Lot
268 
Confederacy, Benti Middleton Letter to Arthur Huger. Folded letter dated "Sept 26th 1862" to family friend wishing to enlist in Marion Artillery, franked with 4-margin 10¢ light blue postmarked Charleston, S.C. with same date, F.-V.F. Scott No. 2 Estimate $300 - 400.
Both the Middleton and Huger families were prominent in South Caroline.
Realized: $200
Lot
269
Confederacy, Confederate Gen. S.R. Gist Letter to Col F.S. Bartow. ALS of Gist dated Feby 20th 1861, on official "Adj. & Insp. Genl's Office, Charleston, S.C." stationery with original legal size cover inscribed "State of South Carolina, Executive Department"with palmetto tree, franked with pair of U.S. 3¢ dull red cancelled "Charleston, S.C. Feb 21 1861"; letter is referring to requesting a report from Gov. Pickens…"There are only three companies of Artillery & three of Infantry organized under the Enlisted Service Bill, but the recruits are being sent in rapidly & in a few days, the whole force will be in the field. The officers appointed outside of the former U. S. Army are from the most influential families of our State.", F.-V.F. Estimate $2,500 - 3,500.
Col. Bartow became the first "high ranking" Confederate officer to be killed in battle (Bull Run). The rally cry of "Remember Bartow" was printed on many Confederate patriotic covers. "States Rights" Gist was killed at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee on Nov. 30th, 1864.
Realized: $2,300
Lot
270
Confederacy, Confederate Soldier's Letter. 8-page letter from Confederate 3rd VA Cavalryman Thomas B. Booth, datelined Yorktown, June 12, 1861; plus original cover, plus transcription; letter talks about the Battle of Bethel Church …My Little Darling, I received your dear sweet letter and the box you so kindly sent me. You cannot imagine how much obliged I feel to you for it. I was on picket duty at the time it landed at the wharf. Saw it pass in the wagon camp. That was day before yesterday morning. Last night I was relieved, got to camp about dark and the first thing I inquired for was the box because I knew there was a letter in there from Little Darling. Bless your heart for both box and letter. According to promises I write to inform you we have had an engagement with those outrageous invaders. We met that at a church called Bethel about eighteen miles from here where we had thrown up a very strong fortification. I have only to say the enemy were badly whipped. we lost only one man. the enemy met with great loss, from one to three hundred. They were hauling them off from the time of the first gun fired, they had about three to four thousand men to our twelve hundred … the retreating enemy were followed by cavalry to two and a half miles of Hampton [VA] … I hardly think they will return. One of our pickets was just captured. We had an engagement yesterday morning that lasted three hours, F.-V.F. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $400
Lot
271
Confederacy, Confederate Soldier's Letter. Richmond, VA to Augusta, GA, franked with 10¢ rose, postmarked May 29, 1862, from C.S.A. officer Harry Hammond to his wife Emily Hammond who is staying with her parents during the war (a common arrangement). We know he is an officer, otherwise the letter would have been sent postage due, and we learn later from the letter that he is a cavalryman. The envelope is addressed to his father-in-law (presumably) Col. H.H. Cummings, who is also obviously in the C.S.A. Army. The envelope was prepared by Harry on May 27 and he is assiqned to the 31st (presumably the 31st Virginia but could also be the 31st Georgia) brigade, according to the docketing marks; envelope also carries the manuscript notation "For B.L.H.", directing the contents to his wife Emily., Very Fine; with 1995 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 5 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
This letter is remarkably historic in timing, setting and content. The writer notes that his negro manservant and mare, brought along to his enlistment, are both serving him well. Confederate soldiers generally brought their own menservants and steeds. The letter shows that the writer is serving under Brigadier General John Gregg who is under Confederate Army General Joseph B. Johnston. The letter is written just before the two day long battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines), in which over 6,000 Confederate troops and over 5,000 Union troops were lost with an indecisive outcome. Historians generally agree that Johnston made some very bad decisions during this battle. Note the writer's remark about the war being a game of chess, reflecting the mixed popularity of General Johnston. He was never held in high regard by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. The writer is either naive or does not wish to frighten his wife regarding the fighting and about his regiment being marched south into battle positions around Richmond. History shows that the fighting and skirmishing were intense all along the Fredericksburg to Richmond corridor between April 1862 and the end of June 1862 as the union and Confederate forces amassed along this corridor. By the descriptions in the letter, the writer is apparently with an advance guard and he describes moving troops further south east of Richmond into battle position while under enemy artillery fire. The writer describes searching for discarded weapons from the stony Creek Point Skirmish and Confederate retreat two days before this letter was written, on May 25, 1862. By April 4, 1862, McClellan's Union army had started its advance up the James River toward Richmond. Yorktown had fallen to McClellan by May 5, clearing the way for the union army's further penetration up the James to ultimately threaten Richmond. McClellan's advance forced the Confederates to abandon Norfolk and several other positions north, concentrating their troops around the defense of Richmond. The author describes his part in that concentration move from Fredericksburg. This letter, written on May 27, precedes by four days the disabling wounding of General Joseph B. Johnston at Fair Oaks, leading to the appointment of General Robert E. Lee as commander of the Confederate Army.
