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(THE DEATH OF PVT. OLIVER E. ELLSWORTH)

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(THE DEATH OF PVT. OLIVER E. ELLSWORTH)
The war-date correspondence of Pvt. Oliver Ellsworth of Marion, Ohio with the 22nd Michigan, a grouping of thirteen partial letters and A.L.S.'s, abt. 46pp. 8vo., most in ink, in and about Nashville from an undetermined time until his death in April, 1864. Also included is a cased tintype photo of Ellsworth showing him in uniform from waist, up, with a note in his hand: "Army of the Potomac Aug. 18, from Oliver C. Ellsworth to Miss Mary K. Rounds". Cover detached, image itself near fine. Very routine camp content, but the value of this lot lies in the additional 40+ pages of touching letters from Ellsworth's family members, all concerned about his deteriorating health, poor camp conditions, and so on. Included also are four letters to the family from a doctor and nurse at the Chattanooga regimental hospital, in part: "…he is in a very dangerous condition…I do not think he will be alive when this reaches you. He desires me to give you his blessing and says he hopes to meet you all in heaven. He seems to feel very much for his poor mother and while I am writing these few words to you he is crying out for his poor mother…he wanted to stay with the boys until they all went home together…" A heartbreaking correspondence chronicling the end of a soldier's life and the suffering of his family.