Raynors HCA 2015-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/21/2015
War-date Union officer's letter, 4pp. 4to., written by Capt. Robert H. Crist (1829-1912), Co. L, 1st Ind. Hvy. Artillery], Blakely, Ala., Apr. 14, 1865, in part: "…I rode nearly 40 miles…over pontoon bridges, corduroy roads & wood roads…we moved our Hd. Qrs. from Ft. Spanish. Many of our officers and men get lost in these pinewoods…corduroy roads…such as the army makes are awful. The poles are small…if very soft mud [then] poles are lain length wise across [and if] those poles get loose mule's feet go between them…mule legs can be broken…[then] shoot him & leave it to stink. Dead mules unburied are very frequent sometimes 2 or 4 to a mile. Nobody has time to bury or burn them…in the city of Blakely…I do not think there is 20 houses here. There was not much of a siege here. The light artillery worked on the fort but the Reb gunboats drove our light art. back…our Hy. Arty went up & shelled the gunboats away & then our forces charged the fort & took it…about 100 was killed on our side…our forces now occupy Mobile. The Rebs became alarmed at our shells and did not relish the idea of having their city shelled so the rebs moved out and sent word to us to come over & occupy [it.] We are waiting till the rebs hole-up somewhere…this country is hilly & the river bottoms marshy…it is difficult laying siege to am place…most of the rebs got away from Ft. Spanish before we cut off communication. Last Saturday night our artillery shelled the Ft. Spanish some two hours…21 30 pdr Parrots, 7 20 pdr, 14 8-inch howitzers (64 pdr), 12 10 in. mortar…the air was full of shells & smoke. I was standing about 700 ids from the Rebel guns by a naval battery…they fired very fast. After a while the rebs opened on it. I soon took my head below the bank…they shot about six feet too high…Maj. Genl. Canby stood near. He looked very unconcerned [with] but just a pile of sand between him & danger when the shells began to fly. The smack was thick…that morning a bullet just missed my head about 6 or 8 in. It makes a hissing sound besides a cracking noise like electricity. Bullets as well as shells have to resist the pressure of air…the rebs shot 100 pound shells at us…they cut down trees 12 to 16 in. in diameter…our troops are in Mobile…after ther retreating "Johnnies"…when Smith's Corps first opened on the Rebel works with light artillery. The reb's shelled them away in a short time. The Rebs hollered to our sharp shooters to take away our Pop guns and send for the 1st Ind. Jackass Battery. (Our guns…are hauled by mules.) Smith's 16th Corps had not heard of us and wanted to know who in H--l the 1st Ind was. The Rebs laughed and said…if 1st Ind. wasn't along then the 16th Corps was fooling away their time. So we were sent for…we were cheered from all sides. The infantry worshiped our big guns. Light artillery is not much act, now a day, as they cannot effect earthworks and infantry are required to carry an ax & shovel…and before going to sleep they throw up a line of breastworks…to protect them from surprise…but 6 & 12 pound rifle shot & shell are hard to dodge op open ground as I can testify to for I tried it one morning…I found our nigger blacksmith today…he is a nigger soldier. It does me much good as to have found a white man…you obit. son, R. H. C…". The original stamped transmittal cover is included. VG.
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