LOT #47087 |
Sold on Sep 21, 2023 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
Civil War Soldier's Letters by George H. Boone, 9th Illinois Cavalry. ...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold on Sep 21, 2023 for:
$5,750.00
Bid Source: Internet bidder
Get one of these:
Explore Available Items
Description
Civil War Soldier's Letters by George H. Boone, 9th Illinois Cavalry. An archive of fifty-three war-dated letters written from February 23, 1862 to October 28, 1863; one post-war letter dated April 11, 1869; one undated letter; one pension check dated October 11, 1901; and one undated receipt. The letters and documents are written in pencil and ink and measure from 2.75" x 7.12" to 7.12" x 11.12". Boone mustered into Company F of the 9th Illinois Cavalry on October 7, 1861. After two promotions to Sergeant and Second Lieutenant, Boone resigned from the army on June 20, 1864.During Boone's time with the 9th Illinois Cavalry, the regiment fought with the District of Southeast Missouri, the Department of the Tennessee, and the Military Division of the Mississippi. Soldiers participated in nearly nonstop battles throughout the war and took part in Coldwater, Collierville, and Hurricane Creek, among others. The cavalry also participated in operations in Northwest Mississippi, Memphis, and Alabama. The unit mustered out on October 31, 1865.
The archive includes letters written by Boone during his time in Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee. His letters describe several small engagements with the enemy, offering detailed descriptions into the action and the exploits of Union soldiers. On June 12, 1862, he told his wife, Ellen, how the men robbed a secessionist family in Jacksonport, Arkansas, "The regiment has moved to Jacksonport Arkansas from which we expect to move in a few days farther down the river. Dear Ellen a rebbel [sic] gun boat came up the river to Jacksonport last weak [sic] and made our men retreat into the woods but they done no harm but burnt some cotton and sugar and drank all the whiskey they could get and fought among themselves with knives and pistols so that some of them had to be carried into the boat with their own men after their drunken fight but that was before we came their [sic]. Dear Ellen it is nice and warm in this state now you can most go naked and then have to [sic] much clothes on for it is very hot but the heat do not hurt me it is a swamp whare [sic] we are in camp now but most of the men is in good health and but few in hospital but the water is the thing that hurts the men the most. It is all swamp water and that most like whiskey and a dirty green skim on the top of it but I can most times get a little water from the Hospital that is brought in for the sick men. Dear Ellen we had a good time on the march from Paterson we ware [sic] nine days coming from Patterson to Jacksonport and we went into the houses of the secesh that ware [sic] in the southern army and took all that was of us to the government. Some of the men took about thirty or forty thousand $ of southern money and I have sent you a specimen of it for you to look at but it is no good..."
Two weeks later, Boone described a series of small engagements. On June 25, 1862, he wrote, "Dear Ellen our company had a nice little brush with some jayhawkers yesterday they ware [sic] in the bushes on the other side of Black River and we ware [sic] all exposed to their fire in a open space but thank god no one was hurt - but the Buckshot flew al [sic] around us and stuck in the fence to our left as thick as hail. They killed one horse and wounded three the next man in front of me had one shot put into his pocket as nice as it could be I supposed [sic] they thought he would something to send home to his friends that belonged to some Secesh. Dear Ellen I supose [sic] that you heard of the other bit of a scermish [sic] that we had but I cannot tell you much about that as our company was not their [sic] three men fire on us the day before yesterday and we killed one of them I am certain of that for all the boys seen him put his hand up to his brest [sic] and face right over so I think that he was killed for certain but I cannot say that any one else was either killed or hurted [sic]." Throughout the war, guerrilla units along the western frontier, including the Kansas jayhawkers, fought using non-conventional methods. These semi-legitimate soldiers traveled in small bands and utilized their knowledge of the local terrain in Kansas and Missouri to ambush the enemy and ransack secessionist towns. When a unit attacked Boone's company, he likely confused the term "jayhawkers" with Confederate guerrilla troops.
In the same letter, Boone speculated on Union General Samuel Curtis' movements, writing, "General Curtis is at Jackson now and he has got a emense [sic] army with him of cavalry and artilery [sic] and infantry he is going to some point farther south he was going to Little Rock but the news came hear sic today that Little Rock has been taken but how true it is I do not know I hope it is so."
As the war dragged on, morale amongst the troops faltered. On November 7, 1862, Boone wrote of the status of his regiment, saying that "Our regiment is so low now that we cannot get over three hundred men for duty and they have ofered [sic] to send us to Alton to recruit all the regiment is gone on a scout for five days and when they come back I heard that we are going to move but I do not know if it is up the river or not."
Boone also reported general news to his wife. On August 24, 1862, he wrote from Helena, Arkansas of a recent accident on the Mississippi: "I supose [sic] that you heard of the steamboat accident on the missippi [sic] this week it happened about twenty miles above us and we seen all the pieces floting [sic] down the river their [sic] was one woman on the boat that had nine thousand dollars in gold about her person when the boat went down and she is among the drownded [sic] she is the ladey [sic] whare [sic] our Captain Brando at in Helena."
In addition to letters from Boone, this collection also includes twenty-one letters from his wife, Ellen, and six letters from acquaintances of the Boones inquiring into George and Ellen's health and mentioning the Irish Brigade. Made up almost entirely of Irish Americans, the 69th New York Infantry fought extensively throughout the Civil War. The soldiers became known for Irish shouts in battle. By the end of the war, only two other regiments in the Union army had suffered more combat casualties than the Irish Brigade.
Condition: Creasing at folds for all letters. Staining, foxing, and toning throughout, occasionally affecting text. Several letters have minor paper loss at the margins, not affecting text. March 14, 1864 letter has separations at folds, affecting the text.
Auction Info
2023 September 21 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6272 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
September, 2023
21st
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 6
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 229
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $300,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $300,000 and $3,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $3,000,000 per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms