[ Autographs ] CONNECTICUT CHAPLAIN'S BATTLE OF WINCHESTER GROUPING An incredible group of four war-dated letters written in April and May of 1862 by "Horace", the chaplain of the 6th Connecticut infantry, comprising over 39 well-written pages and an extremely detailed map showing the First Battle of Winchester. Three of the letters, comprising 31 pages with a detailed, hand-drawn map, provide what may be the most comprehensive eyewitness account of the battle one could hope to obtain. Each of the three battle letters is exceedingly well- written and almost obsessively filled with detaills, in small part: "..Williamsport, Md. May 27, 1862...We reached Winchester about 8 Saturday...an attack was made on the advance train with the sick, a few were killed and taken, but the enemy soon retreated [he draws a small diagram of their position]...The first brigade was stationed on the Front Royal Road...the 5th Conn. is marked by figure 5...the battle commenced about 5 in the morning...I then road out into the field where the regt. was and where the shells were then falling, and found that all the horse had, gone, and the staff & Col. on foot...hadto pass our battery, the range of which our enemy had got...gave my horse to one of the band and...went to work to render assistance to the wounded...They soon began to come, men with legs shot off, arms, and in various ways wounded...a fire broke out in front of the hospital...told the surgeons we could not stay there...I stopped a number of Ambulances and had them unloaded at the Seminary...saw George...He gave me the horse & I told him to hurry to the front...theopen country was one dense mass of flying cavalry and artillery...The enemy were in pursuit...10 miles from Winchester I found George on oneof our ambulances...This is a great smash up, yet we had not half troops enough to meet the enemy...May 28, 1862...I send inclosed a little plan of the battle of Sunday at Winchester...". The detailed map, comprising two writing pages with all key points of the engagement marked, is with the letter. In the letter, the Chaplain gives a detailed accounting of the battle as in the first letter, but adds several critical details, and describes where they were on the map. In addition, the positions of several units are pinpointed and a key given on the map's verso. The letter reads, in very small part: "..the retreat was made in two days a distance of 53 miles...and fighting most of the way...The house where I stayed is marked "H" on the plan...I rode back into the field behind my regt. marked "5"...theCol. had been thrown off his horse...The enemy soon had the range of the hill where the battery "B" was stationed ..orders came to send thewounded to the Union Hospital (marked 3)...while there fire broke out..I found some surgeons who told me to take the men to the seminary ( marked 2)...I understood it was a retreat...The regiment thought it had lost their Chaplain till on Monday P.M. I rode into their camp... As I came in the men gave me three cheers...to return [to the battle]...on...the high ground at the North of the town...as far as I could see, Cavalry by the hundreds crowding street and open field on the full run, men with guns and men having thrown them away, and artillery all running for dear life...rode on some distance, about a mile and ahalf...saw Gen. Banks with his staff endeavoring to rally his men and make a stand....the enemy's cavalry were upon us, and such a scattering on either side towards the woods you never saw...June 3, 1862...Winchester...the enemy surrounded us on three sides...we foughtthis whole force for three hours and then, not having but a third as many even as the enemy, retreated...A man who was taken prisoner...in Winchester escaped...He says the rebels said if they had all stood like the Conn. 5th we should have whipped them...I now see that it is all nonsense to talk about Chaplains not being in danger...". A fascinating and important account of one of Stonewall Jackson's best victories, in very good to fine condition.