Lot
1638 
Ship Island, Miss., straight line postmark on cover to Plymouth, Hollow, Conn., matching "3" rate, manuscript "Soldiers letter, P.S. Claffer, Adj 9th CV" (Colored Volunteers) endorsement at left; sealed cover tear at right, otherwise Very Fine, a scarce black soldier's letter from Ship Island. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
1639
Ship Island, Miss., straight line postmark with manuscript "Apr 4" date, on cover to Bowdoinham, Me., matching "3" rate, manuscript "Soldiers letter, J.C. Brown, Chap 15th Me. regt." (colored regiment) endorsement at left; cover slightly reduced at left, Very Fine, a scarce black soldier's letter from Ship Island. Estimate $200 - 300.
Ship Island was occupied by Federal troops in December 1861 and was used as a staging area for troops in the attack of New Orleans which took place in April 1862.
Lot
1640
U.S.A. General Hospital, Baton Rouge, La./Official Business, imprint on cover to Commander 1st Me. (Maine) Batt. in New Orleans, included is original enclosure datelined "U.S. Convalescent Hospital/Baton Rouge, La./Augt 31st, '63" telling of the discharge of a private from the 1st Maine Battery as his right fore arm was amputated, some erased pencil docketing, still Very Fine and unusual. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $125
Lot
1641
Union Sharp Shooter Soldier's Letter, rare letter signed by 2nd Regiment U.S. Sharpshooter "George" A. Clay, datelined "Camp…. Near Petersburg, Va., August 10th/64"; transcription accompanies, no cover included, Fine (no photo). Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Battle content letters from identified Civil War sharpshooters are scarce. The population of sharpshooters was relatively small, they shunned publicity, avoided using their surnames and kept their letters brief and bland in content…this is typical of the few letters that have survived the Civil War.
Lot
1642
Union Soldier's Letter, 2 letters from Lt. Henry Metcalf to New Hampshire, one on colorful patriotic cover with Congressional free frank and lettersheet with fine illustration of the U.S. Capitol, datelined Washington, June 27th 1861, Camp Miller; discussing tiring march through Baltimore "unmolested" although locals "looked daggers" at us as we passed; second letter datelined "Hooker's Head Quarters, Grand Army of the Potomac, November 19th 1861", describing a march down the Potomac in full view of the enemy; "the Negroes in the vicinity have provided us with hot-cakes and possum. Niggers are very plentiful hereabouts, but are in a very ignorant and wretched condition, and have not much of an idea of what is going on around the country"; typed transcriptions of the letters accompany, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $400
Lot
1643
Union Soldier's Letter, from Pvt James C. Gosselin, 22nd Illinois Reg't's color bearer, datelined Camp Lyon, November the 9th, 1861 remarkably detailed account of the Battle of Belmont, Gen'l Ulysses S. Grant's first major battle of the Civil War. Fiercely fought with many atrocities committed by untrained soldiers on both sides, the battle achieved little, with high death rates, earning Grant the nickname "The Butcher"; with original patriotic cover (Walcott L-2648), transcription and historical commentary, Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $375
Lot
1644
Union Soldier's Letter, datelined "Camp Miller (near Washington, D.C.), May 16, 1861" from S. Leslie to father in N.J., describing camp life, new tents, tells of a guard shooting cow by mistake, "a great firing of cannons over in Virginia last night", "We have an inspection every day and if anyone does not keep himself clean they put him in the guard house", and more. With transcription, flag patriotic cover with matching letterhead, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $350
Lot
1645
Union Soldier's Letter, pair of very historic 10-page letters to Vermont from Lieutenant James Harvey Thayer, 12th Wisconsin Infantry, first datelined Bolivar, Tennessee, Oct 25, 1862, with vivid descriptions of the bloody Battle of Hatchie River, fought during Van Dorn's and Price's retreat from Corinth, information taken from POW's, many political comments, war sentiments & other war details; other letter datelined Camp Butler, Tenn. in Memphis, report of guarding railroad, assignment to Grant's Vicksburg campaign, attack by locals, interesting soldier war sentiment, comments about rebel attitudes, cost of Union uniforms, thoughts about war profits; both letters with original covers stamps cut out, with typed transcriptions of the letters, Fine (no photo). Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $260
Lot
1646
Union Soldier's Letter, from Daniel Gordon of the 58th Ohio, datelined Pittsburgh Landing April the 17 1862, reporting his first person experiences at the Battle of Shiloh; sent "Due 3" in Union patriotic cover Walcott 1176V, stampless with Cairo Ill April 28 1862 cds and a seldom seen sticker added to the cover; transcription accompanies, Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $160
Lot
1647
Union Soldier's Letter, 4-page letter datelined Warrenton (Va.) April 23rd (1862) to Maine, with original cover postmarked with double circle Washington, D.C. cds, from Charles Beal, filled with interesting information about foraging for food & posting soldier's letters…there was five hundred Rebels cavalry there the night before but they had got wind of our coming and took to their heels before we arrived…We go out foraging almost every day after grain for our horses and food for ourselves…and killed 9 turkeys, 5 ducks, 11 chickens and 2 geese and got a large jar of honey and just as much tobacco as we could carry that was in its natural state. I found one barn of it about 150 feet long and 60 feet wide all strung full of it. I tell you whatever it is we help ourselves to whatever you want. We have not got paid off yet, but we expect to in a few days and then we shall get 4 months pay; accompanied by photocopy of daguerreotype and recruiting poster, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $150