July 2016 Auction Ends Thursday, July 21st, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/21/2016
Civil War letter by John W. Davis of the 40th Virginia Infantry, Co. G. Davis would be wounded at the Battle of Gaines' Mill in June 1862. In this letter dated 1 November 1861, Davis writes to his mother from Fredericksburg, Virginia, ''...On last Monday night when I returned from F. I heard that a spy had just passed through our camp, having crossed over at Mathias' point, on his way from Washington to report to General Holmes. He reported that he had seen the general order issued at Washington ordering a fleet of 70 vessels with 65,000 troops and all that their equipments for marching to land at Nomony Bluffs in Westmoreland on that or the next night, and march around in the rear of the (supposed) batteries at Mathias of 18 guns, take them, and there advance on up the river taking the batteries all along, and there to proceed from here 'on to Richmond'...Gen. H having recognized him as a true spy, on Tuesday morning our Reg. crossed over Potomac Creek and marched about 1 1/2 miles where we are still bivouacking having left our tents and clothes and most of our cooking utensils for want of transportation, out in the woods near the camp of the 2nd N.C. Reg. and within 2 miles of Mr. Cotton's house....the balance of the great northern fleet having left Fort Monroe outwards this morning. Some reliable Marylanders who crossed over at Evansport the other day say that Gen. Sickles has opposite Evansport 15,000 troops and they counted 85 pieces of artillery...John W Davis / 40 Regt Va. Vol. / A.P. Hill's Div.''. 3pp. letter has been folded so as to serve as its own cover, upon which a Jefferson Davis image is affixed. Very good condition.
40th Virginia Infantryman Civil War Letter: ''...a spy had just passed through our camp, having crossed over at Mathias' point, on his way from Washington to report to General Holmes...''
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