1 / 5

Description

Union Soldier's Letter on the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station

Civil War-dated ALS from Union soldier Thomas Jefferson Burnham of Vermont, signed “Bro. Jefferson,” eight pages, 7.25 x 9.25, November 12, 1863. Addressed from “Camp near Beverly Ford, Va.,” a lengthy handwritten letter to “Brother and Sister,” Benjamin Franklin Burnham and his wife, detailing events of the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station. In part (spelling and grammar retained): “I have passed through another battle unharmed and hasten to tell you the part it took in it. Gen Meade surprised us at day break 7th (Camp near Warrenton) by the order March! and more we never mistrusted but we were on our way to Aqua Creek to find winter quarters. He equally surprised the foe north of the Rappahannock River about noon who saw our baggage wagons merge from the woods a mile from them & set their plans to capture them. They had other business in twenty minutes. We were down on them in two lines of battle at the Rappahannock River & a Corps at kelly's Ford 4 miles below while our Cavelry went on a flank movement crossing above. The first and third divisions of our Corps had the front at the forts & were mos (+) damaged. The afternoon was spent in sharp hard pushing, skirmishing and shelling. About 4 o clock the 5th Wisconsin Regt & the 5th & 6th Maine & 43rd N.Y. pushed right into fort (no 1 in my anexed Diagram) under a murderous fire from canister of several guns & mounted across a wide ditch & up a high bank. There was fifteen minutes Our flag was on one side & the rebel flag on the other of the fort walls. I saw 6 dead bayoneted Rebels from there, next morning and one with both legs broken by the strike of a clubbed gun. Again at dark when the rebels supposed the days work done & their own camp soon in to help them, Meade surprised them by the very hotest fighting and takeing all their men not killed or wounded on the north side of the river prisoners by cutting them off from recrossing their pontoon bridge. Our regiment came over double quick & seeing the fix their comrads were in their Colonel sung out ‘Bout face, double quick!’ (To late) Federal Colonel says ‘No matter bout it Col, I command here ‘Halt’ and they had to. Wasn't that cool? When our Cavelry began to come up in their rear off 12 miles they were in a great hurry were about the river & made off in a hurry. Our Vt Brigade band Danced them with ‘Wait for the wagon’ & ‘Yankee Doodle.’ The hardest time for me was at 4 pm. Shells from both forts flew around me in a very careless way. Whiring along in their particular ‘Which one, wheres ye wheres ye, Who!’ They were nervous aggitation but after all only one man in the 4th Vt Regt (a pioneer bridging a wide field ditch) was hit and that piece came 40 rods from the burst. Poor Reb gunners threw them to high. One shot took two fellows & the piece of tire off a cassion wheel in my sight, and a shell burst three feet from a ‘darkie’ waiter without hurting him!! We were under the roll of the wide plains so they could not see us. (4th VT) There rolls, in 40 rods vary 6 to 8 feet from a lead level, in the forts are on bluffs near the rivers bank - yet the second ridge is highest. I am to a poor hand with the pen to give you all the particulars in proper order but can only say with gratitude & sincere reverence God appointed my stations and I am safe - I did but little in the struggle but swell the numbers, go where I was ordered trustingly and cheerfully. That was my duty & its done. Next day Nov 8th we pushed up at all points and to one looking was the best looking exhibition military. It is no usual sight to see two lines (continuous) 6 miles with heavy support, artillary, ambulances, ordinance & ammo trains following close up. I can tell you the front line of skirmishes & cavelry, & light artillery was ‘no fool’ of a sight. I have tried to give you a conception of it in diagram 3? as viewed from the Rebel side, at this position (like the fight sometime ago) the fighting was mostly skirmishing between our front & the retreating Reb rear guard. I could see the field for three miles front or left. There are four or 5 residences & plantations must have been nice in their prosperous days. One was a shell hole near a window cutting studding and all away 20 inches around, done in Cavelry charge 8 weeks ago. I think from appearances Genl Meade expected an attack at Brandy Station. However we retired out of the...of November the 9th to the woods north west a mile & took up quarters where the 12th & 19th Mass Regts lay, & left in haste. From every indication they left some ingenious built forts and Sergt M. A. Twitchel, two Harrises & Burnham have one built precisely like the one in the diagram 1. It is 7 by 12 & we completed it yesterday 11th Nov - (4 of us two days) 1 have looked all about for some relick of the Rebel camp to send you but beyond old shoes, broken skillets, sabers, fragments of Richmond papers I find nothing. I send what I have - a piece of th

436 
Go to lot
<
>

Union Soldier's Letter on the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station

Estimate 400 - 600 USD
Starting price 200 USD

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 25 %
Leave an absentee bid

For sale on Wednesday 10 Jul - 18:00 (EDT)
amherst, United States
RR Auction
+16037324284
Browse the catalogue Sales terms Sale info