Raynors HCA 2015-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/19/2015
War-date Union soldier's letter, 11pp. 8vo., written by Sgt. Gustavus B. Williams (signed Gustavus), Co. K, 51st Mass. Vols., "Mitchell's Place, 8 miles from New Bern, N. C., Feb. 21,1863, in part: "…orders were read to our company to pack up and relieve Capt. T. D. Kimball's Co. now on duty near the barracks…some contrabands down the river cutting lumber with teams and other property needed protection as the Rebels over the river had shown some signs of crossing and disturbing them…their Superintendent thought through what signs there were…we heard the order…started with all our effects on in heavy marching order…I had to carry…two blankets…my knapsack, a change of underclothing, my dress coat, writing case an sundry little things…after marching four miles came to the Newbern battlefield and saw the long line of breastworks extending…a mile and a half from the R. R. north to the Neuse river…into a cart road till we stopped before a house in the usual style of the poor planters-once white now wood colored-about a story and a half high with chimney stuck ay one end…a dirty looking woman and little girl were here but soon moved away with all their effects…we stacked arms…along the banks of the Neuse…the darkies occupy a barn like building near. The white lumberers detailed soldiers of other regiments have their choice of the four rooms in the house..I spread my rubber blanket…on the floor…some 15 or 20 of us went out scouting. We went south past several poor looking houses where the 'white trash' live. The women alone were at home-husbands "gone to Newbern" …a mile…from us is a place where an artillery company…of Rebels had their quarters before the Battle of Newbern…the skeletons of their stables still remain. There were two white women. One of them busy cleaning fish had a little girl perhaps five years old who gave us water and really appeared very pretty though she was deplorably ragged and dirty…she appeared pretty pert and somewhat intelligent. They may all be secesh at heart, I believe, [as] the whole South is except the blacks…from this point we came to the RR…reached the Neuse on whose banks once stood the mansion…here was a woman and children…farming. They lived in one of the old negro huts…the tide effects the Neuse and Trent far above Newbern …with my loaded gun…I started down stream to see our pickets…I took the cart path…at the edge of the forest…a marble grave stone…gleamed in the twilight…the name was…Jesse H. Hardsion born in 1797…it was a strange fancy which made this man, or his friends…lay him to sleep thus alone…at the shore is a station where three men have built a fire and one watched continually while the others sleep…I walk and think of Rocky Point…I reach the post surprise [Lieut.] Coleman and the rest all friends and here…ten times more friendly…[I] stepped from the path…thinking how the sand sounded crunching under my feet…when from the path I had just left…come…the challenge "Halt! Who goes there?" My gun came to the ready in double quick time but…seeing in the gloom two men in the blue…I was assured and answered friend…it was Moon and Jas. Knight, careless fellows, unarmed looking for a stream…[to] fill their canteens…they might have got shot…last evening…I went into the negroes buildings and saw a regular negro dance. A plantation breakdown…forming a ring, one or two began clapping their hands, striking the floor with the balls of their feet…the performers soon increased in…numbers…suddenly one grew too much excited to contain and entering the ring commenced dancing…(No women here)…a grand trial of skill and activity commenced and went on with increasing excitement till one exhausted gave in. One of them was a wonderful dancer…in introducing strange changes and steps and in occurrence of time…he beat the rest all out…". VG
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