Civil War–dated ALS by Hiram Brackett, four pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 8, October 6, 1863. Letter written from the “Camp of the 16th Me. Vols. Near the Rapidan River.” In part: “The Rebel pickets are on one side of the Rapidan & ours are on the other near enough to talk back & forth if we were allowed to. The Rebs. would speak to us and say Ho! Yankes got any coffee to swap for tobacco…and they said they had pork & flour enough but no sugar or coffee. They are throwing up breast works digging rifle pits building Forts and making all preparations for a fight but I think it would be foolish for our folks to make an attack in front for they have all the advantage in the world as they are on hills and we should have then to climb and be exposed to a heavy fire all the time…I had the pleasure of hearing the rebel band play & they made very good music it sounded like any other band but much better than some…Last Friday I was called to witness with the rest of the Division that I belong to a sad scene. The shooting of a man for deserting. He was a conscript belonged to the 2nd Brigade…The condemned with the 16th Me. brass band in advance playing a solemn tune marched along he was in an ambulance strongly guarded in front & rear. The chaplain was in the ambulance with him. After arriving at the place where he was to be shot the band stopped playing the ambulance stopped & he got out then they took out the coffin placed it near the grave…He then sat down on the end of the coffin had his hands & feet tied, then blindfolded. His end was then near. The men that were detailed 12 in number to shoot him stood…30 feet from him, took deadly aim fired he was dead he fell back on his coffin and never stirred.” In fine condition.
