September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
War-date Confederate soldier's Autograph Letter Signed, W.L. Simpson, 7th South Carolina Cavalry, 4pp. octavo, pencil, Malvern Hill, Virginia, July 17, 1864, and reads in part: "...The Yanks have pretty well all quit this side of the river & gone over to the South Side. The Gunboats gives us some trouble in our camp at times. Yesterday they threw about 50 shells into & around our camp, the shells were about the size & shape of a tin [?] they would weight at least 1000 pounds. We had to saddle up & move back about 2 miles until they quit shelling. Our camp is 3 miles from the river, yet they can throw a shell into camp anytime they please. They can throw one of those shells 6 miles. They can place a boat in the river at Crafts Ferry & throw a shell over to Good Hope Church with a good deal of correctness. If they knew the course & distance. So you may know what danger we are in when we are anywhere near the river. I am really sorry for the people, who live along the river, they are in danger of having their houses & themselves torn up every hour. I see little boys about your size, playing about with their little wagons & other play things as if they were in no danger, when a shell might fall among them & kill everyone of them in a moment...6 Yankee deserters came up to our picket post this morning & gave themselves up, they were all Irishmen, right fresh from New York. They said they had never got to Grants army, but left before they go there. Sam Brown & myself took them up to Gen. Gary's headquarters. They say that their men still think they will take Richmond this month or next..." More. Very good condition.
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