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Bull Run Civil War Letter

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:0.00 USD
Bull Run Civil War Letter
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Letter by Sergeant William R. Carr of the 12th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. I, who would later die at Gettysburg. Writing to his sister on 29 March 1862 at ''Camp Near Bull Run,'' lengthy letter reads in part, ''We are encamped on the ground where the Bull Run Battle commenced and where the Rebels have been quartered all winter, the people that live here say that there were sixty thousand troops here three weeks ago…I have been all over the ground where the battle was fought. It is not more than a quarter of a mile from where we are camped. I do not wonder that we lost the battle, to see the posision that the Rebels held and the advantage they had over us…The Bull Run Stream is about fifty feet wide and at the present time is quite deep. The banks of the River on the side that the Rebels were on is nothing but a line of rifle pitts, our troops had to cross a small wooden bridge in order to drive them from their posision, which could not have been done without great loss of life. Another advantage that the enemy had they were covered by the woods, while our troops had to file through a gully and cross the bridge, not more than four abreast. It is a desolate looking place. The bridge is burnt, the trees are all cut down, and there are graves all over the ground some of the bodies are not covered up. I saw a pair of pants with the bones of some poor fellow in them. I should think that I saw a hundred horses laying around…'' Signed ''From your Brother William'' with original mailing envelope. Identified from a larger collection of William Carr letters, as well as from a reference within letter to another soldier in the company who hails from same town as Carr. Near fine condition.