Raynors HCA 2015-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/3/2015
Another amazing war-date Union officer's letter, 10pp. 8vo., written by Lt. William H. Mickle [WIA Gettysburg, 7/01/63], 134th New York (as staff officer to the chief of artillery 20th Corps), "Hd. Qrs. Arty. Brig., 20th A. C., near Savannah, Ga., Dec. 13, 1864," in part: "…one long month has passed…to detail the particulars of our marches, burning R. Roads, taking (not stealing) horses, mules & provisions of all kinds necessary for our subsistence on the campaign…my dear friend Charley Ahreets [2nd Lt. Charles Ahreets 134th New York WIA Resaca, Ga., 5/15/64] was killed today while walking in rear of our line of battle. He had been inspecting the line in order to make some corrections in a map pertaining to the inspector's Dept. when a sharpshooter sent the fatal missile that robbed us of our young friend…his remains will be embalmed & as soon as we can get access to the north will send them to his home in Schenectady. We feel his loss as a staff officer & flow comrade…we started from Atlanta on the 15th of Nov. and traveled till within about four miles of Savannah by the 11th inst…it is almost wonderful that we made it so soon. After two or three days travel from the Gate City we found all the forage, provisions & stock necessary for our comfort…I could not be behind in securing animals so I went out several days in charge of a small party & procured…more than one hundred mules & about fifty horses besides several saddles & other articles too numerous to mention. You must not think I have turned a public thief but merely a National benefactor as…I assisted in crippling the Confederacy…one thing is certain we have split the Confederacy again & so thoroughly that it will not be able to recover…this A. M…we have opened communications with the fleet on the coast thus giving us plenty of supplies…Genl. Hardee is now in command of the Rebels on our front. Genl. Beauregard was till within a few days ago. He skedaddled toward Augusta leaving Hardee alone.We are confident of securing the city, but "Old Tecumseh" as the boys call Sherman wants to bag the Johnies too if they don't run out into South Carolina too soon. Last evening about 4 1/2 P. M. Genl. Howard assaulted Fort McAllister & captured it with all its garrison…thus opening the Ogeeche River to us [and] up which our fleet can proceed & supply our noble army now partially investing the city of Savannah (or city of swamps and rice fields)…it will be a "big thing" to say…"I was with Sherman on his campaign against Atlanta & in his raid through Ga. to the coast." This last movement has been one of the most enviable that could be desired. We have had little or no opposition, lived on the enemy…captured nearly 5,000 horses & mules and more than that number of cattle, burned their public property to the extent of about $50,000,000, destroyed the Augusta R. Road up to the Oconee River and the Georgia Central R. Road entire from Gordon to Savannah…so you see that we are adepts in tearing up R. Roads & injuring our enemy as much as though we were sending missiles. We have burned millions of dollars worth of cotton and have not left a cotton gin standing…the first town…we reached after leaving Atlanta was Decatur…then Madison…thence we proceeded to the capital of Georgia…I had the pleasure of entering the town as soon (if not the first)…of our corps…some of our officers called an extra session of the legislature…in the capitol & revoked the Order of Secession…some pretending to be regular fire eaters & others Union men and thus they kept up a lively debate & passed resolutions as though they were indeed Georgians. From Milledgeville we crossed the Oconee river & proceeded to Sandersville near the Ga. Central R. R….now we are within cannon shot of Savannah. Most of the towns enumerated are county seats with courthouse, sometimes a public school, a few churches and a pile of niggers!…the number of Darkies that flocked to the army can be counted by thousands. Poor creatures some would catch hold of the first Yankee…& yell & hallo & "Bress de Lor dat de day ob selbation had come." I have had an opportunity of seeing the varieties of sugar cane & the style of manufacturing it and are now surrounded by immense rice fields with all their mills & Darkies at work…I [did] think of Ida when we captured a steamer by that name & burned her…yesterday we captured the steamer Resolute & whipped two gunboats with one of our batteries…one of our battery captains was captured the same day by going over the river…without orders…It was Capt. Gary…William." The original stamped transmittal cover is included. Overall VG to near fine.
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