Description:

HOOKER AND THE 141ST N.Y. OPEN THE ‘CRACKER LINE'
Soldier's letter from Pvt. Charles Van Wagoner, Co. C, 141st New York Infantry, 4pp. 8vo., ‘Camp near Chatanuga Tenn', Nov. 15, 1863, to ‘Friend Alice'. In part: ‘…I have been back to the Regiment about 3 weeks. I never felt much better than at the present time although we have not seen much harder times since we have been in the Service than we have seen since we have been in the Department of the Cumberland. Since we left Bridgeport we have been on quarter rations until about a week ago. They call the 11th Corps the cracker boys down here for we opened the road for rations for them. When we first came here we had no hard tack, a little coffee and sugar and what corn we could get…but fighting Joe Hooker runs a small part of this ranch he is the one who brought out the soft bread for the Potomac boys and he is doing his best for us. We draw full rations of everything now but meat. The Rebels occupy Lookout Mountain. They are well elevated over us, they have some heavy guns planted on the highest peak of the mountain and about every ten minutes they sent they [sic] shot or shell a screaming in to our camps but they do little or no damage for but few of them bursts. They are deserting like fun most every day. They come over in our lines in droves…there was a whole company officers and all came over they say they cannot stand it much longer for all they have to eat is a little roast corn. They have had quite a little fright since we have been down here. Our Regiment lost 10 in killed wounded and missing, but our Company did not have to go into it. They was detailed as Private Guard at Division Head Quarters that is what saved our Bacon. The Rebs lost between 400 and 500. Our side half as many. We captured between 3 and 400 prisoners and drive them from their position…we went out on a foraging expedition...14 miles down the Rail Road with about 50 wagons and went into a large corn field. Company K was detailed to help fill the wagons and Co. E to guard them and the rest of us was put out [on] picket and guarding the roads and the Rebs came out of the woods into the corn field a little to strong for our boys and captured two of the wagons and they was so heavy that they could not get them away…so they cut the mules loose and burnt the wagons we got away all right with the rest of them about 12 o'clock at night. We have been busy building corduroy roads…'. Very good condition.

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January 18, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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