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Confederate Soldier's Letter by Henry J. Carter. ...
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Description
Confederate Soldier's Letter by Henry J. Carter. Four pages of a bifolium, 8.5" x 10.75"; "Camp near Corinth, Miss.;" April 20, 1862. Carter was a private in Colonel William Wirt Adams' (1st Mississippi) Cavalry regiment. He writes a letter to his wife giving a detailed account of encountering Union cavalry while out on patrol. He writes: "...I had just sent my partner to the next post in sight to get some forage which had been brought in for our horses. I had just been on foot to fix my saddle and mounted my horse again when I looked over oposite [sic] me in the edge of the timber about one hundred & fifty yds distant and saw nothing less than a body of Yankee cavalry forming oposite [sic] our line of posts. I was not alarmed or startled. They looked pretty and harmless and I at once began to determine how I could signal to the other posts of their approach and while I was watching them they were discovered and fired upon from the next post. I immediately started to retreat reserving my fire until I reached the next station. But the Yanks did not like a one-hundred game and commenced firing on me scattering at first but as they saw I did not fall they let fly a full volley from their line which had now developed itself to the extent of nearly a full regiment. My horse was now at full speed through the open field and the music of the balls as they screamed over my head was truly exciting. They seemed to pass near me but all too high for effect. As I reached the edge of the woods and had nearly overtook my neighbouring [sic] sentinels then in full retreat one ball I saw strike a tree and the bark flew and struck the man just before me on the neck. He evidently thought he was hit and the way he scampered off was not slow. As soon as we could slip the cartridges in our carbines I called to the boys to stop and face about to give them a volley but as I was in the rear I could not stop them, but we soon reined up and looking back sure that the enemy had either stopped or turned out to the right or left. Just then we came up with Capt. Gaines & Lewis with about fifteen men on a patrol of the line. We reported to them what had happened and a messenger was at once sent to camp to give the alarm and start the way on for Monterey... We had proceeded but a short distance before we saw the enemy crossing our line about 50 yds. distance. We were immediately formed in line of battle and opposite the enemy. I expected to hear the word 'Fire' any second and I knew that we were opposing with twenty four men a whole regiment of cavalry with a long line of Infantry, skirmishers in front. But for once Capt. Gaines coolness and experience was of value... They were too many for us that we were cut off from camp... the enemy seemed so sure of bagging the whole of us that they never fired a gun. We set out as fast as we could gallop but by the time we reached the road leading to camp we saw the enemy had cut us off again and were fireing on the infantry between us and our camp... we at once turned toward the enemy who were keeping up a levily [sic] skirmish with the Regt of Infantry in the woods. We had gone but a short distance when a heavy fireing [sic] of canon commenced and the shells rushed over our heads bursting all about in the woods..." More great content describing their narrow escape. Carter finishes his letter by writing in cross-hatch over half of the first page. The letter is accompanied by the original transmittal cover with a "Due 5" handstamp on the front and a "Corinth, Miss. May 01" stamp on the verso. A partial typed transcription is included.Condition: Scattered ink stains throughout, with a few instances of ink burn. Heavy wear along the folds, resulting in short separations and bits of paper loss where the folds intersect. Bottom edge has wear and multiple tiny tears. Transmittal cover has loss of paper at all four corners and light soiling.
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: 1
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