2025-01 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/25/2025
Union soldier’s 4pp letter written to friend Savage, by 1st Lt. Francis M. Cummings, who on 7/25/1862, was commissioned into Field & Staff Kentucky 9th Infantry. Datelined In the Field, Tenn. July 25, ‘62, in part, “I have has all kinds of times since my arrival in Dixie ... I have heard considerable fighting but have seen none. My greatest trouble has been the scarcity of newspapers. ... The entire army is now on half rations for lack of transportation ... desertions are not infrequent ... The rebels are near us but in what force I do not know. ... Our prospects here do not look at all flattering to me. .. I was far out enough to see the rebel pickets ... They and our Pickets hold frequent conversations ... and they have agreed among themselves not to fire on each other. ... I judge the rebels are having matters their own way. Everywhere we hear they are playing the dixie(SP) in Kentucky Lebanon has been burned. Cynthiana and Henderson captured and also Newburg Ind. Here the rebels are making almost daily dashes on the RR burning bidges, tearing up track thus preventing the transportation of supplies ... I am myself extremely thankful we are not captured. ... Capt. Stinton did not make a brilliant impression here. I believe he is at heartily despised by his brother officers as any officer can be ....” On the morning of July 17th Morgan moved his forced northeast from Georgetown towards Cynthiana, a small town along the South Fork of the Licking River. The Kentucky Central Railroad also cut through town, this line being a key supply avenue for any Federal advance into eastern Tennessee. Morgan was familiar with Cynthian. Facing Morgan in Cynthiana was a collection of Home Guards and raw recruits. This force, about half the size of Morgan’s brigade. The Federals surrendered after 60-90 minutes of fighting. Morgan’s men marched the captured Federals and placed them on the second floor of the courthouse. One Federal prisoner, seeing the ladies of the town supply Morgan’s men with pies and cakes, but not offering any to the prisoners, stated “Perhaps those ladies did not know that Yankee soldiers liked pie and cake.”
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