Raynors HCA 2016-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/17/2016
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. George S. Youngs, [POW Harper's Ferry, Va., 9/15/62], Co. G, 126th New York Vols., "Provost Guard Hd. Qrs., Second Corps Before Petersburg, Va., Dec. 29, 1864", in part: "…Rebel deserters begin to come in again; seven or eight each night, but our loss by desertion is nearly as great as the gain. Three more deserters were hung on Friday last and one was shot on the same day. Three more are to be hung tomorrow. The three that were hung on Friday…were all members of the 5th N. H. They were bounty jumpers who came out as substitutes, deserted to the enemy, enlisted in the Rebel Army and deserted to us to be sent North, to try the same thing again. The game is about played out now however as every deserter who comes into our lines undergoes such a rigid examination at Army Head Quarters that it is about impossible for one of our men to escape detection…it is almost twelve o'clock and S. E. B. and myself are going over to see three more men hung and I shall have to leave this until I return. Thirty minutes late. I have just returned from witnessing the execution and I find that I was mistaken in regard to the number of men to be hung. There was but one instead of three. The execution with this exception was the counterpart of that of last Friday and the week before. There was some jokes indulged in at the expense of the poor fellow who took the principle part in the tragedy just enacted. Very little sympathy is felt for any of these men by the soldiers…Geo. S. Youngs." The original stamped transmittal cover is included. VG
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