2005-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2005
A 2pp. folio. letter written in ink by Sergeant Martin V. Miller [Corinth Miss., Aug.17, 1862], to his sister concerning the occupation of Corinth after Beauregard's evacuation, reading, in part: "…we are now encamped about one mile South…of Corinth where we will…remain until Fall. Our lines around Corinth are…nine miles in length and in the shape of a Crescent with a stone Fort every three quarters of a mile with rifle pits between…we are prepared for the defensive until circumstances will permit us to again resume offensive operations…we are compelled to lay in the shade the most of the day and fight flies, fleas, and lizards taking care to bring in the cool of the morning enough roasting ears, apples, peaches to do us during the day…the boys from the Grove are…well. You ask me when I think this War will end. This is a question which is perplexing much smarter men than me. If we can get six or eight hundred thousand more men in the field by the middle of next month and the Administration adheres to its present policy, I think twelve months more will be sufficient to crush Rebellion, but as Rebels have nothing to lose and all to gain they will make a most desperate resistance and can only be conquered at a terrible sacrifice of blood and treasure. As the game now stands it is completely blocked. The Rebels do not attack us or us them. Both are looking for succor from their respective sections & which ever receives it first will…carry the day. As for our Democratic brethren in the North, too conscientious to enlist, you can tell them we are freeing all the slaves we can find. I stole three myself the last time we were on Picket and have got one of them cooking for me. The young man who is too moral and temperate to join the Army you had better get a cage and put him in and feed him on Henry Ward Beecher's sermons with Neal Dow's temperance structure for dessert…". Irregular margins with some toning, else very good.
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.