Description:

ACCOUNT OF FREDERICKSBURG AND LETTERS OF PVT. WALDO W. BRIGGS, LATER DIED AT ANDERSONVILLE
Fine lot of five war-date A.L.S's, 17pp., most 8vo., written by Pvt. Waldo W. Briggs of the 36th Mass. Infantry who would die a prisoner at Andersonville on May 10, 1864. The best-content letter, 4pp. 8vo., was written by Briggs at Fredericksburg on Dec. 21, 1862, six days after the battle. In part: "...the rebels being fortified & having strong breastworks could cut our men down just like mowing grass...they had the highest ground & had those entrenchments dug in the earth, back of the other and back of the other and so on for miles & as soon as they were drove out of 1 of their hiding places they would run & get into the next...Oh, what a bad mistake for us, lost some 10 or 15,000 men for nothing...our loss will not be made known to you for they will try to keep it secret from the north...we had 1 brigade called the Irish Brigade...which made 3 charges on the devils in their dens & just as they get in good pistol shot of them they would stick up their muskets from behind the earthworks & cut down a whole Regt. at once...soon after our men crossed...they had orders to lay down...after dark our men all come back this side of the river...leaving the dead for the rebs to strip of their clothes & bury if they like...the soldiers are all down on Burnside now, they say they will never fire another shot under his command...". Also: "[Antietam, Oct. 1, 1862, two weeks after the battle]...I enlisted to fight for my country, let the consequence be what it might...my life can not be lost for a better cause...[I] have seen the effects of war...poor wounded soldiers in every manner you can think of, heard groans & cries enough to frighten anybody out of half their senses...[Covington, Ky., Apr. 5, [1863]]...we took a steam boat at Fortress Monroe...unloaded our batteries & teams...started off as soon as we were ready for Cincinnati...crossed the river into Kentucky...[Louden, Tn., Nov. 5, 1863]...in camp between Knoxville and Chattanooga...we are living on 1/2 rations now because the rail road from here to Chattanooga is not in our possession...I hear that the President has called for 300,000 more men lately...". Overall very good. Briggs now reposes in Grave #993 at Andersonville National Cemetery.

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January 20, 2010 10:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

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