This well written 4 page letter in ink is by Col. Milton Wells of the 15th West Virginia Infantry.  Accompanying this wonderful letter is a nice CDV of Col. Wells.  The CDV taken at Part Ridge’s Gallery in Wheeling, Virginia (West Virginia), shows the Col. in a battle-worn, wrinkled uniform.  The letter is one of the finest Colonel’s letters in our collection! 

·        “You seem to work by the old rule of our ancestors “if you will write to me I will write
to you”.  You certainly have forgotten that you live in a Yankee Nation and that young
America has forgotten the old rules and missions of our fathers.  You must remember
that I am a soldier and that time and opportunity are not as often offered me to hold
sweet converse with those that are near and dear to me as I desire.”

·        “I have been commanding this brigade for more than a month.  It is much the largest
brigade in General Crooks Command numbering near (4,000) four thousand men and
let me assure it was quite a compliment as well as an honor that the Gen. conferred on
me when he assigned me to this command.” 

·        “Let me assure you dear sister that this army has seen the horrors of war during the
past summer.  Many long and dreary marches have we made, many hard contested
battles have we fought and in this valley lies moldering the bodies of many of our brave
comrades.  This valley is one sarcophagus of bodies from Harper’s Ferry to Staunton. 
Here lies both friend foe side by side.  But the hardest battle and the bloodiest of this
campaign was fought at Cedar Creek the 19th of Oct.  Before the break of day the
enemy came down on us with their cohorts completely taking us by surprise, but as

     good luck would have it I had my command in the trenches and was ready and there
we fought until overwhelmed.  I gave the first command on that ever memorable morn
to fire on the enemy and consequently opened the ball.  My men staid in the trenches
and fought until the enemy came onto us with the butts of their muskets.  Many of my

     brave boys had their brains knocked out by the butts of the muskets in the enemies
hands and there in that trench would the whole command sacrificed their lives had I
not ordered them to retreat and when this was done we were almost surrounded but

     with a yell which none but West Virginians know how to give we cut our way through
but our lines were completely broken and our whole Corps. was scattered and flying. 
Soon the ninetieth Corps. was compelled to fall back and all seemed to be lost.  We fell
back in confusion about four miles.  Everyone seeming to fight on his own hook.  It was
a hand to hand fight for some time and then what showers of shots and shell but at last
our noble General came, lines were soon reformed as by massive stragglers were soon
coming in all directions and shouts swelled shouts as never before went up from an
army were sent up, Sheridan was on the ground, a man in whom all had confidence
never before could I believe that one man could escort an influence over thousands.  So
as to induce them almost in a moment to change their front to a pursuing enemy
Sheridan alone appearing on the ground when he did, saved the day turned a defeat
into a glorious victory but it took hard fighting three times did the enemy charge our
lines and three times were they repulsed.  At last we charge, they fly and that to in
much greater haste than we did in the morning.” 

·        “But I never again want to witness such a sight as that battle ground presented dead
and wounded men lying in piles four deep, such groans, such sighs, and then to think
that I had passed through the scenes of that day unscathed, unhurt, how thankful I am,
how thankful I should be only think since this war began I have been in thirty battles
and many of them the severest battles of the war and not a hair of my head touched, my
clothes have been riddled with bullets my hat or cap has been shot from my head twice
with shells, three swords have been shot from my hands, cut in twain, one horse killed, is
it not remarkable that I have escaped unhurt, yet such is the case and God be praised that
such is the case.  Well this valley presents a true picture of the horror of war.  Not a fence
outbuilding or hardly a forest is to be seen.  It is certainly a valley of desolation or at least
our army is making it so.” 

For the West Virginia collector, the collector of Sheridan & Cedar Creek, or just wonderful graphic letters, you won’t find a finer piece! 

