Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Cyrus E. Ferguson (signed C. E. Ferguson), Co. A, 15th Iowa Vols., [n. p. n. d., but Paducah, KY., ca. Mar. 8, 1864], in part: "My feelings condemn me for enlisting. I don't know if I am wrong. If I am please forgive me…I cant help it now…perhaps it was just what I ought to have done…but the bitterness of parting with my dear ones at home had not been felt…I know now how to prize home…I dreamed one night that you were sick…that I did not help attend to you & you died…I remember your tears when we parted, but I feel that we have not parted for three years…our tents are struck but we are not called in yet…went on board the John H. Dicky & landed at Cairo where we lay as thick as we could be stowed…when our boat was ordered to leave for Paducah…Forrest was threatening that place again. We got there about nine o'clock in the morning. The Ohio river was very rough…we were ordered to load our guns…Forrest was not there & had only sent in a flag of truce to exchange one of our surgeons that they had captured for one of theirs…we wait here until it comes up here [the boat] with more guns & ammunition…where we go is more than we can tell probably up the Tennessee river…the 11th Iowa came here on the boat with us & two other regiments on another boat…there is plenty men at Cairo…". The original transmittal cover is included. Minor soiling with negligible paper loss effecting last page, else VG.
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