Raynors HCA 2015-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/3/2015
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 6pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. James A. Hudson, Co. H, 1st New York (Lincoln) Cavalry, "Headquarters 1st N. Y. (late Lincoln) Cavalry, Camp Kearney, near Alexandria, Va., Feb. 3, 1862", to his cousin, in part: "…we have not had any fighting yet…it is utterly impossible to move for the roads are impassable. Most of the soil about here is a stiff yellow clay…our camp faces the east…on our left…is the Leesburg turnpike…on our right…is the Bull Run (here called 4 mile run) creek…the other side of the valley stands Fort Lyons, an imposing bank of earth mounting some pretty heavy guns. This fort contains 17 acres…opposite stands Fort Ellsworth…1/2 mile in front of our camp. This fort is surrounded with a dry ditch and on the inner side of the ditch the top branches of trees are firmly…in the bank…the branches [are] trimmed up leaving a…sharpe pointed stick to be surmounted by a storming party…before they can reach the walls of the fort which is built is such a shape that a couple of mute black sentinels are constantly watching the bush making it rather a dangerous job to take the place by storm. There are two more large and…strong fortifications within a mile to the rear f our camp…if the rebels wished to take a walk up this way…and the forts could not stop them they…certainly could never cross any of the roads…Jim [Potter] is detailed…at work with the regimental farrier…J. A. Hudson. My address is Co. H, Lincoln Cavalry, Camp Kearney near Alexandria Va…". VG
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