2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
GRIFFITH, Richard (1814-1862) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Savage's Station during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign. He was one of a number of Confederate generals who were born in the North in Pennsylvania. A 4pp., autograph letter, with original cover, signed "R. Griffith" datelined, Head Qrts, Miss Brigade, Leesburg Va., Dec 17, 1861. The General writes of family issue for the first half of the letter, "Sorry to hear that you have had so much sickness in the way of chills and fever ... It occurs to me wife that might avoid much of the trouble and labor of teaching the boys by sending them to Town school. ... You must not tax yourself with so much labor ... This is indeed a beautiful country - rich fertile and its citizen farmers generally wealthy. What a pity such a land should be despoiled by the ravages of war. ... Myself and my staff are comfortably located ... we occupy a large convenient house in Leesburg. The owner is a wealthy widow lady now on the Lincoln side. Her son is with us on his plantation near us. - claims the house is his and was exceedingly anxious for me to occupy it. ... The citizens are kind and hospitable .... Some of the people in portions of this country are disloyal and are tories to us and act as spies for the enemy. Complaints were made to me in the upper portion of this country, that marauding parties of our enemies were in the habit of crossing over in night and committing depredations in the way of stealing, plundering & burning. A few nights ago i sent a detachment secretly after dark to catch them. Capt. sims commanded my men. They were quite successful in their expedition. Encountering a thieving party of not less than fifteen, they captured six of them and killed and drowned the balance. These six now in jail - two of them genuine Yankee soldiers, the other four Virginia Tories. We want to hang them all and are now waiting orders from Genl. Beauregard ... we previously notified Genl. Stone of the Federal Forces opposite here, that we would hang all such men when caught and wished his to inflict similar punishment on all marauding parties from our side if caught by his men. .....,"
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