Raynor HCA 2014-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Herbert George Bond (1846-1928), Co. I, 16th Vermont (Vermont Militiaman during the St. Albans Raid and doorkeeper of the US Senate Chamber, Washington, D. C.), "Camp near Union Mills, Va., April 23, 1863, in part: "…today we come off from picket when we got in we found the…regiment gone off on the cars towards Manassas. At one o'clock we started after themon foot. We reached Manassas Junction about 3…on we went about 6 miles which is 2 miles beyond…Drainsville. There we see the cars coming back. We stopped and they went by. They said there was another train coming so we waited…soon they come along, stopped and took us on and we came back to Manassas Junction…soon three trains…came along some loaded with timber and rails…went on to Warrenton stopped and fixed up the telegraph wire and then went on within 3 miles of the Rappahannock. Thare we met 20 thousand cavalry from Hooker's army. They said that we could go. About 2 miles further…we should got shell shocked. A site of men and horses I never see and land was covered with them…thare was a train of artillery come in…the 15[th Vermont] done the picket duty whilst we ware gone…[this] is the country you never read of. Great farms, just as level as can be for miles and green as a [?]. I am coming out here to settle when the war is over. [Which he did!] Such a site of property wasted I never saw, strings of car wheels…off the track, half a mile in length whare everything has been burnt…shelter tents, harnesses, glass ware, tin ware, spoons by the bushel, cross cut saws, nice passenger cars burnt. At every station they were burnt cars. The road is strewn with old [?] Manassas was a beautiful place once…". Signed with initials. VG
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