March 2012 Auction Ends Wednesday, March 28th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/28/2012
Two letters from Paul G. Smith of the 171st Pennsylvania Infantry. Accompanied by one cover. Written in ink and datelined ''Camp Near Newbern / North Carolina,'' 13 April 1863, letter reads in part: ''...We left camp on the third day of this mon and went down on the boad and stardid for little Washington...went up the tar river and wen we got up the river the boad did stop...the Rebels had bilded up a forde there and blocked the river and...we laid on the river five days and five nights...then we came ware the Rebs was...and then we was we was formed in a line of badle and then we laid down in the woods and thare we was til night and I cannot ell how many men was hurd of the Rebs but our men shot in one of their big guns and broke her all to splinters and then they stopet firing...our men came back...there was two of our men killed and 7 of them was hurt...'' Second letter, datelined ''Camp Washington, NC, June the 25 1863,'' reads in part: ''...our old dad is not with us any more that is our old Cornell...genrel foster went up to the potomik river...the talk is here in camp that we would stard away from here in about two weeks...if god will spare us that long...the rebs is just as tired of this war as we are. They are coming in here just as fast as our general can snare them...last week thare was three famly came in here and we love them to come in...'' Smith mustered into Company F on 4 November 1862 and mustered out on 7 August 1863. A nine month regiment, the 171st Pennsylvania spent the winter of 1862-63 in New Berne, making excursions into the surrounding country and driving the enemy from the area before moving to little Washington to aid in defenses there. Letters measure 7.75'' x 9.75'' and 7'' x 9'' and total 5.5pp. Fine condition.
Two 171st PA Infantry Letters -- ''...our men shot in one of their big guns and broke her all to splinters and then they stopet firing...there was two of our men killed and 7 of them was hurt..."
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