Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A good war-date Union officer's letter, 4pp. 4to. written by 1st Lt. & Adjutant James S. read, Co. G, 9th Penn. Reserve Infantry (38th Penn. Vols.), "Head Quarters 9th Regt. P. R. V. C., Jan. 4, 63", in part: "…we have sen many changes since we left Md…when we crossed at Berlin…when we camped near Waterford. We happened to get near water and whiskey-a whole distillery of it…Junior, Brady, Nicholson, Ritchie-Peter Wilkinson & Yates started out one evening. They went up to a house. Junior called the woman for a butcher knife, said he wanted to kill one of her sheep. She told [him] that she had none. Well if you don't give us the knife we'l steal all your chickens. They got the knife & the chickens didn't escape. Next morning…the bunk looked more like a poultry shop than anything else. They had 23 chickens-one turkey-the largest part of a sheep and a big crock of milk…two or thre of them went to the distillery. On the way Junior stopped at a house and wrote an order for 2 gals of whiskey for hospital use & signed Genl. C[onrad] F. Jackson's name. they presented the order. The old man read it & then doubting it called for some man in the house. It happened to be [future brevet brig. gen.] Col. [Joseph W.] Fisher of the 5th who looked at the order and wanted to know who wrote it. Junior told him that Genl. Jackson did. Col. Fisher (say) Go to your regiments. Junior, Col. we want the whiskey. Col., Go to your Regt. Junior, Col we don't want to disobey your order but you'll hear from this, we'll report you. Col., well report you…feeling in his side pocket for a revolver. Go to your Regts you damned scoundrels or you'll hear a report & that soon. They went but got some of the old chaps chickens. Two or three days ago Junior & Ritchie went out…and came in with a new marque-borrowed it…we were in the [fight at] Fredericksburg. Our Co. did not receive a scratch, except from the briars along the ditches. We were in a hot old place. Lieut. Reuben Long of Co. A died the evening of the fight from a wound he recd. [Capt.] Charley Owston has not been heard of since. It may be that he is a prisoner…Lieut. Long's brother was here for a week trying to get his brother's body, but did not succeed…we have a new sutler…the boy orders anything & everything. We live high…". VG
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