Raynors 2012-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2012
(32) war-date Union soldier's letters written by Private Charles Gould, Co. "B," 44th New York Infantry, approximately 100 pp., 8vo and 4to, various eastern locations, 1862 - 1864, many docketed on the verso by Gould's father with the date written, a summary of its contents and its point of origin. Gould enlisted in Lockport, New York on August 30, 1862, mustering into the 44th - "Ellsworth's Avengers" - on September 1st. His letters follow the regiment's movements through the major campaigns of late 1862 and 1863. The 44th New York saw action at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg during the period covered by this correspondence. In fact, the regiment suffered its heaviest losses at Gettysburg where it helped defend Little Round Top. In October 1864 Charles Gould transferred to the 140th New York Infantry, which was heavily engaged in the battles around Private Gould survived nearly three years of heavy combat, mustering out on June 3, 1865. His letters read, in part, "(Fredericksburg, 12/20/62…at Fredericksburg it was a complete blunder on our side it was the hardest place that our forces ever tried to take…on the first ridge there their batteries (were) placed so that they could rake our men on three sides…our reg lost about 50 killed and wounded…I never heard such cannonading in all my life…I could hear the shells whis through the air all day…(Fredericksburg, 12/21/62…For the fight before Fredericksburg it was nothing but a compleat oversight in trying (to) take it the way they did with out any heavy guns on our side at all and the men say that they rebs killed 10 of our men to one of theirs…(Chancellorsville, 5/1/63)…we have got the rebs in a tight place…the rebs are in 2 miles of us and we expect a fight to day. We are taking prisoners all the while they look hard I tell you but they say they will fight…(Stoneman's Station, 5/9/63)…I have been through a hard fight - came out safe and sound although the shot come close and fast…the first thing that (we) heard was the whis of the shell and grape and canister…I was scart a little for they had broke and was running in every way for the ford…our corps laid all day excepting now and then a sharpshooter would send and send a shot in and wound a man…(Emitsburg, Pennsylvania 7/6/63)…We have had a sharp fight out here our reg lost 127 men in all. The Cap of my Co was shot dead on the field we had 6 officers wounded in all and 24 privates killed…I must close now…(Six miles from Hagerstown, Maryland, 7/11/63)…The rebs came out of the wood in front of us this morning in a large force but they soon fell back again. While I write this there is sharp picket firing and I think we will have a brush with them in a short time…we will give them the worst whipping they have had of late. I have seen some of the worst sights that I ever did in my life it was a bug barn full of rebel wounded and the devils in human shape set it on fire…and never took one out but let them all perish in the flames and on the left of the line of battle they tied the deads hand to gether & feet and run a stick through them and carried them off the field in this way whare they piled them up in a heap of some 100 or more and never buried any of them…(Camp, 7/17/63)…the Johnys got a way from us, you ought to have seen the boys when they found it out for they though that they would surely catch them…instead of marching us on them they let us lay still for two days and throw up rifle pits, and the reb(s) are crossing the river as fast as they could…(Headquarters, Medical Dept, 7/29/63)…You asked me if I was in the Hospital department I am and have the promise of staying here as long as I am with the regiment…You seem to think that we let Lee acrost the river to easy. The whole army are of the same opinion, for we think that if we had moved on Lee instead of throwing up breastworks that we could have capture(d) most of his army…they thought that if we could have whipped them that it would soon end this war…" The letters are overall in very good condition on paper that is quite sound.
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