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EDWARD A WILD (1825-91) Union Brigadier General; badly wounded at South Mountain (Antietam), losi...

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EDWARD A WILD (1825-91) Union Brigadier General; badly wounded at South Mountain (Antietam), losi...
EDWARD A WILD (1825-91) Union Brigadier General; badly wounded at South Mountain (Antietam), losing his left arm. While recuperating from this wound, Wild, a fanatical abolitionist, recruited the regiment of Negro Troops known as "Wild's African Brigade", which he commanded through the remainder of the Civil War. Wardate ALS, signed "Edw A Wild, Brig Gen Vols", 2pp (single sheet), May 18, 1863, 4to, Boston, to an unnamed correspondent who helped him journey to Brookline, excellent content re "negroes", written while he was recuperating from his wound. Reads in part, "...my baggage has at last arrived...forwarded from New York some 10 days ago...I am greatly indebted to you for this...send me a memorandum of all the expenses incurred, such as telegraphing, cartage, &c...The Crimean-Stove in a blue box-table...was left behind...it must be still in the Store house at Kibby's Stables...So you had better give it to some other officer now, or Invald Corps...as I may, be mustered out...To balance this, I receive the pails, and the basket of cookery which the contrabands were entitled to...you had better not give the Crimean-Stove to the Contrabands - for they will knock it all to pieces. - I never knew one who could use it without precept upon precept, and under constant supervision...I get no clue whatever to my future prospects - I am very patient, and find plenty to do in various ways - but I cannot help feeling that I ought still to help the negroes a great deal, and so aid in settling the affairs of the Country to a permanent peace level...if the Country really needs me, Providence will see that I am placed in a true position...I have recd. a complimentary letter from Gen [Godfrey] Weitzel...Hayward came on with the horses & servants, we met in New York...& rode them to Brookline - Two days afterward I recd. an order, sending Hayward back to his Regt and relieving him from my staff. - Gen [E.O.C.] Ord did it. The order was dated the same day that I left the Army - Persecution!!! to the very last!!! So Hayward started at once for his regiment...The last I heard of his Regt (37th U.S.C.T.) was at Raleigh N.C....Thus I have no Staff, but the rod is plain enough..." 7 days after this letter Wild sailed from New York to New Berne, NC, to resume his army career. Very minor soiling, o/w VG. Boldly penned and easily read. An excellent letter. $1,000-1,500