Lot 723
Confederacy, Andersonville Prison, Andersonville, Ga. Prisoner of war letter datelined "Andersonville, Georgia, July 28th, 1864" from Herbert O. Smith to his father, he mentions "I am surprised that our folks, the federals, do not get their men away from here. There is about 30,000 of them here fast growing less, I have got one shirt to me back & that I have had on ever since the first of May…Give my love to all for I don't know whether I shall ever see any of you again.", Very Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Herbert O. Smith was a 26 year old farmer from Westboro, Mass. He was a member of Company K of the 57th Mass. Inf. Less than two months after he enlisted, he was wounded in action at the battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864, and at Spotsylvania Court House, May 10-18th. He was then captured at North Anna River, Va. on May 24, 1864 and sent to Andersonville Prison. At Andersonville, according to the book Mother, May You Never See The Sights I Have Seen, The Fifty-Seventh Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers in the Last of the Civil War by Warren Wilkinson, he was murdered by "The Raiders". The Raiders were a group of Union Prisoners of War at Andersonville who survived by preying brutally on weaker inmates for anything of value. Six of them were later hanged for their exploits in the prison. Smith is buried in the Andersonville National Cemetery in grave No. 7158.
Realized: $2,300