This is a soldier letter from the 17th Ohio Infantry.  The soldier was James T Parsons who enlisted as a private on 9/23/1861 as a private.  He was discharged for disability on 9/28/1862.  

This letter consists of two sides of legal sized paper.  It is legible other than his punctuation.  I have determined through research that the writer, William H Davis died as a result of wounds from the battle at Stones River.  There is also the cover written to his father and postmarked from Cairo.  I have concluded that the writer was with the 22nd Infantry  as there was a William H Davis under Col Henry Dougherty's command.  Davis explains in the letter why his Regiment did not accompany the others to the battle at Fort Henry, a few days away from the time the letter was written. 

This is a four page, mostly legible letter on note paper. He didn't like periods and I corrected just a few of his spelling.  It is headed Camp Brownlow, Fredrick, Md. and dated January 69th 1862.  The soldier is writing his sister.  He begins by saying that he has been too sick to eat and that many of the soldiers were also sick.  Here is some of the camp content. "Our Col has been appointed Provost Martial of the City and our Regiment provost guard   we have three companies out on guard each day.  General Banks whole division is camped within a few miles of town  We are the only regiment camped in town   they have built us barricks our post is 60 feet long and 24 wide  we have good ...? we are very comfortable situated but I cannot tell how soon we will have to leave   Our regiment is under marching orders at present  we got orders yesterday  having to have two days rations cooked and ready to march immediately  the whole division is on a ?  I do not think we will go for a few days but I think by the looks of things we will move into Virginia pretty soon  snow fall about three inches deep last night  the first we have had of any accumulation  I do not like the idea of marching yet we have plenty to do here guarding the prisoners  there was a soldier hung here on the Monday before Christmas for shooting his major of the 46th Pa Regt. a scene I never witnessed before nor never wish to again  he was hung 3 1/2 miles from town  our Reft was the guard and escort there was 3 regts on the ground   I can hardly get time to write this  I have to stop every five minutes to write passes for the boys  as they are not allowed to go to town without a pass signed by the Capt and Sgt."  The rest are closing remarks and the letter is signed by J W Hunter  

Field press notice, General Order, No 2 dated February 2nd 1864 (corrected).  Announces the appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel James H Stokes as Inspector of the Quartermaster's Department of the Military Division of the Mississippi. Other content.

Interesting set of documents relating to the conscription of David S Mitchell of Damascus Township.  

Two pages, front to back, along with civil war cover postmarked Washington D C and with a bulls eye cancel. Dated November 14th, 1863 from a Camp near Brandy Station 1863.  Unsigned.  The letter was very difficult for me to read although it is not as light as it appears on the scan. Written content vertically and horizontally on the same page makes my brain shut down.  Here is what I could read, "We are camped on the farm of John M Botts the great champion of liberty in these parts-the Confederate army have done all they could to destroy it."  John M Botts, was arrested by the Confederate army for being a Union spy and imprisoned in Castle Godwin.  Actually although he was a Unionist he later criticized and blamed Lincoln for starting the Civil War.

Two form from the United States Claim Agency from; Grand Rapids dated March 1863 which spells out the payments some soldiers were eligible for and how to apply for them.  The first document measures 8 by 5 inches and the smaller one is five by five inches.  Light rag paper.

Letter is dated May 1865 and the signature appears to be S ? Person and is addressed to his sister Harriett Hull from Beverly Washington County Ohio.  Nice clear cancel from Nashville and a fancy cancel I have not seen before-leaf?

Single sheet paper printed on wallpaper. I believe this to be an early facsimile issue of the famous paper produced by the Union army when Vicksburg was seized. Countless issues were made of the paper, many of which were distributed at GAR reunions. I believe this to be old because of the acidic bleed through visible on the front from the pattern of the wall paper. This has been encapsulated. There are some tiny edge tears as well as a large edge tear on the right hand side year the top. There is also a nip out of the top left hand corner. The color of the wall paper and the pattern is so light that I could not capture it in a scan. These reprint issues have been climbing in value, some as high as $500.  Most of the reprints were made in the 1870's and 80's.

