Rare Grouping of 1st Virginia (Union) Volunteer Infantry Letters

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/20/2018

A rare group of three (3) West Virginia soldier's letters, totaling 11pp. 8vo., each on patriotic stationery, written by Pvt. Edward White, Co. G, 1st Virginia (Federal) Volunteer Infantry, reading, in small part: "…[Green Spring, (West) Virginia, Dec. 17, 1861]…eye was at the hospital and they sent all thare sick to Cumberland [Maryland]…and boxed all their medicine up this morning…[we] was looking for to bee attacked before sunset. Our pickets was taking a lot of them last night at Grass Lick Road. The cavalry numbered 8 hundred and six pieces of artillery, one rifled cannon. All of them are twelve pounders. They belong to the Seventh Virginia Rig. All of the boys was routed up last night and given orders to dress themselves and examine their cartridge boxes, that they had forty rounds of cartridges…there will be a big fight here before three days. Everything looks like it now. Their batteries [breastworks] are ten feet thick. The hands are still working at them yet. There are about three hundred every day with spades and axes. There is said to be about three thousand of four of them coming from Winchester to drive General Kelley out of this place…we have marching orders now…we expect to go to Wheeling…the dust flies in grait clouds along the roads…direct to Green Spring in care of Capton Donley [James F. Donnelly], first Virginia Rig. Infantry, Co. D. send me 10lbs sausage, 4 lbs butter…[Dec. 27, 1861]…eye have four mules to drive…they are like so many devils…they can kick the tobacco out of a man's mouth. When you think there aint no danger that is the time they will kick. One kicked me and eye flew about a rod down the hill. It didn't hurt mee much…Edward White…[Patterson's Creek, Hampshire Co. (West) Virginia, Feb. 2, 1862]…there is a large force here now…there is about ten regiments here…cavalry and artillery without number…we have marching orders today but it was countermanded…we will be on the railroad or some place near to it…". Most of White's phonetic spelling has been corrected. Light soiling, else VG (3 letters)

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