Raynor HCA 2014-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2014
A good war-date Union Hospital Steward's letter, 10pp. 8vo. (Liberty and Union patriotic stationery) and 4to., written by William L. Jackson, 3rd Vermont, Camp Scott near Yorktown, Va., March 30 through April 12, 1862, in part: "…the evening of March 22 we received orders to be ready to start for Alexandria…the right half of our Regt went on board of the propellor Richard Willing and the left wing on the Vanderbuilt with the 2nd. Dr. G. went on the Vanderbuilt and Dr. J. [Dr. Henry Janes, commander of Camp Letterman, Gettysburg.] The river was full of steamers all loaded with soldiers. The bands were all playing. The men were cheering, singing etc…our baggage did not reach the wharf in time to go with us…we had the ladies cabin for a hospital. At daylight the boat started…I had a good view of Mount Vernon…very few miles we could see the rebel batteries…I did not see many houses…we arrived in sight of Ft. Monroe. There are a great number of ships there, one English & one French ship. We passed close by the Monitor. It looks like the pictures you may have seen of it. They keep up steam all the time. The fort is not much above the level of the sea and is surrounded by buildings of all kinds…sailed over to Hampton and landed there. It was once a beautiful place but very house was burned by the rebels last fall…I could see the rebel batteries on…Sewell's Point…we marched to a point 2 miles from Newport News…went up the James River about 5 or 6 miles near Great Bethel, drove in the rebel pickets and sent out scouts…I went out to the place where the Cumberland sunk. Her decks are about 8 feet under water…[8 p. m., March 31st]…the Vice president was here today. I saw him. We are camped about 1/2 miles from the James River. This p. m. a small black rebel gun boat came down the river and threw a few shell at a small fort near here. No damage…some of our boys were bathing in the river, they were fired at, one shell landing in the river within a few rods of them. They got it and gave it to Gen. Brooks. It weighed 57 lbs…[Tuesday April 1st 1862 2 p. m.]…early this morning, Gen. Davidson's brigade went up the river to reconnoiter and we went out about a mile and stacked arms to be ready to reinforce him…Epp. Howard [KIA Savage Station, Va., 6/29/62] is one of the color corporals…he is one of 4 corporals who guard the colors…enclosed you will find a pair of nipped made from a piece of the Congress by one of our nurses, also a piece of an eyelet hole from the Cumberland…[Camp near Yorktown, April 12, 1862]…since…April 2 [we] went down to Newport News…I saw the rebels thrown shell at a steamer…from the Pig Point Battery. It struck about a 1/2 mile from the shore…it must have been a big gun…[April 3]…the Brigade moved about 1/2 mile to near the river…[April 4]…went directly up the James River. The 2nd & 5th were thrown out as skirmishers about noon…after we arrived at one of their forts. It was abandoned. It was at a place called Young's Mills…there is a great number of log houses there…and have log chimneys plastered with mud. They are very warm. They have had better quarters than we have had…there is quite a city here. Most of them have not been occupied for some time but fires were burning in many of them when we arrived…there was only enough left to picket…and to keep up a show…I slept sound in a secesh bed…[April 5]…march at 7…this brigade was in the rear of the division…we marched slow…while the 3rd Brigade was out in advance as skirmishers…we arrived at Warwick C. H. It is a small 1 story brick building. The door was open and the benches torn up and the walls covered with the names of rebels. The jail was also open…it is a small place of not more than a dozen houses…sooner we heard heavy firing about a mile off…the firing was not very brisk…we all expected that the fight had commenced. Some of the men were 'tired', but most of them were all ready for it. We advanced into thee woods…our skirmishers kept driving the rebel skirmishers through the woods…till they came…into the open in sight of a fort with men at work on it. Our artillery commenced firing on them and shot down their flag three times. They killed…". Unfortunately, the April 12th letter ends here, but the content is worthy of lotting with the March 30th letter. Overall VG to near fine.
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