Description:

CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF WILLIAM SEED, 23RD N.J. REGT.
Lot of six war-date letters written by Sgt. William Seed, Co. A, 23rd NJ Infantry, 27pp. total, various sizes, from Oct. 10, 1862 to Mar. 17, 1863, pencil and ink, sent to a lady. In small part: "[Oct. 10, 1862 Bakersville, Md]...we marched...carry 30 rounds of ammunition and 3 days rations...dust about 3 inches deep...many of our men fell out unable to go some are not expected to live long overcome by heat...one of our men took one of his biscuits and killed a snake by pounding him on the head with it...we came to South Mountain pass...we passed many graves all along the road...many shells lay around the trees and fences were all marked with the shot...many rebel graves, some shoes are laying in the woods with the feet in them as they were shot off...came to Antietam Creek...all over graves as close as can be...["On the Battlefield" [Fredericksburg], Dec. 14, 1862]...we have been 3 days under fire. Last evening we were engaged with the Enemy and lost nearly 100 of our men 6 or 7 of our company are wounded. We exepect to be in again every moment our boys do very well...Remember me in your prayers...I will tell you more when the shells stop whistling overhead...[White Oak Church, Christmas, 1862]...the men have little heart to make merry, many of our men are sick or lay dead in the hospital...men lay by hundreds sick and dying...some of our men made a cross of evergreensand fixed it off with candles...Uncle Sam's crackers was subsituted for candy, beef and other things covered it all over...during the fight [at Fredericksburg] we were 3 days under fire all the time laying on the ground in the mud without any covering...this is why so many of our men are dying...[White Oak Church, Jan. 8, 1863]...many changes in our Regt. since the Battle those who showed the white feather being either discharged or resign to save their reputation...our men are still sick nearly every day some die out of the Reg't....two have been taken from our Com'y...[White Oak Church, Feb. 9, 1863]...the men are now getting furlows...nearly every week one dies out of this Reg't, 2 have died this week...we crossed the river, he was missing. The next we heard of him he was at Camp Parole...picketing on the line of battle is rather an unpleasant affair...the men are so near ech other...they often get to firing on each other...[White Oak Church, Mar. 2, 1863]...cold and rain has added to the number of sick in the hospital...have seen much of the evils of the rum shop...think how many a man might be reclaimed from a drunkard's grave...our new commander...is already making improvements in the discipline...the Democrats in the North are trying to demoralize the men by crying fighting for the nigger abusing the administration and trying to offer a peace to a people who spurn it...{White Oak Church, Mar. 17, 1863]...[we] are dying so fast there will soon be none left. We have lost four out of our company during the last 2 days. Yesterday we buried two at one time...as soon as the road would permit we expect to make tracks from this God forsaken country...20,000 rebels crossed over and are encamped on our right 10 or 15 miles above Falmouth...I would like to meet them on a fair field...". Condition varies, generally very good.

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September 27, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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