Raynors HCA 2015-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/21/2015
A great war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 4to., written by 1st Sgt. Cheyney W. Nields, Co. A, 30th Penn. Vols. (1st Reserves), "Camp Todd, Annapolis, Md., Aug. 16, 1861," in part: "…we have been afforded a little excitement…[by] the seizure of a large supply of medical stores by a party of our pickets intended for the Hospital department at Richmond…about 11 o'clock news reached us through a messaged that a negro had been stopped by the pickets at a road crossing the Rail road six miles from camp…fortunately a picket was placed there a few hours before…an immense number of supplies had been forwarded to the Confederates…through Maryland to the Western shore of the Chesapeake & from thence to the Eastern shore where they would be as safe as of they had been landed at South Carolina so strong is the disunion feeling in that quarter…no seizures were made up to this present time. Their superior knowledge of the country foiled all efforts that were made to detect the parties and it was not until…this morning that this military [?] was discovered…a detachment of soldiers composed of our company and the "Union Guards" was dispatched to bring back the spoils…the party returned with a two horse wagon heavily loaded with boxes containing opium, chloroform, ether & every species of medical preparations for the alleviation of fevers. In another wagon was found the individual property of the party…who was arrested and brought in at the same time. He gave his name as Brummell and the name on the trucks etc. corresponded to his account. I was officer of the guard…and he was brought into head quarters where I happened to be…it was considered necessary that he should be searched. I assisted in the ceremony…nothing but finding his pocket book containing #130 in gold & sliver. It was taken from him & sealed up to be forwarded to head quarters at Washington. He…requested that a little…be withheld to be sent to his wife…he was told that if his wife suffered it was only because [of] his guilt…we found about 100 letters addressed to parties in the Confederate army…a bill for the goods…amounting to $4075 and…Secession devices from an epaulette to a tricolor necktie abounded & last of all a number of ridiculous caricatures upon the battle of "Bull Run" representing the Federal Army in a disorderly retreat…the prisoner has…disclosed the names of parties in Baltimore who have been engaged in this business since the beginning…C. W. N." VG
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