March 2012 Auction Ends Wednesday, March 28th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/28/2012
Three letters by Joseph Hoslem of the 13th Ohio Infantry, Co. A, all written to his best friend in the fall of 1861. First letter datelined 18 November 1861, Camp Hucheson, describes the Battles of Gauley Bridge and Cotton Hill: ''...Then came the roar of the muskets, but all were done so suddenly that there was scarcely any disstinktion of time between the words halt, down, cover, and the roar of the muskets. The firing had commenced with them and it was going to be answered by us...We lost out of our men one killed and one wounded and one wounded from company A of the 12th, we do not know whether there was above one killed on the enemy's side or not, but we found one on the field the morning following...we came in with the enemy's pickets, here we killed a colonel and wounded a private, captured three horses two revolvers a splendid sword and two of an infereor quality, after a little delay we proceeded on again, This colonel and the, 'our' general were intimate acquaintances, both of them having been studying at West Pint together. At about three o'clock we overtook them again...here we killed seven making them to fly in every direction...'' Second letter dated 6 November 1861 reads in part, ''...I am a perfect temperance man now...all owning to an abstanance from intoxakating drink. I do not rise in the morning with my head half split nor my mouth dazed up nor do I feel loathing to all eatables that are sat before me...I shall not forget and that is teetotalism. I feel now that I shall never get drunk again...Very Truly, J.H...'' Third letter, undated, written from Camp near Bacon Creek, Kentucky concerns a mutual acquaintance of the two men and references a fourth, unfinished letter which is also included in the lot and signed ''Joseph Hoslem''. Lengthy letters are in very good condition.
Three Letters by 13th Ohio Soldier Describing Battles of Gauley Bridge & Cotton Hill -- ''...before we had time to collect ourselves, we were greeted with a round of bullits from the scamps...''
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