Raynors HCA 2015-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/19/2015
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 6pp. 8vo., written by Sgt. Major Moses M. Ordway, 40th Mass. Vols., White House [Landing], Va., Mar. 14-17,1865 to his brother concerning their expedition to Fredericksburg and Kinsale where they stole indiscriminately from the region's defenseless citizens in early March 1865, in part: "…March 5 we left camp and marched to Vienna landing on the James River where we took transports…anchored that night at the mouth of the Rappahanock River…passed several very pretty villages among them was Rappahanock & Port Royal. We destroyed everything in the shape of a bout captured quite a number of lighters when we got within a few miles of Fredericksburg we proceeded very cautiously. The gunboats taking the lead. We arrived at the City just at sunset and landed without trouble. The Rebs that were in the city skedaddled. We took possession and sent out pickets. The cavalry went out on a scout. The next morning I explored the city. It is quite a place although it suffered badly during the shelling. Scarcely a house escaped being struck and [there were] any quantity of pretty girls. Myself & another fellow went into one house where there was as pretty a girl as I ever saw. She had a piano and played for us. We did but little damage. A few houses were burned but the cavalry destroyed 28 car loads of tobacco besides bringing away a great quantity. We only stayed one day. When we came away every man had as much tobacco as he could carry…the whole town turned to see us off…the[y] waved their handkerchiefs and clapped their hands. We arrived back at the fort the night of the 8th. On the 10th we sailed…for the Potomac…we entered Yeocomico Creek, landed at Kinsale. We found that Mosby's men had been there the day before. We made a raid into the country…we advanced six miles into the country but found nothing but small squads of guerrillas…we foraged all we wanted to. We found some houses. I helped set fire to about a thousand cords of dry pine wood. It made a good fire. Every man had as many chickens as he could carry. I went into one man's hen pen. The hens had just gone to roost. I just took as many as I could carry. I never thought I should come to robbing a hen roost but I have and in the most approved style. We robbed the bee hives. I ate so much honey that it like to make me sick. We did not rob poor people, only the rich Secesh. We got back to Kinsale about dark and we spent a great part of the night in cooking poultry. We took a great many on board alive…I had two chickens that laid eggs on board vessel. It is fun to see the men in farm yards after poetry…on the 12th we went to Point Lookout…we arrived here on the 14th. We are here to form a base for Sheridan who is expected to come this way…[March 17th]…forty of Sheridan's advance guard arrived here last night. They report Sheridan thirty miles away…Longstreet is this side of the river, Sheridan on the other and Longstreet is likely to get here first. If he does we shall have to fight like the Devil or be gobbled up. We are making preparations to receive him…". The original stamped "U. S. Christian Commission" transmittal cover is included. VG
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