Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A good war-date Union officer's battle letter, 10pp. 8vo., written by Capt. Henry A. Wiley, Co. B, 104th New York Vols., "On Battlefield 8 miles from Kelley's Ford, May 5th [continued on the 8th], 1863", in part: "…we took up the line of march about 7 o'clock the 2nd day of May and went up the river to Kelley's Ford where the 11, 12 and 5 Corps had crossed and had been engaged the day before…a number of our men were sunstroke and had to be left behind…we had just crossed…and were cooking a our supper when the order came to fall in…the 11th Army Corps having broken and run disgracing the whole army. The 11th Corps was commanded by Maj. Gen. Howard…who was mortally wounded while trying to restore order…we marched to the extreme right…our Regt were detailed ass the advance guard. We marched about one mile in advance…and formed in line of battle…we immediately went to work and threw up works…in the evening several cavalry men come down the road and having on our uniform were halted…answered that he was a friend…a volley was fired at the sentinel from the road side…they wounded 3 of our Regt…our boys fired at them and finally succeeded in driving them back…the next forenoon a regiment of rebel infantry were seen approaching…the 12 Massachusetts Regt were sent out…they were…driven in by the rebels having lost 5 men some of which they had to leave in the hands of the rebels…we heard a noise in the brush…I listened very attentively…a sentinel…cried out halt…we had three Rebels who had lost their way…I told…them that they were in our line and…prisoners. They did not seem to feel very bad about it. I sent…them…to Gen. Robinson…they all…belonged to the 2[nd] Louisiana…being well dressed…they informed me that they belonged to Stonewall Jackson's old division. They told me that Stonewall was wounded slightly the evening previous…we are building breastworks…there are three batteries…in a few feet of us…the Sixth Corps…at Fredericksburg has since then captured the heights…[May 8]…marched rapidly as possible to the pontoon bridge…we had a terrible night…we are about 2 miles from the river…we are pretty well used up since we broke camp near Bull Run…I send one of the Richmond paper which one of the prisoners gave me at the time we took them…". VG
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