Raynors HCA 2016-10
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/21/2016
A great group of thirteen documents and letters related to the military service of 2nd Lt. Aaron Wilson Shaw of the 8th Delaware infantry which was organized at Wilmington, Del. on Sept. 28, 1864 to serve one year. Included in the group are two of Shaw's letters, with one giving a lengthy account of losing two Confederate POWs at City Point, Va. The war-date documents are listed below with two very interesting Appomattox Campaign and Lee surrender documents plus there is an unusual Homestead Act document which Shaw signed while still in Virginia indicating he was planing to acquire land in that Act. The letters, read, in small part: "[City Point, Dec. 16, 1864, 4pp. large folio]…I had bad luck while on guard through carelessness of my sentries. I lost two rebel scouts. The best scouts that Gen. Lee had, but we got the best one. He cut through the floor and crawled out under the building. He was caught again between our picket line and the rebel pickets. A boy about 18 years old captured him and [while] coming in with him he [the rebel] took the gun away from the boy and says now I will take you a prisoner. He took the boy towards the rebel line but he got tired and told the boy to lay down and go to sleep. The boy laid down but did not go to sleep. The reb laid down and soon went to sleep. The boy then got up and took the gun [and] shot the reb. He tried to shoot him through the hart but the ball struck his rib and glanced off, but did not kill him. The boy brought him in our lines all right…the commander of the post has had me up before him and one of his aids was to my tent to see me today…had an investigation and got my statement. I expect Gen. [Marsena] Patrick will send for me next. He is Provost Marshal of the Army of the Potomac…I don't think they can do anything with me for I did not know they had escaped till the next day…I hold the sergeant's responsible and they hold the sentries…I wish you could hear Gen. Grant's band playing. It is playing now and the cannons is a roaring. It makes nice music…[Elaxandria, Va., May 9, 1865, 2pp. 8vo., on U. S. Christian Commission stationery]…I arrived here yesterday morning from Richmond. The Fifth Army Corps is on their way. I had sore feet so the doctors sent me by the way of City Point. My company wont be here before next Monday…as soon as I got to Washington I went to the Provost Marshal to report…I am in command of that new company…". Both with wear. The 1865 from Alexandria heavily stained, else VG. The documents are: FIRST: Partly-printed Eagle discharge, Wilmington, Del., Aug. 12, 1864 discharging Aaron W. Shaw as 2nd Lieutenant from the 7th Delaware Vols. SECOND: Pass: "Office of the Provost Marshal, Army of the James, Bermuda Hundred, Va., Nov. 28, 1864 allowing the guards to pass lieutenant Shaw to Dutch Gap. Signed and made official by Asst. Provost Marshal Lieut. James N. North. THIRD: Two (2) partly-printed muster rolls for Company A, 8th Delaware Vols. listing all the members of that company from their initial enlistment and then their fate up to the time the rolls were prepared. One all is dated Feb. 28, 1865 at City Point, Va. while the other is an undated retained copy, listing several names of those killed and missing in battle in March 1865. FOURTH: Partly-printed clothing return document showing that nearly twelve members of Shaw's company drew shoes as a result of the hard marching in order to capture Lee and his army at Appomattox. This document is dated April 10, 1865 and was no done shortly after Lee's men laid down their arms that day! FIFTH: Manuscript 12mo., slip of paper, entitled: "Surrender of the Southern Confederacy by General Lee. April the 9th, 1865. Present at the Surrender," listing eighteen men, (including Shaw) by name, who were present at the surrender. SIXTH: Partly-printed Special Orders No. 10, Headquarters District of Alexandria & Ninth Army Corps, Alexandria, Va., May 8, 1865, reading, in part: "The following named officers having reported to these Headquarters…will export to Lieut. Col. Heffron, Provost Marshal, Ninth Army Corps for assignment to duty at Provisional Camp. 2 Lieut. Aaron W. Shaw, 8th Del. Vols., 5th Army Corps. By command of Major General Jno. G. Parke…". SEVENTH; Partly-printed Affidavit. State of Virginia, County of Fairfax, May 22, 1865, reading, in part: "I Aaron W. Shaw of New Castle Delaware being now in the Military Service of the United States…file my application…for entry under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 21, 1864, amendatory of the original homestead act of May 20, 1862…F. A. Conwell, my duly authorized representative, is hereby authorized to designate…my homestead…". EIGHTH: Partly-printed large folio clothing return document no date, but Alexandria, Va., May 22, 1865 listing each member of Shaw's company by name. NINTH: Two (2) ordnance stores documents dated in June 1865 at Wilmington, Delaware listing all the arms and equipment Shaw turned over to the 8th regimental quartermaster following the regiment's return to Delaware. All with expected wear. Also included are six family related birth and marriage certificates
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