Raynors HCA 2016-10
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/21/2016
War-date Union officer's battle letter, 3 1/2pp. 8vo., written by Lt. William M. Thurston, Battery F (Ricketts), 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, "Battlefield near Pamunkey," [Va.], June 1, 1864, in part: "…[Lt.] Brockway & [Capt.] Ricketts handed me a note from you…the mails are irregular during the time of battles…we are now in the line of battle…yesterday the fighting was heavy all day. The campaign thus far has been of the most trying nature for man and beast. The heat is excessive. We are now ten miles from Richmond…at Brooks Cross Roads the enemy had part of our battery for a time and things looked gloomy but the 14th Regt. Indiana Vols charged and brought it out. We lost heavy. Our horses fell in large numbers. Four men were shot close by my side. In fat the battle…exceed all I have heretofore seen…for three days I was very sick with chills and fever…constantly laying on the ground and in the hot sun is enough to break the constitution of the strongest man. ration have been scarce but I have not went much hungry…the infantry have suffered much in fact half starved. Hundreds have fell by the way side for want of food and exhaustion. The roads are dry and dusty. When the troops march clouds of dust rise hiding the men from each other almost suffocating them…W. Thurston, Battery F, 1st Pa. Artillery, 2nd Corps…". A bit light, else VG
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