2025-01 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/25/2025
Another Scarce Pro-Union Missouri soldier’s 2pp 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: Bridgeport, Alabama, Nov. 20th, 1863, to his father, in full, “I have received your letter of the 13th and am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am tolerable well. We have had hard times since I left you. First we had to fight every day and now we have marched about 200 miles without one days rest and not enough to eat. We are now at Bridgeport on the Tennessee River. They are making a railroad bridge here across the river. We will move across the river today. I don’t think we will stay here long. I believe we will go right ahead. We have got the right wing of the army. I cannot write much to you for we have to be ready to march every minute.” The 17th Missouri was engaged from the earliest days of the Civil War marching from St. Louis to Georgia, fighting at Pea Ridge, Searcy Landing, Chickasaw Bluff, Arkansas Post, Jackson, Vicksburg, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap, Resaca, Dallas, Atlanta, Ezra's Church, Jonesborough, Lovejoy Station and Savannah.
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