January 2015 Auction Ends Thursday, January 29th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/29/2015
Civil War letter by John Herndon of the 38th Virginia Infantry, Co. D. Herndon writes from ''Camp near Kingston on 21 January 1864 -- sandwiched between being WIA at Seven Pines, and his capture as a POW at Dinwiddie Court House. To his brother, Herndon writes, ''...the greatest pleasure I enjoy is to hear from my dear relations and friends...Through God's blessings I have been enabled to get hold of some good books...I set up every night until 12 o'clock or near and study as hard as I did when at school. This makes the time pass much more rapidly, profitably, and pleasurably than when I spent much of my time in idleness. We have prayer meeting too every night and I generally attend them and sometimes lead them...I have not finished Butler's Analogy. It is said to be the ablest defense of religion in print, though it requires some education to comprehend it which is the reason it is not more generally included and read. It is now confined chiefly to colleges as a test book. It is one of the text books of the VA University...I am very sorry to learn that you are so unfortunately situated that you will have to leave your family...As to my getting you an easy place that is out of the question. I have been in the army now nearly three years and have not found an easy place for myself yet and in fact there are no east places in the infantry service in the field except staff officers and their sergeants and details all of which are filled in the regiment. I would recommend if you have to go into the field again to choose the cavalry. I know very little about the artillery, but thinks from what little I do know that you would like cavalry better. Artillery have to go on picket occasionally but are near put out on post. They are more exposed in battle than cavalry but not so much as infantry. I think it highly probable if you could find a company of engineers that you might get into that which would be better than any of the others...Do what you do quickly before the enrolling commences. I have made application for 30 days leave of absence...Arrangements I understand have been made to test the constitutionality of the law bringing back principals. I might be well enough to wait as long as it was safe to see the result if that test but you can find out more than I know about that. It is my impression that if the law is pronounced null and void, the Confederacy is about 'played out' for the men in the field will not be held over unless those at home are brought back in haste. Keep mum about the subject of my furlough. J...'' Identified as John Herndon from a larger collection of his letters. Lengthy 8pp. letter is in very good condition.
Civil War Letter by a 38th Virginia Infantry Captain -- ''...if the law is pronounced null and void, the Confederacy is about 'played out'...''
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