Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A great war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Corp. William W. Parker, Co. K, 40th Mass. Vols., "Deep Bottom, Va., Oct. 27, 1864" concerning the destruction of either the father Luther's, or his son Georg W. Libby's home just outside of Richmond, in part: "…I recd. a letter from the Federal Agent urging me to stay & under the circumstances it may be my duty…we are expecting an onward movement…which way they will go…remains to be seen. Some think Petersburg & others Richmond. The 10th Corps has been…filled up…30 thousand men in it now. I have been at the front all the afternoon. All our men…are…as near the breastworks as they can get. They had a review…this P. M. It was splendid to see them yet I looked on with feelings of sadness. [As] before tomorrow night how many of them may be stretched upon the field of battle…if it is the Lords will I hope to drink a cup of coffee…in Richmond. You have heard of Libby Prison..it is large tobacco factory…a place of confinement for Union prisoners. the man who owns it has a country residence only a mile from our tent. I have been there several times. There is now on my table…a beautiful banquet of flowers…picked in his garden…it is a beautiful spot about five miles from Richmond. He kept a great number of slaves. His plantation must contain a thousand acres. His house stands in a large lawn surrounded by trees, a flower garden of 1/2 acre…today…his fine house was level with the ground, his nice garden fences torn down, his walks taken up. All was perfect desolation. He is in Richmond his wife b& children prisoners in our lines. I am sure he never made slavery pay…the rebus around us have been of late quite saucy. They have broken through our lines several times. To night they came so near…our Gun boats laying a hundred yards from us [they] opened upon them…". Near fine.
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