One and a half page letter written by Thomas D Ayers of the 95th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Company F. "From Camp at the White House Kent County Virginia, May 17th 1862." Condition: Wear to the folds with holes along the folds not affecting content. Stains. See scans Dear Brother, I received your welcome and affectionate letter several days ago and would have answered it sooner only I had no post stamps. And you cant by (sic) one for love nor money. I suppose you heard about the fights with the rebels at West Point. Our regiment was not mentioned in the Philadelphia papers at all. As far as I can learn and they are the ones who ought to have a praise and not the Fire Zouaves for they were not within 2 miles of the battle all day. Our regiment lost about 10 killed and 15 or 20 wounded and the Division (Franklins) lost about 130 killed. Our regiment went into the fght and drove the rebels out of their entrenchments. Our company stood up like men and if it had not been for our captains skillful maneuvers we all would have been taken prisoner or killed so you may know we had a hard fight. But we are always ready for to fight the rebels and can whip them out of their boots..." Rest is personal Your Brother Thomas D Ayers

Four full pages on great patriotic stationary dated Oct 23rd 1861 written by Louis Bell to his sister. Written "On board Steamship Baltic". The patriotic graphic of Fortress Monroe, Old Point Comfort and Hygeia Hotel Virginia takes up a third of the lettersheet. I purchased this letter in 1998 when the Bell estate was broken up. There is a large archive in the University of New Hampshire Library-Milne Special Collections and Archives which is on the web. This letter is addressed to Sallie whom he addresses as My dear Sister. It could be his sister-in-law, since his comments indicate that possibility. Bell was killed in action at Fort Fisher. (detail follow) The content is a mixture of personal and war information. I will give the content related to the war. "The commencement of this letter indicates my whereabouts, and the map X on the above shows my exact locality. I left Concord ...and got to Washington Thursday night and found that the Regiment had left for Annapolis that day. I followed on the next day and found the Regiment at last. Last Saturday evening we embarked on board this splendid steamship which contains without crowding all of us, and our horses, and our General (H G Wright) his staff and a number of big guns, shells for them...The fleet consists of near a hundred ships, some dozen or more of them are of the very biggest size, the Baltic, Atlantic, Vanderbilt, ?, Roanoke, Ariel, Empire City ? Queen, Philadelphia etc. Then the Minnesota Wabash and some five or six other ships of war as an escort to the transport ships, which contain the transports, some fifteen thousand men and a large quantity of material for siege and fortifying. Now the question is where is this great force to go-we have no information-but various guesses , my guess is Beaufort North Carolina. At all event we start tomorrow noon for somewhere-and the news of where we will go will reach you through the papers-probably before this letter does-for the government through over caution...will detain all letters till there is no chance of the enemy gaining any information from any correspondence that may take place between the fleet and various persons... We have had a little excitement this morning-first on account of a ship that went sailing by "without saying by your leave," and which various circumstances led the naval officers to believe not to be all right so one of the warship's little gunboats slowly turned around and sent a couple of shells after the ship which had the result of bringing her up to explain. Next a rebel gunboat steamed out from ? point and took a look at us-two or three of the gun boats whirled round and off went the rebels to their batteries again...I think that the government is perfectly right in not letting the expedition sail but keeping them on board ship-for after being cooped up for a week longer-the troops will be so glad to get on shore that a rebel battery will be of no account whatsoever. All the men are in capitol condition and spirits which leads me to have great hopes that the expedition may accomplish its design... I trust God may see fit to direct that I may return in safety to my home once more but if not I shall feel that I shall have died in the best cause the world has ever known and it will be no disgrace to my precious wife and child to have it said that the husband and father died fighting for his country...instructs her to address letters to Lieut Col Louis Bell, 4th New Hampshire Regiment, Gen Wrights Brigade, Brigadier Sherman's Division.. Here is some personal information about Louis Bell, who was the son of Governor Samuel Bell and his second wife, Lucy. He was born in Chester N H. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Louis Bell enlisted and was appointed Captain of Company A, First N H Reg of Infantry. He was later appointed Lieutenant Colonel to the 4th Regiment. General Sherman promoted Bell to Inspector General and Chief of staff in October of 1861. Bell succeeded to the command of Colonel in March of of 1862. In April of that year Col. Bell's regiment occupied the fortified town of St. Augustine. While there, Bell was relieved of his command for an alleged violation of government order but he was reinstated in September of 1862. In the winter and spring of 63 he commanded a brigade consisting of the Third and Fourth N H Reg and the Ninth and Eleventh Maine Reg. His brigade was involved in the sieges of Forts Wagner and Gregg on Morris Island and Fort Sumter, Charleston, S C. On May 9th 1864, Bell's brigade took part in the Battle of Petersburg and helped lay siege to the town from June to December of 1864. From Dec 7027 Bell led an unsucessful expedition against Fort Fisher in Wilmington North Carolina. A second expedition against Fort Fisher result ed in the fort's capture on January 15,1865. During the battle, Col Bell was mortally wounded and died January 16th, 1865. Bell was promoted to Brigadier General posthumously. His wife died months later.

