Fascinating and evocative archive of thirty-one letters from soldiers fighting the Civil War, all written to members of the writers’ respective families, various lengths and formats, 1862–1865. Excerpts from the lot include: From a letter dated August 26 [no year]: “When this mess ends which will be within a year, I am no prophet, rebel deserters are coming into our lines everyday and they all agree in representing the destitution among the rebels as very great and besides that their armies are badly demoralized….” From a letter dated September 2, 1864: “General Sherman has got the rebs army cut into and is licking them on every hand. There was very hard fighting on our left last night and about 2 o’clock in the night, there was very heavy firing in our rear up towards Atlanta….” From a letter dated July 5, 1864: “Now Sarah you can tell something about how I spent my fourth, I hope that I shall never have to spend another one like it. And don’t think that I shall for I think this campaign will end the war, for the rebs say that if they can’t whip us before they get to the river, they won’t fight us any longer….” From a letter dated May 30, 1864: “I think that this campaign will end the war, for we have the rebs hemmed in. They say this is their only chance, we have them surrounded….” From a letter dated May 27, 1864: “But we must believe that an all-wise Providence saw that it was necessary for us as a people and a nation to got through with the trials, troubles, and sorrows that we are now passing through in order to humble our pride and bring us to see the great sins we were committing as a nation by keeping in Slavery….” From a letter dated May 8, 1864: J. M. Stockton writes to the mother of Lemuel and John Laughlin [brothers of the writer of many of the letters in the archive] who both lost their lives in battle: “He said she was all the friend on earth, that he hated to part with. He told me to give her his farewell love and say to her that he died a soldier of Christ as well as a soldier of his country. I will refrain from giving all at this time. If I live through this battle, I will give all the particulars….” From a letter dated May 3, 1863 “What a beautiful country! and in spite of the ravages of war, it is a splendid country. All that it needs to make it a paradise on earth is doing away with the cursed institution of slavery and the building up such a system of churches and schools as we have in the north. It seems to now as though I never could be satisfied to live in Illinois again. To be sure the soil here is not near as rich as it is at home, but then the climate makes up for that.” A full transcript accompanies each letter. In overall very good condition, with typical folds, edge toning to a few, and small areas of discoloration. R&R COA.
