2025-01 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/25/2025
Scarce Pro-Union Missouri soldier’s 1pp letter, written by German emigrant Friedrich William Charles Heldman of the 3rd Missouri Infantry (90-day regiment) and then later the 17th Missouri Infantry (a.k.a. “The Western Turner Rifles”). Though he signed all of this letter “W Heldman,” he was carried on the company roster as “Charles.” The 3rd Missouri Volunteers evolved from one of several unofficial pro-Unionist militia units formed semi-secretly in St. Louis in the early months of 1861 by Congressman Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and other Unionist activists. Datelined: Camp Sherman, August 23, 1863 to his father, in large part “ I have been sick for a long time. I have left the hospital a few days ago and I am not well yet. If I had been out of the hospital when the first of our regiment got furloughs, I would have been the first one on account for good conduct in battle. ... Our Colonel promised me a furlough when the others get back on the 12th of September. I have spent for two months money while I was in the hospital this time. We did not have anything at all that was fit for a sick man to eat. I am now some better since I am out of the hospital. I am glad that I have got better now. I had very hard times in the hospital. I got sick a day before the surrender of Vicksburg. One day before that I was out a scouting the whole day after spies and I got sick in the woods and could not get back to camp before night.
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