Raynors HCA 2016-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/17/2016
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. (with small slip) 8vo., written by Pvt. George S. Youngs, [POW Harper's Ferry, Va., 9/15/62], Co. G, 126th New York Vols., Culpepper Va., Sept. 14, 1863, in part: "…the 3rd brig (now the 2nd) left Elk Run…I was on picket. The pickets were drawn in…when we got to camp the the brigade…had left. There was a number of contrabands engaged in picking up the clothes and provisions the boys had left. They had just drawn clothing…there were large quantities of clothing thrown away. Lots of bread, cans partly filled up butter…enough to last the contrabands sometime. Our sutler had not yet left…was busily engaged in packing his things…he had a lot of pickles…we got all we could carry. On the road we overtook a sutler who had got stuck and been obliged to unload his goods…I had a bully oyster stew…we crossed the river on a pontoon bridge just a short distance below the railroad bridge…about a mile this side of the river we heard the first gun which was from the cavalry…we heard it from that time until dark…sometimes pretty close…then again they would drive them some distance…at Brandy Station…they had quite a skirmish. They were just burying one of our poor fellows who had his leg taken off close to the body by a solid shot…we found a good many dead horses on the road…also a number of wounded cavalrymen…about two miles of Culpepper Court House we met about 30 prisoners and three field pieces, two rifled parrots and a brass howitzer which they captured when driving them out of the town which is quite a place nearly all the buildings being built of brick and in a modern style. A number of them appear to be new. We are camped…on the suburbs of the town on a hill [Cedar Mountain] overlooking the place. I saw an old darkey sitting…in the yard of an old mansion…and asked him if they had had a right smart fight here. No great, No great said he"they wont stand, they wont stand"…they have been driven over ten miles. Whether this is a reconnoissance in force…or a grand move of the Army of the Potomac I can not judge. I have not seen any other forces than our corps…you will know the nature of this movement by the papers…George S. Youngs". The original stamped transmittal cover is included. A bit light, else VG.
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