September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
A truly great war-date Gettysburg battle letter written by Pvt. Sumner D. Aspinwall, Co. G, 2nd New Jersey Vols. "Camp near Berlin, Md., July 17, 1863, 4pp. 8vo., concerning the battle of Gettysburg and of witnessing Pickett's Charge, reading, in part: "…we marched from Boonsboro to this place yesterday…we will march across into Va and encamp tomorrow…the enemy has been terrible they left some five thousand of wounded at Williamsport. The churches were full of them being turned into hospitals. They have lost heavy our cavalry captured some two thousand near Falling Waters and Williamsport. I saw them lay so thick on the field of Gettysburg that you could not tread…without standing on some of their dead. I have seen many battlefields but none where they lay so thick as they did at Gettysburg. It was a sickening sight horse, men, the Blue and Grey lay killed in all positions. In the Battle of the 3rd of July I never heard such a roar of artillery. I had just finished a letter to you…and I went to fill my canteen with water in the rear of the line of battle when all at once the enemy opened with some hundred and fifty pieces of artillery. Our men replied with some two hundred. The enemy attacked us with infantry all along the lines and were repulsed at all points. I saw them mowed down like grass by our artillery. They had to advance across a plain and artillery had a full sweep. Do you know whether any of the Brookfield Boys in the 15th were killed in the Battle at Gettysburg…all the Corps look splendid here in Va. the farmers are harvesting the wheat…I never seen such fine farms as I saw in some part of Md…the people in Md received us with pleasure and there are many places that we passed through more loyal than many North. There is exceptions such as Baltimore but the people in all the principle places are loyal…PLUS: a 4pp. 8vo., partial letter by Aspinwall on the Third Day's battle of Gettysburg and outlining his regiment's activities while pursuing the Confederates until July 13th, reading, in part: "short range when they opened all guns loaded with grape, canister, shrapnel and spherical case. The hot fire tore them from the [?]…the line broke and run many falling on their faces and coming into our lines…they seemed determined not to give up for soon a line was seem advancing larger than the force that we had to oppose them. They were cut worse than the first and fired in confusion leaving the ground strewn with their dead and wounded all along the lines they were repulsed with heavy loss. On the right of us where the 3rd and 12th Corps were they came up to the artillery and received a terrible fire and as they were retreating. The infantry who lay on their faces in front of the artillery [?] and gave them a fire. Night soon came and we laid down in line of battle expecting a heavy battle on the morrow. In the midst of the hottest fire Gen. Meade rode along the front of our lines. July 4th there was a heavy rain and there was no fighting of any account. The ambulance train took off all the wounded and many of the dead were buried. July 5th early in the morning we advanced. Part of my regiment were deployed as skirmishers and the rest advanced in lines of battle. We found the enemy's pickets withdrawn from our front and halted for some time on the field. It was a sickening sight. The men and horses lay thick as far as you could see in some place. Over one hundred would lay in a small space. In one place I saw ten lay piled on each other were they had been swept by one discharge of artillery. I saw one with both arms and legs blown off where a shell had exploded just as it struck him. There were thousands lay within sight. We advanced on and could see the [?] of their wagon train some three miles away and shelled it…we came upon…camps which they had left full of wounded. all the barn houses were full of wounded…for miles. We came upon some of their rear guard near Fairfield and had a skirmish with them and took some prisoners. We advanced as far as the foot of the mountain and then halted for the night. All the rest of the Corps were advancing in another direction. July 6th we advanced…and marched through Fairfield to Emmittsburg, Md…then came up a heavy rain and we could not get the wagons through the mountain road…we marched to Boonsboro and formed line of Battle on the mountain…the enemy were a short distance ahead and the cavalry had a fight with them. July 10th we advanced to near Funkstown the enemy being the rear of the town. There was some skirmishing through the day. July 11th we lay in line of battle all day…July 12th we advanced early…we found the enemy had retreated to Hagerstown and we advanced to near that place…the cavalry made a charge through the streets capturing some prisoners. We had some skirmishing and captured some three hundred. July 13th there was a heavy rain. My regiment, part of it, was sent out on picket…there was nothing of importance through the day but skirmishing…". Both VG.
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