This letter is dated March 20th 1851 from West Point and is signed by Fitz John Porter, then a professor at West Point. He is assuming the debt of one of his friends and former West Pointer, Barnard Elliott Bee. Porter became a General on the Union Side and Bee became a General for the Confederacy. Content is as follows: Sir, Bvt. Capt B E Bee told you or your agent to call upon me for the amount of a bill due you by him, and charged to me. Be pleased to send the amount of the bill and oblige Yours F J Porter. (Debt was $189.84). Condition: Brown ink on tin blue rag paper, folds, glued to the bottom is the old catalogue listing. Pencil and ink markings on the back. Here is a brief history on Porter: FitzJohn Porter was a career United States Army officer and a Union General during the American Civil War. He is most known for his performance at the Second Battle of Bull Run and his subsequent court martial. Although Porter served well in the early battles of the Civil War, his military career was ruined by the controversial trial which was called by his political rivals. Afterwards he worked intensely to restore his tarnished reputation for almost 25 years, when he was finally restored to the army's roll. Here is a brief history on Barnard Elliott Bee: Bee had a distinguished military career following his graduation from West Point in 1845 however he is best known for giving Stonewall Jackson his name Stonewall by pointing to General Jackson’s brigade, "standing like a stone wall". Bee sustained mortal wounds during the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), the very battle that gave rise to his comment about Jackson

