[ Autographs ] EXCELSIOR BRIGADE CORRESPONDENCE A fine Union soldier's correspondence of 42 letters, predominantly multipaged, written by John L. Barry, Co. E. 72 N.Y. Infantry, the "Excelsior Brigade," between 1861 until shortly before his death at Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862. Most of the letters are with their covers, and several are on patriotic stationery. Interesting content, including assisting surgery, in part: "...Washington, July 28, 1861...I saw a great many that was in the Battle at Bull's Run last Sunday. There wasa great slaughter no doubt. They thought there was about three thousand killed or wounded of the Northern troops...a lieutenant here yesterday with some blood on his sword...Oct. 13, 1861...a few days ago a funeral procession was going on a bridge not far from the city of Washington...a minister ahead, then the hearse and corpse in it, and about 30 women and children...a sentinel hailed them and demanded to see the corpse. To this, the minister objected as the person had been dead several days, and smelled very bad...The coffin was found tobe full of Colt's revolvers...Some of the women were men in disguise &the minister was found to be a rebel captain...Camp Caldwell, Oct. 26,1861...The Rebels had fired some shells across & one of the boys picked one up that did not go off...thought there was nothing in it...put a coal of fire into the hole and it exploded...Daly...had his thigh broke in two places , and his knee pan broken on the other leg..the doctor cut his leg off close up to the butt & took a piece of the kneepan out of the other leg...a piece of the shell...struck Dan Donahue...right in front of his armpit...Nov. 4...Had a narrow escape the other night when a fellow came out and cocked his gun at me...he thought it was loaded, but one of the boys had taken his gun and discharged it...just as I got to the hospital...they were preparing toset Dan's arm or cut it off ..the lower part was lapsed under the upper piece about 2 1/2 inches...after a debate about amputation the doctors concluded to set the bones...they cut about 7/8 of an inch of the lower bone & about 3/4 of an inch of the upper bone...I held each end of the bones while they were sawing them off & it was a HARD SIGHT My forefinger and middle finger was under the bone between the main artery & the bone, and my thumb on top...while the saw played between my forefinger and middle finger...I would not believe before that thatI could stand such a thing...Mar. 23, 1862...last Thursday night Co. A and Co. B. came on a rebel cavalry picket before they saw them...the cavalry fired at our men and galloped off to their camp, & pretty soona cavalry regt. & 2 infantry secesh regts. was in pursuit of our men..as our men got on to the boat, the others arrived on the beach. The boat fired a round and one cavalryman was seen to drop...Camp WinfieldScott, May 2, 1862...there was considerable fight last night. The rebels attacked our outside trenches & they & our pickets had a hard skirmish...night before last...the rebels succeeded in driving our pickets in...as the rebels advanced towards the trench, we had the advantage of them, as we shoot from behind the banks & they were on the field in front...they had to retreat and then they drew up some artillery...it was no go. They fired shot and shell , grape and canister & balls very fast..." Sadly, the correspondence ends with a letter from Barry's uncle to his father, reading, in part: "...Aug. 18 1862...My joy turned to grief in hearing of your dear son falling a victim before the unhappy walls of Richmond...I greatly bemoan the tooearly death of...John Barry, whom I am confident brought an unblightedcharacter to a southern grave after falling a victim to an ungodly war..May his soul rest in peace..." Overall, very good.