Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
Included here is good war-date Union soldier's content letter consisting of twenty-six written by Private Hale dated between November 1862 and April 1865 written while he was in serve with the 118th New York. The content reads, in very small part: "…[Fort Ethan Allen, Nov. 26, 62]…I have stolen a camp kettle and we keep water in it…we also have split a canteen in two and have made a wash basin and a frying pan…we are building…a redoubt at Fort Marcy…we get in…& then have to scour our brasses and black our strap, boxes & boots. The 4th N. Y. Heavy Artillery is stationed in & around Fort E. A. They have a fine brass band of which we get the benefit every night…[Dec. 28]…we got in from picket on [Christmas] and in the evening we had a dance in our street which we enjoyed very well if it wasn't wasn't quite as select as the one we had last Christmas eve at the 'Valley House'. We have a fiddler in the tent next ours and we get all the benefit of it. He is a very good fellow and there is dancing in the street about every night…I went over to the 169th N. Y. S. V….they were having great times. They had foot races, wrestling, hurdle jumping, chasing a greased pig & climbing a greased pole…[and] such games as are described in the 'Scouring of the White House'…on picket…we staid near a house where a man by the name of Reid lived. He claimed to be Union but admitted that he had two sons in the Rebel army…[Camp Adirondack, Washington, March 1, 63]…I have left Gen. Martingale…I was ordered to report…to my regiment…it was no fault of mine…[Camp Adirondack, Washington, March 28]…Case has been promoted…to 1st Lieut. of his Co. One of the Sergeants of the Co. was made 2nd Lieut. I wish Henry Adams could be promoted as he deserves it…we lost one out of our Co. a few days ago. His name was Perry…we raised money and sent him home and a day or two after his wife came to see him. She had not heard of his death…[Camp Adirondack, Washington, Apr. 20]…we have just recd orders to 'pack up'…to take transports…to Fortress Monroe. I send two photographs. One Com. Nutt & Miss. Minnie and the other of Lieut. Stevenson [KIA Drewry's Bluff, Va., 5/16/64]…I wish the captain [52 year-old Robert W. Livingston, WIA & POW Drewry's Bluff, Va.] was well enough to go with us. He is getting better…Robert is here now staying with him…[Portsmouth, Va., Aug. 13, partial]…Gen. Peck has been assigned ot the commadn of the 18th Army Corps at New Bern, N. C. and yesterday Major [General] Foster, his A. A. G., his two aide-de-camp & Dr. Hand medical director went there…[Portsmouth, Va., Sept. 22]…I am still in the hospital…I had the cholera morbus…and suffered a good deal…Capt. T. sent for Dr. Baker who did all that could be done and since then I have not felt well at all…Saturday evening he gave me a blue pill & Sunday morning a dose of oil…this is a very fine hospital. It was formerly [called] the 'Ocean House.' It is five stories high and contains a great deal of rooms…it was too large to pay as a hotel…but it is full now…[Portsmouth, Va., Oct. 1]…I can't believe it is true that 12 of our Co. have died at Gloucester Point…Capt. Tamblyn was up to see me…he has been assigned to duty on Gen. Barnes' staff. Gen. Barnes takes Gen. [Henry M.] Naglee place as commander of the District of Va. He will be stationed at Norfolk…[Norfolk, Nov. 15]…the 4 companies…that were at the entrenched camp moved over to Portsmouth…[Norfolk, Va., Jan. 11, 64 on Head Quarters Norfolk and Portsmouth stationery]…Gen. Barnes has been relieved and probably Capt. Tamblyn will lose his place…Capt. Livingston & Lieut. Adams are both over here…on the Court Martial of [Hiram] Lampman one of our Co. who deserted from Was'n…the 8th Connecticut…left for home today. They having reenlisted…there are rumors that our regt. is going to Point Lookout to guard greenbacks…[Norfolk, Va., Jan. 27, 64 on Head Quarters Norfolk and Portsmouth stationery]…Gen. Barnes left here on Monday and Gen. Wild of the Colored troops is in command now…[Norfolk, Va., Feb. 4, 1864 on Head Quarters Norfolk and Portsmouth stationery]…there is some excitement about a gunboat in which our forces got decidedly the worst of it, and a Rebel advance on New Berne…there will be a cavalry advance in the direction of Norfolk in a few days and perhaps one from Williamsburg…they said they were in the advance and expected to march up the Peninsula soon...