2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
Union soldier's 4page light pencil letter is written by Charles Clarence Miller who mustered into "D" Co. NY 140th Infantry and was Mustered Out on 6/3/1865 at Alexandria, VA. Dateline Camp near Fredericksburg, Va. December 22nd 1862. In part, "I thought that I would write a few lines to let you know that I am still well and alive after the great battle that we have had at Fredericksburg. ... I will try and tell you a little of the fight at Fredericksburg. ... so then went on till about one mile from the city where we again stopped at the foot of a hill so that the rebels could not see us. ... When we got there, our batteries had opened fire upon the city and before long they had it in flames. We lay there nearly two days. At night I went to look at the desolated city as it was in flames. It was a splendid sight to behold. ... About noon they opened fire from both sides at a horrible rate but our batteries soon silenced their guns as they could not throw their shells over to our batteries. Along in the afternoon, our infantry opened a tremendous fire upon the rebel's entrenchments. We were then called into line for to cross the river. We left at 4 o'clock and just as we were approaching the pontoon bridge, a shell from one of the rebel batteries burst right in front of our company. It made the boys dodge, I tell you. At last we got across and we marched up one of the streets [and] out on the field of battle with the shells and bullets a flying over our heads. ...The next day I went to look on the field of battle but they did not let us go out of the yard as the rebel sharpshooters would pick our men off as we lay about 200 yards from the field. I could see the dead lying all over the field. I then went into some of the houses and of all the scenes to behold, was in that city. There was not one house in the city, I think, that did not have a cannon ball through it. ... At last we were ordered back on the other side of the river in the night. "
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