September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
War-date Union soldier's Autograph Letter Signed by Albert D. Perry, U.S. Signal Corp, 4pp. octavo, Headquarters 15th Army Corps, Near Atlanta, July 21, 1864, with cover, it reads in part: "...Last Sunday morning at daylight...we were to go on a raid. The object was to destroy the railroad running east from Atlanta, so that Johnson could not reinforce Lee in Virginia. Well, we came to the railroad encountering very little opposition, with the exception of a small cavalry force of the enemy which we soon routed and drove back steadily, until we came to the road which we soon destroyed effectually, at least for this campaign. The road is torn up about east of Atlanta and close to a little town called Decatur, situated near the base of Stone Mountain. You never saw people more surprised in your life than the citizens were at our arrival. And even the prisoners we captured could hardly believe we were away around here. The next morning after destroying the road, we started for Atlanta once more and yesterday about 11 o'clock AM we came up with the enemy within 3 miles of the city, where we are now fighting them. I do not think that they are in a very heavy force here as our lines of battle nearly surrounds the city. There is very heavy fighting going on now. The bullets are singing like humming birds over our heads. We are lying in reserve, about 3/4 mile from our advance. Everything is going on splendidly and we expect to be in the city in a day or two. You would be astonished to see how the presence of the Yankees (as these clayeaters call us) change the sentiments of these poor ignorant deluded wretches. When we are sidling along on the march we stop at all the houses along the road, sometimes for water, sometimes just to see who is there. And you cannot imagine what curiosity the look at us. A great many of the most ignorant ones are made to believe that we are cannibals or something worse, and they are so pleased to think that we did not take hold and kill them all that they can hardly contain themselves...You would laugh to see some of these southern ladies. Just imagine a woman with an old homespun dress on, no crinoline, barefooted and a pipe stuck in her mouth or chewing snuff on the end of a stick and you have a very good representation of the poor class of females in this part of the country. The process of chewing snuff is quite funny. They wrap a rag around the end of a stick 4 or 5 inches long, then carry a little box of snuff in and occasionally dip the stick into it, then chew it like tobacco. Pleasing accomplishments in a lady, isn't it!..." Fine condition.
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