September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
Archive of Civil War documents pertaining to John Sherwood a private in Company 'E', 159th Regiment, New York Volunteers, includes: War-date Autograph Letter Signed by C.S. Briggs, Asst. Surgeon 139th New York Volunteers, 2pp. folio, October 22, 1863, Brashear City, Louisiana, and reads " I remember John Sherwood well he died in Baton Rouge last February or March of Diphtheria contracted by going in Bayou bathing one Sunday morning by order of Surgeon C.A. Robertson 159th contrary to my advice to Surgeon Robertson. I was at that time in charge of camp & Robertson in charge of Hospital (regimental) in city of Baton Rouge. Our camp was 3/4 mile west of city over a Bayou. Surgeon Robertson use to come down to camp once in 3 or 4 weeks and the Sunday morning referred to he came to camp to inspect the men and thought he would do something damn smart and thus ordered them into the cold water of the Mississippi to wash themselves against my remonstrances. I told him the men would take cold but he said they would not. Young Sherwood who was but 19 years old was taken with sore throat the same night and went a day or two before he came to me. When I examined him and did what I could for him in camp and sent him to regiment hospital in a fine building under care of Dr. Robertson, where he died after a few days. I suppose the reason Capt. Wattermine did not furnish you a final statement of him is on account of having lost his Co. books at Bayou Boeuf...whilst we were laying siege to that rebel stronghold [Port Hudson] Dick Taylor son of old Zac, counter marched from Shreveport wither he had been driven by us and compelled our small garrison below here to destroy all government stores and surrender themselves as prisoners of war. Among the stores destroyed at Bayou Boeuf was all the Co. books, private baggage of the officers of Brig. Gen. Grover's division and amine among the rest..." With associated documents. Fine condition.
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