Raynors HCA 2015-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/21/2015
War-date Union soldier's letter, 5 1/4pp. 8vo., written by Sgt. Moses M. Ordway, 40th Mass. Vols., Miner's Hill, Va., Jan. 11, 1863 to his brother, in part: "…our pickets shot a man the other night…the 1st Regt. of Maryland Cavalry, a drafted Regt., has to be guarded by our Regt. and other to keep them from skedaddling. They had a big row…and killed one man. Old Miner the man [that] the hill takes it name from has proved Secesh. His property has been confiscated and he [is] shut up. He was our guide the night we went after the Grey Backs…we should [have met] with better success if it had not been for him. We went about 8 miles…within 2 miles of Fairfax Court House. Miner's Hill is about half a mile long nearly the form of a crescent. As I stand near Miner's House facing west at my left comes the 11th R. I. next comes the 16th Virginia made up of a convalescent camp. There is men from almost every state…the greatest set of roughs I ever saw about 150 have skedaddled in six weeks. [Brig. Gen. Robert] Cowdin don't dare let them go on picket for fear they will go over to the Rebels. Next comes the 141st New York. Just back of me is a battery [and] at my right is the 22nd Connecticut…at the foot of the hill is the 40th Mass…our colonel has been ordered to report to Washington 3 times with his Regt to do provost duty but he wont go. He wants to go to the front…he has been offered to have his Regt made heavy artillery…if we had been made heavy artillery we probably should have been stationed in some of theses forts…M. M. Ordway…". The original stamped transmittal cover is also included. VG
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