#S77WV - Price for the pair $1,595

                    Transcription:
                                                                                                                     Hd. Qtrs. 3rd Brig. 1st Inf. Div.
                                                                                                                                             Army of West Va.
                                                                                                                   Camp Russell’s, Nov. 20th, 1864

                        Michael,

      A long time has elapsed since I either wrote you or you me.  You seem to
work by the old rule of our ancestors “if you will write to me I will write to
you”.  You certainly have forgotten that you live in a Yankee Nation and that
young America has forgotten the old rules and missions of our fathers.  You
must remember that I am a soldier and that time and opportunity are not as
often offered me to hold sweet converse with those that are near and dear
to me as I desire.  My health is good.  I am very comfortably situated under
or rather within a canvass tent with a brick chimney, good fire place, etc,
plenty to eat and indeed all that I could desire to make me comfortable in
the field.  My position now renders me all the above favors.  I have been
commanding this brigade for more than a month.  It is much the largest
brigade in General Crooks Command numbering near (4,000) four thousand
men and let me assure it was quite a compliment as well as an honor that the
Gen. conferred on me when he assigned me to this command.  Let me assure
you dear sister that this army has seen the horrors of war during the past
summer.  Many long and dreary marches have we made, many hard
contested battles have we fought and in this valley lies moldering the bodies
of many of our brave comrades.  This valley is one sarcophagus of bodies
from Harper’s Ferry to Staunton.  Here lies both friend foe side by side.  But
the hardest battle and the bloodiest of this campaign was fought at Cedar
Creek the 19th of Oct.  Before the break of day the enemy came down on us
with their cohorts completely taking us by surprise, but as good luck would
have it I had my command in the trenches and was ready and there we
fought until overwhelmed.  I gave the first command on that ever memorable
morn to fire on the enemy and consequently opened the ball.  My men staid
in the trenches and fought until the enemy came onto us with the butts of
their muskets.  Many of my brave boys had their brains knocked out by the
butts of the muskets in the enemies hands and there in that trench would the
whole command sacrificed their lives had I not ordered them to retreat and
when this was done we were almost surrounded but with a yell which none
but West Virginians know how to give we cut our way through but our lines
were completely broken and our whole Corps. was scattered and flying.  Soon
the ninetieth Corps. was compelled to fall back and all seemed to be lost.  We
fell back in confusion about four miles.  Everyone seeming to fight on his own
hook.  It was a hand to hand fight for sometime and then what showers of
shots and shell but at last our noble General came, lines were soon reformed

as by massive stragglers were soon coming in all directions and shouts swelled
shouts as never before went up from an army were sent up, Sheridan was
on the ground, a man in whom all had confidence never before could I believe
that one man could escort an influence over thousands.  So as to induce them
almost in a moment to change their front to a pursuing enemy Sheridan alone
appearing on the ground when he did, saved the day turned a defeat into a
glorious victory but it took hard fighting three times did the enemy charge
our lines and three times were they repulsed.  At last we charge, they fly
and that to in much greater haste than we did in the morning.  But I never
again want to witness such a sight as that battle ground presented dead and
wounded men lying in piles four deep, such groans, such sighs, and then to
think that I had passed through the scenes of that day unscathed, unhurt, how
thankful I am, how thankful I should be only think since this war began I have
been in thirty battles and many of them the severest battles of the war and not
a hair of my head touched, my clothes have been riddled with bullets my hat
or cap has been shot from my head twice with shells, three swords have been
shot from my hands, cut in twain, one horse killed, is it not remarkable that
I have escaped unhurt, yet such is the case and God be praised that such is the
case.  Well this valley presents a true picture of the horror of war.  Not a fence
outbuilding or hardly a forest is to be seen.  It is certainly a valley of desolation
or at least our army is making it so.  I received a letter from “Will” today.  He
is at Cumberland with Capt. Morrow and seems to be enjoying himself hugely. 

Also received a letter from Mary, all are well.  Agnes seems to have had another
increase in the family.  Ezbar & Agnes always seemed to me to be a kind of
“Slow go easy” folks but they prove to be fast in family affairs, and also
another letter was received from Josephine.  She seems to be enjoying herself
very well and to be progressing finely with her studies.  Do you and her ever
have any correspondence?  If not I wish you would.  Not only for the pleasure
it may give you but the benefit that may arrive from the correspondence to
Josephine I shall engage in teaching as soon as I leave the army in an academy
in West Va. and wish Josephine to assist me.  I will close by sending my kindest
regards to Thomas, also to Nannie and “Willy” boy I have never seen.  Lieut.
Lazear (son of John Lazear, and A.D.C. on my staff)
sends his respects.

Your bro,

                    Milton

                        P.S. Direct to Col. Milton Wells

                      Commanding 3rd Brig. 1st Inf. Div.

                      Army of West Va.

                      Shenandoah Valley, Va.