Capt. Wiley Is Wounded At Gettysburg

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013

A great pair of war-date Union officer's battle letters, totaling 8pp. 8vo., [one partial], written by Capt. Henry A. Wiley, Co. B, 104th New York Vols., "Hospital 1st Army Corps, in rear of Army of the Potomac, 4 miles from Gettysburg, Pa., July 4th, 1863", in part: "Be content for I am but slightly wounded and after a little time shall be all right. After a march of eight or ten miles on the 1st inst our corps went into the fiercest action of this war…I was struck in my right hand and left the field. I walked to the village and entered this hospital…I had been but a short time when our troops were driven back. The Rebels took possession of the town and we the wounded were all prisoners. We were compelled to remain where we were until this morning when the Rebels fell back and our troops again entered the town and the wounded including myself were immediately sent to the rear…on examination it was necessary to amputate my right fore finger…2nd Lieutenant Storks who was wounded in the thigh and was with me in the action…our Regt. suffered terribly. The only officers left in it now are the colonel, major and 2nd Lieut. McConnell…the rest were either killed, wounded or captured. I have learned nothing of Lieut. Snyder. He is doubtless a prisoner and on his way to Richmond. The wounded officers who were captured in the village, myself among them were paroled. 3 of my companywide killed viz., Alonzo Mix, John Lodrick and Wesley Lewis. The wounded are as near as I can learn were myself, Lieut. Starks, Sergt. Collins…there may be others but I do not know of them…[partial letter, 2nd Division Hospital, 1st Army Corps, 4 miles from Gettysburg, Pa., July 6, 1863]…I wrote you a day or two since informing you of a great battle which has taken place here and of my having been wounded in the hand…my right fore finger has been amputated and my hand is getting along quite nicely…I have indeed great reason to be thankful at having escaped so well. We have been in hotly contested engagements heretofore yet our Regiment has never suffered anything…as severely before. We went into the engagement with 21 line officers and all save one are dead, wounded, captured or missing, as follows. Co. A Lieuts Weed & Lamson captured. Co. B Capt. Wiley and 2nd Lieut. Starks wounded, 1st Lieut. Snyder missing…Co. C 2nd Lieut Griggs wounded through both legs…Co. D Capt. Starr and 2nd Lieut. Tuthill captured, 1st Lieut. Johnston mortally wounded, since died. Co. E 2nd Lieut. Ross captured, 1st Lieut. Trembly…was not on duty…Lieut. Col. Tuthill was wounded and is…still in the village…[much, much more content on the casualties of the regiment]…the news this morning is that the rebels have fallen back and our troops are in hot pursuit…". Both VG

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