Raynors HCA 2015-08
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/27/2015
War-date Union soldier's battle letter, 7pp. 8vo., written by Sergt. Marquis L. Holt (signed M. L. Holt), Co. E, 3rd New Hampshire Vols., "Camp 10th Army Corps, Va., June 27, 1864," to his brother Edward B. Holt who was wounded in action during the battle of Drewry's Bluff, Va. on May 13, 1864, in part: "…I am sorry that you was unsuccessful in finding the ball. I didn't examine the wound berry closely…but Bill Millet said that he saw the surgeon rungs finger into it the whole length and it went in towards the leg…downward as he was standing. I think that this must be the way as you was running (or I suppose you was) when you was hit…this is the way you had it cut to find. I should think the doctor would know better than to ask if you was not bayonetted for…the wound would show for itself…I want you to stay until you get perfectly cured and your wound entirely healed…I have paid Bill Richardson what you owed him, but [Albert] Clark Wescott is wounded [Drewry's Bluff] and at the hospital so I cannot pay him…he must be at Point Lookout…Capt. Waddley [Andrew J. Wadlia, WIA Deep Bottom, Va., 8/16/64] …in now in command of our company and Lieut. [William H.] Trickey [WIA Petersburg, 9/03/64; Fair Oaks, Va., 10/27/64; Fort Fisher, N. C., 1/115/65 & accidentally wounded 4/4/65] is with us yet. They are the bravest officers in the regt…and the boys like them pretty well, though not so well as they did Capt. Ela. Lieut. Col. [Josiah I.] Plimpton [KIA Deep Bottom, Va., 8/16/64] is still in command of the regt but we are all hoping and praying that there may be a change ere the former good name of this [regt] is disgraced, for when the 3rd Regt. of N. H. Volunteers is obliged to be commanded by a 'COWARD' then…we will not fight under that man…the day will come when that officer will wish he never knew the names of Petersburg & Drewrys Bluff…we have only 5 Corpl here with the company now. The other three…are one dead, one wounded [both] in our hands and the other wounded and a prisoner. Our loss up to the present time is 49 in this one company and in the regt is 310. We have now about 30 men on duty including the non commissioned officers…our picket line is not much more than [a] stones throw from the rebs, but we hardly ever have any trouble. S set. in Co. G went and stole a rifle from one of the picket posts the last time we was on…two of the rebs on the post went to the rear to bake some card dagger and left this other fellow there…but somehow…he had to go to the rear [also] to show these other two fellows some thing about the dagger and he left his rifle…this serge went over and took possession so when poor Johnny came back he found that he was just a rifle out…everything looks now as though they are going to leave just troops enough here to hold this position and move the rest somewhere else…it is so warm that troops cannot march a great ways in the day time without killing them. The attention is all drawn towards Petersburg now and eve now and then we hear heavy firing in that direction and know that Grant is yet there…". VG to Near fine.
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