Raynors HCA 2015-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/19/2015
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 7pp. 8vo., written by Sgt. Moses M. Ordway, 40th Mass. Vols., West Point, Va., May 3, 1863 to his brother, in part: "…Tuesday…we slung knapsacks and marched to the depot where we took the cars for Norfolk…we went all over the city. Toward night we took transports for…Fortress Monroe…we headed up the bay…we reached Yorktown…we were joined by some gunboats and we started again the gun boats taking the lead…we reached this place which is about…thirty eight [miles] from Richmond. The Rebs skedaddled from here the morning of the day that we came here. The wharf was burnt and there was a railroad here but the Rebs have taken the track up and carried it off. Live stock has to suffer. We confiscated all ducks, cows, pigs etc. Yesterday a yerling heifer strayed to near our company…you ought to have sen us about fifteen or twenty of us chasing her yelling like the devil. We caught her, took her up to a tree, strung her up and had her hide off…as we were cutting it up the major came along and ordered us to [?] so I just strung a fore shoulder on my bayonet and away we went. It is said that this [place] is to be made a military provision depot for Joe Hooker and we are to fortify and hold it…it is the first place I…got into where Uncle Sam's greenbacks were not good…West Point [is] where the river branches. One branch is called Pamunkey the other is called the Mattaponi. I spoke of some fighting at Sufflok. It was on Sunday. We were on picket on the river bank and our troops crossed very near us. The fight was just opposite us…I climbed a tall tree and saw most the whole of it. I saw the artillery fight and saw them shell one of our regts as it crossed an open space. It is not everyday that one can see a fight and not be in it…we have got so we don't care any thing about it now…you will hear before long that Richmond is taken. If Joe Hooker fails to take it this time I think we had better sell out and go West…". The original stamped transmittal cover is included. 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.