Raynor HCA 2013-07
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/18/2013
A rare war-date Union sharpshooter's battle letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Charles P. Shepard, Co. E, 1st United States (Berdan's) Sharpshooters, "Camp No 5 near Yorktown Virginia, April 12, 1862" as a member of Berdan's Sharpshooters and their first engagement during the siege of Yorktown was their first engagement, in part: "…there has been times that one hard Cracker a day was all that I could get but generally we can get hard tack enough at any rate we manage to live in some shape….we are under the guns of the rebels they could shell us out of this place when they are a mind too, but we who can shell the most in a few days...soon as we can get a few more bull dogs up here from fortress Monroe." He goes on to describe the Confederate positions saying: "we came to Yorktown and made a stance because we could not get any further the Rebels have got some tough holes here...they say that it is the strongest position they have got left their forts lay just about like a horse shoe between York and James River and we are right in the middle exposed to all their fire." During a recent skirmish "...several were killed on both sides Our Regiment were between the fires so we had a good chance to show the Rebels what sharp shooters were a deserter from the Riblls [sic] say that we killed over a hundred the sharp shooters alone while we lost only 3 killed and some more wounded…". The siege lasted a further three weeks. Gen. George B. McClellan planned a massive cannonade for May 5, but the Confederate army retreated for Williamsburg two days earlier. Overall VG.
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