Raynor HCA 2013-07
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/18/2013
A rare war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 3pp. 4to., written by Pvt. Edwin R. Wyeth, Co. F, 14th Indiana Vols., Huttonsville, Va., Oct. 12, 1861 concerning the battle of Greenbrier River, West Virginia on October 3, 1861 in which Union General J. J. Reynolds led an expedition in force against Confederate forces at Greenbrier River. After driving the enemy upon their works, with the 14th Indiana playing a major role in Reynolds' success, he withdrew from the battle ground leaving the Confederates in command of the field. The North's loss was 43 while the South lost 39. This rare account reads, in small part: "…we have moved from Cheat Mountain to this valley…about fifteen miles this side of the summit of Cheat Mountain…I must tell you something of the Battle…it was a pretty hard fight. We lost 3 men out of the regiment. Our force was numbered at eight thousand while that of the enemy was fifteen thousand. The Rebels run up a white flag…they got reinforcements and then took it down before our men could get in the fort. Our batteries had shot all their ammunition away. They killed all their cannoneers and silenced all their guns. They fought for about five hours…the cannonading lasted but four hours. They fired two thousand all together including grape, canister, shot and shell, then our men withdrawed from action and come back to camp…[Adolph] Meyer is taken prisoner or killed. They did not know which but they expect [he] is a prisoner for he could [not] be found among our dead. The last they saw of him he was surrounded and…Ewall [Corp. Robert Ewald] he got shot in the leg after Meyer got separated from the company…". VG
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