"…the shell have killed men so near me that their brains flew in my face…"

Autograph letter signed by Frank Bailey, Company F, 34th New York Infantry. Camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia, 17 December 1862. 4 pages, 8vo. With original cover, red 3-cent stamp, and Washington, D.C. cancel. Cover verso has red and blue edging and docketing. 

Frank Bailey wrote this letter to his brother and sister describing in graphic detail some of the fighting that occurred at the Battle of Fredericksburg. He writes of the horrors of battles and the dangers he faced: “I have sailed around under the enemys shells and bullets for five days but the shell have killed men so near me that their brains flew in my face,” He continues, describing the carnage he witnessed: “…a young man… had his leg blowed off close to his knee by a shell.” 

Concluding his battle report, he writes: “The rebs fell back into their entrenchments on a range of hills just outside of the city where they could wake hell out of us… but we was in rough place once where we could look right into the mouth of a rebel canon that was playing on our brigade…they have got back to the city by this time but they will find nothing by ruins like unto sodom and gomorrah.” 

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought in Virginia during December 1862, where more Union soldiers died than Confederates. Bailey acknowledges this in his letter, writing that “I presume you anxiously scan the list of killed and wounded to see if I have not been wiped out.” 

Frank Bailey mustered into Company F of the 34th New York Infantry on 15 June 1861. At some point he was promoted to corporal and eventually mustered out on 30 June 1863. As part of the 34th New York, Bailey would have most likely participated in the Battle of Fair Oaks, the Seven Days Battles, Antietam, and the Chancellorsville Campaign. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Manuscripts, Documents, Letters, Ephemera, Signatures, Autographs] 

Some ink fading.