Raynors 2012-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2012
A great war-date Union officer's letter, 4pp. 4to, written by Lieut. William H. Mickle, as an officer on Hooker's staff, "In the rain-woods & Allatoona Mountain near Marietta, Geo., June 5, 1864", to his wife glamorizing Gen. Hooker and his men, in part: "…on this Sabbath morn we are confronted by the enemy yet I enjoy it pretty…well…we have broken off from all communication with the rear & are moving in true Western style consequently you don't get reports direct from us or from the Army of the Potomac. On the 23rd ult. we rec'd an order for a 20 days movement & supposed we could not write our friends…I presume you have heard of our fighting at Dalton, Resaca, Calhoun, Cassville & then our last week's engagement near Dallas. Our Corps-Genl. Hooker's has had [done] most of the fighting…the Rebels all say if [it] was not for Hooker they would whip the Yankees here & drive them out of Georgia. Our Corps has lost about (4,000) since we began this campaign being more than all the rest of the army here have lost together. Whenever there is a hard job to do or bad place to take Hooker is the man to do it. If we had all such generals here as Hooker this campaign would have been ended & the Rebel army in the Southwest entirely 'wiped out'…I will not censor any special general now but there are two here who are entirely out of their sphere…had this expedition devolved on or Genl. Thomas we would not have been dallying here as we now are. No hard fighting has been done save by Hooker & if we intend to put down this Rebellion it can be only done by quick, severe, & telling blows…God has been pleased to spare me…how Genl. Hooker has escaped I can hardly tell unless he be especially protected by a kind Providence for I have been with him when showers of bullets, shell and canister fell around him & among us (the staff)…he is always in the thickest of the fight seeing everything with his own eyes & directing in person. No troops can do otherwise than fight under such a man. We almost idolize him. He sacrificed everything for the country…some of my most intimate army associations have been either killed or wounded & I spared. How grateful ought I to be!…should the fatal bullet reach me…Bro. Gates knows what arrangements we made…God knows best & whether it be life or death…let us say in either case 'thy will be done'. I feel proud of the noble cause for which I am contending & if death be the sacrifice required of me twill be freely made. How is Grandmother…we are in line of battle now & may have to fight somewhat today…we are 25 miles from Atlanta & may soon be at the place…I wish you could see what effect a battle or an army has on a country…Lt. Charley Ahreets was wounded in the head-a scalp wound not serious I trust…". Raising to the rank of captain, Mickle served faithfully throughout the remainder of the war, was wounded at Gettysburg, and serving as a staff officer for Generals Howard, Hooker, and Sherman. Near fine
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