Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A good Union soldier's letter collection consisting of eight (8) letters, totaling approx. 19 pages, written by Pvt. Henry N. Bushnell [WIA Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 64], Co. D, 2nd Conn. Hvy Artillery, in part: "…[n. d., but Sept. 62, n. p.]…the head quarters of this Regt are at a house situated about half way between Fort Ellsworth and Williams. It is a very nice house on a hill with a grove around it. The Col. has nine guards here. He picked them out of different comp[anies] and had them detailed here…[Elisha S.] Kellogg [KIA Cold Harbor, June 1, 64]…has his commission as col. of this Regt. He received it last Friday…[Fort Worth, Feb. 63]…I was in Alexandria yesterday and went to see Sergeant Brewster. He is so he sits up all day…[Henry's father's letter, Middlebury, Conn., April 27, 63]…Geo. Johnson & Geo. Eagan…were all drowned…bodies all found. We have…assisted in burying the two last…Lilliie is expecting to enlist, as chief of staff…Col. James Warner [future brigadier general, WIA Spotsylvania Court House, May 18, 64] of the first Vt. Artillery…Col. Warner is a West Point cadet…[Redoubt near Fort Lyon, May, 63]…I have been out about ten miles on the cars…after wood…we have been on the lookout for a cavalry raid for the last week but the rebs have not come yet. We are prepared to give them a handsome reception…about forty feet of the bridge between here and Alexandria is taken up every night to prevent the rebs from making a dash into the city and destroying government stores. We have no pickets stationed between here and Falmouth…Hooker telegraphed to Washington that thare was a body of cavalry between him and us and to look out for raids…[Redoubt B near Fort Lyon, n. d.]…we went down among the rebus to ketch [?], pick up deserters, confiscate horses and mules and live on the rebs and we done it…[Redoubt near Fort Lyons, Nov. 10, 1863]…I suppose you will have heard of the blowing up of the magazine at Fort Lyons…we were called out for drill at two o'clock and was forming a line when we herd several reports as of a battery firing…at first we supposed…it was the day to practice firing…but in another moment such an explosion as I never heard before…the air was filled with sticks of timber, stones [and] shells bursting. There was several parts of human bodies found half a mile from here, as soon as the cloud of smoke and dust cleared…we went to assist in removing a terrible sight, some that still breathed had their legs and arms all torn to pieces, how many were killed I do not know. I saw several dead bodies and nine that…it is hardly possible can live. How many they carried off…I did not see…Fort Lyons is about fifty rods from here. Not a man in our company was injured…the explosion was caused by digging out powder that was damaged and had become baked in some bomb shells. Instead of using a wooden pin. They used a iron priming wire…[n. d., but late Nov. 63]…I have been to work for the last week on a flag pole. You may like to know how I spent Thanksgiving…the drum major's wife got it up…it cost us 75 cents a piece. The colonel's wife waited on the table…". Overall VG.
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