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, 6 1/4pp. 8vo., written by Corp. Marshall P. Wood, Co. I, 9th New Hampshire Vols., "Camp near Spottsylvania, Va. May 20, 1864" concerning the battles at Spotsylvania including the Mule Shoe and Upton's innovative massed charge on May 18th, in small part: "…when we left Bristo Station our Regt and the 31st [32nd] Me. were left thare to guard the rail road…then we started. All the rest of the troops was ahead of us except some that was stationed along the road…after we left the Rap. Station we heard cannonading and knew the ball had opened. They pressed us on pretty hard…the dust [was] so thick that we could hardly see each other…we went about a mile and found the Regt…we begun to meet the wounded…there was a lot of them, most of them was wounded in the arm and hand. They took us right up to the front…they run us around in the woods…part of the Co. was to stand picket…then we went on to building breast works…met the whole Corps coming out. We fell in and marched up on a hill…we started for Chancellorsville…thare we formed in line of battle and the rebs began to shell us and our batteries began to shell them…there was one or two wounded in our Regt. We then advanced in line of battle up to the breast works…and then went back again. This was to draw the rebs into our breast works…there is all kinds of traps fixed to catch them. Our Co. and Co. G went in as skirmishers…there was two or three lines of battle behind us all the time…next morning [battle of Spotsylvania, fighting at the Mule shoe, May 12] we started to make an advance on the rebels…we had not gone far before the bullets began to rip…over our heads but we passed on…the reb pickets lay hid behind their works…and they poured into us. Here is where our lieut. was wounded…the balls came pretty thick but we pressed on…the first line of battle passed me and I fell in behind and followed …the lines pressed on and came to whare the rebels had cut the trees and had their rifle pits and masked batteries…the battle commenced in earnest. Our front lines rushed up and took their works one after another capturing 10,000 prisoners and over 40 pieces of artillery, three genls. and a good many stands of colors…our Regt suffered very much. We came in on the left and we had no support. We advanced up to their rifle pits and fought as hard as we could. The rebus [on] one side and we the other. Pretty soon the rebs coming [commenced] round on our left [to] flank us. We stood it as long as we could and finely had to fall back. The rebs came round…in three or four lines of battle and drove us right back over the works…the left Cos. of our Regt suffered bad. Some Cos. was most all cut down. The ground was covered with the dead and wounded. Poor boys we had to leave them on the ground. What was wounded the rebs took prisoners…I fled with the rest over the hill into the woods, the balls a whizzing by me as fast as they could. I stopped and looked back and I saw the rebs on a rifle pit, their officer swinging his hat and cheering them on. I let a ball at him and then went on and found the Regt. in the woods…we came into an open space and saw an officer on a horse and he toiled us whare to go. Here we went into it again right in the edge of the woods in front of where we got cut up…we fought there all day and finely the rebs fell back…we built up some strong works and held them…a number of days. Our poor boys had to lay on the filed two or three days before we could get out to get them…a detail…went out…but the rebs sharpshooters fired on them…the next night [they] fetched in some 30 or more and buried them in one hole. Oh, it was a dreadful sight to see them poor boys…[on May 18, Upton's charge]…we made another advance on them…an Irish Brigade went in first in solid colume. Our brigade followed. We went to their rifle pits but could not hold them. They poured the shot and shell into us…the was two or three killed and a number wounded…our commanding officers are all wounded…Capt. Stone of Co. G took command and he was mortally wounded day before yesterday. Our capt. has the command now. Our Regt went in the battle…with 450 men and one half of them are gone…after our lines fell back the rebs came into our pits…and picked up a lot of things…". Near fine.
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.