Raynor HCA 2014-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014
Archive pertaining to Private William G. Lewis, Co. "A," 8th Maine Infantry. Private Lewis was a 33-year old married man when drafted into the Union Army on July 15, 1863. He saw service in South Carolina and Virginia, being mortally wounded in one of the many nameless actions in the vicinity of Petersburg. Lewis died on July 22, 1864 and was fortunate enough to have his remains sent home for burial. A prolific and regular correspondent, Lewis's twenty (20) war-date letters to his wife, Julia, in West Mills, Maine, follow him south via Boston and end shortly before his death. All octavo and averaging 3pp. in length, the letters total approximately 50pp. and read, in small part, as follows: "(11/28/63, "on the ocean")…we are running from charleston harbor where we stopped yesterday to land some negroes, we were within 8 miles of fort sumpter where the rebels are…the walls look as tho they wer pretty well battered down…our captain went ashore on moris island yesterday they told him that they threw 19 shells into charleston city the day before…got a pilot yesterday and came up here this is Beaufort and I think it is the pretyest place that I ever saw…I went through a cotton field and picked a little handful…(2/16/64, Beaufort, SC)…some of them think that we shal go to florida after we get in of picket…there is about 300 in this rigament re enlisted but if ever I re enlist iot will be when I don't know what I'm about…I see they have called for two hundred thousand more I think they will have to draft to get them…(Gloucester Point, VA, 4/27/64)…the 9th and 11th Maine regts are here we are liable to have marching orders any day now…("Virginia," 5/24/64)…they have been fortifying the place here til it (is) pretty strong now they have a skirmish with the enemy every day or two I think there has got to be some hard fighting done yet…("Virginia," 6/20/64)…we started yesterday morning and marched out here near peters burg it was about 4 miles…we are where we are liable to go into battle any time but don't worry about me…("Virginia," 7/9/64)…they are not getting much fighting here now they throw some shells n=most every day and the pciketts fire some to…Kiss all the children for me and God bless you all I will try to write again soon…"…Plus: Approximately twenty (20) civilian letters, mostly war-date, yet some postwar, to Julia Lewis, from her sister and other relatives…plus; a very few pieces of advertising ephemera. The letters average very good condition with expected age toning.
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