Civil War Soldier's Letter by Hamilton Ballentine of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry. . ...

Description

Civil War Soldier's Letter by Hamilton Ballentine of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Four pages on one bifolium, 7 7/10 x 9 7/10 inches, Cold Harbor, Virginia; June 3, 1864. A letter to his brother, William S. Ballentine. Surrounded by skirmishing and shelling, Ballentine takes a moment to respond to a letter from his brother, alternately describing the conditions on the battlefield outside of Richmond and discussing whether or not his family should sell their investments in gold.

Letter reads in part (transcribed following original spelling): "...the fiten goes on Stedey Nit and Day and the finel Batel Will be Soon that Citey Must fall then ther Will Be Rest for the Wicked... 4 ours later We Have just Came in after Having a litel Short With the Rebels the Crosed at Baloms Bridg on our left We Have to Keep Sadled up all the time our Horses is all Purty Well Played out the get No feed But What Ever gras the Can Pick With the Bridels on them the Horse I am Now Ridin Has Not Had any feed Sins He left Washington 6 or 7 Days ago... I think gold Should Be Down By this time We Dou Not See any Papers or Hair any News of any Cind We Dou Not Even Know What the are Dowing on the other End of the armey aney Mor than Hair the Buming of the guns I Will try and Send you that Paper and as Soon as you get the Money Plais let Me Know as the others Wishes to get thairs tou Tow ours later We ware atacked in front We Drov them again But Hevey Canonading is going on Some of the Shells is Busting Clos I Must Make this Short as I May Not get time to finish it..."

The letter includes a full typed transcript.

Condition: Paper is fragile, with toning and mailing folds, as expected. Very slight ink staining throughout. Wear along mailing folds with minor separations, especially at margins.

More Information: Sergeant Hamilton Ballentine, 1833-1920, was born in Ireland and immigrated to the United States as a young child, eventually working as a Coachman in Philadelphia. He mustered into the "K" Company of the Pennsylvania 6th Cavalry in 1861 and served through 1865.