An Andersonville Casualty Recalls The Seven Days Campaign

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/19/2015

A great war-date Seven Day's Campaign letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Joseph P. Baker, Co. F, 57th Penn. Vols. [POW Gettysburg, 7/ 2/63 then died of disease Andersonville, 5/12/64, grave #1046], "Camp 4 miles from Harrison Landing, Va., July 9, 1862" addressed to his brother, in part: "You will perhaps heard by this time of the battles which were fought in making the late maneuver…I feel like I lost sleep since my comrades (and especially poor Jno.) was taken prison. The moving back of the right wing to the James river was done so speedily that it was impossible to bring away the sick…and…those unable to walk were left in the enemy's hand. Among whom Co. F, 57th P. V. left [a long list here] and those who were able to get away were [another list]…poor Jno. I pity him more than any of the others for he fell fighting like a hero and has a pretty severe wound…he was taken to a house in the neighborhood of the battlefield and his wound attended to by the surgeon but when our forces left the field. They left the dead & wounded and Jno among the rest was left a prisoner. Curtis Winger was among the luckily (like myself)…Sager & Morrow have not been with the Regt since we left Cumberland Landing and it is likely that they are also taken…of the 10th P. R. C. I hear that Wm. Roland is missing and Robt. McKnight is wounded…the whole Reserve Corps is camped within a mile of where we are and some of us go to see them…I am told by Lizzie that you like to join the cavalry. Now…neither join the cavalry, infantry, zouaves nor marines for you are not able to stand it…there are enough to spare…and you should not leave your mother for one son is all she can spare her adopted country…Col. Wood is gone home sick and the 63d & 57th are now under the command of Col. [Alexander] Hays. I don't like him half so well as I did Col. Campbell…". Minor soiling, else VG

Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).