NORTHERN TROOPS MASS ON YORKTOWN & A MILITARY BURIAL
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 7pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. William Reese [DOD, Aug. 25, 62], Co. B, 103rd Penn. Vols., Fortress Monroe, Apr. 10, 1862. In part: "…I shall be at home soon for the rebels are surrounded…this is one of the strongest places in Virginia. There is about two hundred thousand men before us from here to Yorktown. General McClellan is not far from here. He sent a flag of truce to the rebels to give up but they sent back to tell him that they would not give as long as there was a man alive…our men will attack Richmond and Yorktown at the same time…our men has taken Island No. 10…and took several thousand prisoners…there was one of our company found dead night before last in his tent. There was two men sleeping with him but they did not know that he was dead till the morning. His name was Alfred Campbell. He was nineteen years of age. He was buried under a tree by the camp. The company fired three rounds over his grave. We been meaning to shoot all day…". The original stamped transmittal cover is included.