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Civil War Soldier's Letter by William J. Dinsmore Describing an Assault on a Rebel Battery During the Siege of Yorktown. ...
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Description
Civil War Soldier's Letter by William J. Dinsmore Describing an Assault on a Rebel Battery During the Siege of Yorktown. Eight pages (in pencil) on two bifolia, 5 x 8 inches; "Near Yorktown"; "3 O clock P.M." on April 27, 1862. Dinsmore, a private in Massachusetts 1st Infantry, Company H writes to his wife amid the Siege of Yorktown. He relays that his Company was selected to take part in the "first authorized attack on Yorktown by order of McClellan" and paraphrases the address delivered by Colonel George D. Wells to the men to rally them: "...you have once before made a name for this company this regiment and the glorious state of Mass and I want you to do it again before us is a redoubt of the enemies which has got to be taken and taken with the Baynot. I myself will be with you and try to get over the parapet as soon as any of you..."He describes their approach and attack: "As it was light enough (about 4 oclok) we marched out of the woods and there Before us lay a redoubt or Earth Battery about (400) four Hundred yard off we had orders to march by the right flank double quick trail armrs which we did when about half way across the rebels opened on us and some of our men dropped but we kept right on when within 50 paces of the Battery the order was charge which we did on the run and with a yell right down into the ditch and up the other side into the enemies works when the rebels fled in confusion leaving us in posession of their works and 14 prisioners which we took we immediately opened on them with our rifles as they fled through the Bushes and a good many of them no doubt were killed we kept up the fire being reinforced by Comp A and a Comp from the 11th while an other company of the 11th with Picks and shovels leveled the thing flat in the meantime a large Battery of the rebels on the left of us opened with shell and grape shot which however did not harm us after the thing was leveled we had orders to retire which we did in good order having gained the victory but at what cost..." He then lists the names of the killed and wounded, detailing where they were shot.
He says the dead were buried in wooden coffins temporarily until "metalic coffins" could be obtained; and that they would later be disinterred and sent back to Massachusetts as "this ground is not good enough to lay a Mass soldier."
Dinsmore was a 27-year-old ship joiner who enlisted as a private on May 22, 1861. He died of wounds suffered at the Second Battle of Bull Run on September 2, 1862. Includes a transmittal cover addressed to his wife in ink.
Condition: Flattened folds, and spots of foxing on the first and last page of the letter.
Auction Info
2026 February 26 Historical Manuscripts & Texana Signature® Auction #6328 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
February, 2026
26th
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 1
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