Raynors HCA 2015-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/19/2015
A great war-date Union artilleryman's letter, 6pp. 8vo, written by Pvt. Thomas Corwin Potter, [MWIA Chickamauga, 9/20/63 both his arms were blown off by pre-ignition of his cannon, buried Chattanooga National Cemetery], Camp Somerset, Pulaski, Ky., Jan. 7, 1862, to his sister in Michigan, in part: "…the war will most probably be ended before long…and if I should fall…it is in a good cause. In defense of the place that we were born and reared in…in this unnatural war…I am so terrified to take my chance with the others…the rebels in this state are getting tired of it…I have seen some pretty tough times here in the mountains, but never for a moment have I regretted the step I have taken and if this war lasts for ten years…the government can have my service…there was 186 men enrolled in our battery, has been 3 deaths from fever and there is 92 on the sick list…I want you to send me your likeness and the girls in a case and I will send you mine…there is no Daguerian rooms in this town. I want very much to see those little nieces of mine…if I live I certainly will get to Michigan when I get through with this job. The people here…are badly scared for fear that they will have a little skirmish here. This town (Somerset) has contained about 2000 inhabitants, but since the rebels have been this side of the river nearly half of the people have left their homes to seek a home in some safer place. The town lies about 600 yards & right under our guns at the bottom of the hill…we are six miles from Cumberland river and it is about 500 miles by river to Nashville…the rebels are in camp on this side of the river. His pickets are within five miles of us on the other side of Fishing Creek, a large creek that runs to the north…he has 8000 troops on this side of the river…with fortifications for two miles up and down the river. Our pickets and they have some fun occasionally, firing at each other…doing little damage…we will not have much trouble to drive them out…if our general will let us make the attempt. You never saw a lot of men so anxious to meet their faces as our boys…there will be a forward movement throughout the state of Ky before many days. Our brigade is composed of Ohio 17, 31, 35, 38, the Tenn. 1 & 2, the12 Ky. and 200 Ky. cavalry…& our battery (6-6 pounder)…there was about 20,000 troops at Lebanon…& ten thousand at Columbia. They have all moved somewhere…there will be a forward movement. Let us drive the rascals away down into Dixie or the Gulf of Mexico. Two negroes came into our camp a few days ago. They said that when we shelled the rebels…one of our shells killed 5…wounded 9…in attempting to cross the river…one of the boats turned over and drown 18…we were ordered to make a force reconnaissance…which we did by driving in their pickets on 3 sides…routing one of their out posts by shelling them…I had the satisfaction of…seeing them scattering, death and destruction in their midst and seeing the rouges run for dear life…". 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).
Click above for larger image.