Realized: $625
Lot
272
Confederacy, Confederate Soldier's Letter. Confederate officer 2-page letter, from S.H. Dent to his sister, plus original transmittal cover, plus transcription. The letter contains valuable new information not in the O.R. about Confederate troop movements after Bragg's defeat at Chattanooga. Until now, details of those movements and their associated command structures have been unclear. S.H. (Stouten Hubert) Dent is a more important person in history than this letter suggests. A devoted pre-war secessionist, Dent resigned his commission and was allegedly connected with the Northwest Conspiracy that attempted to destroy the north. After the war, Dent was pursued by Union General John T. Croxton who sought to have him arrested and tried for treason. S. H. Dent's name appears on a captured Ku Klux Klan document, leading to the speculation that he was a participating member. As a practicing attorney after the war, Dent is known to have authored at least one of the local "black codes" that restricted Alabama black citizen's freedoms. Dent's views subsequently moderated, according to the record of his service on the committee that wrote the 1901 Alabama state constitution. This same constitution remains in effect in Alabama today., F.-V.F. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $375
Lot
273
Confederacy, Confederate Soldier's Letter. 2-page letter from Confederate 10th VA infantry soldier Dilman Eastep to his sister datelined Sept 20, 1863, "Camp 12 miles below Orange Court House"; written after Gettysburg but before the Mine Run campaign…Times are hard at this time everywhere and things of every description are so dear that men in service getting but eleven dollars of this Confederate money per month cannot support their families. Consequently, if the government does not do something soon for us we will have to suffer and if speculation does not stop and if our money is not made legal tender the Confederacy must go under; Included are a tintype photo of Eastep, his wallet, a transcription of his letter and his soldier's record., F.-V.F. Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $270
Lot
274
Confederacy, "Flag of Truce, Apl 4th 1864". Endorsement on cover addressed to "Col. Geo. S. Waring Jr., Comdg 1st Brig U.S. Cav., Raleigh Tenn.", original enclosure datelined "Hd. Qrs. Confederate Cav., Morning Sun Apl. 4th/64" and states "Capt Wenrick of the 19th Penn. was captured yesterday without wound, he is well cared for and sent to the rear", Very Fine, a scarce courtesy extended between Confederate and Union forces. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $425
Lot 275
Confederacy, Fort Warren, July 1st 1864. Dateline on letter written by Thomas D. Amesy to Kate M. Morfit at Baltimore Md. apparently hand carried, Very Fine.Estimate $150 - 200.
Major Amesy was original held at Fort Warren Prison for recruiting men for the Confederacy while he was within Union lines. Union authorities were then going to try him as a spy. Lincoln ordered Aug. 18, 1864 that he be exchanged for Major Nathan Goff at Richmond.
Realized: $150
Lot
276
Confederacy, G.T. Beauregard to So. Carolina Gov. Bonham. Datelined July 13th 1863, on lettersheet inscribed "Head Quarters, Department of South Carolina, Ga. & Fla.", to South Carolina Gov. Bonham, regarding the dire need to use Negro labor for the defense of Charleston, as follows: "Sir, You are aware of the inability of the State authorities under the operations of the law to meet my requisitions for slave labor, and can readily trace some of the consequences in the events of the past week. However, there is no course by which the defects of the law can to some extent be repaired even at this late day? Believing that there must be a remedy in the patriotism and intelligence of the planters of South Carolina, I shall invoke your Executive Proclamation to them in this exigent hour, to send their negroes with spades and shovels to this city, without an instant of delay or hesitation, to the extent of three thousand effective laborers. This can be but an inappreciable subtraction from the labor resources of the people at this or any time. Each negro should be provided with at least three days of subsistence. The people of each district or neighborhood should select some overseer or manager for their negroes, who shall go and remain with them while they are employed. Respectfully…G.T. Beauregard, Gen. Comdg." With the letter is a newspaper article concerning the naming of overseers - one for every 50 negroes. Letter in excellent condition with the flourishing signature of Beauregard, Very Fine, this is a very historical letter as it is the first time in U.S. history that blacks were compelled to labor for the ruling government, in effect fighting against the forces that were trying to free them. Estimate $4,000 - 5,000.
Realized: $4,750
Lot
277
Confederacy, Hd. Qtrs. Taliaferro Brig., February 20th, 1863. Dateline on letter enclosed in cover carried "Favor of Capt Mortz" to Harrisonburg Va. where manuscript "Due 2 cts" drop letter rating added, letter written by Col. Edward T. H. Warren of the 10th Virginia Infantry with interesting 4 pages of content…"What a difference in this respect between our army and the Yankees, they are as solemn as a church without any spirit for fun or amusement. Ours on the contrary, full of life and fight…", Very Fine; with 1985 P.F. certificate. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $350