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35 148th IL Infantry ALsS 1865

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:0.00 USD
35 148th IL Infantry ALsS 1865
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Lot of 35 ink Civil War letters from Wilson J. Pickard of the 148th Illinois Infantry, Company K, who died of typhoid fever while in the service. Pickard's correspondence offers a unique view of the end of the war and the death of President Lincoln. Letter datelined ''Quincy Feb 13th, 1865'' reads in part: ''…we are quartered in a warehouse at present…'' Letter datelined ''Springfield Feb the 21 1865'' reads in part: ''…there is about ten thousand persons her we have not recived any pay yet…'' Letter datelined ''Nashvill Feb 26th 1865'' reads in part: ''…we have been one week on the cars we are in the rebels country now and are still going farter tords dixey…'' Letter datelined ''Palahame Tenn March 4th 1865'' reads in part: ''…the rebs are firing on our pickets all knight there was seven rebs brought in last knight…they are a going to bee shot this morning they was thrity buswaskers taken last sundy and six shot…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn March 11 1865'' reads in part: ''…get all the money you can and youse it if you want to…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn March 12th 1865'' reads in part: ''…one of our boys was poisoned that day and died that knight…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn March 15 /65'' reads in part: ''…a good many of the of the boys has got the measles some of them…the small pox there is some one buried most evry day and some times two…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn March 17 /65'' reads in part: ''…there is some cases of the small pox I am a little afraid of that…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn March 18th 1864[sic]'' reads in part: ''…I et a pie and it had poison in it I was very sick but I am right end up now I like to used me up I paid one dollar for the medison to kill it…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma March 19th 65'' reads in part: ''…There was fireing by the pickets night before last draw out in line of battle but it was a contrived plan among the officers it was done to see how quick they could get the boys out…it scart some of the boys…'' Letter datelined ''Riten in camp Tullhoma Tenn March 20 /65'' is actually a poem, reading in part: ''…I left my nations lands and home / To make this country free / I have left my dearest friends at home / And gone to Tennesee…'' Letter datelined ''Nashvill March 31 65'' reads in part: ''…last knight I was detailed to go to Nashvill to gard a…train to Tullahoma…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma March 26 85'' reads in part: ''…there is a good many of the boys sick…William Macantire is ded he was buried yesterday…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn March 28'' reads in part: ''…there has been a fight 18 miles from here there was 6 hundred rebs and only 3 companies of our boys it was 42 misouri our boys was taken prisoners…we herd the canons roaring last knight…'' Letter datelined ''Tullahoma Tenn / April 6th 1865'' reads in part: ''…as I was not gobbled up by the gurrillas I will rite a few lines…we…travled 26 miles put up a Murfressbourough they was celebrating the great victory firing of guns…'' Letter datelined ''Tallahoma Tenn / April 11 1865'' reads in part: ''…there is great rejoicing over the surrender of lee and his army…there was thirty six rounds fired for…the great victory…'' Letter datelined ''In Picket At Tallahoma Tenn / April 14th 1865'' reads in part: ''…it is a day of rejoysing the flag as to bee raised over fort sumpter it is to bee raised by Anderson he is the one that surrendered…'' Letter datelined ''In Camp at Tullahoma Tennsee / April 17th 65'' records the Army's reaction to Lincoln's death, reading in part: ''…our bloved president was assasnated after four long years (revenge on death)…the south said that they would never come back under Lincoln and I suppose they are satisfied…yesterday we went uout on grand review the whole brigade was there after the review was over there was two men with there heads shaved was brought before the brigade…marched the hole length of the line with the bayonet at there back…they had orta be drummed into hell it was for proposing three cheers for the president death…they are a disgrace to the brigade…there was two citizens that cheered for lincons death…put in the stockade…I think they will bee hanged…'' There are 16 other letters from Pickard that postdate the end of the war. Pickard mustered into service on 11 February 1865 and died on 26 June 1865 of typhoid fever. During his time in the service, the 148th Illinois Infantry performed guard duty at Tullahoma, Nashville and the Chattanooga Railroad. Written in ink, letters run a total of 125pp. Twenty-eight of the letters measure 5'' x 8'', five measure 7.75'' x 9.25'', one measures 4'' x 6'' and one other measures 7.75'' x 9.75''. Lot is accompanied by seven letters from three other soldiers in Pickard's regiment, five of which were written by James P. Swift. Swift wrote to Pickard's family to inform them of his death, saying in part: ''…Wilson departed this life last Eavening…he was taken sick about two weeks ago but no one considered him dangerous until about three days a go when I began to have fears of his recovering. He went down verry fast and died…his fever turned to Typhoyid…'' Lot also accompanied by 11 covers.