Raynor HCA 2014-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 7 1/2pp. 8vo., written by Sgt. Thomas H. Mason, Co. I, 56th New York (Tenth Legion), Warwick Corners, Va., [n. d., but ca. mid April 1862], describing the April 16th battle Burnt Chimneys, Virginia at which the Vermont Brigade broke through the Rebels lines at Dam No. 1, Yorktown, in part: "…I sent a twenty cent shin plaster of the Confederate money and pretty well worn and rotten just as rotten as they are…we lay within a mile and half of the Rebel's breast works and within four miles [of] Yorktown. We have had some pretty sharp firing about here and have almost every day but we are not ready for a general battle…our company was the first to go on picket…we could see the Rebels on their picket and see them building their breast works to fortify themselves. I was sergeant of the reserves…we had an alarm by three of the pickets firing off their guns…on Monday our whole Regt was called out for [we were] expected to be attacked by the rebels…we had a little scrob the other day towards York Town where our troops got the worst of it. It was caused [by] the Col. of the Regt dragging them to a fight without orders from Gen. McClellan…when he heard of it he cryed like a child…the Col. should have said that the place could be easily taken for there was but a foot and half of water in them [ditches] and could take the breastwork without any trouble. Our men fought valiantly. They charged bayonets on the Rebels and jumped in the ditch and when they got in the ditch the Rebels opened [a] flood gate on them and were up to [their] arm pits in a moment…there being a rifle pit on the other side of the ditch they poured a deadly fire in to our men and killed a good many…some were drowned. There is a number of wounded in the hospital that is near our camp, one with his arm off…there was one that was struck in the head with a bomb shell and he died the other day and was buried under a large apple tree close [by] an old tomb [that] was buried in Seventeen Hundred, their names I have forgotten…we have got four rebel prisoners. Three that was taken last night and one this morning. They are dirty looking…we cannot get much out of them…". VG
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