September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
War-date Union soldier's Autograph Letter Signed by Edward Hoyt, 5th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, 4pp. octavo, pencil, Camp near Petersburg, June 25, 1864, with cover bearing rare "FORWARDED" postal mark, after being missent to Mississippi, it reads in part: "...We have been fighting almost constantly since the fifth of May and are now daily engaged with the enemy. Our battery has lost a great many men, and have also had about thirty horses killed in this campaign. We are now about one and a half miles east of Petersburg in full view of the church spires. We have heavy earth works in front of the battery, or else we could not live here one works in front of the battery, or else we could not live here one hour. We had quite a hot time getting our battery under cover of the works, as the enemy have three or four batteries about a thousand yards in front of us. All of them opened on us with shot and shell as soon as we came in sight. We were so fortunate as not to lose a man, although many of infantry support were killed and wounded all around us. We unlimbered our guns and I think gave them a little better than they expected, and with the help of battery D, 5th regulars, we soon silenced their guns. Yesterday morning, just at daybreak they opened on us again and we had a sharp artillery duel of about an hour duration when they ceased firing. We lost only one man who was shot through the head by a sharp shooter. We have to be very careful not to show our heads above our works as the rebel artillery skirmishers and sharpshooters fire at every man who shows himself. I think that the enemy's position can never be carried by assault, but that we still have to siege them out of it. The fighting in this campaign has been the most desperate I have ever seen and I have been in all the great battles fought by the Army of the Potomac from Yorktown down to the present time. Our corps (the fifth) has had the advance since we left our winter quarters and I think has suffered more than any other corps in the Army, and we have lost very heavily..." Fine condition.
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