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![5 1/4 x 8, imprinted form filled out in ink.
United States Military Telegraph
By Telegraph from Hd. Qrs. A.[rmy] of Ja[me]s
Dated Jan. 9, 1864
To Lieut. Trent
Please send by telegraph a report of operations on your line for last week. I merely want a general idea of what has been done.
W.R. King
Lt. & Acting Chf. Engr.
Light age toning and wear. Very fine. Nice content.
William R. King, graduated 5th in the West Point class of 1859. He was promoted to 1st lieutenant of engineers on June 11, 1863; captain on December 31, 1865; major on March 4, 1879; lieutenant colonel on July 23, 1888; and he died on May 18, 1898.
During the Civil War he received promotion to rank of brevet captain on December 1, 1864, for gallantry and distinguished service during the 1864 campaign in North Carolina; and brevet major on April 9, 1865, for gallant conduct in the field.](https://www.tias.com/stores/war/thumbs/ud2634a.jpg)
![Offered here is a <U>c. 1852 penned copy</U> of Revolutionary War General and Battle of Bunker Hill participant Samuel Holden Parsons. Well-worn with good age to include some old tape fold reinforcement, (Visible in our illustrations and easily conserved) the old letter remains solid and clearly legible. The content will be best described here by inclusion of portions of Gen. Parsons eye witness account:
<I> the Regulars have made a very dear Purchase; tis confidently reported they lost one Genl. officer supposed to be <B>Gen. How</B>; <B>Majr. Pitcairn</B> & <B>Majr. Sheriff</B> <U>are among their Dead</U>, with whole they have lost about 30 officers and not less than 300 privates, besides wounded. Many imprudencies may be corrected by us by this dear bought victory of theirs. Each side are making the best preparations in their Power for another Battle which is soon expected. <B>Lt. Bingham</B> of Lyme</I> [Conn.] <I>who was supposed to be killed is well & returned to camp safe. <B>Robert Hallam</B> is wounded, he discharged 28 cartridges without retreating one foot, 8 of which was after he was wounded. <B>Thos. Grosvenor</B> is wounded, the ball went twice thro his hand & wounded him in the breast afterwards, <B>John Saunders</B> of Lyme wounded. Capt. ?____ had 10 wounded, two dangerously; none killed; <B>Capt. Chester</B> 4 killed & 5 wounded, in the whole from Connect, about 25 kild and as many wounded. The whole loss on our side not less ascertained but I think it will not fall short of 130 kild & wounded.
We are raising Batteries and should be soon able to do their work if they had Powder sufficient which at present I fear. Many suppose the number of their Troops exceed our expectation which must be the case if their number of tents are not for a deception which I suspect it to be. They fought bravely. Were twice repelled by our men & rallied again & forced our intrenchments sword in hand. We have had nothing few scattering short here since Sunday. I am pretty well over the fatigue of Saturday night which I spent on the soft side of a rock on my arms amidst a flood of bombs & cannons balls but thanks to God but two men were kild & about the same number wounded.</I>
One of <B>Capt. Chester’s</B> men kild two regulars and wrenched a gun out of the hand of another & shot him dead & bro’t off the gun. What my fate will be God only knows. I hope He will give me fortitude. </I>
All good fodder for additional research. we did take the time to do a limited search on the original author Samuel Holden Parsons and found his letters had been published in a volume titled, <I> LIFE & LETTERS of SAMUEL HOLDEN PARSONS / Major General in the Continental Army & Chief Judge if the North Western Territory 1737- 1789</I> . This record of the original is noted as being penned <U>with the permission of S. H. Parsons</U>, who was likely a son or grandson as the originating Gen. S. H. Parsons the 4th who had long since passed by the date of this circa 1852 copy. This penned record of Gen. Parsons original written on June 21, 1775 just four days after the Bunker Hill battle, is clearly an example of an early attempt to preserve the writings. In our quick search for basics on Gen. Parsons we found that he had studied law in Lyme, Connecticut where he was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in 1759. He was admitted to the General Assembly in 1762. Relocating to New London Conn. where he became a Revolutionary activist to the point that he wrote <B>Samuel Adams</B><U> suggesting that it was time to form a congress in the colonies and that it was time to discuss colonial independence.</U> Appointed Major in the 14th Conn. Militia in 1770 and commissioned a colonel in the 6th Connecticut Regiment in 1775. In June of that year he was <U>ordered to lead his regiment to Boston where he participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill.</U> By the time the British surrendered in Yorktown in July 1782 then <B>Major General Parson</B> had been in continuous service for more than seven years. A neat piece of Americana!
<B>Buy with confidence! </B><I> We are pleased to offer a <B><U>no questions asked</U> three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales!</B> <I>Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly.</I> <FONT COLOR=#0000FF>Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques! </FONT COLOR=#0000FF>](https://www.tias.com/stores/gunsight/thumbs/60145a.jpg)
![This soldiers letter is authored by Dean W. Tainter while serving as a Pvt. of Co. A <B>13th Mass. Volunteer Infantry</B>. His four page letter is legibly penned from <I>Camp Jackson </I> in Williamsport, Maryland and is dated, Feb. 15, 1862. Tainter had entered service on July 20, 1861 as a twenty-five year old bookkeeper / genealogy author (see: <I> A History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Joseph Taynter</I> by Dean W. Tainter* [1859] ) who according to his letter had passed up potential advancement in the 16th Mass. in favor of commitment to the 13th as it <I>was composed of American born Boston boys among whom was many of my friends</I> and, <I>was about to start without delay.</I> Further expressing the recruits common sense of patriotism and eagerness to <I>help keep the old flag flying</I> Pvt. Tainter advises, <I>I have not regretted my choice yet for the 16th did not leave until Sept. and have remained at Fortress Monroe inactive ever since while we have been in the Potomac from Washington to the Penn. line, had two or three brushes and won for ourselves a name.</I> Tainter <U>writes of a book he had written</U> and comments to the reader regarding his post Civil War plans advising that <I>your scheme about the Museum attracts my attention</I> but he has <I> talked of wool growing out west.</I> Tainter states though, that <I>Antiquities touch a week point in my human nature</I> and advises that he <I>would like to see an inventory of the material which you have to form a Museum.</I> Indeed, Pvt. Tainter seems to have more heart for <I>antiquities</I> than growing wool as he goes on to write more on the subject, eventually circling back to expressing once more a desire to see an inventory for the proposed museum. No <I>deep dish</I> Civil War content but the letter is complete, an easy read and offers interesting insight. Of interest is that according to the HDS database Tainter was <I>discharged for promotion</I> on May 28, 1862 and was commissioned into the U S Navy on that date. We did find record of Navy service as <I>Acting Ensign</I> but will leave research of his Civil War Navy service to the new owner of his letter.
* Dean W. Tainter’s letter offered here is addressed to <U>Charles M. Taintor</U> (yet another spelling variation) who authored an earlier published (1847) Taynter / Taintor / Tainter family genealogy titled <I> The Genealogy and History of the Taintor Family, From the Period of Their Emigration From Wales, to the Present Time</I>. Both works have made their mark and have been considered important enough to be republished through time. Both are currently well represented in print and on the internet. In addition to mentioning his own effort at authorship in this letter Dean Tainter recounts a request received for purchase of the work of both men.
<B>Buy with confidence! </B><I> We are pleased to offer a <B><U>no questions asked</U> three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales!</B> <I>Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly.</I> <FONT COLOR=#0000FF>Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques! </FONT COLOR=#0000FF>](https://www.tias.com/stores/gunsight/thumbs/60137a.jpg)
