Raynor HCA 2014-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 8pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. John Wesley Given (1816-1870) of Sharpsburg, PA who served as a private and wagoner in the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry, "near Yorktown, Va., April 20, 1862", in part: "…no general engagement took place yet. There has…been…skirmishing daily…the 63rd has…done it with a loss of 2 men in one engagement. Our boys…were subjected to a shower of balls [and] stood nobly to the work. Yesterday evening a shell from a rebel gun came cutting…through limbs & tree tops into our camp…some 200 yards from where I was sitting…it had been intended for a party that were drilling…in sight of the Rebel guns…I was placed in charge of the teams conveying Genl. Hamilton's baggage…I would be expected to resume my new trade [of saddler] at Genl. Jameson's Head Quarters…Jamison…commands a brigade. Genl. Hamilton has command of a division…the country is generally level…heavily timbered with oaks, chestnuts & some pines…good drinking water can be had by digging 3 or 4 feet below the surface…we are mostly encamped in the woods. Thousands of men are employed…preparing for this great conflict making roads, bridges…entrenchments & mounting cannon. Genl. McClellan who is here in person expects to send 1000 shells & cannonballs pr minute within the rebel lines…it may be two weeks more before we will be fully ready for…an attack. Those that complain of Genl. McClellan's tardiness have no ideas…our crocking cowardly abolitionists about home have been charging Genl. McC- with disloyalty…notwithstanding this great evil-slavery. Hundreds of thousands have gone forth to uphold this government…& maintain the Union…slavery is destined to receive its death blow…during the late session of Congress this same class of crackers have done every thing in their power to bring about a new issue…to place the war on an entire Abolitionist Basis [and] have heaped all sorts of complaints on Genl. McClellan's neglect…". VG
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