Raynors HCA 2016-10
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/21/2016
Union soldier’s letter written by William F. Smith although signed using his alias, Wm Wallace. Smith served in the 1st Mass Infantry in company B., mustered out on 5/25/1864 at Boston, MA. Written to his mother, York Co, near Yorktown, April 14th, ‘62, 2pp. with original cover. In part, “We are still laying in front of the fortifications here and entrenching ourselves under the very mouth of their cannon....are planting some pretty heavy guns to bear upon their works and will give them a try when we get everything ready but McClellan seems to be in no hurry about it. He intends to get everything ready before he begins. ... Every day the rebels fire a few shots in hopes to draw our fire and find out where our batteries are but do not succeed in getting an answer…The Rebels advanced with about 2,000 and tried to drive our pickets in and drove in only one post, the farthest advanced.... Berdan’s Sharpshooters were outside of us and they dropped a man about every time they fired and our battery that was with us sent grape & canister amongst them as fast as they wanted to see them. We are in a good place as their shot went over us and besides that we were stationed in the woods behind trees… They lost considerably many… The rumor here is that the Merrimac is aground... “
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