Civil War Union Letters
36-Letter Civil War Soldier's Archive & More
December 1863 to June 1864 Civil War Dated, Soldier's Archive of Thirty Six Letters and various Papers, average Fine to Very Fine.
This is a comprehensive and quite extensive archive group of original Civil War dated letters and other items, by and about Union Cpl. Charles H. Daggett of the 1st Maine Regiment of Heavy Artillery. This impressive archive includes: (36) Different Autograph Letters Signed, dating between December 1863 to June 1864. They are sent from various Union military camps from Maine to Maryland. We take special note of Fort Sumner and Camp Mansfield, in the latter state, many of the letters are sending his mother and brother choice details of camp life and various military events. In March 1864 he becomes so ill that he is delirious and was, in part:

"crazy when I was taken sick. I thought that I had a furlough and was going home... I felt real bad because they wouldn't let me get out of the cars, as I thought the ward was..." He then recovers from this illness and is sent on to Battery Cameron in Alexandria, VA,: "the handsomest place that I ever saw... From here we can see the city, the dome of the Capitol rising above every thing, long and chain bridges... On our way here we passed the residence of secretary [of War Edwin] Stanton, so you see we are surrounded by big lugs..."

On May 25, 1864, he has seen battle at Spotsylvania and reports that, in part: "We have had 2 battles, and lost severely. I am safe... We are bound for Richmond, this time in earnest. Grant is the man." He adds two days later that, "Port Royal... on the Rappahanock about 16 miles below Fredericksburg. This is the place where our supplies come from. There are about a thousand 'Johnny Rebs' here as prisoners... We are on the direct route to richmond, no change of programme... I thought I should feel 'skeery' when I should go into battle but I didn't feel so. I never felt cooler in my life. I had my cap shot off and had to go bare headed..."

He manages to miss the slaughter of Cold Harbor on the 31st, though in an undated and incomplete letter he gives short descriptions of his daily activity, including a great Original Hand Drawing of an entrenchment. Then abruptly on June 19, he writes only that, in part: "Yesterday afternoon we made a charge (on the entrenchments at Petersburg), the regiment is all cut up. I'm wounded through the left knee, I am getting along nicely, the captain is wounded pretty bad, they say he will lose his leg." The next day he is forced to admit that "The knee was shattered and I had to stand amputation, which was done yesterday... I fell as I was going up to the rebel breast works... I am in the best of spirits, which all say will go a good ways towards curing me..." Not until the 28th does he reach a regular hospital in Washington, though (probably written in another hand), in part: “My wound is doing Better I am suffering a good deal but I bare it in the best of spirits." Three days later, a chaplain from Campbell Hospital writes Mrs. Daggett to inform her that her son has died, claiming that, "In fact he was in a dying condition when he came..."

This important Union Soldier’s Civil War archive comes with an original receipt for his effects, including his New Testament Bible, which is present in this lot. Also, with a Letter from Daggett's Sunday School honoring his sacrifice, and his Union Commission, dated February 8, 1864, as Corporal. There is also a Carte-de-visite Photograph, (presumably of Daggett). Overall, letters are quite decent, with some expected typical soiling and fold wear. This group is full of excellent Civil War content, which is certainly far more than could be related here. (Approx. 36 items)