Rebel Forces Drive Union Forces During The Battle of Fair Oaks

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014

A good war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4 1/4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. William Reese [DOD, Aug. 25, 62], Co. B, 103rd Penn. Vols., "[near Fair Oaks, Va.], June 3, 1862", in part: "…you could not understand about the man striking the other with the butt of his gun. There was two rebels…on each side of one of our men…one was in front and the other behind him. Our man shot the one in front and struck the one behind with his musket. Then he was shot himself…we had a terrible battle the last day of May…our brave captain is killed which is the greatest loss that the company has had. There is 9 privates killed, wounded and missing out of [our] company. Our Reg was the first in the battle. It is cut up badly…the rebels drove us out of camp. The balls were whistling through the tents when I left. Our men retreated back about 2 miles. The prisoners say that there was 40,000 against…about 8,000 [with] three long hours before we were reenforced…that night the battle stopped…till Sunday morning. Our men were ready for them…our troops had been marching all night…and when the rebels attacked in the morning they were driven back to where they came from…our men got all the ground the second day that they lost the first…Jim Hiles was hurt in the hand by a buck shot. There was no other hurt that come from our part…the loss of our erg in killed, wounded and missing is 215…General McClellan was through our lines Sunday. He was greatly cheered by the men…we have lost our blankets…we were called out so sudden…we did not know what we were going to do…we were marched in review twice before the generals. It was a beautiful sight to see. The officers on their rearing horses. All the colonels was called together to talk with the general. He told our colonel that he had the largest regiment out…[and] it was a splendid regiment…we have been defeated in New Mexico. We lost six cannon. There was two companies of our men turned traitors that was the reason we were routed. We had to burn all the stores so that the rebels could not get them…we have defeated the rebels in several places…". The original stamped transmittal cover is included. VG.

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