LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 June Civil War Grand Format Auction #663  / 

74321

James Beale Recounts Gettysburg to W.T. Sherman

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 500.00 USD
James Beale Recounts Gettysburg to W.T. Sherman
<B>Small Archive of Letters From James Beale to William T. Sherman Regarding the Battle of Gettysburg.</B></I> A total of nine letters, 36 pages, 5.25" x 8", dated from Feb. 17 to July 29, 1878 all in response to inquiries made by Hooker regarding the actual course of events on the battlefield and how they differ from the account as given by Col. Batchelder's account as published. In small part: "<I>Feb. 17, 1878... Pipe Creek is like Banquo's ghost - it will never absent it self - Gettysburg's story can not be told without alluding to it. When the true tale is told, i fear Genl Meade will hardly wear all his laurels, meantime I for one am desirous of seeing Gen'l Howard's false pretensions receive their quietus... In the war office maps I find that a Col. Batchelder... has peremptorily settled the question of time; and as I think rather dogmatically. i still cling to the assertion that Gen'l Reynolds was at Gettysburg before 10 o'clock -- not after, as the maps have it. and further I do not believe that the 11th Corps reached the town as early as Batchelder says they did... that Buford's cavalry should postpone the hour of the arrival of Reynolds is I think very natural. The hours may have seemed weeks to them... but the old corps you led in Antietam was not in the habit of lingering by the wayside when firing was heard at the front, and the lamented Reynolds was not the man to waste time when time was precious...April 23, 1878....With your permission I would call your attention to a rather singular point about Batchelder. In his 'Isometric view' of Gettysburg - published in 1864 he gives the positions of troops on each of the three days... he has made a very grave blunder. He represents Johnson's division of Ewell's Corps as being on July 1, 1863 on the right flank of the 11th corps. Now this division never reached Gettysburg until 2 pm of July 2!! Whether Batchelder 'sold out' to Howard I know not, but importing a whole confederate division from the realms of fancy and locating them on Howard's flank was a very great assistance to the latter in accounting for his troubles on July 1...</B></I>" All nine letters contain good content regarding events and opinions held by Beale of the various Union generals; and all are in very good to near fine condition.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Small Flat (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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