Raynor HCA 2014-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, on patriotic stationery, 3pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Thomas Landers, Co. D, 16th Mass. Vols., Gosport Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va., May 14, 1862, in part: "…we started…on foot with our knapsacks on…we went…until we came to the bridge…it was destroyed so we had to go five miles round to the other road…we got to the entrenchments which are five miles long…there was not a rebel to be seen…Gen. Wool took a flag of truce and a body guard and went into Norfolk and the mayor met him on the road and surrendered the place…Wool came back and ordered our regt to go into the city…we had to stand guard all night…the next day the tenth N. York came in and took our place…we came over the ferry to the Gosport Navy Yard and we have to be on guard most all the time to keep the rebels from setting fire to the city. This navy yard is nearly all destroyed by fire. Some of it is one fire yet. There was a lot of steam boats and ships all destroyed here with their cargoes. All that the damned fools could not carry they destroyed. Monday afternoon there was a rebel flag of truce came back…and gave us twenty four hours to leave the city but Wool told them they need not wait for any answer so they left…the New York tenth is raising the devil with the folks in Norfolk…the people of this place says they wont part with us…we have orders to shoot any of them if they don't behave themselves. Our colonel is chief marshall of this place. I saw the Merrimac when she blowed up. She made a hell of a racket…". VG to near fine.
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