Raynors HCA 2015-08
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/27/2015
A rare war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 3 1/2pp. 4to., written by Pvt. Adam Yeager, Co. I, 53rd Penn. Vols., "Fair Oaks near Richmond, June 8, 1862", in part: "…we are now near Richmond and expect every day to be in it. Last Sunday…June the 1 we had a battle about 5 miles from Richmond in the woods. Our regiment was the first in the battle. In the morning our regiment marched into the woods. About three hundred yards into the woods the command was halted…the command was rest. The boys sat down and some laid down. We lay there about half an our. Some had gone to sleep…the Rebels had formed a line of battle in the woods alongside of our regiment not three rods of our regiment and their they lay behind the bush…all at once they fired on our regiment [they] killed some few. The boys jumped up and let drive at them and then dropped on the ground. The rebels let drive again and shot over us. All our boys fired on them again. They turned and run like…the devil was after them…the Gents and Laties came down from Richmond to see the yankeies taken prisoner but in place of seeing the Yankies marched to Richmond they saw some of the Yankie's shells fly among them and killed some of their gallant young ladies and gents…they thought the Yank smell a good bit like powder and iron…the general said their force was three to our one…we whipped them so bad they didn't know what to think…they had their best men there. They had…a great many killed and wounded. Their was only 4 wounded in our company 95th killed, wounded and missing in the regiment. The dead and wounded was laying there thick in the woods. Through the fight Saturday and Sunday there was about three thousand killed, wounded and missing of our men. The Rebels killed and wounded and prisoners was near double the number…our major [Thomas Yeager] was killed and our Colonel's [future brigadier general John R. Brooke] horse shot from under him, but still the boys fought like Tigers or Heroes. The news just come…that the loss of the Rebels was ten thous[and]…direct your letters to Washington, Add Yeager". Very light toning, else 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.