34th MA Infantry, Co. I 27 Civil War Letter Lot
Lot of 27 letters by Ezekial Gardner Davis of the 34th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. In these letters, Davis writes to his father about the Battles of Lynchburg and Cedar Creek, where the 34th lost 47 and 58 in killed and wounded respectively. He also describes being at near starvation and a grisly railroad accident in his letter dated 12 July 1863, as the troops were en route to Harper's Ferry. That letter reads in part:''...
We had orders in the afternoon to be at the depot at 11 o'clock at night for transportation to Harpers Ferry... Boys was sitting in the door of the cars with his legs out, there was a pile of rocks and a ledge close to the road.
He was no minding it, caught his feet and pulled him out of the car and threw him against the stones and down on the track and he was litteraly cut in pieces. His body was cut into near his heart both legs and one arm was cut off about half of our train passed over him and all but 3 cars of the train behind.
Before they could stop I did not see him, some of the boys of his Co. Steyed behind and buried him.
I was sitting just as he was but had my eye ahead and took care of my feet... The 39th come near running over a nigger and at the same time some of the cars of the 39th train got unhiched and when the rest of the train was running back to hitch on ran off the track...
' On 3 July 1864 he writes about the Battle of Lynchburg:''... I presume you will have a list of our killed before this reaches you and heard of Baxter's death Harry Baxter King, Co.
E, from Barre, the same town as Davis. He was killed instantly in the fight at Lynchburg. We have had a hard time of it scince I wrote you last have done... Marching, fighting and at last nearly starving to death...' On 24 October 1864 Davis describes watching the Battle of Cedar Creek unfold,''...
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon our whole line got the order to advance there was some hard fighting then I can tell you I happened to be on a little hill where I could see most of the battle at once it was a grand but awfull sight but the enemy soon began to fall back and finally broke and run and then the cavalry was after them taking most of thier artillery a great many prisoners and wagons. I have been at work pretty much all of the time night and day taking care of the wounded...
The regt has had a tough time of it nearly all of the officers killed or wounded and only 170 men left in the regt out of about 800 we started with last spring...' Other letters by Davis read in chronological order; in a letter dated 1 March 1863 Davis writes about the Siege of Vickburg and that''they got the gunboats through the channel at Vicksburg...' In his letter dated 5 May 1863, Davis writes,''... We are camped near Fort Ramsey on Uptons Hill about a mile north of Munsons Hill, the Rebs held these Hills at first...
About 9 o'clock I was detailed for guard but finally had to go on picket to Baileys Crossroads 2 miles from here, about 40 prisoners went by there towards Washington. They were dressed in citizens clothes...
' On 28 June 1863 he writes,''... I have been on guard at the Old Capitol Prison... There has been between 300 & 500 Rebs there all the time... About 500 to be exchanged. Some of them had been here some time and were pleased enough to get off.94 of them came in the night before they left, these were paroled...' On 1 August 1863 Davis writes about the draft and rioting:''...
Riot and resistence of the draft as they had in the N. Somebody will have to come and it will take so much longer to get the men along if a man can get a substitute...' Davis writes on 8 October 1863 regarding wounded men:''... We have a verry good hospital here it is an old church the pews are taken out of course and beds put in... One man has just come in scince I began to write who looks pretty bad.
There is one or two who have lose the use of their limbs from exposure and lieing on the ground...' On 11 February 1865 Davis writes about exchanging information with Rebels,''...
Our Div are on the front line and some time have considerable talk with the rebs they wanted to know of our fellows when they were going home said they were going in 10 days for there was going to be peace...' Davis writes on 7 March 1865,''... Dear Father, I received Lillies letter informing me of Mother's death. By your last letters I was somewhat prepared for it though I did not expect to hear it so soon... Sherman is making a pretty clean sweep where he goes if he reaches Virginia and joins Grant it will soon end the strugle but if he is defeated it will put another year to the war. Well I hope he will be successful for I hope to see the end of it soon. Deserters are coming all the time all along the line 2 or 3 at a time...' Lot also includes approximately 30 letters to Davis from his friends and family, Davis' Certificate of Service in the war, a period Bible, and a cabinet photo of Davis as an older man. Overall, collection is in very good condition with nicely legible letters by Davis. The item "34th MA Infantry, Co. I 27 Civil War Letter Lot" is in sale since Friday, February 24, 2017. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Correspondence, Mail".
The seller is "n8sautographs" and is located in Los Angeles, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.