February 23rd, 2012
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2012
War-date Union soldier's Autograph Letter Signed by William Fish, 11th New Hampshire Volunteers, who enlisted August 1862 was WIA at Fredericksburg and taken POW at the Wilderness, 4pp. quarto, Jackson, Mississippi, July 15, 1863, and reads in part: "...We have been 'fighting' some lately, but thanks be to 'God' I have passed through it so far in safety...We have seen some pretty rough times lately. ...The Acting Quartermaster of the 35th Mass. was killed by a tree falling on him and one man was struck by lightening...On Sat the 10th we were sent out to support skirmishers on the left. Sun. the 11 we relieved a Regt of skirmishers at 3 in the morning, in an open field The rebs were posted in the woods and in the trees and could fired own on to us our regt was out there 24 hours till the next morning . When the 6th NH relieved us when we fell back behind in the woods and supported them. There was about 10 wounded in the 11th and one killed Corp. [Charles F.]Stickney of Co. A. There was but two in our Co. and one seriously Sergeant John I. Clark [Died of Wounds 8/21/63] and one slightly Corp. E.B. Slives son of the temaster at Manchester. We were under fire from Sat forenoon till Tuesday morning. The Rebs attempted to charge on the lines of skirmishers on Monday but the 6th NH poured into them and they were glad to fall back....There are a great many batteries here of our forces and they have been playing into the Rebs pretty lively at times. I do not know the strength of Johnson's forces, but our troops are pretty confident of victory. Both our side and the Rebs are strengthening their positions. We went into the skirmishing with some 36 guns....Our forces are receiving reinforcements and I hope to inform you in my next of the capture of Jackson. We have heard good news lately of the capture of Port Hudson that Rosencrans has driven Bragg into Alabama and our success in the 'east'. Lieut Clark showed himself cool and collected. The 6th did not lose a man as they understand skirmishing and had better protection as our regt. and theirs dug 'pits'. When our Regt went in most of them had to lay on the open ground....You may depend on it that Grant will take this place and perhaps the Army of Johnson..." Very good condition.
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