Beschreibung:

11 soldiers’ letters (10 with envelopes and stamps); 1862-1864. The last state to enter the union before the start of the Civil War, Minnesota was a sparsely settled region, looking west to the conflict on the plains as much as east to the seat of conflict between the states. During the summer 1861, Minnesotans responded to the crisis by raising the 2nd Minnesota Infantry company by company, and when complete in the fall, they were ordered into the federal service. Assigned to the renowned Robert McCook’s brigade in the Army of the Ohio, they saw hard service in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi, taking in part in major battles and campaigns from Mill Springs, Shiloh, and Corinth to Perryville, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge before their reenlistment, and in the Atlanta Campaign and Sherman’s marches to the sea and through the Carolinas after. Few outfits earned their status as veterans as thoroughly as the 2nd Minnesota. Sgt. George Rutherford was a typically hard-bitten non-commissioned officer in the 2nd Minnesota, and like many of his comrades in this hard-bitten regiment, he saw his share of the hard-bitten action and suffered the consequences. All eleven letters in this exciting collection are addressed to George’s sister, Mary, care of the Lunatic Asylum at Columbus, Ohio (what she was doing there is never answered, though work seems the more likely option). Although Rutherford’s writing is far from polished, he is a man whose personality comes through loud and clear, whose confidence and optimism carried him through some of the hardest trials of soldier’s life. His letters are effective in conveying the mood of the regiment and their remarkable ability to handle adversity and danger. On Aug 9, 1863, for example, Rutherford informed his sister that the regiment had lost their beloved commander: We have marched through one of the worst sesesh countries in the south and guariles bound [guerrillas abound] and they would fire on our men every chance they could get. General McCook was killed last Tuesday morning by a band guarillas [band of guerrillas]. He was riding about three miles ahead of our brigade when he was fired at and killed and his body guard taken prisoners....we all lament his loss in the servis of his country. We will never find another man that will fill his place as well... he always cared more for his men than he did for himself.... Even better is Rutherford’s long letter written during the pivotal fall of 1863, right after the brutality of Chickamauga, where the 2nd lost one third of its effectives, and before the heroic triumph at Missionary Ridge. With matters still very much in doubt on Oct. 28, 1863, Rutherford wrote from Chattanooga, putting on the best face while in dire straights: we will try to give old -Confederate Gen. Braxton] Bragg enough the next time we try it for I think we are enough for him and all the hosts of Rebeldom combined. We had to retreat back to Chattanooga after fighting him two days in the late Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia but we have got reinforcements since then and we are about redy to try him again. The late Battle of Chickamauga was one of the hardest fought battles of the war and there was heavy loss of life on boath sides. The Rebels had at least two men to our one but still their less was as heavy if not greater than ours. We had to fight for Chattanooga and we fought hard for it -- it was the great object of campaign, but it was dearly bought and there was hundreds and thousands of true and brave men lost their lives in that great struggle... Much more on their strategy for Lookout Mountain and beyond, subsisting on half rations, and more. But the change of fortunes in war came swiftly, and on Dec. 13, he brought his sister up to date: We are still at Chattanooge and we will probably stay here the winter as the Rebels have been driven from our front with heavy loss. They have received a severe blow such a blow that they will not be able to recover from