Raynor HCA 2014-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014
Confederate officer's war-date letter signed by Captain Eugene Blackford, Co. "A," 5th Alabama Infantry, 4pp., 8vo, "Camp 'Walker' near Manassas 7th Dec. 1861," to his father, reading, in part: "…we have changed out position and now are within 1 ½ miles of the junction…just now orders were received from Van Dorn, to prepare for unusual hardships and suffering, and also urging the troops to exert themselves to the utmost in the approaching fight…the bulletin was decidedly Napoleonic, only lacking, among other things, the simplicity of language which characterized the originals. By the way, our Maj. Gen. is a sad example of what effect too rapid a rise in the Army will sometimes have. Everything is overdone and exaggerated. Ego is visible in the very atmosphere around his quarters…Last Monday he gave a grand dinner and had every Gen, in the Army present, all of whom with 3 exceptions became very drunk, several so much that they had to be carried home…The example of Van Dorn was followed by Gen. G. W. Smith a few days afterwards where report says matters became much worse…my confidence in our generals is now utterly gone…I believe that McClellan is at this moment out generaling Beauregard…" Fine condition.
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