LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Civil War Auction #674  / 

72162

AMBROS S. NICHOLS CIVIL WAR DIARY

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,500.00 - 5,500.00 USD
AMBROS S. NICHOLS CIVIL WAR DIARY
<B>AMBROS S. NICHOLS DIARY.</B></I> Exceptional Civil war-date Union Diary from 1863, with specific content regarding the historic Battle of Gettysburg as well as the preceding battle leading up to that historic confrontation, including the Battle of Brandy Station (the largest cavalry engagement of the war), Battle of Aldie (June 17), Battle of Middleburg (June17-19) and the Battle of Upperville (June 21) - essentially, the entire Gettysburg Campaign! Also discussed are numerous skirmishes and later cavalry battles and engagements such as Sulphur Springs, Auburn, Bristoe Station and Catlett Station, as well as important Military events including the execution of deserters and soldiers killed in action during skirmishes with the Confederates. Many times, the regiment traversed battlefields where the ANV and the Army of the Potomac had recently been engaged, and Nichols describes the horror of bodies and spent munitions littering the field. <BR><BR>The diary measures 4” x 2.5” x 1”, approx. 400 pages (deckle-edged), with black leather cover. Nichols has written entries in light pencil for the dates January 1-6, and again from April 12th through November 27th, including the march from Maryland up into Pennsylvania, and then back through Maryland in pursuit of the Confederates. A few excerpts from the Gettysburg campaign:<BR><BR><I>“ July, Wednesday 1, 1863 This morning we started from Manchester on again towards Little York in Pensylvania sic this afternoon. We turnd sic our horse towards Hanover we went 16 miles we got to Hanover about 1 o’clock at nite sic they had a fite sic hear sic last Monday Hanover is a vary sic nice place it is about a sic large as Elmira, we staid sic in town. July, Thursday 2, 1863 This morning we stated on for Getersburgh sic it is 16 miles from hear sic the Rebs air sic thair sic in a large forse sic we got within one mile an a 1/2 if sic Getersburgh sic then the fite sic comenc sic they air sic having vary sic heavy cannonading sic this afternoon we haint sic gone in yet but tomorrow I suppose that we shal sic haf sic to go in and clean them out. July, Friday 3, 1863 Firing comec sic this morning at day brake sic all along the time and they kept it up all thru the day, I think that it is fool as hard a battle as wehad at Fredricksburgh sic it was a continual raseing sic all the time. We took about 9 or 10 thousand prisnors, I think it will bee sic a day long to bee sic remembered in Gatersburgh sic it is now. July, Saturday 4, 1863 They kept up the fite sic last nite sic till 10 o’clock and thair sic is som sic firing hear sic this morning but not a grate sic deal for I think that the Rebs had enough of it yesterday for thair sic loss must bee sic vary sic hevy sic for we mode sic them down like grass we had campt sic about one mile and 1/2 east from the village it comenc sic raining hear sic . July, Sunday 5, 1863 We went into the village this mornig and comenc sic buring our ded sic and it was a dredful sic site sic to behold our ded sic solgers sic lay all over the ground as thick as they could lay Gersburgh sic is a vary sic nise sic place it is about as lag sic as Norwich, the inhabitanc sic was vary sic kind to the solgers sic evry sic church and evry sic other business sic was fool of wounded solgers sic . July, Monday 6, 1863 This morning we started on again after the Rebs we saw lots of solgers sic that was washed out thair sic they was burid sic for they want coverd more than 1 feet deep. We went about 6 miles then we had to go back with som sic prisnors sic and then we went on again we went on about 8 miles and campt sic for the nite sic at the foot of the mountain.”</B></I><BR><BR>Exceptional content from this war-weary soldier. Contemporary eyewitness accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg are some of the most important and desirable manuscripts of the Civil War, and this handwritten diary is especially significant. Not only does it cover the action at Gettysburg, but also the precipitous engagement at Brandy Station and many other important cavalry clashes during the crucial year of 1863. Surviving Civil War diaries from cavalry regiments are especially rare.<BR><BR><B>Condition:</B></I> In fine condition with abrasions to the cover, typical of bound volumes of this age. <BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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