Antietam KIA Letter on 13th Massachusetts Letterhead in Period Ink

Description: This letter is written entirely in very readable period brown ink, and has the rare “Head Quarters 13thRegiment Rifles, Mass Vol.” letterhead. It measures 5” x 7 ¾” folded, and was penned less than one year before Private David S. Thurber was killed in Miller’s Cornfield at the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg, Maryland). Darnestown, where this letter was written, is less than 50 miles southeast of Sharpsburg. Private David Sibley Thurber was born on June 10, 1838, in Mendon, Massachusetts, where he would be laid to rest 24 years later. Thurber, a 23-year-old clerk working in Boston, enlisted less than three weeks after the firing on Fort Sumter. He was one of two men killed in his company in the savage fighting in Miller’s Cornfield. His remains lie in Swan Dale Cemetery, Mendon, MassachusettsSergeant Austin Stearns of Company K wrote, “The rebs fired first but we being so near, many of the balls went over our heads, but still many took effect. We halted and commenced fireing immediately. Men now commenced to drop on all sides; I remember now, as I stood loading my gun, of looking up the line and seeing a man of Co. D. who I was quite intimate with throw up his hands and fall to the ground; one little struggle more and then all was still.” This death could either describe Thurber as he and Stearns lived only 11 miles apart and might have been acquainted. Diarist Samuel Derrick Webster of Thurber’s Company D added: “When ordered off Co. D. had but 4 men, under a sergt, and a corporal – the latter wounded.” In all, the 13th Massachusetts took 301 men into the battle and brought out only 165; a loss of 45%.Letter No 2Head Quarters 13thRegiment Rifles,Mass. Vol.Camp HamiltonDarnestown, MD Sep 26Dear Sister, I rec yours with the utmost pleasure as a letter from anyone while we are out here is worth its weight in gold was glad to hear that all the folks were well as for myself I never was so well before in my life andhave been till the time since I left good old Boston and am growing fat as a hog. to day being fast we have had a big time we all marched to Darnestown and had a meeting it made a big show there was 15,000 Soldiers there Gen [Nathaniel P.] Banks and all the big men was there. when we came back our Col [Samuel H. Leonard] made a speech to us he said he had been looking to find some Regt to compare us with but could not find one that could hold a candle to us said he would not change his command for anyone in the U.S. said he never felt so big in all his life. we did look splendid if I do say it and we have got the best looking camp in the army and our Regt is known as the Model Regt. we have got good officers and our chaplain [Noah M. Gaylord] is a perfect brick and one of the smartest men in the country. you speak about sending me a box. I had one from Boston from a friend of mine and it went good he brings lots of them every week. he leaves Boston every Tuesday his office is at No 199 Washington St I should be pleased to get one from home some good Donnuts and such like would go well or some apples if you send one send only a small one, our Company is on guard to day and a bad day it is raining hard but we do not mind it much the weather is about the same as at home coldnights and warm days but Ilike the life much better than in doors. Give my love to the children and all the folks and write soon. From your brother D S. Thurber Co D, 13 Regt Mass Vol Banks Div MdChaplain Noah M. Gaylord in March 1863 was transferred to the US Volunteers Hospital Chaplains, and later served as Post-Chaplain, Campbell Hospital, Washington, D.C. He died in 1873,and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton, Ohio. An impressive photo of Gaylord in full chaplain’s regalia is on his Find A Grave page.Colonel Samuel Haven Leonard rose to command of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1stCorps of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Gettysburg until he was wounded by a gunshot wound in the arm. In all, the brigade had five different commanders on that day. The 13th Massachusetts, one of five regiments that composed this brigade, lost 185 out of 284 men. Leonard died at the age of 77, and is buried in Worcester Rural Cemetery, Worcester, MassachusettsAt the time of the Civil War, photographer John P. Soule occupied 199 Washington Street, Boston Massachusetts. His profile on Wikipedia does not mention any philanthropic work during the American Civil War. This is the address Thurber’s sister was directed to for a box of foodstuffs.A month ago on eBay, a less interesting letter in pencil by Thurber with a colorful 13thMassachusetts cover sold for over $400.00. This is a no reserve auction which will demonstrate what the market will bear for such an historic letter written by a young hero who died on the bloodiest day in American history.This letter is guaranteed for life to be an original Civil War letter written by Pvt. David S. Thurber, Company D, 13th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry killed at the Battle of Antietam.This historic item will be carefully sandwiched between stout cardboard and sent via Priority Mail. I guarantee it will be mailed within 24 hours of receiving payment excluding weekends and holidays. (The post office is only a mile away!)

Price: 195 USD

Location: Mays Landing, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-09-29T01:31:10.000Z

Shipping Cost: 8 USD