Description:

Civil War -

Civil War Battle of Spotsylvania report with hand-drawn map.

Bi-fold ALS on lightly lined paper stock, 8" x 9.75". Dated "June 27th 1864", and signed by 'W. F. Forbes / Capt A.A.I.G".

Heavily inscribed on three of the four pages with the hand drawn map occupying the entire of page three. Expected folds and overall clean with faint stains to page two, and slight toning to the last page, else near fine.

This Civil War document from the 20th Massachusetts was recently found in a home in Lowell, Massachusetts. It originally belonged to Mr. Dudley L. Page of Lowell, who was in several Massachusetts Army units during the Civil War. Uncle Dudley Page was well known in Lowell where he opened a Candy & Ice cream store in 1866, just after the war.

With the exception of First Bull Run, the 20th participated in all of the major battles and many of the smaller battles fought by the Army of the Potomac. Their baptism of fire occurred at Ball's Bluff on October 21, 1861. Other battles included the Seven Days, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, the Siege of Petersburg and the Appomattox Campaign. The skirmish referred to in this ALS occurred shortly after the battle of Spotsylvania Court House (which ended May 21st of 1864).

Grant had ordered the Army of the Potomac (led by General George Meade) to march south via a flanking motion in an attempt to get between Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Richmond. Their destination was the small town of Spotsylvania Court House, a crossroads on the road to Richmond.

This very rare, detailed, Military Reports of the 2nd Div, 20th Massachusetts, includes a spectacular hand drawn Map on the third page of this report showing the position of every division, along with measurements and distances to the enemy skirmish lines from locations within Virginia. This report reads in part "...Our the front line 2 ndbrigade is no tho farther edge of the woods, and about 1200 yds advance from our former breastworks. ...... Skirmishers are well posted in part of all the line at distances of 30 to 80 yrds, according to the ground. ...... The 5 th and 66 th Ohio Vols. hold the house across the field on our left from which the 5 th drove the enemy's skirmishers the morning at 9 O'clock. ...... They have entrenched themselves then under a very heavy artillery from a battery about 400 yrds in their front. ...... The right of Davis's division (14 th Corps) is a short distance to the left and rear of the house held by the 5 th Ohio. ...... Both of our Batteries are posted on our left and rear."

Needless to say this finely detailed, 2nddivision, 20th Corps Report would be considered, Top Secret and is fascinating to review. A spectacular rare piece from the Civil War.

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