Massive 31p. Letter from Newbern, North Carolina

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2005

Autograph Letter Signed, “J.G. M.” 31p. 3-1/4”x5”, pencil, written in diary format from October 30-November 1st, 1862, from Newbern, North Carolina, and reads in part: “...formed the regimental line and marched through the city of Newbern to the wharf and went on board the steamer...continued...down the Nuese into Pamlico sound...landed at Washington City, N.C....the city has been shelled by our forces the houses are full of cannon ball holes where the folks live. I saw a splendid house and plnation of a Secesh...two of our cavalry pickets shot within two miles of our camp...We have orders to get boards and to tear them off of any of the houses we possess...we have to build something to sleep in...the whole camp is covered with little boxes to sleep in...Our Reg is as large as a common brigade...the city is full of secesh...we intend to whip them...I talked with some of the people they are Secesh all through they are as saucey as they dare to be. They would slam the doors in our faces. The baggage train was fired in to on the march yesterday and one man wounded. They captured some rebel horses...We left the city...marched about 5 miles. The cavalry came upon the rebel pickets who fired upon them and killed some of our horses and took one man a prisoner...our artillery commenced to shell them and Co’s H & C were ordered forward as skirmishers. They went half way through the creek when they were fired into by the rebels and one man in Co. C was killed. They replied to them fire a few times when they were oredered to fall back they did so and then our Co. was ordered forward we went through the creek and deployed to the right and left as skirmishers as soon as we had done so they fired into us and they must have been within twenty paces of us one of our Boys was killed by the name of Charley Morse and Roberts was wounded. Jack Wyath had a bullet go through the stock of his gun and our orderly White had one go through his cartridge box. Robert who was wounded layed on side of me and another fellow who went in to the fight with us who belonged to the tenth Conn was wounded too and another fellow and myself found a dead Rebel right in front of us only five paces from us. I dont know which shot him...We kept putting volley after volley into them and they into us but lucky for us it was so dark they could not see us and they fired to high. We came nigh being shot by one of our own Regts. The tenth Conn fired a volly from behind us over our heads we wer under fire for three quarters of an hour and then the tenth Conn came up the road and charged over the hill and the rebels skedaddled our Co. then went back through the water...our Artillery went forward and drove them from some splendid entrenchments where they intended to stand...We were complimented by the Gen for our coolness in the fight. I dont see why we were put in the advance of all the rest as that day we recd reinforcements and we then numbered about 10,000 men & regt. about 40 pieces of artillery 1 Regt of Cavalry and one Co. of Hawkins Zouaves and a marine battery are included in the 10,000. In the fight after the first volly was fired by the rebels they were so near that three of our Co. rushed forward and took three prisoners they owed that they ahd been firing at us all the time ...” More. VG.

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