Raynors HCA 2017-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/1/2017
A Union officer’s letter written by Major “Philip Kearny” who enlisted on 5/27/1862 as a Captain into "A" Co. NJ 11th Infantry. He was wounded 7/2/1863 Gettysburg, PA. The 3pp., letter is datelined, amp near Falmouth, Va. “May 21st, 1863. Kearny is writing about 1st Sergeant Guy P. Cox, who was wounded on May 3rd, 1863 in the heavy fighting at Chancellorsville, Virginia. Guy died of his wounds on the 15th in Washington D.C. In part, “uy received his wound about six o’clock on Sunday morning. We were then in the 2nd line of battle on the Gordonsville Road on which the left of our regiment rested. The fight was going on then furiously – and a very heavy fire past over us, our regiment lying down as we could not yet fire on account of our men in front. I was next the colors, and your brother lay just behind me. All at once a sharp fire came upon us. As it was a plunging fire I think it must have been from Rebel Sharpshooters in trees who had caught sight of the colors. In a very few moments both color shafts were broken, and two or three in the group hit. A Sergeant in the next company touched me and told me Guy was hit. I turned and saw him lying almost motionless. The ball had entered his brain. I ordered two of my men to take him off the field. He was senseless, did not recognize me. ... Just then our first line broke, and my whole attention was called to attend to my company as we now became the front line – did not hear of him again till we went from under fire at one pm. ... The men who had carried him off then reported that his wound had been dressed by our regimental surgeon, and then they carried him to the hospital, nearly back to the United States Ford. Fearing to stay away from the company any longer, they placed him on the piazza of the house on a stretcher – gave him in charge of the surgeon who said he could not live half an hour, and returned to me. He had partially come to his senses and recognized them, constantly calling for me. At times he thought I was there and talked as if to me. Not knowing at what moment we would be called on to join into action, I could not go so far to the rear that day, and the next we were ordered again under fire on picket and kept there on just before the retreat. From what the Surgeon had said, I supposed him dead and reported him killed. ...”
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