February 2017 Auction Ends Thursday, February 23rd, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
Nice lot of 8 letters by Sergeant Charles Delamere of the 13th Michigan Infantry, Co. H. Delamere writes very literate letters throughout 1862 from the Shiloh battlefield, after the Battle of Stone's River and after intense skirmishes repelling the advances of Nathan B. Forrest and John Hunt Morgan around Nashville.
After Shiloh, Delamere writes, ''Battle Field Shiloh Aprl 9th...our men are strung along the road...some gave out through fear, others from fatigue...from sickness, this march has tried men's courage and endurance and there are only about three hundred of us left to do duty. I have stood it like a major thus far, and expect to hold out faithful to the end for any man that can eat can work and if you were to see me stowing away the hard bread and bacon you would think you did not envy the cooks and commissary. In my last I gave a slight sketch of the battle but of the vast extent of the battle field no one but an eye witness can form an idea, it extends from five to six miles one way...we made good time to get to the stream where we encamped for the night, on Sunday morning between five and six o'clock we heard cannonading and putting our best feet foremost we went through our paces to the entire satisfaction of our officers at six o'clock Sunday evening. We were ordered to halt cook our suppers and put three days rations in a haversack. At about 7 1/2 o'clock we resumed our march...men falling down [in every] direction and others walking over them. One...sung out as I stepped on him...grape and cannister shot after them...our Brigade has gone out on picquet duty today and I am sergeant of the camp and baggage guard. It is raining as if water never descended before, and looks as if it was never going to stop, and I am in a tent writing to you...you must all keep up good courage...''
From Nashville on 15 July 1862 he writes, ''...our troops were defeated at Murfreesboro day before yesterday and every soldier who was able to carry a gun had to turn out...I have been acting in command of a Co. since [Horace] Phelps left, but I do not think I will retain it long...if the enemy had followed up their success they would have given us a hard pull but we have been strongly reinforced last night and this morning. This place they never will take because if we cannot hold it we will fire it and leave nothing but bare walls for them...''
From Fort Negley outside Nashville he writes on 14 November 1862, ''...I have written quite a number but some of them I suspect have fallen into the hands of John Morgan and followers...I am detached from the 13th Mich and now belong to the staff of Capt. Morton of the Engineers. He is Chief Engineer of the 14th Army Corps and I am commissary under him...I will also send a long barreled rifle that I captured from a rebel. He had his thumb on the trigger, but my trusty sword brought him to the ground. It is present to Father...I also have a Colt revolver and a watch that I captured...we had a battle here at Nashville on the 8th of this month...I had the honor of being attached as aid de Camp to Col. Cassidy of the 6th Ohio...give my love to Father, mother and all hands at home...I hope he will be pleased with the rifle. Tell him it was one captured by his son in law in fair fight and if he should never see me again to recollect that I fell in defense of my country, if you are a soldiers wife or widow...''
On 11 January 1863 (wrongly dated as 1862), he writes about the Battle of Stone's River, ''...I was through two days of the fight. The first and third and part of the fourth day. I am in charge of all the tools of the Pioneer Brigade...about a mile from the battlefield. The first day I acted as aide de camp and the morning of the second the rebels commenced shelling our teams when I was ordered to Nashville with them. I got in at 12 o'clock that night and at once was ordered back with a lot of spades, picks and shovels. At about half past three in the morning a gang of guerrillas attacked the train, but our men licked them with out any loss but my horse and overcoat...as there were some dead rebels I soon had a good overcoat and blanket and a better horse than the one I lost. At 8 o'clock we got to the Field and our boys commenced throwing up entrenchments. At one the next day I had to go to Nashville to bring out the rest of the tools and when I got back we were in possession of the field. Loss during the fight to me 1 horse, 1 overcoat, 1 hat and a pair of gloves. Gain 1 horse, 2 blankets, 1 overcoat, 4 shirts, 1 pr. boots and two good caps besides a revolving rifle. I did not get a scratch. I have seen Jim Bouton since the Battle he got a ball hole through his cap which grazed his head slightly. The 13th lost a great many men in the fight, but the Rebels were badly whipped...we will advance soon. I hope so for every day's delay gives strength to the rebels...'' Letters are accompanied by covers addressed to his wife in Kalamazoo. Overall in very good condition with mouse chews to the Shiloh letter and some dampstaining to another.
Letter Lot by 13th Michigan Officer, From the Battlefield of Shiloh & Stone's River -- ''...a rebel...had his thumb on the trigger, but my trusty sword brought him to the ground...''
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