LOT #47113 |
Sold on Apr 5, 2024 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
Civil War Soldier's Letters with Battle of Shiloh Content by Thomas Walker of the 15th Ohio Infantry....
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold on Apr 5, 2024 for:
$875.00
Bid Source: Internet bidder
Get one of these:
Explore Available Items
Description
Civil War Soldier's Letters with Battle of Shiloh Content by Thomas Walker of the 15th Ohio Infantry. Nine letters (five on patriotic letterhead) dated September 12, 1861 to April 23, 1864 by Thomas M. Walker writing to his parents from various locations during the war. Walker enlisted as a private at the age of 18 on September 6, 1861 and served throughout the entire war until his discharge on October 7, 1865. The 15th Ohio served with valor and distinction fighting in several key engagements and campaigns in the Western Theater, including the Battle of Shiloh and the Tullahoma Campaign which Walker writes about in letters in this group. Walker's spelling, grammar and punctuation are rudimentary making the letters challenging to read.Walker's first letter home is from Camp Robert near Anderson, Ohio just six days after enlisting. He writes that they were supposed to go to Lexington and that "they re fighting like dogs and cats the news was that they were retretd back to Georgia." He then describes witnessing the death of a small boy who lost his grip while riding on a wagon that then ran over him. Two weeks later on September 28, 1861, he writes from Camp Denison: "there is 12 thousand men here we was a day and night comeing here the talk is we will leave here next week... Kentucky is only 18 miles from here their is a large artilery here their is 18 Cannon and 50 horses... I think that we will get our guns next week... the talk is that when we get our guns that we will go too Kentucky..."
In a letter from Maury County, Tennessee dated March 22, 1862, he writes about their troop movements and marching from Bowling Green to Nashville. He reports that "our spyes came in yesterday they say that we will have a fight at daigator [Decatur] 75 miles sout of us..." There had been a significant skirmish in Decatur earlier in the month on March 7. Walker's regiment would indeed go into battle, but it would be at Shiloh on April 6 and 7.
Walker writes home about Shiloh in an incomplete letter to his father. The letter begins mid-sentence, but he writes O P at top, which is how he addresses his father. He writes: "but the Rebels had to back for the blew belied yankeys were to strong for them so we had to run after them for too miles but the Rebels burnt a bridge a cross a long creek so we could not get a cross and then they marched us back to the Pittsburgh Landing and their we had to lay out all night without our tents and it raining hard but that did hot hurt us the morning there was 10 Detailed our of our Regment for to cary the wounded of the battle field it was an awful sight for too see men with there heads shot of... i would like to see you all once more but i think that we will have a nother fight be fore long I always wanted to get into a fight but how I am satisfied it is not very nice for to see a mans brains blowed out... we are incamped on the battle field... their as 7 killed and 73 wounded out of our Regment..." Walker writes again on May 6 from Pittsburg Landing saying that he had written after the battle and did not get a response. The previous letter is likely the one he is referring to. He adds that his brigade went out on a skirmish but provides no details of the engagement.
In a July 1863 letter that is marked "7-27-63" at top, possibly by the recipient noting when it was received, he make brief mention of their recent hardships during the Tullahoma Campaign: "Camp Tullahoma... we have had a hard time since we left Murfreesboro the day we left their we had quite a fight their as too killed and six wounded my bed felow was one of the killed he as shot through the heart... the second day we went at them in a line of battle their was one hurt and he got his toes shot of but the butternuts had to leave and then we turned back and marched to the Manchest[er] pike and then got to our wagon train and for clean clothes... then we got orders to march to Tullahoma that is where the rebels were going to give us a battle but the did not give us a fight they left five huge guns and one small gun and than we took posesion of the town... their was good cheering here the other day a bout the capture of Vicksburgh..."
Walker's last letter is dated April 23, 1864 and is written from a camp "1 mile South of Cleavland [Georgia]" just prior to the start of the Atlanta Campaign and makes mention that they are out in the field and drilling. This letter is written in pencil on a bifolia and extra sheet and has been repurposed by his mother to write a letter dated May 1, 1864. Copies of his service records are included, as well as typed transcriptions of all but the last letter.
Condition: Just good condition with a few letters exhibiting wear along the folds and occasional foxing. November 17, 1861 letter has staining on the blank fourth page. July 1864 letter has soiling and uneven toning. Undated Shiloh letter has scattered staining on the first page, and foxing throughout. April 23 letter has fraying along the bottom edge and partial separations along the folds. Five of the letters are written in pencil.
Auction Info
2024 April 5 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6285 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
April, 2024
5th
Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 3
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 165
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $1,000,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $5,000,000 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