Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A great war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 11pp. 8vo., written by Corp. Marshall P. Wood, Co. I, 9th New Hampshire Vols., "Near Sharpsburg, Md., Sept. 20, 1862" concerning their first two engagements, in small part: "Once more I am permitted to write a few lines…I ought to be thankful that my life is spared…I have seen sad times since last I wrote. I have been in two battles…I am in the midst of it now. They are fighting on our wright today. But our left wing is not doing any thing…we have had a dreadful battle last Wednesday. They say it was the hardest one that has been fought. Our Regt suffered some but not so bad as a good many. There was 3 killed and 40 or 50 wounded. In our Co. there was one killed and four wounded some of them not very bad. The one that was killed was Geo. Fox from Keane. He was not a rod from me when he fell. The ball went right through him and struck an other fellow right on his buckle to his belt and bent it all up. Two others and myself picked him right up and carried him…off…the field…the air was full of shells and bullets…pieces of shell would strike within ten feet of us all the time. We carried him about a quarter of a mile…he was buried the next day…I cannot give you any idea of it…the first battle that we was in was last Sunday…you cannot tell anyone's feelings the first time going into battle. The battle was on the Hagerstown Heights. it was on a range of very high hills. We could see them up there before we went up. They was throwing shells at us all the time but we marched right up the hill after them. They was right on the top…when we got most up to them. There was a lot of troops on a head of us before we got up to the top…we stretched out to the left before a cornfield right in front of them, but not in sight. The capt. told us to fix bayonets and charge on them. The bullets was a flying over our heads like [?]…and over the fence we went and up the hill through the corn a yelling like tigers. We passed over one or two Regts that lay flat on the ground…we did not stop for them…when we got to the top of the hill they was not there. They had fell back but the shells came in pretty fast. We marched on into the wood to our left into the brush…the shells would burst within ten feet of us. The pieces would fly all among us. One or two of the boys was hit but not very bad…to a little hill we had just got to the top when the bullets flew into us. Some of us fired at them and they went off. One of our Com. was wounded. The ball went through his [Lewis W. Aldrich's] thigh. We was ordered to fall back on to the top of the hill where we first was…we had not been there more [than] ten minutes before the enemy came up…and pitched into us. There was other Regts between us and them so we did not fire. We fell back a few rods and laid down on the ground…in the morning the enemy had retired back…we did not loose many men but the ground was covered with the rebels. We marched on after them about 20 miles and they made an other stand on…Wednesday and here we had a dreadful fight. There was a bridge [Burnside Bridge] that we had to get across. We had to fight pretty hard to get it but we did and it was our Division that took it. Gen. McClennan give us the praise of taking it…the enemy fought all day. The next day they did not through but a few shells…they kept their pickets out all day. I was sent out on picket and I shot two of them for I see them fall…the enemy fell back onto the other side of the Potomac and are there now. They did not make much coming into Md. They say they have lost 50,000…I have traded…my revolver for a watch…it was no use to me…it was heavy…I had to carry it in my knapsack and it was a good deal of work to keep it clean…it is Sunday…we had a pretty hard march out here…we left our coats at Wash. and carried our knapsacks about 20 miles and then had to send them back to Wash…it was dreadfully hard to carry them. We took what we could in our haversacks and went on…when we made that charge on the enemy [on] Sunday we was ordered to throw our blankets away…some one took my blanket and vest…I lost…all the money I had…I have not got but 6 cents with me…". Also included is the original transmittal cover signed by Adjutant George H. Chandler, future lieut. col. WIA Spotsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864.] Near fine
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