHEN I SAY MUD, I DO NOT MEAN WHAT YOU CALL MUD DOWN EAST, BUT MUD FROM A FOOT TO THREE FEET DEEP. ... I will now keep on with our move. As soon as the teams were on the road and once more moving, we were on the march. We moved on towards Jacobs Ford on the Rapidan and at one o'clock Friday morning, we halted for the balance of the night and camped down. ... This was the first time that this command were crossed the Rapidan. As soon as our whole Corps were over, we rested some four or five hours upon the ground that the 3rd Corps camped on the night before. .. AT THREE P.M. THE FIRST DIVISION OF THEIR 3RD CORPS COME UP WITH THE REBELS NEAR THE PLANK ROAD LEADING FROM FREDERICKSBURG TO GORDANVILLE, BUT SOON THE JOHNNIES TURNED UPON THEM AND DROVE THEM BACK ABOUT ONE-HALF MILE. HERE AGAIN THIS DIV. WAS REINFORCED & DROVE THEM IN RETURN BUT WAS SOON COMPELLED TO FALL BACK AS THE REST OF THE CORPS HAD NOT GOT UP. BUT SOON THE OTHER DIV. WAS UP & CORPS WERE IN SUPPORTING DISTANCE. THE FIGHT LASTED TILL DARK AND BUT LITTLE GAINED TO EITHER SIDE. ... We camped down upon the line of battle expecting it would recommence at daylight, but at one o'clock Saturday morning, we were again upon the move as THE REBELS HAD LEFT AT DARK AND IN SUCH HASTE THAT THEY DID NOT BURY THEIR DEAD & MANY OF THE WOUNDED WERE LEFT IN THE HAND OF THE 3RD CORPS WHO DID NOT LEAVE TILL AFTER DAY LIGHT. ... AS I WAS ARRANGING THE PICKET LINE IN THE MORNING, ONE OF THEIR SHARP SHOOTERS TOOK ME FOR A MARK, BUT HE MISSED BY A FEW FEET OVER MY HEAD. ... ALSO IN THE AFTERNOON, I HAD FIVE SHOTS FIRED AT ME IN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES TIME AND SOME OF THEM COME WITHIN A FEW INCHES OF ME. BUT AS THE SAYING IS A MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE. I TOOK THEIR FIRE UPON ME AT THIS TIME AS AN INSULT AND OPENED ONE HALF OF MY PICKET LINE UPON THEM. BUT STILL THEY KEPT IT UP. ... THERE WAS A THICK CLUMP OF LITTLE PINES IN MY IMMEDIATE FRONT WHICH I KNEW CONTAINED AT LEAST ONE REGT. & PERHAPS TWO, SO I HAD ABOUT FIFTY OF MY MEN PUT IN THE POWDER OF THE CARTRIDGES & DIRECTED THEM TO FIRE DIRECTLY INTO THE CENTER OF THIS GROVE, AND AS I GAVE THE COMMAND FIRE, NOT LESS THAN FIFTY BULLETS WENT IN AMONG THEM. WE COULD HEAR THEM SCREAM AND I HAVE NO DOUBT IT TOOK SOME OF THE GRAYBACKS AS THEY DRIED UP FIRING AT ONCE. I SAW THEM CARRY OFF ONE UPON THE STRETCHERS. ... HAVE LOST FIVE THAT WERE CATTLE GUARDS THAT WERE ON ANOTHER ROAD NEAR BRANDY STATION. ONE OF THE NUMBER WERE KILLED & FOUR TAKEN PRISONERS. THE MAN KILLED WAS COPL. BLETHER OF COMPANY E, LEWISTON. THE PRISONERS TAKEN WERE FROM CO. C & H. THIS CAPTURE WAS MADE BY MOSBY. ..."

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