[City Point, Va., June 5, 64]…Robert Livingston called to see me &…said [his father] Capt. L. was getting along very well [after being wounded and captured]…last week we got a boat & fixed a sail for it & allotted on having fine times with it on the James. We hadn't it long…for some one got it…and we haven't seen it since…I have a room nearly as large as my old one at home…there is a window in it…only there is no sash nor glass in it. There are three shot holes in the walls…each big enough to put your head through…they only add to the ventilation. I have…a 'bed' made of an old door with bricks for legs…an overcoat for a pillow…& lastly a captured stool…[Head Qrs. 3d Divi., 18th Corps, July 14]…the mail which went up the bay Sunday was burned by the Rebs…I left here Monday…arrived at Bermuda Hundred about seven…we finally started. Reached Fortress Monroe about half past Six p. m…[Head Qrs. 3d Divi., 18th Corps, July 27]…there have been rumors about another 'change of base' to the direct front of Richmond…Capt. Cunningham was slightly wounded one night last week while in camp by a shell. The wound was very slight. The Rebs gave us a furious shelling a few nights ago. It awoke been me. They threw the shells within a few rods of us…I learned Cyrus Westcott was dead. He was sent to the hospital sick about a week ago…[Deep Bottom, Sept. 13, unsigned]…Capt. [William] Tamblyn has been promoted to the lieut. Colonelcy of the 1st U. S. Vols. His Regt is composed of Reb prisoners who enlisted and is known as the 'Galvanized Yanks'. It has gone to Minnesota to fight Indians as the Johnnies have an awkward way of hanging such of them as fall into their hands…is Mr. Kellogg in Washington now?…he could very easily get me a place there or…Mr. [Spencer F.] Baird [Curator of the Smithsonian Institute] could…[Deep Bottom, Sept. 27]…there is a move…on foot…perhaps Grant isn't satisfied that Sherman & Sheridan should have all the glory…the deserters are coming in every day now sometimes 10 or 12 in a day…as soon as Abe is reelected they will come in still faster…[Deep Bottom, Oct. 2]…we have been as successful as could be wished…but have had very hard rains…so that I am afraid our progress will be impeded for a while…I saw Orrin Beede [Oren Beedy, WIA Chapins Farm, Va., 9/30/64] of Keene. He wanted me to write to his father…he is wounded in the arm near the shoulder rather badly…Col. [George F.] Nichols [future BBG WIA Fort Harrison, Va., 9/28/64] is wounded in the foot…of the Regt…only one of them that I know of is killed…our Hd. Qrs to Richmond is only about four miles…I am suffering for boots. Have nothing but Govt. shoes & those are burst out…[Hd. Qrs. 3d Div. 18th A. C., In the field, Va., Oct. 17]…Capt. Carter a. a. Genl. of the Div. wished me to do some writing…and on my telling him I was not well…insulted me so that I couldn't help replying to it…we had some rather high words…I applied to the Dr….told him I couldn't & wouldn't stand such treatment…I have not been under arrest or disgraced in any way…the same man…took him by the neck and…had his hands tied and…put in the guard house…O'Connor…received a commission as 2d Lieut. in the 118th…I have also two Sanitary [Commission] shirts (tolerable) and one pair of san. drawers (splendid flannel ones)…besides a pair of blue pants, one vest (worn), one jacket new…one pair of shoes (new $5) and one hat, black very much decapitated with three apertures for ventilation each one nearly large enough to put my head through…[on pre-printed stationery: "Head Quarters Dept. of Virginia & North Carolina, Army of the James, in the field, Va., Nov. 27, 1864"]…Gen. Butler has gone to Ft. Monroe. We met him as we came up. The turkey investment was…a failure. The boat only got in yesterday and…the turkeys are all spoiled…the fires [the Rebel spies made] in N. Y. made some excitement there the night I stayed…[on pre-printed stationery: "Head Quarters Dept. of Virginia & North Carolina, Army of the James, in the field, Va., Dec. 23, 1864"]…we have heard good news lately…from Gen. Thomas…we heard by a telegraph operator…from Richmond and who recd. the dispatch himself that Savannah had been surrendered & that Gen. Butler had taken some forts near Wilmington…Dr. Barnes & all the Hd. Qrs (3d Div.) have gone with Butler…[on pre-printed stationery: "Head Quarters Dept. of Virginia, Army of the James, in the field, Va., Feb. 3, 1865"]…Gen. Ord has driven us out of the room we had in the house…[Hd. Qrs. Dept. Va., April 1, 65]…Gen. Ord and part of the army went over to Petersburg…on Tuesday…our regt did not go & are on this front still…we get very little to eat now. Our mess has completely run out…". Overall VG to near fine. (26 letters.)
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