Raynors HCA 2017-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/1/2017
A Union soldier’s letter written by “Michael Brady” who enlisted 2/27/1865 as a Corporal into A company OH 192 Infantry. The 6 page letter is datelinedcamp of the 192nd Regt OVI, Rood Hill VA., Sunday July 2, /65. In part, “Our whole Co. was detailed to go along with a battalion of the 5th New York Cavalry to a place in the mountains called Minata Gap to arrest a lot of bushwhackers that had robbed some of the cavalry a few days before… When they got to about 50 rods, five of the bushwhackers rose up from behind a fence and fired on the cavalry killed one and wounding two. The cavalry returned the fire wounded one… Two of them came into the woods we were stationed and were taken prisoners… The one that the cavalry wounded was laying on the grass shot through the hip. He was laying there swearing and cursing the Yankees. One of the cavalry walked up to him and shot him through the head. The cavalryman that was killed was an Irishman named John Shields. ... within a half a mile of camp the Colonel met us there and ordered the Captain of the Cavalry to shoot the prisoners that evening. One of the prisoners was a Captain and the other a sergeant. The sergeant was to be married last Friday after the Capt. had orders to shoot them. ... He had them blindfolded and made them kneel down, he then picked 16 men out of our Co. to shoot them. After the men were picked out, their guns were taken one side and loaded, some with ball cartridge and some without so no one could tell who shot them. After the guns were loaded, the men were drawed up twenty yards in front of the prisoners. The Capt. then told the prisoners that they could have ten minutes to say their prayers in. The Capt began to pray and cry, the sergeant began to beg to let them live long enough to send for their friends. There was a good many of the soldiers there that had tears running down their cheeks. It was enough to draw tears from a stone to listen to the men begging for their lives. After the ten minutes were up, the Capt. ordered the men to aim, he then asked the prisoners if they had any requests to ask. They said... only to not be shot through the head. The captain then ordered the men to shoot. They all fired together and the men went out of pain, one with five balls through his breast and the other with four through him.................”
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