2004-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2004
Archive of 8 letters written by William B. Stevens, Co. "G", 4th Vermont Infantry, 28 pages, octavo and quarto, December 1, 1861 - February 15, 1863, from various Virginia locations to "Friend Nancie". The 4th Vermont began its war manning the defenses of Washington, however it became actively engaged at the front during the Peninsula Campaign and was to remain so until Lee's surrender. The regiment lost nearly half of its number to combat and disease during the course of the war. William B. Stevens enlisted as a Private on August 22, 1861 and was promoted to Sergeant on October 1, 1862. He would have been present for the battles of Antietam, Fredricksburg and Gettysburg. Stevens was captured on October 14, 1863, confined at Richmond, and paroled on March 7, 1864. His return to service was short-lived, however, as he was wounded and taken prisoner at Cold Harbor on June 9, 1864. He died three days later. His surviving letters read in small part: "(Camp Griffin, Virginia, 12/1/61)...Co. G has lost none of its members to death till the 29th ult. and today I have wrapped another in his shroud. It is a sad, sad duty to perform for those who were so full of promise at home...(Camp Griffin, Virginia, 1/29/62)... Last night between eleven and twelve o'clock there was some firing to the west of us...Do you ever visit the Regt which in in Barracks at B.? It must be very tedious for them, with so much snow as there is there, but they are better of with their snow than we are with the same depth of mud...(Camp Griffin, Virginia, 2/8/62)...The two Batteries of this Division are Target Shooting this afternoon. They are on a hill about sixty rods from here and in plain sight. The report of them makes everything jar around here, and the Shells go with a whirr! whining!! about two or three miles according to the length of the fuse & then comes back the sharp crack of the explosion of the shell...(Camp Griffin, Virginia, 3/13/62)...The Brigade starts for Washington in the morning, bound for the South!! going by water!! I must be among the men, so Good Night...(Mount Pleasant, Wahington)...Some of the Rebs are contented & cheerful, while others are sullen and insubordinate. I had a long talk with one from the 2nd Florida Regt; he did not seem hardly converted, but still was very free; he enlisted April 9th 61, for twelve mos. but one year from that time he was needed more than ever, so was forced to remain and was taken prisoner at W'burgh; he said he hopes the war would be over soon...pretty good for a Reb, wasn't it?...(Near Falmouth, Virginia, 12/9/62)...Now we are ordered to be in readiness to start in the morning of tom-morrow, with three day's rations in our Haversacks & sixty rounds of cartridges in our Boxes...none of us know where we are to go...(Unknown location, 2/5/63)...What do you think of Major General Jo. Hooker? McClellan is imbecile, Burnside incompetent & what will Jo. be found to be? Some improbable thing, surely...(Unknown location, 2/15/63)...Army life has many varieties. An occasional battle, as at Fredricksburg, a pontoon excursion as at Falmouth, picketing in front or going for forage to the rear, makes it various, if not interesting...". Folds and a few light stains, else Fine condition.
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