LOT #40033 |
Sold on Dec 9, 2024 for: Not Sold
William & John Bell: 78th Illinois Infantry & 7th Missouri Calvary Civil War Letter Archive, and More.. ...
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Description
William & John Bell: 78th Illinois Infantry & 7th Missouri Calvary Civil War Letter Archive, and More.Fantastic archive of letters written by brothers William and John Bell. John enlisted with the 78th Illinois Infantry, while younger brother William joined the 7th Missouri cavalry. We count 40 letters written by William (several with battle content), and 13 by his brother John. An additional 50 letters were written by family members and other soldiers to Bell family members, two pertaining to the sickness and death of John, who died from disease on February 4, 1863. Of importance is a telegram dated January 1863 to John's family informing them that he is "very sick", written a week before he died. Also of note is a letter written from Rock Island Prison that a Confederate woman, seemingly thought to be a man, gave birth in the prison, in part:
"Rock Island, Apr 3, 62....there was one little incident, however, that happened the other day, that gave us something to talk about, one of our prisoners gave birth to a child, she had been in the Confederate service with her lover for about a year, was taken prisoner at lookout Mt, brought here, & was not discovered until she brought forth, she is now an inmate of the hospital dressed in proper female toggery, the young Rebel is doing fine, Sam Hazzon".
Letters written by John Bell include the following content:
November 4, (No year), Beech Fork Bridge...."The army can be made a good place for any person that will make it so....we have been building a garrison here and we had to put all our time on that....you asked me if we had been in any skirmish yet, we have not....". Continues with camp life.
No date, Beech Fork, Garrison No. 10...."Building our stockade for winter quarters as we hope it proves if we get to stay here all winter. We will build besides our stockade log house for our kitchen ans all such things....". More camp life content.
Dec. 23, 1862, New Barton, KY...."I am on picket duty today....on the same R.R. guarding a bridge....we have to let company C move into our stockade and be where they would drill....The politicians do all the fighting and do not let the military men do anything....". More camp life.
Jan. 3, 1863, Louisville, KY, A letter written to Mr. & Mrs. Bell regarding the illness of their son john, from Capt. R.M. Black...."Your son is very sick at Hospital No. 1. We came here on the night of the 25h. John has not been well for several days previous & our leaving Wilsons Creek. But as not medical attendance could be left there it was ordered that all the sick be taken to Leongrille - to hospital. Very comfortable arrangements were made for conveying them in a hospital car. John appeared to stand the trip quite well but has since had high fever....He is having the typhoid fever....". Continues with Johns health.
January 27, 1863, Illinois and Mississippi Telegram Company. A telegram to "Jesse Bell", in part "Louisville, John is very sick in Hospital Number one Louisville, KY". John would go one to pass away a week later.
March 18, 1863, Nashville, Tenn., Captain Black writes to Johns mother about his death...."Yours in reference to you dear son. Johns death came to hand last evening. I deeply sympathize with you in your great bereavement.....Your son ahs gone to that world of peace, where sorrow where sorrow and danger never enter....". Captain Black continues expressing his sadness to the family.
The balance of the remaining letters pertain to camp and family life.
Letters written by William Bell contain the following content:
Sept. 2, 1862, Sedatia, Missouri, to his sister...."The command of this district has changed....I see with pleasure that Gen Pope has been promoted. I always hated McClellan and doubted his ablility, but Pope has been tried in the fire and formed to be good metal. He will soon make the Rebels skedaddle from the vicinity of Richmond or I am mistaken. I would like to see Sigel promoted but he is a Dutchman....Every indication goes to show that the war is to be a bloody one for the next four months. Virginia, KY, and Missouri with be the Battle field. Gen, Hindman-CSA-will invade MO, Price and Beauregard will invade Tenn and KY. Jackson, Lee and others will make things move in Virginia....".
Dec. 9, 1862, content pertains to the Battle of Prairie Grover, Arkansas, to his Mother...."Day before yesterday one of the hardest Battles of this war was fought here. The Rebels amounting to some 30,000men have been concentrating on the south side of the range for some four weeks with the intention of annihilating the union army....Gen Blunt commanding but being aware of their intentions. Blunt ordered the 2 divisions under Gen Totten to reinforce him without delay....One left that camp in the morning of Dec 4 and arrived here at daylight the morning of the 7th marching a distance of just 100 miles in three days. Just at daylight the 7th the advance of our division consisting of 3 Regts of Cavalry, 7th 6th MO, 1st Ark. found themselves surrounded by about 11 thousand Rebel who commenced firing on them which was the first notice they had of an enemy being between us and Blunt, he being 11 mile further west....". Bell continues...."As our infantry and artillery came up they commenced skirmishing with the Rebels....from 9 am till 1/2 hour by the time our Div fought the whole Rebel army and that time was tired out....". Bell continues with more battle content and troop movements. A very detailed battle letter!
January 13, 1863, Huntsville, Ark. to his sister...."Only a few hours ago I heard of the great battle in Tenn our after. We heard that Springfield had been invested by the Rebels and an hour ago we received marching orders but where we will go I cannot tell, but one thing I know and that is we either go east or north. We move out at 6 am tomorrow morning....at the Battle of Prairie Grove....whipt the Rebels beautiful and could have taken half of the army prisoners....we had a drummer boy in our brigade about your size and in the Battle last month he left his drum took up a dead comrades gun to fight but poor boy he will never another gun for one of the enemies bullets struck him in the head.....".
April 23, 1863, Capville, Missouri, to his brother...."Fayetteville was attacked by the Rebels in force but Ark boys defended the town well and the Rebs had to withdraw leaving their dead and wounded in the field. When we first heard of the attack we heard that the Rebs took the place and were moving on to us rapidly but we concluded to make the best of the matter and fight them as long as we were able. So everything was put in order for the battle and the pickets doubled....we telegraphed for reinforcements but as of yet non have arrived....I see by the Springfield papers that the Rebels are making a demonstration on the posts in the eastern part of the state and with more success....".
May 8, 1865, Little Rock, Ark, to a friend...."at Brigade head quarters the other day it had two cross sabers painted black for the loss of our President, the pole is draped with crape....".
Condition: Most letters easy to read, some light, typical wear. Overall good condition with excellent content.
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2024 December 9 Arms & Armor, Civil War & Militaria Signature® Auction #6303 (go to Auction Home page)
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