Letter is written on the letterhead of P D Bricher, Attorney at Law and dated July 25, 1887 from Jersey Shore Pennsylvania. Two page, fantastic content which is a report of Col W C Raulston's attempt to free his men from a prison (No 6 Danville Virgina) Raulston was shot by a Confederate guard and later died from his wounds. This event was included in the book Portals to Hell. There are several references on the web covering the events described in this letter. "To the Survivors of the 24th Regiment N Y Cavalry" Comrades, I noticed this morning by reading an Elvira (?) paper, that a reunion of this regiment will be held in Buffalo, N Y July 27 & 28 -I hasten to write you for some information as to the date the Col of your regiment was killed at Danville Va, while as a prisoner of war, he with others, myself included, led the advance, in the attempt to break out of prison, and thus release all the prisoners, in the building. I have lost the data and would like very much if you could furnish me with the same. When we failed to break open the outer door of the prison, the prison guards allied and firing through the windows forced us to retreat up to the second floor of the building. While going up these stairs, if my memory serves me right is where the Col. (W C Raulston) was killed. I was at his side, or perhaps a step higher when he fell. With saddened hearts over the failure to break out and the shock of the tragic death of our brave leader caused many a brave man to shed tears that terrible day. No braver man than the Col of the 24th N Y Cav fell in the defense of his country during the war. His noble form, and daring look when giving us the command to follow him, I shall never forget. Comrades, while you refer to the roll of the honored dead of your regiment-drop a tear to his memory in behalf of the surviving prisoners of the war for whom he so gallantly lost his life, in his efforts to liberate them. I trust the allusion to your deceased comrades will not mar the many pleasing recollections of the war which crowd in upon the mind and memory of the survivors of the late unpleasantness and which grow brighter and more entertaining as they are portrayed by the peculiarly fitted story tellers in the language spirit and feeling of the days gone by. These reminiscences or stories are "chestnuts” that will keep and will always be enjoyed especially by a class of men, whose places in history can never be filled. Trusting Comrades I have not trespassed upon your time and feeling (although an entire stranger) a fraternal interest in you reunion by being associated with one of your members, under the circumstance related-I remain yours, fraternally, P D Bricher, Late Capt Co. F 13th Regiment Pa. Cav & Brevet Major This added after the closing, "The cavalry branch was detailed on the occasion of the break to lead the charge and when out of prison to capture all horses wagons etc and to make rapid advance to our lines for relief and from our army. The artillery and infantry were to seize all the arms of the guards, besides those in the arsenal, arm the prisoners which numbering over 3000 and to resist the enemy on the march to our lines. Our plans were well defined and would have been, if successful, on the the greatest event of the war and Col Ralston one of the greatest heroes. Here is a history of the 24th Reg N Y Cav taken from the web. Left the State: February 23, 1864 Consolidated with the 10th regiment of cavalry and designated 1st provisional regiment of cavalry, July 10, 1865 August 25, 1863, Col William C. Raulston, formerly Lieutenant-Colonel, 81st N. Y. Volunteers, received authority to reorganize the 24th Volunteer Infantry, then discharged by reason of the expiration of its term of service. September 25, 1863, this authority was modified to read that a regiment of cavalry, this, the 24th, should be organized. The regiment was organized accordingly at Auburn, and its companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years, A, C, D and E, December 28, 1863; B, F, G, H and I, January 7; K and L, January 19, and M, January 26, 1864. The companies were recruited principally: A at Fulton and Phoenix; B at Utica, Auburn and Springfield; C at Oswego, Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Auburn and Volney; D at Buffalo, Southport, Baldwin, Orange, Elmira and Catlin; E at Oswego, Scriba, Hastings, Hannibal, Orwell and Parish; F at Buffalo, Taberg, Oswego, Rome and Utica; G at Orwell, Sandy Creek, Amboy, Oswego, New Haven and Lorraine; H at Rochester, Mt. Morris and Canandaigua; I at Oswego, Fulton, Parish, Palermo and Hastings; K at Syracuse, Onondaga, Oswego and Buffalo; L at Canandaigua, Auburn, Rochester, Mt. Morris, Rome and Utica; M at Buffalo, Auburn, Utica, Syracuse and Onondaga. The regiment left the State February 23, 1864, and served, dismounted, near Washington, D. C, in the 22d Corps from February, 1864; in Marshall's Provisional Brigade, 9th Corps, from May 5, 1864; in the same brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from May 12, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from June 11, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from September, 1864; mounted in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, Cavalry, Army of Potomac, from October 20, 1864; in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Potomac, from May, 1865. Colonel William C. Raulston was captured by the enemy September 30, 1864; in an attempt to escape, of which he was the leader, he was shot, December 10, 1864, by a Confederate sentinel at Danville, Va., and from the effects of this wound died December 15, 1864, Under the command of Col. Walter C. Newberry the regiment was consolidated, company with corresponding company, with the 10th N. Y. Volunteer Cavalry at Cloud's Mills, Va., July 10, 1865; the new organization receiving the designation "1st Provisional Regiment N. Y. Volunteer Cavalry." During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 1 officer, 72 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 6 officers, 40 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 133 enlisted men; total, 8 officers, 245 enlisted men; aggregate, 253; of whom I officer and 30 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy

