Describing How A Soldier Feels In Battle Including Seeing Friends Die

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

A great war-date Union artilleryman's letter, 4pp. 4to, 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], Columbia, Tenn., June 25, 1862, to his sister in Michigan, in small part: "…I will send you the outlines of our march to this point…last Sunday…our piece, three Coms. of the 78th Penn. infantry and a squad of Wolfords Ky. cavalry took up their line of march for Pulaski all under the command Captain [John] Jordan (of the 78th…without regret left the town of Rogersville in the hands of the citizens) the balance of the troops having left several days before…to Pulaski where we arrived Monday. There we had to stay until the captain telegraphed and received an answer from General Negley…the order was for us to come to Columbia…Dewitt Hazard is dead was wounded in the lungs and died soon after…we are camped on the north side of the Duck river in the suburbs of town. The main part of town lies south of the river…the left section (Lieut. Sypher) [bvt. brig. gen. Jacob H. Sypher 1873-1905] is at Shelbyville, Tenn…we are to be sent to east Tennessee towards Knoxsville…a battlefield to the eye of a spectator is indeed an awful sight but it works different on the feelings of a soldier with his passions raised to its highest pitch. He does not face the least compunction about seeing his friends fall around him. As for me at [the battle of] Mill Springs [January 20, 1862]…we stood for half an hour within fifteen paces of the rebel line with the bullets flying all around…my fellow soldiers falling to rise no more on all sides. It did not seem real to see a strange healthy man suddenly and without a groan drop his gun and sink to the ground perhaps without a struggle…it did not seems real, but I think that I have seem my last battlefield…[Thursday the 26th]…I have just returned from town had two daguerreotypes taken. Will send one to Wm. the other to father…". The letter's original stamped transmittal cover is included. VG

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