War-dated ALS signed “H. C. Cushing, 2nd Lieut., 4th Artillery, U.S. (not C.S.) Army”,” two pages both sides, 7.75 x 10, February 17, 1862. In part: “Hurrah! Hi! Hi Hi! Bully for McClellan! Bully for Grant! Bully for Foote! And fifty bullys for Burnside! Hi! Hiiii!!!!!!!” Oh Lord! Why I’ll jump out of my boots, I can’t hold in. Fort Donelson taken! 15,000 prisoners! Generals Johnston, Pillow and Buckner taken!!!!! Roanoke taken!!!! Fort Henry taken!!!!! Price defeated!!!! Gen. Lander victorious!!!!!! Savannah occupied!!!!…The news is so glorious and so inspiring to all patriots that anyone would feel his body all tingling with joy and excitement. After all the delay and seeming inertia which has marked our conduct of the war for the last six months, to have all these victorious battles occur and such important achievements, in such a grand rush proves the truth of McClellan’s saying the war would be ‘short and desperate.’…all honor to one who has had the courage to despise the ignorant counsels and who now by the combinations which are crushing out this infamous rebellion proves himself master of the situation and capable of completing the great undertaking which was committed to him. Let the ‘Forward Movement’ men see a real Forward Movement and in these rapid stunning and decisive blows they can be convinced that McClellan’s ‘masterly inactivity’ has turned into the most warlike energy—we now expect marching orders and soon hope to get into action where we may be of some service to the country—all I want is to go to Manassas and see if we can’t go farther and more successfully than we did before.” In very good condition, with intersecting horizontal and vertical folds, wrinkling and creasing, separations along the horizontal folds, and scattered toning and soiling. Incredibly enthusiastic content from a Union officer mentioning many important commanders including Grant’s first big victory of the Civil War. RRAuction COA.
