$793
Confederate manuscript archive of Lieutenant J. S. Harrison, comprising 17 autographed letters signed, 13 of which are war-time and from Harrison to his wife for the Summer of 1861 to the Summer of 1864. Dr. J. S. Harrison, of Liberty, DeKalb County, Tennessee, enlisted as a private in Company E of the First Battalion of Tennessee Cavalry, under Captain T. M. Allison, from the June 28, 1861 to May 14, 1862, when he was made third Lieutenant of Company C of the Second Battalion of Tennesee Calvery. He surrendered with Forrest's Calvary and was paroled at Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama, May 10, 1865. The early letters of the Harrison archive give insight into the first campaigns of the Confederate army in Kentucky, where Harrison participated in the campaigns of General Zollicoffer and the Battle of Mill Springs (January 19, 1862). Five of the seven letters dated Fall 1861 to Spring 1862 are written from the Camp at Mill Spring. Preceding the battle, in a 4 page letter dated December 12, 1861, Harrison tone is quite optimistic as he writes: "I can't say what will be the next move as the Lincoln army is only twelve miles from our army, we are strongly entrenched and fortified ready for an attack and some are hourly expecting it, but as for myself I do not think they will attack us at all at this point as they have already shown cowardice on several occasions." Harrison goes on to report the capture of fifteen prisoners the Sunday prior, including a Major and Captain, an Read more…
Auctioneer:
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
Date:
2010-08-12
