Medal Of Honor Winner Starts A Shoot Out At Petersburg

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011

A great war-date Union soldier's letter, 5 1/2pp 8vo., written by Pvt. Albert H. Abbott, Co. A, 2nd Rhode Island, Vols., on "Second Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers" stationery, Petersburg, Va., July 9, 1864, in part: "…the brigade has [been] assigned [to] that famous man of charges David Russell['s], first division. We were consolidated in the 3rd Brgd, 1st Division…and all the teams turned in [and] the detailed men sent back…our company now numbers 76 muskets…there is only two companies in the regiment now…we belong to Co. "A", 6th Corps, [Capt. Elisha Hunt] Rhodes didn't like it so we chainged the name and called ourselves Rhodes' mob. God how mad it made him. We are going into the front line of pits to relieve the 37th and ordered not to make the slightest noise…just as we got near the boys to relieve them by whispering somebody asked [Pvt. Thomas] Parker [MOH fall of Petersburg & Sailor's Creek] 'what Regiment?…Parker hollered out, [Henry H.] Young's mob by G-d…there was some ducking of heads just then. The pits in some places…are about 90 yards apart, yet both sides get water in front of the pits in the daytime…but Burnside's Niggers played h-l with the Johnies…that not a johnie could get back over the pit if he went for water so that they were willing to let up on the shoot. Last night they tried our lines in front of the 2nd and 5th…wish they would try 'em every night…[Pvt. John C.] Tiffnay got a slight tap on the head in our charge before Petersburg. None of the regiment tried to help him. He said 'go on boys, go on, it's the Lord's will. I am ready to go!' Joel [B. Kenyon] got the skin took off his ankle, not half the clip I got at the C. H…he has just come back. It makes me feel a perfect contempt for…they are not men to see them run for so little…Jim Waid has a first Lieut. commission…". Also included in the original stamped transmittal cover. VG.

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