NOT SOLD (BIDDING OVER)
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
This item WAS NOT SOLD. Auction date was 2003 Mar 29 @ 13:00UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT
(OHIO SOLDIER KIA IN THE WILDRENESS CORRESPONDENCE): A fine grouping of 18 war-date letters totaling 68pp. in various formats written by Pvt. Melancthon Bowman, Co. K 126th Ohio Vol. and 1st Lt. Levi Bowman, Co. C, 160th Ohio Volunteers. The first twelve letters are from Melancthon and are written from Dec. 1862 up until just before he is killed on May 5, 1864, in the battle of the Wilderness. Two of Levi's letters continue the story as he laments his brother's death in battle in 1864 plus four others were by him early in the war while he served as corporal in the 17th Ohio and mostly deal with camp and war news., in small part: "...[Martinsburg, Va., Dec. 24, 1862]...Old Stonewall Jackson said that he would eat his dinner in Martinsburg or in hell on Christmas. He won't eat his dinner here as long as we are here...whenever we see the stars and stripes we give three cheers...[Feb. 19, 1863]...Lieut. Joseph Shaffer is about to die...the doctor says he may die in ten minutes...he may be dead by this time...[Mar. 26, 1863]...12 or 15,000 troops passed through [Murfreesboro] to reinforce General Rosecrans. They expect a battle there. They think the rebels are going to evacuate Vicksburg...we have a rebel lieut. in the guard house...[Apr. 20, 1863]...Gen. Milroy was stationed here but the report is that he went to reinforce Hooker...we are looking for an attack here all the time...[Culpeper, Va., Sept. 25, 1863]...There is a big battle going off at Chattanooga. I hope Rosecrans will be successful there...[Catlett Station, Va., Oct. 21, 1863]...They have run us nearly all over Virginia last Sunday...we started from Culpeper and retreated to Bull Run there we stopped to give the rebels a fight but they were afraid to attack us...we have been drawn up in line of battle about a dozen times...they tried awful hard to get over our train but they were repulsed in each attempt...our cavalry have taken a great deal of their artillery and trains...I boasted last winter that the rebels could not drive us out [of Martinsburg]...they opened 17 pieces of artillery on us so we thought it was best for us to get out as quick as possible...they had us surrounded all but one road and we slipped out there...[Brandy Station, Nov. 10, 1863]...on the 7th marched to Kelley's Ford the same day but we had a little fighting to do before we crossed. The first division drove them out of their breastworks and captured 400 prisoners. They were mostly North Carolina troops. They ran in and gave themselves up...The first, 2nd, 5th, and 6th corps have gone on towards Culpeper...I don't know were the rebels are they have gone...[Dec. 23, 1863]...I suppose you have heard of the battle we had the 21st of Nov. at Mine Run...two privates missing one wounded. The adjutant and one lieutenant were taken prisoners they are now in Libby Prison, Richmond...I have saw some of the rebel when taken prisoner, they were nearly starved and very poorly clad. The first thing they would ask for would be crackers (or the army name hard tack) as we call them...[Jan. 29, 1864]...The rebels had a mutiny in their camp. They had a big fight with artillery to keep some from deserting ...[Mar. 2, 1864]...the 6th corps and one division of our corps have gone out on a scout so we have to picket in their places...Gen. Killpatrick and his cavalry had made a dash into Richmond and had destroyed half of the city...[Apr. 3, 1864]...I DREAD THE COMING CAMPAIGN there will be some hard fighting and marching to do...the copperheads in Illinois had a riot...everyone of them ought to be strung up to the nearest tree...Gen. Grant is here with us now...[May 2, 1864]...There is some talk of our division guarding the railroad...the supplies will have to be guarded...it makes some of the Washington soldiers awful mad because Gen. Grant brought them out to the front, but here is where they ought to be...". Within days of writing this letter Melanchton Bowman was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. Lamented by his brother, Levi Bowman writes, in part: "...[June 12, 1864]...if all accounts are true that he is dead, Oh Dear, Oh Dear...I shall think that he is yet alive and only wounded...as long as there is life there is hope...". Unfortunately, for Levi there was no time to grieve, in small part: "...We met a train of our men guarding 16 wagons and they were attacked by the rebs. The rebs taking about 40 horses and mules and some 15 or 20 prisoners and killing one or two of our men and putting the rest of our men to flight...there was 75 of our men and about 200 rebs...the rebs had took all they wanted and set fire to the rest...The next morning they fired on our pickets...they surrounded us...fight we must or surrender...we poured many volleys into their ranks and killed thirteen of them and wounded a good many...Thomas Jackson was shot three times with a Colt navy revolver...the bullets fell thick and fast around us...they took two or three of the teamsters...[and] killed them. One of them they shot twelve times...". Finally, Levi thought of his brother again, in part: "...[Martinsburg, June 24, 1864]...no one knows the feelings that I have, the lose of a near and dear brother which came so unexpected to my ears and then thinking of myself and Amos that we may share the same fate far, far from home...". An intriguing group of letters concerning Melancthon Bowman's service in the Shenandoah and the loss his brother felt over the news of his death in battle. Included, are various family papers and a reunion ribbon for the 160th Ohio dated 1901. A great grouping with some stains and lightness to the writing, overall very good. $1,200-1,500
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