There are two paper items in this lot regarding a widow being denied a pension for her husband who was thought to have deserted. Mildred Kidd has written W P Brownlow requesting his help in securing the pension. Brownlow has written Paul Devine for his help. Written on the official letterhead of the Committee on Census" House of Representatives. "The story that this man Kidd deserted to the enemy at Atlanta Ga seems to me to be wholly improbable. The Southern Confederacy was on its last legs at the time and no man was fool enough to do such a thing under the circumstances. I am inclined to the idea that this soldier was killed." W P Brownlow was the nephew of Parson Brownlow

No paypal on this item. This letter is by Andrew Moon of the 104th Ohio Infantry, Company C written from a Camp near Columbia Tennessee on December 24, 1864, Moon has used the back of the unused pages from a letter written to him by his sister who gives home front news. Here is the most pertinent content: ...We left Nashville on the 15th and attacked Hood driving him out of his works with but little loss to our Corps as we was on the right flank of the army. The 4th and 15th Corps which was in the center lost more men as they had to charge his stronger works, out regt has lost but one man since we left Nashville..." "We have been driving him (Hood) south ever since taking a large amt of prisoners (about 15 or 18 thousand) about 60 pieces of artillery in fact completely demoralizing his army which he claims to be the flower of the South but the papers will tell you more than I can." We are now about 48 miles south of Nashville and have Hood on full retreat across Duck River. I don't think we will be bothered with him anymore this winter I hardly think we will follow him any farther this winter. I think we will go to winter quarters soon. When we recaptured Franklin Tenn we found J A McCannon he had been taken prisoner after he was wounded and we did not know it we thought he had got off the battle field. They used him pretty rough while they had him, it was 6 days before he had his wound dressed-only as he done it himself. They took all this money, hat and boots..." Moon mustered into Company C on August 30 1862. He was wounded in action and discharged for his wounds on May 18,1865, less than a month before his regiment mustered out of service. The 104th Ohio saw action at Lexington, Atlanta, Rocky Faced Ridge, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kennesaw, Nashville, Franklin and Wilmington.

Two more letters in a series of letters from Frank Brown of the 87th Indiana Infantry, Company D. These two letters were written from Ringgold Georgia, one dated March 19, 1864 and the other May 6th, 1864. The March letter is three and a quarter pages written to "Sister Lottie" Content consists of requests of writing material and other things of Brown to be sent to him. The May letter is also written to his sister and consists of one and 3/4 of a second page. Note the pencil notations on the back that are not relevant to the letter. "We have just got orders to be ready to march tomorrow at day light and we can send no more letters after five O'clock today...You must not get uneasy if you don't hear from me again soon but keep writing to me and you may be sure that as soon as they will allow letters to go north again that I will write. Tell Eba Whitney I shall not have time to write to only one in a place and I hope she will excuse me under the circumstances but I want you ALL to write to me we can get letters from you but will not be allowed to send any from the army until the fight ahead is settled and then if I am so fortunate as to not gt killed I will probably have something interesting to write about. I can't see what all my correspondents are doing. I have got no letter for seven days...More along this line. These two letters point out how crucial the letters from home were to the soldiers. Frank Brown mustered into Company G on 31 August 1862; after two years hard fighting as a private he was promoted to Commissary Sergeant and on 10 June 1865 was mustered out at Washington, D. C. Before his promotion, Brown fought at Perryville, Hoover's Gap, Chcickamauga, Chattanooga, Rocky Faced Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Pine Hill, Kennesaw, Peach Tree Creek and Utoy Creek. See the other letters from this soldier listed on my site.

