Raynors HCA 2015-08
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/27/2015
War-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Ephraim W. Frost [POW Winchester, Va., 6/13/63; WIA Piedmont, Va., 6/05/64; POW 6/11/64 while wounded-confinded at Florence, SC & DOD upon parole 1/15/65], Co. I, 116th Ohio Vols., "Camp Sedare [Cedar] Creek, Va., May 19, 1864", in part: "…last time I wrote…but last Saturday we heard cannonading all the afternoon. We were at Woodstock and the cannonading was at Mt. Jackson about twelve ms. from Woodstock. We got orders to march on Sunday morning…reached Mt. J. at noon. There was cannonading to be heard all of the way. When we got there we could see the smoke of the cannon very plain. The rain poured all of the time. There was pretty much of a forasel [?] but our regt was not put into it…we was taken out to cover the retreat and there was some shells come pretty close to us but did not harm [us.] Our loss in all…will not reach over 3 or 500…killed, wounded and missing…there was some…taken prisoners and they took every thing that they had and paroled them…some say we were whipped and some say that we was not but let it be as it [may.] Well we had to fall back again and blowed up the bridges and burnt them behind us. From Sunday morning…at nite we marched…30 miles in the rain. It was a hard old march…lots of the boys shoes gave out and they thrower them away and took it barefoot. The next day we marched 17 miles and reached this place…some say it was only a faint to keep the troop from reinforcing Lee and he blames Col. Moor [future bvt. brig. general, Col. Augustus Moor 28th Ohio] for bringing on a general engagement…the Col, was to feel for them and if they were to[o] strong for him to fall back…Wm. Frost has just come. He has to ha has to work 1 year with a ball and chain to him. The ball to weigh 14 lbs and forfeit his pay…and then make good the time he was a way from his Co. It is pretty hard but it is better than to take his life. The officers say that if he had come back in a reasonable length of time they would not done any thing with him…there was a big train came in and they say that there is a big mail…they will send Wm. F. to Wheeling, Va. to serve his time. Write soon, E. W. Frost…". 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.