Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
A great war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Corp. Ephraim Tuttle (signed E. Tuttle), Co. F, 45th Ohio Vols., Loudon, Tenn. Oct. 26, 1862, concerning a clash with Rebel cavalry at Philadelphia, Tennessee on Oct. 20, 1863 in which the 45th Ohio was acting as mounted infantry under Col. Frank Wolford 1st Kentucky Cavalry. Wolford's command was acting a train guard near Philadelphia, Tenn. when they were attacked and routed by two Confederate cavalry brigades. Earlier Confederate Major General Carter L. Stevenson ordered Colonels George G. Dibrell and James J. Morrison to proceed, with their commands, towards Philadelphia, Tenn. in order to seek out and destroy the Union forces that were reported to be there. They did so on the 20th and during the ensuing struggle Wolford lost six pieces of artillery and a reported 479 casualties of which 440 were listed as POWs. From the Union this action was seen as a minor setback while on the Confederate side then gained valuable information related to Union General Ambrose Burnside's advance into East Tennessee. Tuttle's letter reads, in part: "…we had a little fight…it was a hot place for a while…there was three brigades against us and they had us completely surrounded, but we cut our way-out…not without the loss of some men. There was three or 4 killed and not many wounded. The rebs got [captured] the Jackass Battery and a lot of ammunition but they had to fight for it. They got part of our wagon train…[the] part of it was out after forage…got back to Loudon all right. We had our ammunition…all captured, tow large loads of it…our regiment is tore up very bad. The rebs took a great ,amy of them prisoners, something over a hundred…that makes a big hole in our regiment, but they are not discouraged. They will stand the rebs a good pull yet. There will be [a] move before long…they shelled our camp before our boys got out. I was on picket and was not called off till just before the retreat…Colonel Woolford [Col. Frank Wolford 1st Kentucky Cavalry] went at the head of the column. We crossed the creek and charged up the hill. The rebs brioche and run both ways and we went out a whirling and the rebs followed us up but we did not stop. They ran up on the rear of us twice and fired at us and hollered halt but there was no halt to us. So they gave up the chase and we ran to the Loudon hills and stopped, a distance of six mile. That was a long race for the boys but they laugh over it now, but it was no laughing matter. We have a large force here now and Old Burnside is here himself. The 23rd Army Corps is here and three or four brigades of mounted men, but the number of men I can't tell. The hills are…covered with tents and men. We have no doctors in the regt. They were both captured and [all] the ambulances [too]…we lost all we had did. [I] did not loose anything myself…the payrolls was all lost and the company books. We all look forward for the coming day when the big fight will come off…on Saturday [Oct. 24] afternoon we went out to feel for them…we found them on [in] our old camp, but we drove them away from that and then followed them through town about three lines. There we found them in line of battle. We shelled them a while and then fell [back] to our old camp. We had one man killed and two wounded. They thrower solid shot that came very close to our line…we could see them flying in the air but I would not want to catch them. They hit the railroad. Twice they fired their guns after we had left the ground…I write to let you know that I am not a prisoner. there was none taken that you know. I will give the names of two: G. A. Smith [George A. Smith DOD as POW Andersonville, Ga., 10/18/64], T. Jones [Thomas Jones DOD as POW, Richmond, Va., 2/17/64] both from Morrow Co. There was 17 of Co. F prisoners…". VG.
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