Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
War-date Union soldier's battle letter, 8pp. 8vo., written by Sgt. Gustavus B. Williams (signed Gustavus), Co. K, 51st Mass. Vols., "Sunnyside of Barracks, Newbern, N. C., Dec. 21, 1862," in part: "…our great expedition has returned. We arrived…throughly exhausted and rather disheartened…having marched…over 150 miles…fighting two battles and destroying several miles of railroad track including a bridge near Goldsborough…we expected to hold and occupy some place and not return but suddenly received orders to countermarch with the statement that the purpose of the expedition was accomplished…I think something changed our general's plan. Our fights were successful…Kingston resulted in the capture of the city, a pretty little place…and according to the report 1100 prisoners who were paroled and some of them recaptured in arms a few days after. Paroling prisoners is great business but we could hardly keep them. Saturday 13 our regiment was the rear guard and staid some 16 miles east of Kingston…we lost…perhaps 100…Tuesday 16th was the battle at Whitehall…we fought not far from it whether north or south I cant say…about ten A. M. we heard the cannon which with the cavalry are…in the advance…heavier pieces were hurried throughout columns from the rear. We…paused to cap our pieces then marched into a field…on the north…was a thickly wooded swamp…with bank of ten or twelve feet…on the edge of the marsh were the advance, the 23rd Mass., the 9th N. Y. and 103rd N. Y. fighting the rebels' several regiments of whom having cannon planted…in the woods disputed our advance. Our cannon were nearer the apex…the scene as our regiment marched…was grand and awful. We could see the cannon close on our left shrouded in smoke and hear their rapid thunder returned from the unseen enemy. The scream of shells is strange and startling while the dull sound of the shot striking and tearing up the earth…adds awe and horror…we were placed…in front of our cannon at the right of the file…and ordered to lie down…remained there for an hour or two…we could see the lines of the U. S. regiments engaged…the shot struck near us several times and some were hit by musket balls but none hurt. One or two…close by me were struck and a boy Michael Sullivan slightly injured…saw its horrors of killed and wounded men. Our men were very cool and steady…and behaved well but nearly all said they were greatly terrified. I offered all manner of prayer for my darling as we neared the scene and then felt great personal dread and horror at the idea of the danger…but on the field I felt that all was over and settled into a strange clearness and calmness of mind which nothing disturbed. The wounded and dead carried by us were like the dead rebels shot occasionally by our cavalry before this dreadful to see…but soon a sight met with…little emotion. The cavalry did the work at the R. R….we guarded the wagons that day and towards night were ordered to commence our wearisome backward march…oh the march to the tired soldier. No wonder a battle is welcome. All the chances of wounds and death would gladly have been met by me…on that dreadful dreadful tramp…hunger made us weaker still and the sloughs never bridged which we had to worm our way through or around or wade knee deep…but we must hurry on at double quick…we lived well by foraging from the farmers…pigs, poultry and sweet potatoes…we generally secured enough…for supper…foraging was forbidden but the men would do it and the…officers never punished for it and ate the food…we had…good camp fire of fence rails…teach my children to thank Lieut. [Horace U.] Coleman. He got a horse…one day and made me ride him…as he preferred to walk. I shall never forget it. Others were foot sore. I was not. Others lame. I was not. Others very sick. I was not…we have just had dealt to us whiskey with quinine in it…I took mine of course…the first sheet of paper is secesh captured at Kingston…we are treated so miserably. I care not for that [?] were the country saved…to suffer and fight for nothing is discouraging…". VG
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