This is another letter in a series written by Frank Brown, a Commissary Sergeant who fought in numerous battles. This letter consists of three full pages and a little on the last page. Note that the last page has some pencil notes made later on by someone else. This letter is quite legible. Tear at top edge and pinholes at center folds and tear at bottom. This letter is dated August 12, 1864 from "In the field near Atlanta Georgia". Here is part of the content: "Here I am again trying to interest you by telling you some...stories about things in general way down here in Georgia. I think that they are the most unfriendly set down here in Georgia that I ever met- at least that has been my experience. Last summer I tried a short trip in this state and they acted very uppitty (?) to me at Chickamauga and I concluded to go back to Tennessee and on this trip they are inclined to be ugly but we are bound to see the thing through and see if there is a soft spot in this rebellious land. Our hurried departure from Marietta spoiled by calculations in regard to splurging among the ? for which I am extremely sorry. talk about leaving home I tell you it was nothing to leaving Marietta it was not so much what we left behind as what we expected to find in our way for I say unto you this is a hard road to travel my candid opinion is that it is a worse road than the one they blow so much about-over Jordan: Jordan be blowed!! What is Jordan along side of Chattahoochie". "You will be pleased to hear that my position in the army is changed very materially that is I am what you might call a noncombatant to explain which I will tell you a little story about one week ago Col Hammond came to me and said that I could have my choice to stay in the company as Orderly Sergeant for the Regt and I chose the latter..I do not have to participate in any of the fighting and can keep pretty clear of bullets..."I have soldiered two years and I have been in everything that the 87th has and now I mean to lay low and take all the comfort I can for the balance of my time." Frank Brown mustered into Company G on 31 August 1862; after two years hard fighting as a private he was promoted to Commissary Sergeant and on 10 June 1865 was mustered out at Washington, D. C. Before his promotion, Brown fought at Perryville, Hoover's Gap, Chcickamauga, Chattanooga, Rocky Faced Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Pine Hill, Kennesaw, Peach Tree Creek and Utoy Creek.

This is one of a series of letters from Frank Brown. This letter is dated Dec 11th 1863 and is four pages. Here is the most interesting content which recalls the recent defeat at Chickamauga. "I am going out on the old battle field of Chickamauga where we fought Sept 19-20...there is a party going out to see what they can find out about lost and missing comrades...it will be quite interesting...to go over the ground again that we made such desperate efforts to win.. Frank Brown mustered into Company G on 31 August 1862; after two years hard fighting as a private he was promoted to Commissary Sergeant and on 10 June 1865 was mustered out at Washington, D. C. Before his promotion, Brown fought at Perryville, Hoover's Gap, Chcickamauga, Chattanooga, Rocky Faced Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Pine Hill, Kennesaw, Peach Tree Creek and Utoy Creek.

Two page letter, not as light as it appears in the scan and quite legible. Written from Chattanooga Tennessee-Feb 18 1864 and signed by Frank Brown of the 87th Indiana Infantry. This letter is part of a series of letters from Frank Brown which have been listed separately. Letter begins "Stirring times are on hand again or appearances are very deceitful. We have marching orders and that always means something with us if there is a fight ahead than our old division is sure to be called upon as you may look for news of a fight or a foot race soon. I was really in hope they would leave us in Chattanooga until the first of April if not longer and I would be satisfied to serve the rest of my time out here but no that would not do of course we have got it so that a person can live pretty comfortable here so we will have to push ahead and leave this place for troops to come forward and take possession who have never seen a reb only as we sent them back prisoners while we drive away the rebs, build bridges make roads build forts and make some other place safe and comfortable for them to follow up with their soft bread and butter... I know plenty of regiments that have never been in sight of a fight or out of sight of R R communication soft bread and know nothing about the hardships of a soldiers life at the front but have the most to say about what we have done, yes we done it! Bah!" more Frank Brown mustered into Company G on 31 August 1862; after two years hard fighting as a private he was promoted to Commissary Sergeant and on 10 June 1865 was mustered out at Washington, D. C. Before his promotion, Brown fought at Perryville, Hoover's Gap, Chcickamauga, Chattanooga, Rocky Faced Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Pine Hill, Kennesaw, Peach Tree Creek and Utoy Creek.

