Description:

Siege of Corinth
"Camp 8 miles from Corinth", June 1-2, [1862]
Ohio 1st Light Artillery Soldier's Letter w/ Siege of Corinth Content: "The musket balls flew thick about us..."
Letter

Four pages of a bifolium, 7.5" x 9.375"; June 1-2, [1862]; "Camp 8 miles from Corinth." Union soldier's letter by William Tomlinson of the Ohio 1st Light Artillery, Battery "A" describing heavy skirmishing during the last days of the Siege of Corinth. Content includes the battery's advance across swampy ground to secure a piece of elevated terrain, firing on the railroad, and the Rebel's retreat. Very legible script, with some wear along the folds resulting in minor separations.

From the collection of Larry Berra, son of baseball legend Yogi Berra.

Tomlinson writes to his family just days after the engagement while his recollection is still fresh. In part: "…[Charles S.] Cotters Battery & [Richard] Johnson Brigade have had a battle with the Rebels, none of the batterys boys are hurt. Last Wednesday about 2 oclock, the cesesh sharpshooters commenced fireing on our pickets. Gen. [Don Carlos] Buell wanted us to take a high piece of ground across the swamp in front of us. It must be done at the point of the bayonett. The brush was very thick & when our skirmishers got into the brush the Rebels opened up on them so hard they had to fall back & this encouraged the Rebels so they come out to try & take our guns which lay about 3 hnd [hundred] yards from the swamp. Now we must do something for the first time. Gen. McCook gave orders for us to open on them. Cotter put 4 guns in position & opened fire from & with shell. This did not check them. The musket balls flew thick about us & our men stood at their guns regardless of getting killed. None of us thought of the thing. out of the woods they came & made a charge on us to take our guns. Cotter gave orders to load with canister. We gave them 286 rounds in one hr. from 4 guns. You can think, we were tired. 130 Rebels were tore all to pieces by the canister, it was a desperate fight for a short one. It was the wonder off all that we all got out alive, no one wounded some were as deaf as a post but are getting over it. After they left the swamp Capt Cotter asked Gen Johnson if he could fire at Corinth. He told him he could so off went 2 shell over the woods into the Rebel camp. One struck a train of cars & cut off the conductors leg & killed him, so the prisoners tell us. They then thought we were going to shell them from all sides, they commenced moving last Monday what they could on the cars…after the shell killed the conductor they were panic struck. Most of them left Friday morning at 3 oclock. The first time I have been started was when they blew up the ammunition they could not move…"

William Tomlinson mustered into Battery "A" of the Ohio 1st Light Artillery on September 25, 1861 as a private. He remained with his company until mustering out on July 31,1865 as a corporal.

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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  • Dimensions: 9.375" x 7.5"
  • Medium: Letter

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