2024-07 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/13/2024
This Federal soldier's letter is written and signed only "Will" but is clearly from an Ohio regiment. As he refers to the "Vienna boys". Searching the records, we find only one soldier who enlisted in Vienna Ohio named William .. William H. Overmine who was mustered into "H" Co. OH 7th Infantry, 6/20/1861, and then reenlisted for three years after that 1st organization disbanded. William was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia, on 9 August 1862. Datelined, Camp Gauley, Virginia, August 2nd 1861. In part, " Six of us (Vienna boys) were stationed about three miles from camp up on the opposite side of the river, upon the Gauley River about forty miles from Charleston. ... During the day we met with a man who had been in the Rebel army but who had gone home on furlough and never returned. He told us he had been forced into the service about three months since. He told us that there had been about two thousand five hundred men in Gen. Wise's army of which two thousand were Union men and that just this side of Charleston six hundred had deserted the army at one time and that they were continually deserting. ... We came across a boat loaded with wheat which was bearing the American flag. Col. [Frizzellof the 11th [Ohio] Regiment placed some of his men in the bushes and they placed a canon upon the bank. He then asked who they were. They answered they were Kanawha Rangers. He asked them what they meant. They said they were northern troops. He asked again if they were Union men and they, thinking that there were but few on shore to oppose them not seeing those in the bushes, answered that they belonged to the Southern Confederacy. The Colonel then ordered to fire. When the cannon opened upon them, striking the furnace and throwing the fire all over the boat, a volley then opened upon them from behind the bushes when they all took to flight, leaving everything-tents, provision, guns, and all to the flames which had already highly spread. They burned another boat themselves above Charleston and marched on. We have pursued them to Gauley Bridge which they burned. ..."
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.