Description:

BATTLE OF THE CRATER DESCRIBED BY A SERGEANT LATER K.I.A.
Good content letter by Union Sgt. William Sipe of the 188th Penn. Infantry, 5pp. 8vo., before Peterburg, Aug. 3, 1864, in pencil, four days after the battle of the Crater. Sipe writes to his mother (spelling corrected), in part: "...we are looking for an attack every night, the Johnnies is trying to undermine and blow up one of our forts they have been working at it some time. Our boys in the fort heard them working under it last night. But I think they must be mighty sharp or their work will be for nothing. For our darkeys is now working in the fort they are digging down to get the powder out bully for them. But I'll tell you we had a brisk time Saturday about five miles from here. After daybreak the ball opened. The first thing I knew the earth shaking and we saw the dirt, cannons and men sailing up in the air. We blowed up one of their forts then the fuss begin there was heavy firing all day. Mother it was the hottest day ever I went through both with the heat & heavy fighting but I got through safe. The firing was kept up till dark...". Very good. Sipe enlisted on Oct. 20, 1862, saw action at Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, and was KIA in the storming of Fort Harrison on Sep. 29, 1864.

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October 9, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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