Raynors 2012-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2012
A nice war-date Union officer's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Lieut. William H. Mickle, Co. H, 134th New York Vol., "Ordnance Office Artillery, 11th Corps, Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Dec. 5, 1863", concerning operations after the battles of Lookout Mountain, in part: "…I hardly feel in the mood for describing the varied phases of the Battle…it was a grand success…we losing but lightly…while the Rebel loss in artillery, horses, supplies & prisoners was very great…Genls Howard & Palmer have gone against Longstreet in East Tennessee…part of our Corps (three Batteries & my ordnance train) were ordered to come back into our old encampment while the infantry & two Batteries went up to Knoxville…I should have…'Thanksgiving'…but…we pursued the demoralized 'Johnies' that day until about midnight. When our adjutant (Lt. Freeman), Capt. Wheeler of the 13th N. Y. Battery & myself sat down to our thanksgiving dinner (at 12 o'clock at night) composed of chicken, ham, bread coffee etc. how did we talk about home thanksgiving dinners compared with our chase & its attending captures. We encamped that night at 'Chickamauga Station' where the Rebs had their Commissary Depot and the way we drove into their supplies 'was a caution'. We drove them so hastily that they didn't have time to destroy their own provisions much less carry them off…Mother you mentioned the case of several boys having been paroled…& when they gave themselves up they were treated as deserters…it was just the next step to desertion & they would have remained at home…the boys had no right to leave for home without…informing their officers that they were paroled. Many of them were not paroled…I will send a very poor likeness of the Major, but you can see that he has brains & is generally 'good looking'. He has been working very hard & up nights about the time we were being transferred from the Army of the Potomac…". Raising to the rank of captain, Mickle served faithfully throughout the remainder of the war, being wounded at Gettysburg, and serving as a staff officer for Generals Howard, Hooker, and Sherman. The original stamped transmittal cover is included. VG
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