lot of 4 ALsS from William S. Wall of Harrison County, Kentucky to his mother in Cynthiana. Wall, a Corporal in the 2nd Kentucky (Dukes) Cavalry, was a member of John Hunt Morgan's raiders. Along with Morgan and nearly 2000 of his men, Wall was captured in Ohio during his dashing "raid" in July of 1863. Wall, a highly literate writer, begins his correspondance on July 27, the day after he and many of his fellow troopers were captured near New Lisbon, "Selina [sic], Jefferson Co., O. July 27th 1863." In this first letter shortly after his capture by local militia, he notes he is safe and being kindly treated by a local citizen who promised to send home his pocket watch and other personal effect. His friend, Remus Offutt is with him. As for the other Cynthiana boys: I don't know where they are.. but assume they are all in the same fix with myself. After their capture, Morgan's men were taken by steamboat down the Ohio to Cincinnati. In his second letter, dated "Cincinnati July 31st 1863" Wall informs his mother he is well, and lets her know he is being kept in a barracks on 3rd Street. Cincinnati was but a temporary stop on the way to a real prison camp, however, and a third letter dated "Rock Island, Barrack 53 Sunday Jan. 8th, 1864" makes it clear that he was now ensconced in Illinois. He has obviously fallen into the routine of prison life, for his letter, now censored by the Union authorities, merely discusses his normal needs of money and clothing and stamps, the probability of an exchange (which he feels might soon take place). He asks for eating utensils, clothing, a black hat, and tellingly, a pound of unground black pepper. His last letter "Barrack 53, June 19th 1864" bespeaks the boredom of prison life. Responding to his mother's query about reading, he notes that he has read the same magazine 14 times, and that he hadn't seen any other written material -- much less a book -- in three months. Walls' letters are literature, entertaining, and even amusing. After the war he returned to Cynthiana, where he had a successful career as a lawyer and politician. A choice little group from one of the Bluegrass state's fabled Civil War units. Condition:Light scattered foxing and light toning, else VG.
lot of 4 ALsS from William S. Wall of Harrison County, Kentucky to his mother in Cynthiana. Wall, a Corporal in the 2nd Kentucky (Dukes) Cavalry, was a member of John Hunt Morgan's raiders. Along with Morgan and nearly 2000 of his men, Wall was captured in Ohio during his dashing "raid" in July of 1863. Wall, a highly literate writer, begins his correspondance on July 27, the day after he and many of his fellow troopers were captured near New Lisbon, "Selina [sic], Jefferson Co., O. July 27th 1863." In this first letter shortly after his capture by local militia, he notes he is safe and being kindly treated by a local citizen who promised to send home his pocket watch and other personal effect. His friend, Remus Offutt is with him. As for the other Cynthiana boys: I don't know where they are.. but assume they are all in the same fix with myself. After their capture, Morgan's men were taken by steamboat down the Ohio to Cincinnati. In his second letter, dated "Cincinnati July 31st 1863" Wall informs his mother he is well, and lets her know he is being kept in a barracks on 3rd Street. Cincinnati was but a temporary stop on the way to a real prison camp, however, and a third letter dated "Rock Island, Barrack 53 Sunday Jan. 8th, 1864" makes it clear that he was now ensconced in Illinois. He has obviously fallen into the routine of prison life, for his letter, now censored by the Union authorities, merely discusses his normal needs of money and clothing and stamps, the probability of an exchange (which he feels might soon take place). He asks for eating utensils, clothing, a black hat, and tellingly, a pound of unground black pepper. His last letter "Barrack 53, June 19th 1864" bespeaks the boredom of prison life. Responding to his mother's query about reading, he notes that he has read the same magazine 14 times, and that he hadn't seen any other written material -- much less a book -- in three months. Walls' letters are literature, entertaining, and even amusing. After the war he returned to Cynthiana, where he had a successful career as a lawyer and politician. A choice little group from one of the Bluegrass state's fabled Civil War units. Condition:Light scattered foxing and light toning, else VG.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
