MUSEUM QUALITY
AMERICANA
COMMEMORATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL WAR WITH
THE FINEST ORIGINAL SOLDIER'S LETTERS AND ARTIFACTS
This two page letter in easy to read ink, was written by Green D. Redwine from Company F of the 7th North Carolina Infantry. Five months earlier Green had been wounded at Gaines’ Mill, Virginia. The letter is written just a few days after the great battle of Fredericksburg and Redwine gives some great details of the battle!
· “I have been spared through another great battle for which I feel very thankful to my maker.”
· “I was in the hottest in the battle of Fredericksburg and came through without a scratch though
a ball entered my knapsack and tore my needle case all to pieces and broke all my needles.”
· “Another ball struck my shoulder and another struck my gun. It seems they cut me close though
I come through safe.”
· “Our Co. suffered severely; we had 12 men wounded and 1 killed… Our regiment was engaged
nearly all day Saturday last. Our brigade suffered considerably. We were in the hottest of the fight.”
· “The right wing of our brigade was at one time drawn back to our second line of battle. We had
three lines of battle 10 or 15 miles long drawn up 3 or 4 hundred yards apart. The Yankees attacked
the right wing of our brigade with 7 lines of battle. Our men were in a ditch along the railroad and
they mowed down the Yankees by thousands. They were finally beaten back to our second line of
battle and one brigade of that line charged the enemy and drove them back, so at night we had our
old position and our regiment stood high ground.”
· “Our Co. supported a battery and suffered considerable by shells, canister and grapeshot. Our
battery gave way and we had to advance upon the enemy in the hottest of the fight. We had over
100 men killed and wounded in our regiment… Several of our Co. were struck by balls and pieces
of shells that disabled them from duty…”
The letter is in fine condition written in nice dark ink, easily read and a wonderful addition for the Confederate battle letter or Fredericksburg collector!
#CG165 - Price $1,195
Transcription:
Camp 8 or 10 miles below Fredericksburg, Va.
Dec. the 19th, 1862
Dear Father, Mother and Sisters,
I am again permitted to drop you a few lines which will inform you that I
am in good health. I truly hope these lines will soon reach and find you all in good health,
thanks be to the great giver of all good I have been spared through another great battle for
which I feel very thankful to my maker. I was in the hottest in the battle of Fredericksburg
and came through without a scratch though a ball entered my knapsack and tore my needle
case all to pieces and broke all my needles. Another ball struck my shoulder and another
struck my gun. It seems they cut me close though I come through safe. Our Co. suffered
severely; we had 12 men wounded and 1 killed. Corporal Haire was killed. Captain Turner
is mortally wounded, through the lungs. D. H. Cross slightly wounded in the thighs. Jesse
Styers wounded in the breast, Charles Hegler wounded and missing, we think he fell in the
hands of the enemy. Henry Fight, Brant Pennington, Watkins, D. B. Phillips, William Fry
and several others were wounded in our company. They are from Rowan County. Our
regiment was engaged nearly all day Saturday last. Our brigade suffered considerably.
We were in the hottest of the fight. The right wing of our brigade was at one time drawn
back to our second line of battle. We had three lines of battle 10 or 15 miles long drawn up
3 or 4 hundred yards apart. The Yankees attacked the right wing of our brigade with 7
lines of battle. Our men were in a ditch along the railroad and they mowed down the
Yankees by thousands. They were finally beaten back to our second line of battle and one
brigade of that line charged the enemy and drove them back, so at night we had our old
position and our regiment stood high ground. Our Co. supported a battery and suffered
considerable by shells, canister and grapeshot. Our battery gave way and we had to
advance upon the enemy in the hottest of the fight. We had over 100 men killed and
wounded in our regiment – though but very few of them were killed, mostly wounded
and a great many of them very slightly wounded. Several of our Co. were struck by balls
and pieces of shells that disabled them from duty for a few minutes but they are able for
duty at present. A ball glanced Calvin Reids leg though it did not hurt him. Our boys are
in good health. Write soon, direct to Richmond Va. 7th NC. Regt.
I remain truly your son,
G. D. Redwine
