2005-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2005
Autograph Letter Signed, “J.M. Daniel”, 7th South Carolina Infantry, KIA Gettysburg, 4p. quarto, illustrated “University of Virginia” lettersheet, Near Richmond & Chickahominy River, May 28, 1862, and reads in part: “...My liver has been wrong for nearly a week but feel a good deal better and have been doing duty all the while...While on Picket our cooking utensils &c. were brought to us for us to make this our camp. We are now 4 or 5 miles from Richmond and 1/2 or a mile from Chickhominy River, the river that divides us from the enemy. The enemy are in large force on the other side of the River and we on this side. We got orders from Lt. Col. Bland to see last night that all guns were in shooting order as it was a supposition that we would attack the enemy this morning. There was a considerable skirmish yesterday 6 or 8 miles above but the result I have not heard. I understand though that we whipped them. I suppose you will hear (before receiving this) of the great victory of Stonewall Jackson about Winchester or Strasburg. I take Jackson to be a second Beauregard and when the Great battle takes place here and we whip & route (which I can’t for a moment doubt) the enemy I look for Jackson to go on into Maryland. Our Reg’t is getting on tolerable well at present. We have a splendid set of field officers but some pretty green company officers, but not so green I think as the former ones were when they first entered the service. We have 12 companies in this Reg’t, 10 reorganized & 2 reenlisted companies. Harrison occupies the right of the Regt., Goggans next, Hard the left and we (Mitchell) next and the others are Captain Hudgins, Cothran, Burriss, Addison, Allen, Roper, Clark & Litchfield. All of the companies are small I suppose would not average more than 50 men, enrolled, ours has 45 enrolled, about 30 of the old co. belong to Goggans’ Co. some have been discharged by reason of disability and some as their time had expired, and left before it was ordered to hold us in Service. It was ordered that one officer from each Co. in the Brigade be sent home after conscript, or on recruiting service, and they (each Co. officers) to decide among themselves who should go. As Mitchell and Rutland had both been home it was decided that I should go from our Co. After our names were handed in several days, they came after the names the second time as they had been lost. I understand that the recruiting officers have gone home from the other Regts of the Brigade. I don’t know how long they will be allowed, some say just long enough for them to go to the camps of instruction after them....I have been studying a good deal as to what you or rather Pa would do as I take the conscript to get all Doctors & Overseers between the ages of 18 & 35 years. I don’t see well how you can leave nor how you can get out of it unless you can get a substitute which is almost impossible to do. In case you leave, I hope you will get as good an overseer as possible and then come to this Co. and if you see anyone else who has to go in service invite them to this company. I think all of the ex-officers of this Brigade disgraced themselves by going home, except those who went on account of their health. Officers thought & said it would be a disgrace to the men (when their times expired) to leave while in hearing of the Enemy’s canon at Yorktown, and how much better have they done? to leave when the Enemy were in 5 or 6 miles of their capitol. We have too many men who will fight in office but not out of it. I myself was opposed to the men going home at the expiration of thier time but thought they had a perfect right to do so. Clark is the captain of Brooks old co. Kemp 1st Lieut, Williams 2nd and Wesley Eidson 3rd Lieut. ...If a negro can be spared from teh farm, I would like to have one to cook and wash for me. If I fail to come home and one can be spared, he could be sent along with Tom Rollinson, who has gone home for clothing &c for his mess. A pass might be written with my signature and might not cost anything to send a negro out here...An officer gets well paid but the way clothing & c. sells for an officer to look like one he can’t expect to save much. A confederate uniform coat & pants in Richmond cost 80 or 100 dollars. I bouth a very common pr. of pants last week in Richmond at 10 dollars, drawers at 1.50, shirts checke 2.50, shoes sell from 5 to 15 dollars, fet hats cannot be bought, I bought a common negro hat at 2.00. I wish to buy a good uniform at 40 or 50 dollars, but dont want a Confederate...” Profession repair, else VG. With copy of article that details the deaths of J.M. Daniel & William Daniel at the battle of Gettysburg.
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