September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
War-date Union soldier's letter archive of William A. Leonard, 16th Massachusetts Volunteers [previous service with the 11th Mass], who was a stretcher bearer during the Civil War, includes twenty-four (24) letters with covers, February 21, 1865 through July 1865, and reads in small part: "...[2/21/65]Good news from Sherman, has took Columbia, Charleston will fall next. The Rebels are deserting over to us fast, come in every night, next fall will see this war finished...We have got the news of the Capture of Charleston, they have been firing a salute...raid was made on the railroad and when they came back found some of our men with their throats cut...two of them that were found with their throats cut was Erasisu Lutesinger & Geo. Mallery, they belonged to the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry. Their horses played out & the guerillas murdered them...[2/24] What do you think of Charleston now? That hotbed of treason, they had to get up and get out of it when Sherman came along. ...Grant has got the Rail Road most up to where our Divis is already, up hill & down, dont stop him...Sergt Jones that was with the stretcher bearers at the time of the fight went up to our Regt and tore cartridges for them...[3/3]News today that Sherman burnt Columbia in retaliation for the citizens firing on his men. The Rebel congressmen are leaving Richmond...[3/15]We have got a good man to steer the machine that fellow they call U.S. Grant. Sheridan & Sherman are giving them fits. I have seen Grant & Meade a number of times...[3/28]I told you in my other letter we had been fighting more. I would give a good deal if you could have been here (out of range I mean) and heard the musketry and cannonading ...Our Regt only had one man wounded the 120 NY lost heavy. They kept us pretty busy carting the wounded. Sheridan is here with his cavalry force, they are going to try the south side road, cut off communications between Lee and Johnston...[3/30] the 5th Corps are off there some where our Divis of it has had a fight & some of our ambulances went last night at dark to help bring off their wounded...my ambulance is full of sick...saw about a hundred & fifty prisoners at the station...there has been hard fighting today, our Divis has been engaged we have been up to the field hospital & got wounded brought them to the Station. They say Sheridan has got the South Side road. There was a number from our Regt. wounded...[4/7]We have not overtaken the troops yet, they are eight or ten miles ahead of us now. They have had a fight taken 13,000 prisoners, 17 cannon & Gen Ewell so the report is...Niggers crazy with joy on the road...[4/23]Our Col is going to try & get our Regt home by the 12th of June and I guess he will for it is the oldest Mass Regt in the field now. I think it will depend all on what Johnston does. They say he has surrendered but I guess they dont know anything official about it...It is bad that the President is killed, can't be helped....[4/29]I dont believe the folks home felt much worse about Lincoln than the soldiers did. I tell you if they could have got hold of Booth they would have killed him by inches. Well I hear he is shot, was shot near the Rappahannock by some of our detectives. We got good news last night Johnston has surrendered to Grant on the same terms as Lee did...now there is no Rebel Army in the field, Mosby has surrendered his men and run away himself, his own men are after him to get the reward offered for him. Kirby Smith has disbanded his forces and sent them to their homes....[5/14]The paper states this morning that Jeff Davis is captured, it seems to be official...." With much more on close of war news, and disbanding the regiment etc. Most are near fine condition or better. A nice unusual Civil War perspective.
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