Raynors HCA 2016-10
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/21/2016
Union soldier’s letter written and signed by Corporal William Tomlinson who on 9/25/1861 he mustered into "Batty A" Co. OH 1st Light Artillery, and was mustered out on 7/31/1865 at Camp Cleveland, OH. The 4pp. legal sized letter is datelined, In Camp at Tullahoma July 4th, 1863. In part, “8 days ago this army left camp at Murfreesboro to try Gen. Bragg & his forces again. We left on all the pikes going from camp. Our Corps went by Liberty Gap. There we met the Rebs. We took them by surprise. Our Brigade had the advance so you see our battery had what artillery work there was to do. The Rebs had no thoughts of our coming. We had to fight them 2 days here… Gen. Rosecrans didn’t march to the front only to make a feint & then threw his whole army onto Bragg’s right. This whipped the Rebs & they run like the devil for some point down in Dixie. The citizens here say they run in every direction scared to death for when we fought them on the front we went in for all that was out & drove them at every point. Where we were we killed 100 & 400 wounded. Took a good many prisoners & they all tell the same story. ... When they came back to this point where they were going to give Rosy hell they so scared that their Officers couldn’t do anything with most of them. They said there was no use to fight us for we killed all on the front & walked right along over the dead & wounded. They thought there was but a small force at Murfreesboro that they would stay there. Before Bragg had time to swing his left to this place, our troops were 12 miles below him burning bridges & cutting of his retreat from Chattanooga. ... Bragg has lost more men now than he would if he had been in shape to have given us battle. Over 50 came in yesterday & say the woods below us are full of men that would come in if they knew they wouldn’t be hurt. ... Gen. McCook & staff left yesterday for the front as the rest of his Corps were fighting Rebs. I hope this pull will drive Bragg out of Penn. & across the river. ... There is a large army in this department now & with Gen. Rosecrans to lead them they will go anywhere. A good many of Bragg’s men were out harvesting wheat for their army but they have to leave them this time. ... I expect that there is some excitement North because Lee is in Penn. with his army. I hope to God they will go through to Cleveland, Ohio & then the people North would begin to know that there was a war. Unless they have lost everything they have got, then perhaps they will come out & help put a stop to the rebellion. It can be done in 6 months if men will turn out. Expect they are afraid of getting killed. That wouldn’t hurt them much for it don’t last long. ...”
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