Charles L. Taylor Autograph Letter Signed with Execution of Union Solider Content. ...

Description

Charles L. Taylor Autograph Letter Signed with Execution of Union Solider Content. Four pages of a bifolium, 5" x 8", Portsmouth, Virginia; January 16, 1864. Addressed to his wife, Hattie, Taylor writes about the execution of Union Private Samuel Jones of Co. B 5th Ohio Regiment, ordered by Major General Pickett. He encloses a copy of the note that was pinned to Private Jones' body. It reads in part: "...A poor fellow was hung Deep Creek way. I enclose a copy of the notice found pinned to his back. The citizens there sent a statement concerning it they buried the body. It has been since taken up and sent this way, there were a pair of ugly handcuffs on the wrists. The rebels hung the man and then recrossed the Chowan River. The citizens found the body and informed us. I wrote a letter today transmitting copies of the Statement, notice and report of Cavalry sent after the body, for information of Gen. Butler to be sent by a special messenger. We'll see what he says..." Signed, "Chas. L. Taylor." With original transmittal cover.

The notice reads: "Here hangs Private Samuel Jones of Co. "B" 5th Ohio Regt. by order of Maj. Gen'l Pickett, in retaliation for Private Daniel Bright of the Co. L. 62nd . Geo. Reg't (Col. Griffins) hung, Dec 18th 1863, by order Brig. Gen'l Wild." The details of the capture and lawful execution of the prisoner are still debated, but Union General Wild captured and hanged a "guerilla" prisoner named Daniel Bright so in retaliation the Confederates hung a Union prisoner, Samuel Jones.

Condition: Creases lightly rubbed. Small ink smudge to first page that does not affect legibility.

More Information: Charles L. Taylor (1837-1909) was teaching school in Bristol, Connecticut, when the Civil War broke out and continued in that pursuit during the first year of the conflict. He enlisted at the age of 24 as a Sergeant, and was mustered into Company K, 16th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry on August 24, 1862. Just days after he was mustered into Company K, he married his sweetheart, Harriet Tuttle, on August 26. Taylor served as a sergeant and then a private with the 16th Connecticut Infantry, before becoming a clerk at Division Headquarters in New Bern, North Carolina. In mid-April 1864 Taylor, who was still working as a clerk for Division Headquarters, was ordered to rejoin his regiment in Plymouth, North Carolina. Fortunately for him, he was still in transit when the garrison was taken by the Confederates after a siege. The garrison surrendered and Taylor's regiment were taken prisoners and sent to Andersonville, but Taylor had a lucky escape. He remained in New Bern until the end of the war.