War-dated ALS in pencil signed “J. S. Bevington,” three pages,on two lightly-lined adjoining sheets, 7.75 x 9.75, embossed letterhead, March 4, 1863. Bevington writes to Jacob Durstine, in part: “Our Comp.[any] has suffered severely of late having lost 3 men by death since Feb. 22nd, and still some remain in the Hospital pretty ill…Thus has one sacrificed his life for the protection of the Flag and the maintenance of our country’s honor, and although he died not in battle, I trust that his memory will not be buried in oblivion as one that stood not forth in defence of Country…I expect that we will be moved to the front soon enough. We were falsely alarmed on the night of Feby. 27th and the entire force was in line of battle. In our Regt., 20 of Comp.[any] A were deployed as skirmishers to engage the enemy at a good distance, and not allow them to rush wildly into the jaws of death and destruction which is the 102nd O.V.I. with their Springfield Orators which can address an audience audibly at a distance of 500 yards… Feb. 22nd was celebrated in commemoration of the birth of Washington. Artillery fired a salute of 34 guns at sunrise, also at sunset…As I beheld this display of patriotism which prompted us to remember the braveness and daring of our fathers, I thought of the many who were now endeavoring to destroy the Temple of Liberty built by the illustrious Washington, and also of the many brave that were on the field and with their lives in hand attempting to shield and protect it, and while this is being done, Ah sad fact, those that should be firm and true to their country, and their arms are hurling their infamous slang and treasonable sentiments into the very heart of the Southern Confederacy, and thus giving them all the encouragement they wish for, more than this and not content those whom they once appropriately called their Brave Volunteers they now meanly stigmatize as Negro Free’ers and Spoilators, only this is done by a certain class of people called the Constitution Loving Democrats, but what I call the Tories of 1863. How can an Army Lionlike though it be, succeed in battle with an enemy on their flank, and in their rear its impossible. I am for the Union cost what it may. If it be slavery’s death, all right. If it be the violation of the Constitution violate it. If it be the extermination of the Southern Army I say Amen. The Constitution for the country and not the country for the Constitution is as Washington designed it.” In fine condition, with intersecting folds. The soldier who wrote this letter was a survivor of the Sultana Tragedy, one of the worst maritime disasters in American history. RRAuction COA.
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