Marye’s Heights, Fredericksburg – UNION BALLOON SHOT AT! – Confederate Letter in Ink with a Rare Jeff Davis “TEN” Stamped Cover – Captain Joseph S. Brown, Sumter Artillery, 3rd Corps Under General A. P. Hill – “I HAVE HUNTED SOME FOR MY HORSE (LOST AT THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE), BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING OF HIM YET. I AM RIDING A BROKEN-DOWN HORSE THAT SERGEANT RICKETTS TOOK UP FOR ME. I NEVER EXPECT TO SEE MY HORSE AGAIN.” – “OUR GUNS ARE ON LEE’S & MARYE’S HILLS… OUR AMMUNITION SEEMED TO BE INFERIOR AND MOST OF OUR SHELL FELL SHORT.” – “(7 A.M.) FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 12TH, 1863. THEY HAVE JUST BEEN FIRING AT THE YANKEE BALLOON AND IT WENT DOWN RAPIDLY. WE COULD SEE THE SHELL BURST FROM OUR (WAGON) CAMP IN THE AIR.”
This letter has two sheets of paper, the first an 8 x 11-inch sheet and the second, a half page. Both written in nice dark readable ink on both front and back. The letter is headed, “Near Fredericksburg June 10th, 63” and concludes with writing on June 11th and 12th. The cover has a “Richmond June 13th” cancellation… and for our postal history collectors a dark blue Jefferson Davis TEN stamp with nice margins.
Joseph S. Brown enlisted in Richmond as a Private on September 11th, 1861 into the Amherst Light Artillery. He was discharged in October 1862 and became Chaplain of the Sumter Artillery, Col. A. S. Cutts 3rd Corps. Army of Northern Virginia. Here is the content:
- Near Fredericksburg June 10th, 63. Dr. B. P. Morris Dear Friend; I received your & Tom’s letter of the 17 & 18th of May, to which I believe I replied; but I am not sure. I received a letter from John Jones about the same time. My health is pretty good at present, though I HAVE BEEN QUITE UNWELL SINCE THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.
- I HAVE HUNTED SOME FOR MY HORSE, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING OF HIM YET. I AM RIDING A BROKEN-DOWN HORSE THAT SERGEANT RICKETTS TOOK UP FOR ME. I NEVER EXPECT TO SEE MY HORSE AGAIN.
- Col. Nelson’s Battalion has been assigned to the 2nd Army Corps (Ewell’s) & Col. Cutts to the 3rd Army Corps, A. P. Hills, and as the 1st (Longstreet’s) and 2nd have gone to Culpepper, and the 3rd are left to hold these fortifications, so we are separated, & I do expect to be with Capt. R’s Company much more.
- They left last week. Gen. Pendleton’s reserve Corps is abolished, and each Corps has 5 battalions of Artillery and three Divisions. Longstreet has Hood’s Pickets & the McLaw’s divisions. Ewell has Rodes (Jackson’s), Johnson & Early’s, and Hill has Anderson, Heath & Pendleton.
- There has been a reorganization of the Army, & all the Artillery has been put into Battalions, & they are not attached to Brigades. Gen. Pendleton remains Chief of Artillery in the Army of N. V. A. He and his staff have gone with Gen. Lee to Culpepper. I shall probably remain with Col. Cutts (the Sumter Battalion). Col. Cutts is at home on sick leave, and Col. John Lane, son of Joe Logan of Oregon is in command.
- OUR GUNS ARE ON LEE’S & MARYE’S HILLS & UP AT BANK’S FORD. OUR ARTILLERY FIRED A LITTLE ON THE YANKEE’S YESTERDAY EVENING; BUT OUR AMMUNITION SEEMED TO BE INFERIOR AND MOST OF OUR SHELL FELL SHORT.
- THEY SHOT AT US OCCASIONALLY NEARLY EVERY DAY. Their practice is fine.
- Thursday Evening June 11th, 1863. I sat up with a sick man last night and failed to finish my letter this morning. Nothing more has transpired.
- OUR MEN ARE STILL IN LINE OF BATTLE. WE CAN SEE THE YANKEES DIGGING TRENCHES BELOW DEEP RUN ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER. I expect that we will stay here some time, but I cannot tell. You all must write to me often, as I am now separated from all the Amherst men, and indeed so far as I know, from most of my old acquaintances, and I must rely on letters for most of my information from my old friends.
- WRITE TO ME AS CHAPLAIN WITH COL. CUTTS’ BATTALION (SUMTER ARTILLERY), GEN. A. P. HILL’S CORPS., HAMILTON’S CROSSING, UNLESS YOU SUPPOSE WE SHALL HAVE MOVED, AND THEN DIRECT AS ABOVE TO ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
- LET ME HEAR FROM Y. DELL AND NEGROES. Tell Tom that I sent him a list of the Amherst men in Capt. K.’s Company; but Christian’s old Company left before I got a good opportunity to secure theirs. I saw John H. Christian & Garland Banks Christian, etc. Give my love to all my friends. VERY TRULY JOSEPH S. BROWN CHAPLAIN WITH SUMTER ARTILLERY COL. A. S. CUTTS 3RD CORPS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
- (7 A.M.) FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 12TH, 1863. THEY HAVE JUST BEEN FIRING AT THE YANKEE BALLOON AND IT WENT DOWN RAPIDLY. WE COULD SEE THE SHELL BURST FROM OUR (WAGON) CAMP IN THE AIR.
- One of Col. Cutts’ couriers returned from Culpepper last night, and he says that Ewell’s Corps with Col. Nelson’s Battalion had started for the Valley of Virginia towards Port Royal (and Flint Hill in Rappahannock) & that Gen. Pendleton left yesterday morning for that region. We may follow, but our (3rd) Corps may be left to protect this line & to cover Richmond.
- There was some picket fighting on yesterday. Write soon & let me know how Tom is getting on with the list. I shall not be able to get to Amherst for some time. Tell Tom if he sees a good bargain in a horse, buy him, & he can let me have him or keep him. Let me hear how father is. I am feeling quite well this morning. Let me hear from the Amherst elections, whether Powell is elected or not. YOUR SINCERE FRIEND JOS. S. BROWN CHAPLAIN SUMTER ARTILLERY COL. CUTTS (3RD CORPS) GEN. A. P. HILL. HAMILTON’S CROSSING NEAR FREDERICKSBURG
Condition is excellent as is the cover. A rare museum piece.
#L6-10-63 – Price $1,495
