Raynors HCA 2017-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/1/2017
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 5pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Charles W. Manning, Co. B, 13th Mass. Vols., "Head Quarters 1st Army Corps near Kelly's Ford, Rappahannock River, Va., Oct. 12, 1863", in part: "…we were on the march making another grand retreat…last Friday night we received the orders to be ready to march at 2 o'clock the next morning…at daylight the Genl. and all his staff left telling the Sergt. to strike the tents and have everything packed up…the Corps moved out to the Rapidan and the 5th Corps took our ground as a support…we received the orders to go with the Hd. Qrts. teams…and join the corps train…[at] Pony Mountain…we could hear wagons going all night…in the morning taking the road to Kelly's Ford…we heard that the Reb cavalry and ours were fighting in…Stephensburg [where] we had passed through only about an hour before…they are following us pretty close as they always do. The 3rd Division of our corps was formed in line of battle on each side of the bridge while our teams crossed the river. We pitched tents about a mile the north side of the Rappahannock …when I think of how the Army of the Potomac is used, how many times they have got just so far and then shoulder their ass and streaker to Washington…sometimes it makes me laugh and again it makes me swear…on the whole though…I have sworn more then I have laughed…you say…Col. Leonard…he has got the softest job that I have heard of for a long time. He can give himself a leave of absence and go up home…but the 13th don't care much where he is so long as he aint with them …Tom Buffum…came back with about 6 or 7 men of my Co. that were taken prisoners at Gettysburg, but poor [Pvt. William Wallace] Sprague is still in Richmond [Belle Island] with 3 more of my Co. Buffum was as pleased to see me as if I had been his own brother…Chas. W. Manning…". First page toned, else
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