Raynor HCA 2014-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2014
A good war-date Union musician's letter, 8pp. folio, written by Joseph Atwater Hall, Band, 5th Conn. Vols., "Camp of the 5th Regt. Conn. Vols., Md., Jan. 17, 1862" to his brother Pvt. Julius Hall who had recently enlisted in Company K of the 1st California Vols. with many questions related to his brother's experiences in the 1st California Vols., reading, in small part: "…this unjust war will soon be crushed…everything at present indicates a forward movement…England wants to get into the fight…Old Abe will not take much notice of what she does…our Regt goes by two names one is the traveling Regt and the other if the Conn. Bull Dogs…we have marched mostly along the Potomac…if this Regt ever has a chance to fight they will give a good acct. of themselves…we were here only a week before were ordered back to Frederick leaving only two Regts here to protect the town. Soon after we left there…about six thousand Rebels appeared and one of their colonels appeared with a flag of truce and ordered the immediate surrender of the town or he would shell it. The reply he got was 'to shell and be damned.' He no sooner got back than a shell came flying over into the town…[it] did not explode. This was responded to by one of our guns which dismounted one of theirs and soon scattered their men…they soon rallied their men and left taking the guns with them. It was expected they would advance on Hancock and take the place…the third Brigade…consisting of four Regts, the 46th Penn., 29th and 27th N. Y. and the 5th CT were ordered there…we have been trying to raise money from the Regt for…new instruments…all the boys have enlisted and…are down in South Carolina. The company that most of them are in were the first to land…I have seem few of the demons and saw some of our nosy exchange shots with them across the river. Among those enlisted from Wallingford are Elk. Morse, John Munson [7th Conn. WIA Morris Island, 9/23/63], Le. Parmilee [7th Conn. WIA Fort Wagner 7/1/63]…Ed. Westerhood [7th Conn. KIA Deep Bottom, VA 8/16/64]…one eyed [Francis] Beaumont…Beaumont tried to enlist in every Regt but could not on account of his eye, so he went down to New York and got a glass eye put in and then enlisted in the 7th [actually the 12th Conn. WIA Cedar Creek, VA 10/19/64 & Waynesville, NC 2/5/65] Regt…when they strike they will make sad havoc among the Rebels…". VG.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.