This two page letter is dated 2nd 1862 from Camp Oakland. It is signed by Frank Brown, "Direct Louisville Kentucky-87th Ind Vol care of Captain Bliss Co G (Alanson Bliss)" Here is part of the content: "I suppose you will be surprised to hear...that I have enlisted and that I am in the vicinity of the Rebels and expect soon to face them in Battle...I care not how soon if we were only well drilled but I dont realy fancy leading raw troops into action when half of the don't know how to even load a gun. We have been so busy since I have not had time to write The reg was already on the cars when I reached South Bend where I enlisted and we went Indianapolis where we arrived the same night and then while there we had to draw our pay clothes arms to which with drill and camp duty kept us pretty busy..." Frank Brown mustered into Company G on August 31 1862, after two years of hard fighting as a private he was promoted to Commisssary Sergeant and on June 10, 1865 was mustered out at Washington D.C. Here is a history of his unit found on the web. 87th Regiment, Indiana Infantry Organized at South Bend, Ind., and mustered in August 31, 1862. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., August 31. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, September, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Center 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to June, 1865. SERVICE.-Pursuit of Bragg to Crab Orchard, Ky., October 1-15, 1862. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7. Duty South Tunnel, Pilot Knob and Gallatin, Tenn., November 8-26, and guarding fords of the Cumberland till January 29, 1863. Duty at Nashville, Tenn., till March 6. Duty at Triune till June. Expedition toward Columbia, Tenn., March 4-14. Franklin June 4-5. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24-26. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Demonstration on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27, 1864. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Reconnoissance from Ringgold toward Tunnel Hill April 29. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's or Neal Dow Station July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Fayetteville, N. C., March 11. Averysboro March 16. Battle at Bentonville March 19-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D. C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Mustered out June 10, 1865. Regiment lost during service 10 Officers and 81 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and<

One and a half page letter to James F Robinson, Governor of Kentucky from R H Harison of Paris Kentucky. He is requesting that his nephew John T Wigginton be awarded a Lieutenancy in Captain Mullens Company of Col Warners Regiment (I’m not entirely sure of the spelling of these two names). "He had an order to recruit a company for the three years service for a week or two. He has been very industrious but has only been able to get sixteen men. He understands that there is a vacancy in the lieutenancy in Capt Mullens (?) company of Col Warners (?) regiment and that the place will be filled by your appointment or by the Adjutant General Finnell....It would very much gratify John T and his friends here to secure the appointment. He is a very sprightly generous intelligent and gallant boy of noble impulses and fine habits, devoted heart and soul to the services of the Union. He is well acquainted with the company drill and is considered a fair drill master. He has been from the first engaged in the military movements as a home guard or otherwise. IN THE LATE MORGAN RAID HE WAS VERY ACTIVE AND EFFICIENT AND RENDERED VALUABLE SERVICES IN VARIOUS WAYS AND NOW HE IS GONE WITH A COMPANY OF HOME GUARDS WITH MR. DAVIS AND OTHERS TO MEET THE INVADING FOE... some closing comments. Note: I could not find a John T Wigginton in union ranks on the soldier list. There was one in Tennessee Confederate ranks but doubt this was him unless he changed sides. A little slip which accompanied the letter, however, did note that the writer, R H Harison was a Confederate sypathizer. Needs more research.

Nice lithograph which takes up almost half of the sheet. Rough edge on the left and very tiny tears at bottom and top edge. I believe this scene is one of the Kellogg prints.

Interesting document awarding the mother of James Shurtliff, deceased member of the 16th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, $10 for his death. See scan to view the condition. Signed by the town clerk, Levi Woodhouse and Henry A White & John Morris.

