Auction Date:2010 May 20 @ 05:00 (UTC-7 : PDT/MST)
Location:11901 Santa Monica Blvd. #555, Los Angeles, California, 90025, United States
Five Civil War letters from Edward Ervin of the 19th Illinois Infantry, Company B. Dated from July 1861 to January 1863, Evin's correspondence begins while he is on General Benjamin Prentiss' expedition towards Dallas and Jackson, Missouri. He gives a graphic account of a train accident that killed 129 of his comrades, mentions the famed Confederate cavalry raider John Hunt Morgan and ends with news of finding his friend dead in a temporary morgue following the battle of Murfressboro. Excerpts: ''[Palmira, Missouri, 23 July 1861]…I have just returned from a two days forced march in pursuit of the enemy. It was reported that from 15 to 20 hundred cavalry was encamped about 21 miles from us and our colonel took six hundred men and went in search of them when we got there they had fled we went through some seccesion towns and we cleared them out. In one we went into a store and I went up stares and I got two drums and a flag staff the company was divided into squads of four each squad took a house and searched it. Our squad took the drums and flag staff to the quarters the staff was cut up we took about 60 of the rebels horses and saddles and about a hundred and eighty dollars worth of bacon every house we thought was secessionist it was perfectly ransacked. I had a good chance to see how the slaves lived. Some of them were nearly scared to death others were glad to see their masters suffer…on the railroad there was none of our company hurt, but two when we started they were on the first train at a small town they went off and got left. They had to get on the next train which happened to be the unfortunate one the car was thrown down an embankment about twenty feet the next four was all thrown one on the top of the other into a small stream called Beaver Creek. The lower cars were smashed to atoms. The two behind cars had the field officers the front wheel just got over when it stopped and saved our colonel and officers there was forty killed and about a hundred wounded that many men went up to the city to attend the funeral of twenty nine of the poor fellows. It was a solemn sight twenty nine hearses in line followed by their comrades with their arms at reverse. A brass band playing the dead march. The mayor of Cincinnati ordered the stores closed while the procession was passing we run onto the next town when we got there a dispatch reached us to return God forbid that I should ever see such a sight again we stay there and gave what assistance we could…” “[Camp Jefferson, Kentucky, 3 January 1862]…we were out on grand review a few days ago there was four brigades out with four regiments our regiment was the largest on the ground. It was a grand sight…” “[Hospital No. 12, Nashville, 29 December 1862]…I have been troubled with rheumatism I got one or two thorough wettings and stood on post picket where we were not allowed any fire that was what gave it to me there is five of us in the room General Rosecrans gave orders that every man that could not march and carry a knapsack should stay behind the hospitals here are all full the boys there is nearly a hundred of our regiment here the railroad was again torn up by John Morgan between us and Louisville…” “[in camp near Murfreesboro, Tenneesee 10 January 1863]…the great battle at Murfreesboro which lasted five days we lost five in killed and six severely wounded and six slightly wounded [a list of the casualties follows] our boys fought like tigers and ha[ve] gained the highest praise I went to see Columbus Morgan he was under the influence of morphine and so could not speak to me I was then on my way to Nashville as guard to a wagon train when I got back they did not know any thing about him. I then went down in the cellar where the dead were and hunted amoung them till I found the poor fellow wrapped up in his overcoat. I knew him as soon as I saw him. His side was all torn up by a piece of shell…'' A resident of Stark County, Illinois, Ervin mustered into service on 17 June 1861 and was wounded in action at Dalton, Georgia on 27 Feburary 1864. Letters run approximately 14pp. Lot also includes an early war-date letter written by Ervin from Philadelphia. Some overall toning and soiling, with negligible paper loss. Overall fair to good condition.
Auction Location:
11901 Santa Monica Blvd. #555, Los Angeles, California, 90025, United States
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