Lot 401 email save

"It was the awfulest sight I ever saw. See men to

Sign In to see what this sold for

Autograph Letter Signed "E.L. Buterbaugh" U.S. Signal Corp, 2p. quarto, pencil, May 17, 1864, with cover addressed to his brother in Pennsylvania, it reads in part: "..I have been in three battles since I come down here. The first was not very hard but yesterday we had a dreadful time. We had drove the rebels within seven miles of Richmond and they got reinforcements. Sunday night and Monday morning it was so foggy that we could not see them till they made a charge and cut Gen Heckman’s division all to pieces. The division that I was with was on the center fo the line in front of Fort Darling. They come down on us with three divisions and drove us out of the breast works. We fell back to an open field and formed in line again then the rebs come on us again but we held the ground they planted some artillery on the breastworks and shelled us. It was the awfulest sight I ever saw. See men torn to pieces some their arms shot of and some their legs all around it looked hard. Gen. Heckman is taken prisoner or killed I heard that Gen. Butler has sent to the Army of the Potomac for reinforcements as soon as they come we will try the rebs again..." VG.

View Raynors' Historical Collectible Auctions next auction.

Similar lots up for auction