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, 4pp. 4to., signed "W. L. J.", written by William L. Jackson, 3rd Vermont, "Camp Scott near Yorktown, Va., April 25, 1862", in part: "…there has been no fighting since the 16th. Most all of our wounded have been sent to the Fortress via Ship Point and York River…I am now with the Regt with Dr. Goodnow & Dr. Janes [commander of Camp Letterman, Gettysburg] has charge of a Brigade Hospital for wounded…his hospital is about one mile from here…Saturday P. M. a flag of truce was raised on the rebel battery and was answered from our battery. A rebel officer came over and said if we would cease firing for a time they would bury our dead. Our officers wished to go over and get the dead. The rebels concluded to bring them over. A party [of] our men went down to the dam and the rebels brought our dead over 29 in number. Many of them had been in the water and were black as negroes. They were all buried in one trench. The rebels spoke in the highest terms of the bravery of our men and said we killed a large number of them. They belonged to the Louisiana Tigers…one of their Sergts had worked in Burlington and knew some of the boys in the Regt. One of them asked Sgt. French what they ment by charging…in that way. French told him that a few of our skirmishers got over there by mistake. The rebel said that if we called that skirmishing he hoped we never would charge on them. On Monday another flag of truce was raised and Col. Lord went over…the rebels can not fire a gun as our sharp shooters pick off every man they see…Sunday night the rebels fired all along the creek at our pickets. The pickets laid down and let them fire over them…a large party of men work nights throwing up rifle pits. They are within gun shot but they work silently and no one has been killed…our men drop every man they see…the rebels are in a fort and have to expose their heads when they fire. One of our rifle men was wounded yesterday and one was killed today…the men are hoping the rebels will be surrounded…what do the papers say about the Green Mountain Boys?…[April 26th, 1862]…about six this morning our batteries opened fire and continued to fire quite briskly for some time. The rebels did not fire but a few times…our bands wish to be discharged. They got up a petition and carried [it] to the Col. for him to sign. He said he would rather loose a tooth or two. They then carries it to Gen. Keyes. He would not sign it without Col. H[yde's] consent. They all signed for a discharge but two. One of them was Chas. Paddock. The reason he gave…was that he wanted to stay and see this siege ended. I should have done the same as I do not wish to go home till Yorktown is ours…it is said that the Mass boys took some prisoners and spiked 2 of the rebel's guns…the St. J[ohnsbury] boys are all well. Chas. Kennedy is called a coward here. Circumstances are against him [he deserted July 8, 1862]…". Near fine
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