February 2013 Auction Ends Thursday, February 28th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2013
Lot of Civil War autograph letters signed by Private John W. Palmer of the 1st Vermont Cavalry, Co. C. Lot of a dozen letters begin in early 1864 and encompass the year through February of 1865. Palmer places himself in Richmond, Virginia during the famed Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid. Brigadier General H. Judson Kilpatrick and Colonel Ulric Dahlgren's raid on Confederate Richmond was less successful than they'd planned, and papers allegedly found on Dahlgren's dead body revealed a thwarted conspiracy to assassinate Jefferson Davis during the raid. From a handful of locations, Palmer writes to his father and sister Laura M. Davis in his hometown of Fayston, Vermont, from where he mustered into action on 9 August 1863. One letter is datelined "Camp in the field Near some whare I can't tell you whare 27 nt. 1864". Letter reads in part, "…I am still a live…you tell Pa that we will have Richmond…we have some big [cannon] Balls out here but they don't scare me yet…" On 8 February 1864 he writes, "…we was out on a Scout and was gone two days and came in last night, the first night we lade in a line of battle and hild our horses by the bit all night, and they put Seymour and Elba and myself on picket and it was the first time we was put on picket and it rand like the Devel and you cold not see two feet…we had a little battle right here close by our camp when we was gone, but we had the big guns right smart I tell you…Charles said he wood give 50 dollars if he was in the Cavalry with us…the Johnston boys have got the measles…" Then on 22 March 1864 Palmer reports, "…Well Father I will try and tell you about our Company we did not loose but three men on the raid and we was gone three weeks dont you think we done well, I do anyway if you dont, there wasnt but two boys wounded in our Company…lucky boys, that we did not get hit with some of them Balls, I tell you…we went within two miles of Richmond and we throwd some shells into the city, and we cold see right into the city…Father I cant tell you much about the raid, but we see sum tuf times and some good times the last two days we traveled we did not get any thing to eat…Father I want you should send me two bottles of whiskey in the Box…I will pay you for it…" On 16 April 1864 he writes, "…we exspeck to brake up Camp in a few days and when we do we are going to Richmond…father one of them bottles was broke so I cold not get well you know, funny…" Next, he writes on 29 June 1864, "…Laura have you heard from Charles yet, or is he killed I have not heard from him sense I left Stevansburg…father what do you think of the war, Well I will tell you what we think of it out here we think it will Close this Summer that what the matter…" On 4 July 1864 Palmer reports a contradictory state of affairs, "…the boys they are all well exsept for John Sterling, he has been sick about four weeks with the fever, he is with me now and I am taking care of him now he is getting better…my Co. is all gone, they are taken prisoners and killed all most all of them and it makes our harts look down…" By 28 September 1864 his morale has waned, "…I dont want to fight no three years so I shant vote for Lincoln…I will be Dam if I vote for him…now father when you get this read just burn it…" He writes on 13 Febraury 1865 of news of his buddy Seymour, "…for dinner well I had hard tack and pork and coffee…I have heard from Seymour, there was a deserter come into our lines the night that I was on picket and he said that he see him the next morning and he was all right and was not wounded so you can tell his folks about it…" His letter dated 25 February 1865 reads, "…I am sorry that [Father] has sold the old farm for that was my home when I was in old Vermont but I suppose that I can find a home some whare in the world…" Locations cited in the lot include "Stevensburg, Virginia", "Camp Stoneman", "Camp in the field", "Camp at City Point, Virginia", "dismounted camp in Maryland" and "Camp Spring Hill". Each of the 12 letters run 3-4pp. on ruled stationery, measuring mostly 5" x 8". Two are written in pencil, the rest ink. Toning and creasing throughout. Chipping and separation to folds at edges and intersections of some letters, else near fine condition overall.
12 Civil War Letters by 1st VT Cavalry Pvt. J.W. Palmer -- From the Infamous Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid -- "…we went within two miles of Richmond and we throwd some shells into the city…"
Click above for larger image.