March 2012 Auction Ends Wednesday, March 28th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/28/2012
Civil War letter from a soldier in the 129th Illinois Infantry, Co. I, who writes diary-style of his travels from 24 February 1864 until the end of the war on 20 April 1865. Four page letter from Raleigh, North Carolina, with excellent content, reads in most part: ''...Nov. the 28 we was ordered to Nashville to defend the place against Rebel G. Hood. December 1 we got there and dug trenches 2 days and 1 night. Dec. the 4 & 5 considerable skirmishing. The 6 & 7 considerable firing on picket with a little fight. We lost several...the 15 Thomas went for them and it was a hard fight with a loss to the Rebs of 12 hundred prisoners 18 pieces of cannon 8 battle flags which we got. The 16th the fight gets harder our loss 1000 killed and wounded. Rebs loss 600 hundred killed & wounded. We captured 5000 prisoners 30 canon and several battle flags. The 17 Hood has left our front and skedaddled. Thomas after him. The 19 we was ordered to move we marched to Murfreesboro 2 days...went 9 miles the other side of Huntsville, Alabama the track being torn up. We had to march the rest of the way. The 27 we crossed the Tenn. River on transports and run the rebs out of Decatur. Our cavalry captured 4 canon then we started after Hoods pontoon train but hearing that he had made a crossing below we lay at Cortland a few days...April the 3 we started for Goldsborough where Sherman lay...the 10 we started for Raleigh...the 13 encamped for to make peace for Johnston has promised to surrender the papers has been sent to Washington to be signed...'' More on various marching and total miles traveled. The 129th Illinois Infantry fought a number of battles, especially in the summer of 1864, including Peach Tree Creek where it lost 19 in killed and wounded and Resaca.
129th Illinois ALS -- Defense Against Rebel Hood -- ''...our loss 1000 killed and wounded. Rebs loss 600 hundred killed & wounded. We captured...several battle flags...''
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