Here is an amazing letter!  General Wesley Merritt writes to Medal of Honor winner Theophilus Rodenbough who had had his right arm amputated after the battle of Winchester.  The letter is dated November 7th, 1864 “Head Quarters 1st Cavy. Div.”  Rodenbough…

·         WON THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR TREVILLIAN STATION!

·         WAS CAPTURED AT 2ND BULL RUN!

·         HELPED LEAD STONEMAN’S RAID!

·         WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION AND HAD TWO HORSES SHOT FROM UNDER HIM AT BEVERLY FORD!

·         WOUNDED IN ACTION AT WINCHESTER AND LOST HIS RIGHT ARM!

·         AFTER THE WAR WAS EDITOR OF THE “ARMY–NAVY JOURNAL”!

Union General Wesley Merritt was one of the key Union Cavalry leaders in the war brevetted many times, including Gettysburg and after the war fought Indians and commanded the Philippine Invasion in 1898!  According to Boatner, he was “One of the boy wonders of the war.”

Our letter is very significant in that Rodenbough and Merritt were good friends and Merritt is trying to get Rodenbough a Cavalry position after his wounding.  The letter also includes some war content in the last paragraph.  The letter is 3 pages in ink, has been professionally de-acidified and is in excellent condition.  This letter was “tipped” in an album for the past 100 years and now you have a opportunity to buy this very historic letter!  

#S71 - Price $695

                            Transcription:

 
                                                                                                     Head Quarters 1^st Cav. Div.
                                                                                                                  November 7^th, 1864

My dear Rodenbough:

            I was truly glad to get your letter and hear you

were getting on so well.  I will attend without delay to

your request and send you a letter to Gov. Curtain with

endorsements from Torbert and Sheridan.  I spoke to

the former about the matter and he says there is a

regiment in the 3^rd Div. (a Penn. regt.) that he would

like to see you in command of.  Be that as it may I will

send on the recommendation & you can see the

governor about the regiment.  I have not neglected

your interest in your absence.  On two or three

occasions I have spoken to Sheridan about your

promotion.  He seems to think you deserve it but says

he can’t do so much for the Cavalry as he has to make

promotions in the Infantry, as well, and that the war

Dept. won’t promote more than a certain number. 

However, I recommend you for a Brevet as Brigadier

with a view to your commanding the reserve Brigade,

and if you are not successful in getting a regiment I

think when you return next spring that you can manage

to get the Brigade. 

            You may rest assured I will always in every way

do what I can for your best interests.

            The “stampedes” here seem to think our attack

by the enemy imminent at any moment.  They expect

the enemy to attack for political effort, but it is too late

for that now and I hope and pray that there will be no

more fighting here this fall.  Of course like every one

else, like you I presume, I wonder why the “Army of the

Potomac” doesn’t move?  What can it be about?  Let me

hear from you soon.  I will write again shortly

                                                Very truly your friend,

                                                                                                                W. Merritt