Raynor HCA 2013-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013
A truly shocking early postwar manuscript Civil War document signed Major Aldace D. Walker, 11th Vermont Vols., 5 1/4pp., folio, Wallingford, Vt., November 15, 1865, to the editor of the Register, reading, in very small part: "The citizens of Middlebury were formerly well acquainted with Lieut. Edward B. Parker, late of Co. B 1st Artillery 11th Vt. Vols…his terrible end has been alluded to in the public prints but discredit has been thrown upon the tale…it has been in a measure hushed up…in a skirmish ne[a]r the Weldon Road…south of Petersburg, June 23rd, 1864, Lt. Parker was captured by the enemy…the whole command…comprising the 4th VT. and five companies of the 11th Vt. was surrendered to an entire Brigade of Mahone's Division-Finnegan's Florida Brigade…from this point the narrative is in the words of Lieut. (since major) Henry R. Chase of the same regiment…we were moved through Lynchburg…[and] on to Macon, Ga…about the first of Oct. we were started for Columbia, S.C., and Lt. Parker and myself resolved to make our escape…we jumped off the cars about two miles above Branchville…five shots were fired upon us…we started to make (for) our lines in east Tennessee…we came to a bridge that crossed the Congaree…were challenged, and asked if we had 'papers.' On giving an affirmative answer the guard directed us to a little camp fire at the end of the bridge…we took advantage of the sleepiness of the sentinel…and made for the woods…the guards got all the dogs nearby and tried to catch us that night…after daybreak, we heard the sound of dogs…being no trees large enough to climb, we were obliged to face them on the ground…the dogs, thirteen in number, came upon us. Lt. Parker and myself were about three feet apart, each standing behind a little shrub. The dogs all passed me without notice, and made prey of Lt. Parker. I had a little club which I used as best I could keeping the dogs from his throat, [Maj. Chase has told me…that he killed two of them]…our pursuers, five in number, came to the scene of murder. They ordered me to surrender and knocked me down with the butt of a musket…I found the muzzle of the gun resting against my left breast…the man who held it exclaimed: "D--n you, if you don't surrender. I'll shoot you through!'…I should have done so before, but under excitement, trying to keep the dogs off Lt. Parker. I minded nothing of the Rebs. After they whipped the dogs from the Lieutenant, and we carried him to the nearest station. He had been badly bitten in the legs, and his right side, so that it bled inwardly, and his arms were nearly torn from his body. He was bitten so badly he was insensible when we took him up…we were sent to Columbia on the coming train and on our arrival Lt. Parker was sent to the hospital…I never saw him afterwards, but some rebel officers told us that he died the next day of yellow fever…we could not believe that his death resulted from any other cause than the dog bites…strenuous efforts were made to find the place of his burial…without avail…his money…was appropriated by the rebels…". Near fine. Interestingly, enough the tale of Lt. Parker's capture, escape and sad fate are also published in George Benedict's book: "Vermont in the Civil War" under the unit history for the 11th Vermont.
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