Raynors HCA 2019-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2019
War-date Union cavalryman's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Norman B. Phelps, Co. K, 1st vermont Cavalry, "Camp 1 mile from Stevensburgh, Va., Jan. 31, 1864," to his friend Albert A. Fletcher, reading, in part: "…we think more about our rations than we do about the rebus. Pickets say that the rebus are deserting about 8 or 10 a day on our line which is about 2 1/2 miles from camp on the Rapidan…there was heavy firing heard on our front caused by a rebel regiment trying to desert…I diode not hear anything about it…this is a hard looking country…there is no houses, no fences & no nothing except soldiers, mule teams, dead horses & crows. The soil is [made] up the color of brick, dust about knee deep…we have got us a house built. It is of logs & covered with our tent cloths. It is large enough for eight. We have a good fire place & good bunks & are very comfortable a good [deal] more so than we were at Brattleboro, at the Sanitary Soldiers Rest at Alexandria. This Sanitary is about as big as humbug as has been got up lately. Their buildings are very nice on the outside. But they are death to the poor soldier that has to stay in them. We were at the rest at Alexandria from Friday until…Wednesday morning & all that time were crowded in a room about as large as our hall in Bridgport. About 300 of us…staid up all of the time. We were not allowed to leave the room for any purpose without a guard, not even one room to another. The consequences were that…from 10 to 15 [were] carried to the hospital…I was rather hard up when we came away but I am feeling quite well now. Tom Foy has gone to the hospital & I don't think he will ever see the regiment again. [He died March 16, 1864 and is buried Military Asylum Cemetery, Washington.]…I have not seen Dr. Gale yet. He is at Brandyy Station in charge of the Corps hospital…direct to, N. B. Phelps, Co. K, First Vt. Cav., Washington." Also included is the original transmittal cover. VG
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