July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
War-date Union soldier’s battle letter by Private Albert Swap, White Station, Tenn., Sept. 12, 1864, recounting the 7th Illinois pursuit of Nathan B. Forrest after he attacked the Union stronghold of Memphis, Tenn. on August 21, 1864, reading, in part: “…we have been on the move nearly every day since the Raid on Memphis. After the raid we followed Forrest two days and then we was ordered to LaGrange from thence to Germantown and from thence to this place...since we have only thirteen months to serve I shall feel happy when I can call myself Albert E. Swap again. I think it will be the last time that I will bind myself to any one by an Oath but I begin to think some of tying myself to some handsome young lady that suits my mind...Charles Dewey’s health is very poor, he has been in the hospital most of the time since he came from home...We lost three men in the fight at Memphis, two prisoners and one killed, one his horse fell upon him and broke his shoulder blade and he was taken prisoner and taken about 6 miles and they let him go and he come back to camp and is now in the hospital at Memphis. The General that is commanding our division is bringing us down to strict discipline and it seems rather hard but I think we can stand it for one year... Water call has blown, and as we have to go two miles to water and that under a commissioned officer I will have to close...”. VG.
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