Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A great war-date Confederate officer's letter, 3pp. 4to., written by Capt. Godfrey Leaphart, Co. C, 20th South Carolina Vols., "Sullivan's Island, [S. C.], Sept. 17, 1862" to his sister, in small part: "…my company numbers ninety men now besides ten discharged and two died. If they would have let the conscripts come to my company I could have swelled my company to a hundred & thirty but they sent them all to Virginia…they are still doing a great deal of work around Charleston…fortifying the place…there is over two thousand negroes working around Charleston at this time. They have made a call for hands from our section of country, every fourth hand that is subject to road duty had to go. Pa had to send one. It really…looks like, with the works around Charleston, that the Yankees never can take the place…they thrown some powerful shells at us some times. Two weeks ago they threw shells at us for about an hour. They fell all about the Moultrie House, some exploded nearly directly over it. My men picked up some that did not explode, that weighed eighty five lbs. Our army in Virginia and the West has met with unparalleled success for the last two months. I feel a great anxiety about our army since it is gone into Maryland. I am a fearful of invading their country though I hope it will work for the better…two weeks ago Col. [William R.] Calhoun [1st South Carolina Artillery], the commander of Ft. Sumter and Major [Alfred M.] Rhett of the same fort [and battery] fought a dueling which the former was killed. Lieut. Col. [Olin M.] Dantzler [KIA Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 2, 64] of our Regt was Col. Calhoun's second. I was afraid they would cashier him…there was a man shot here about two weeks ago for attempting to desert from Castle Pinckney and go to the enemy. He was shot about three hundred yards from the Moultrie House. All the troops about here had to turn out to witness it. My company had to act as a part of the guard…the officers of our Regt has been undergoing an examination…all officers who were elected at the reorganization of their Regt for the war will not be commissioned until they are approved of by a board of examination. They only examine four a day…they give us a very rigid examination. We will not hear their decision until they get through with their Military District. Genl. Beauregard is now at Charleston to take command…". Brittle folds, else VG
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.