A Rare Account of The Battle of Spanish Fort, Alabama

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/18/2022

A great war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Alfred A. Thayer, Co. C, 96th Ohio Battalion, Spanish Fort, Alabama, March 31, 1865," reading, in part: "-I am here where the shot & shell are constantly flying.I enjoy myself pretty well-on our way here our brigade was put to guard the train-it had no trouble. The next [was guarded by] another brigade & before nite 15 rebs made a dash. Took 14 men, 14 mules & got away without getting a shot. The rebs cut one mule's throat & shot 2 or 3 then left-this is the fourth day since the fight commenced. We have lost none in our regt since we got here-2 companies of our regt-went out last nitee- Night before last they made a charge on our pickets at 12 at night. My company was sent out to reinforce them but our loss was all rite-the ball flew think & fast-some of the line got drove out-of [the] works-when they drive our boys they will pay for it-it is a very strong place & they are reinforcing all the time. Our gunboats cant do much-they have the bay filled with torpedoes. They have sunk one of our monitors [USS Osage]-with their torpedoes. They have fighting men here & the best handled artillery that I ever seen-we have taken some prisoners. They say old Jeff told them to hold the place at all hazards. They have taken some of our men, them 7th Vermont never fought before. They have taken some of them & got the rest badly [scared]. They hollered over to our pickets & said they had cut threw the 13 corps & they could do it again if they want to save themselves. They had better stay in. General Steele has got short of rations & men so they sent one division from here-plenty of rations we have got-we have good works & our artillery most all ready guns from 6 to 20 pounders-A. A. Thayer-". The original stamped transmittal cover is included. Thayer's phonetic spelling and loose grammar had been corrected. VG to near fine.

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