Description:

Interesting Civil War Archive of 5 Letters & 4 Discharge Certificates

A Civil War archive consisting of four discharge certificates and five letters from Joseph J. Finlay. The four certificates are made out to four different soldiers, dating from the end of 1864. Each man was honorably discharged after serving their enlistment period of either 100 days or three years. The group of letters are from Private Joseph James Finlay to various members of the Hogle family, dating from December 1862 to November 1865. Finley, who served with Company H, 80th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 2nd Brigade, Quimbly's Division, shares details both from his service in the war and in the months following the conclusion of fighting. With mentions of Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Richmond, and more. The letters have mail folds with some separations at the edges. Light, varying degrees of toning, foxing, and soiling throughout. The discharge papers also have flattened folds and varying degrees of toning and soiling. Overall, very good. Please refer to the photographs for further condition information.

The archive includes the following:
1. Discharge Certificate: Camp Chase, Ohio; September 10, 1864. Discharging Calvin White, a private of Capt. John J. Shirley's Co. A, 132nd Regiment of National Guards. Enrolled May 2, 1864 for 100 days of service.
2. Discharge Certificate: Atlanta, Georgia; October 1, 1864. Discharging Jacob R. Hunter, a private of Capt. John D. Inskeep's Co. C, 17th Regiment Ohio Infantry. Enrolled September 2, 1861 for 3 years of service.
3. Discharge Certificate: Vicksburg, Mississippi; December 9, 1863. Discharging Taylor McFadden, a corporal of Capt. William A. McAlister's Co. A, 32nd Regiment Ohio Infantry. Enrolled July 12, 1861 for 3 years of service.
4. Discharge Certificate: Zanesville, Ohio; September 1864. Discharging Washington Hair, a private of Capt. George McDonough's Co. K, 160th Regiment Ohio Infantry. Enrolled May 2, 1864 for 100 days of service.

Highlights from Finlay's letters:
December 18, 1862, South of Oxford, Mississippi. To Miss W. Hogle: "…I am still in the service of Uncle Samuel Comp. H, 80th O.V.I. 2nd Brig. Quimbly's Div. Left wing Army of the Tenn. The 80th belonged to the army commanded by Gen. Pope but this is now designated as above…We have a good time now after many a discouraging march through the mud and swamps of Mississippi. The Chivalry as you are aware did not choose to meet the 'Ruthless Invaders' but evacuated their entrenchments on the Tallahatchie preferring no doubt to fight us at their leisure down at Grenada or if that does not suit their whim, at Jackson or Vicksburg - you see they never run, they are always retiring through strategy and always victorious even in their sudden flights. Mini what do you think of this fighting business? Don't you think it is time for our high officials to be in earnest. I cannot see any use in spending two or three years with what might be accomplished in one. I admire the firm and yet conciliatory tone of the President's message - Don't you think he is the man of the day for the position he fills? I hope that Congress will profit by his wise counsels…I hear that Burnside has burned Fredericksburg and crossed the Rappahannock; and that Bragg who is trying to make a junction with Pemberton, alias Price & Vandon, is hotly pursued by Rosecrans. Vicksburg is doomed to fall ere long and of course Richmond cannot fail to be taken this time…"

March 28, 1865, Goldsboro, North Carolina. To Leander H. Hogle: "…We started from Pocotaligo on the 30th of Jan. and reached Columbia on the 17th of Feb…We gazed at it admiringly as it sat upon the heights beyond an imposing if not a magnificent spectacle many a one remarked 'It is a doomed city.' The rebels must have known they could not hold it yet they burned their fine bridges as if that could hinder our advance; this coupled with the burning of cotton in the very streets enraged the more desperate of our soldiers who already desired the destruction of everything in S.C. In addition to this folly of the rebels they preserved and concealed a great quantity of whiskey which the negroes gave to our stragglers and foragers; every thing seemed combined for her destruction the very wind blew with unusual violence and that night Columbia was burned. Some drunken soldiers or escaped prisoners set it on fire…It was a pitiful sight to see women and children escaping for their lived in the dead of night, leaving their comfortable homes penniless and forlorn. I could not have the heart to participate in such a deed if S.C. had been a thousand fold worse than she is…"

July 4, 1865, Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas. To Miss Hogle: "…Since writing my last at Alexandria Va. this portion of the army has traveled over a vast extent of territory, has it not?...I heard someone say that the 97th had been discharged. Is your cousin Adam Hogle at home? I suppose Leander is also, from the East?...i feel a little encouraged by some assurances of the Governor by our Chaplain Mr. Pepper. Volunteers are always anxious to go home when the war is over. I am among that number yet one feels so independent in the Army that I think it tolerable for a considerable time…"

October 7, 1865; Keene, Ohio. To Leander Hogle: "…I did get out of the army at last, an event long hoped for, and reached home on the 26th of Aug. There was great rejoicing among our troops when the surrender of the rebel armies was announced more than when we actually knew we were on our way home for the latter was so long delayed that we received the announcement with a mixture of sullenness."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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