2005-03
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2005
A truly amazing war-date Union soldier's letter outlining almost every move his regiment made during the battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and of his Corps movements leading to their crossing the Chattahoochee River, written in pencil by 2nd Lieut. John Hawthorn, Co. F, 9th Iowa Vols. "In the front works near foot of Old Kennesaw, Ga., June 26, 1864", to his niece, reading, in part: "…I got a letter from you…just as we were ordered to move to the front…we had…moved up as a support…that was [the] 20th…we gained our point, driving back the Reb skirmishers, [and]…a good position on a ridge…under the mountain…we thought…that they…could not shell us…[&] that night…we began to fortify our position laying up a wall of rocks, trees & throwing up what dirt we could…like tigers did we work…when morn came the Rebs had planted several guns right above us…about 9 A.M. 21 [guns] opened on us…they threw clear over us & our boys laughed & cheered. The rebs ceased…& about 11…opened on us…we did not reproach them for their folly…for they…depress[ed] their guns so as to plug the shell…right into our works…our Co. had one wounded, [the] regt 2 killed & 8 wounded, 3 very badly…one poor fellow…said he got right under a big shell when the bottom fell out & struck…me [him] on the arm…he had to have his arm taken off. One had his head all smashed to fragments. [He] was a fine fellow, a noble looking young man &…for bravery & courage been appointed color bearer, but no one would ever have recognized him as our noble Henry Robinson…[an]other had a…shell go through his neck, almost severing his head from his body…from the 20th till eve 26th we held our position, twice advancing our pickets & once making a reconnaissance…we had not gone up the Mt. side…[but] 40 rods before we were met with a perfect storm of bullets…our boys stormed the picket line & took it & about 150 prisoners…we lost over 70 out of our reconnoitering party. On [the] night [of the] 26th June, we were relieved by [the] 16th Army Corps. [We] moved…to the right & relieved Gen. Hooker who moved…right…in the morn the Rebs opened on us, killed one and wounded 2 of our Co…along the line about 10 am [we] made an assault & stormed the Reb works…it was a dear charge for us…we carried the first line of Reb works & held them till…dark (for we could not get back [without] running the gauntlet…after dark we fell back taking…all we could of our dead & wounded…many of our dead remained on the field and…never buried, for when we left on July 2nd they still lay…many a poor…soldier who might have lived…lies mouldering beneath the melting rays of a Southern sun…his bones to be bleached by a southern lime…we could hear two call…& yell that night (of 28th). We got a party to volunteer…to get them off, but our brave boys could not reach them…2 of our boys were severely wounded while hunting over the ground…one Mo. Regt. Officer…had a brother on the ground. Had to give up as lost brother…he thought the man who yelled…was him! O Sis, how sad I felt when we had to give up the search [and] see this brother…weep. I too…found a lone retreat to shed tears…O Man! Aye & many such scenes do we have to witness in this unholy…war. Would God [cause]…a copperhead of the North…[to] step into such [a] poor fellow soldier's place to die, bleed, & suffer…I feel as tho I could, with steady aim…send the first bullet thru the heart of such fellows…God pity such hounds of Hell…on 28th, 29th, & 30th we held our own &…we shelled…& did all we could to…rout the Rebs. On 30th we were…mustered for pay…there were 3 wounded…the Rebs…could not go to our rear which they tried on the 1st…but were repulsed & lost…40 of one Co…at the time the…order was given to fall back, [they] instead rushed towards our lines…our boys…shot all but 3 of them who told that they were determined to desert…our boys…fired into them a full volley…we were sorry for such a circumstance…on the 2nd…we were relieved by Genl. Howard of 4th A.C…and we fell back…next morn…we could not see a Reb…a reconnoitering party…started…[up] the sides of Old Mt. Kennesaw & raised the stars & stripes…with shouts & cheers…orders came for our A C[orps] to march…thru Marietta…[I wish you] could…have seen the Rebs works all along the side of the mountain…3 lines of heavy works &…3 rows of barbetts. None of which could be passed…What are they?…They are stakes…set in the ground at…45 degrees being sharp and pointing outwards…every few rods were batteries planted. They…would open on us by a volley of…15 to 24 guns…our guns would throw shell and shot…would knock their works & guns all to pieces. Marietta is a fine looking town, small but about deserted. An old gent…told me of a woman, no a she D[evi]L [who] when the rebs brot in one of our soldiers on a stretcher…the woman came out…& threw dirt in his face & spit in it…our boys…tried to find her…she had left with the Reb army…[From here he continues the letter on July 9, 1864]…on the 4th…we started towards [the] Chattahoochee River…(awful hot) several of our boys dropped dead…of sun stroke. We…came upon the rebs entrenched & ready to…fight…Genl. Dodge moved on to them &…drove them out of their works & took 600 prisoners…after dark about 150 Rebs…came right into [the] rear of us & we took them all prisoners. Next morn we (15th AC) [was] in advance…our Divis leading…came upon their rear in…3 miles entrenched…deployed our skirmishers & soon routed them…by 3 pm we had driven them over 2 miles…into [a] heavy line of fortification…they opened 3 batteries on us before we knew they were there and cut us up considerable. The 7 & 15th also 5th Iowa losing quite a number killed &over 150 wounded…orders were issued to storm the works at daybreak on the…6th, but…the Rebs had fled…we moved…in sight of the last line of Reb works this side of the river but between them & us is…Mose Creek too deep to ford…the Rebs…would not let us cross the river and go over to Atlanta [so] we concluded to…sleep on our arms…the Rebs would every now and then send a messenger over to…see how we were getting along…we…advanced 2 batteries and our line…right under their noses…we fortified all night…as good luck would have it…they have not discovered us…should the Rebs discover us…they would rake from right to left for they have a battery of 10 guns on hill higher than we are…our pickets are 200 yards in advance…right on the creek…the Rebs are on the other side…our boys have dug holes…all along the picket line…for protection…so Sis…1st Divis 15th A. C. is Status Quo…since May 1st we have marched 280 miles & fought…almost every foot of 100 miles…3 days at Resaca, 5 at Dallas, 5 New Hope Church…now we are besieging them…night before last we shut them…up…Howard came in on our left [and] after a sharp fight drove the Rebs across the river at the RR bridge…before we could get to it it was all inflames…our left lies on the river…6 miles below us the 17th A. C. Genl Blair's right rests…the 20th A. C. went…down [to] the river & lay a pontoon bridge…yesterday our troops were crossing…our boys are…confident of success, but lots of them [are] getting sick from…exposure & fatigue…the Rebs are as bad…off…for 23 days…it rained every day & in torrents often…". The letter has been edited for clarity, and is signed as "your Uncle John". Enlisting as a sergeant in 1861 at the age of 43 years old. Hawthorn rose through the ranks to 2nd lieutenant by 1863. He survived the war being mustered out of the service Dec. 31, 1864. Usual folds, else very good.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.