Description:

UNION SOLDIER'S LETTERS
A nice pair of letters about early skirmishing in Virginia prior to Bull Run and mentioning seeing Lincoln and Grant, written by Pvt. George Homan of Co. H, of the 18th N.Y. Infantry, killed in action at Gains Mill, Virginia on June 27, 1862. Both letters are in pencil and written in June and July 1861. The first, an A.L.S., 4pp. 4to., "Two miles from Washington", June 24, 1861 reads, in part: "..."...Last night between Sun set last evening & Sun rise this morning the cry 'To Arms To Arms They come' was raise & before 15 minute had passed the whole Reg were ready to defend its self form an attack from any quarter. The men look rather peculiar at first some had left their coats other their cap pants belts & even their guns in their tents, they were so excited they hardly knew what they were about this is as true of the Officers as of the men...there was a good deal of firing in different quarters the reg- next to ours had 2 sentinels wounded by shots fired...it was found out that the alarm was raised a Reg- which is the 10th on the road from here which was attacked by a rebel picket guard...". The second letter, an A.L.S., 4pp. 8vo., Washington, June 4 and 5, 1861, reads in part: "...To-day we march from the camp at 6 o'clock to the city to be inspected it will not be necessary for me to tell any of performances they will be given in full in papers that you will see, we returned to camp by 12...I saw Pres. Lincoln but Gen. Scott I did not reckonise... ". He continues the letter the following day, drawing a small map in the margin of where his cap is located and remarks, "Intentions at Head Quarter is something no one can find out. The Col said last night he had a talk with the Pres. & he could not find out anything but said we would not be likely to stay here over a week...". Homan's regiment would support the artillery at First Bull Run. Sadly for George, he would be killed at Gains Mill, Virginia on June 27, 1862. With the original transmittal covers, light wear, overall very good condition.

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January 20, 2010 10:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

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