March 2012 Auction Ends Wednesday, March 28th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/28/2012
Letter from Edgar W. Irish of the 85th New York Infantry, Company C. Written in ink and datelined ''Camp Shepard, Washington, D.C. December 14, 1861,'' letter reads in part: ''...Cousin Amy...it is a beautiful morning...the fences covered with a thin coat of white frost, just a little too cold to stand still outside and just cold enough for us to appreciate the benefit of our little sheet-iron stove that four of us bought and set up last night in our tent...We are enjoying ourselves like 'pigs in the clover' good fare and enough to do to make it interesting...all of us anxious for the speedy continuation or close of this...war...I heard of your cousins in Bates Artillery. Have not yet seen them. They are quartered about a mile from us. It is rumored that we are to go into winter quarters on Meridian Hill within the District of Columbia in a few days. Mark is in my tent helping to make music. He wears three chevrons on his arm, fifth sergeant. Of course you have been notified of the death of grandmother just on Thanksgiving day. Oh how lonely Grandfather must be now! I do not think he will long survive her. Beauregard is said to be advancing on our lines here with 60,000 troops. if it is so there will be music and smoke...'' The 85th New York was active at Yorktown, Williamsburg and Fair Oaks. Early in 1864, at Plymouth, North Carolina, nearly the entire regiment was captured by the enemy; 222 of the men later died in southern prisons. Irish mustered into Company C on 7 October 1861 and mustered out on 20 June 1865. 2pp. letter measures 5'' x 8''. Fine condition.
1861 85th NY Infantry Letter -- ''...We are...all of us anxious for the speedy...close of this...war...Beauregard is...advancing on our lines here with 60,000 troops. there will be music and smok
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