Here's a very unusual item dated May 13th 1865 in Natchez Miss. Oath of Allegiance to the United States signed by Dempsey P Jackson, a planter "near Washington and Adams ?" The oath was administered by the oath officer, can't read the name but the 1st Lieutenant of the 58th US Colored Infantry. The person taking the oath was clearly a white man by his description. Here is the brief history of this Unit that I found on the web. 58th Regiment Infantry Organized March 11, 1864, from 6th Mississippi Infantry (African Descent). Attached to Post of Natchez, Miss., District of Vicksburg, Miss., to April, 1866. SERV1CE.--Post and garrison duty at Natchez and in the Dept. of Mississippi entire term. Expedition from Natchez to Gillespie's Plantation, La., August 4-6, 1864. Mustered out April 30, 1866. Please view the scan to see the condition problems on this item. Extensive repairs to the back with what appears to be acid free tape.

Dated June 1865 and signed by Captain Jesse Hanon (?). Nashville, Tennessee

Two and a half page letter from the Record and Pension Office, War Department, Washington City, June 14, 1901 regarding the case of Thomas Earls of Company H, 2nd East Tennessee Infantry Volunteers. Earls was appealing the fact that he was listed as a deserter by the Military. Earls stated that he was wounded and was treated in a private home until his company ended its service. Earls was turned down in his request for a pension.

One and a half page letter written by Captain Isaac L Taylor, Stanton Legion to Governor Edwin D Morgan, New York. Dated Sept 10th 1862. Here is the content. "I received from Hon. Thomas Hillhouse, adjutant General, an authority to raise a company under General Orders No. 31. At the urgent request of William H Allen, I attached myself to the Stanton Legion. I have recruited in all 60 men and 58 of them have been regularly mustered into the U S Service. On the evening of Sept 5th I was requested to call at Col. Allen's private office. Col Allen ordered me then and there to leave his camp. I asked Col. Allen if he had any charges to make against me to make them and I would submit to a court martial. He refused to make any charges and ordered the officer of the day to conduct me out of camp at the same time turning to me and saying, "God damn you. If I ever catch you anywhere within the lines of my camp, I will either shoot or bayonet you." That such expulsion was entirely without case as I have not been guilty of any conduct that would justify so gross an outrage, nor have I been guilty of any conduct that would even render me liable to a court martial. I have at all times treated Col Allen with respect and rendered him strict obedience. When this expulsion took place, Col Allen was grossly intoxicated as he has been on a number of occasions since his regiment has been forming, so much as to render him unfit for duty. I therefore respectfully ask permission to take my men to some other regiment and have them mustered into service. I have the honour to remain Sir with high consideration,   Isaac L Taylor, 18 Barrow St, City of New York." Docket on reverse: "Statement of Capt. Issac L Taylor, Company D Stanton Legion, Resp, referred to Insp. General."

Six page letter, dated Sept 14, 1862 from a camp near Louisville Ky. Signed Corporal Thomas Frazier 73rd Regiment Indiana Volunteers Company B. Corporal .  Frazier died, reason not given but looking at the history of the 73rd, it was likely resulting from the Battle at Stone's River. 

Nice letter on patriotic letter sheet from Albert Matteson who died on 8/7/1862 at the hospital on the James River.  7th Michigan Infantry. Written from Camp Benton on December 15,1861. See scans. 

Paper dated July 20 1866. Lead article is regarding the re-admission of the State of Tennessee to the union. Complete paper with one stain and tears in the upper margin.

One legal sized letter dated March 30, 1863. Signed Alex  Clark, written to my ever dear Sarah. The letter has the cover which is cancelled from St. Louis with a bulls-eye cancel.  It is addressed to Letter was written to Miss Sara McMillan English Settlement Marion Co Iowa. This is now a discontinued post office. I as able to identify this soldier, who married the addressee after the war.  See his biography which follows the listing. 

Early front page report of the beginnings of the Battle of Franklin. "Hood Repulsed in his Attack on Columbia". "A Small Portion of the Rebel Cavalry Cross Duck River." Very minor wear to this complete rag newspaper. New York Times