ARCHIVE OF PVT. EZEKIAL G DAVIS (1844-, COMPANY I 34TH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY CIVIL WAR LETTERS.

Included in this archive are 60 war time letters to and from Pvt. Ezekiel Davis spanning September 3, 1862 through May of 1865. Letters cover many of the mundane thoughts of soldiers during the war…Sept. 3, 1862- “Keep a brave heart. Conquer the enemy and come home in safety. If “Our Father” permits but if you must die may you die a hero and a Christian and we will meet again in Heaven.”…Feb. 1, 1863 – “While you have your health I shall not worry about you so much as I otherwise should I was afraid that you were at Fredricksburg at the time of the great battle. Many fell. But I am thankful that our dear ones were saved.” …Feb. 17, 1863 – I don’t have anything else. One thing I don’t like so much bread breakfast & supper coffee & bread dry bread for dinner. Sometimes a few beans and once in a while potatoes but they are so poor we can hardly eat them.”… May 23, 1865 – I was glad to hear that you were all well as you said I was in hopes to be home before this but we have to wait with patience til they get ready to discharge us the prospect now that we will be mustarded out by the first or middle of next month as for the war it is really over you may be sure of that.” A few samples of mid-war letters from Gardner to his father: June 28, 1863…”If the rebs should have any success in Pa. it would put on about a year and if they should finally drive us back from Vicksburg things would look hard indeed, but I hope they will not and I don’t believe they will and Grant seems to think so to and I guess Hooker and the rest of them will see to Lee…” Oct. 8, 1863…”I am still in the hospital but am much better and expect to go on duty in a few days again. We have a very good hospital here it is an old church the pews are taken out of course and beds put in and it makes a very warm comfortable place for the sick. There are none very sick here now one man has just come in since I began to write who looks pretty bad. There is one or two who have lost the use of their limbs from exposure and lieing on the ground…” July 3, 1864…”I presume you will have a list of our killed before this reaches you and heard of Baxters death. He was killed instantly in the fight at Lynchburg. We have had a hard time of it since I wrote you last have done….marching fighting and at last nearly starving to death. I can’t give any much idea on paper what we went through… Oct. 24, 1864…”We had some pretty hard fighting about here but we have been victorious in every great battle as yet and the army has the greatest confidence in our General in the last fight on the 19th they attacked us just before daylight an drove our whole line from their entrenchments and for a while I thought everything was lost but there were soon cheeckeed and as soon as Gen Sheridan who was at Winchester reached the field things took a turn the other way…I send you a rebel envelope picked up on the battlefield…” (envelope still accompanies letter) Also included in this lot is a fine post-war cabinet card of Gardner, Massachusetts Certificate of Civil War Service, xerox copy of the 1879 history of the 34th Mass. (459 pages), transcriptions of all 60 letters, 59 of the original 60 letters, many with covers that have had stamps removed and an 1859 dated bible. PROVENANCE: Direct descent from family. CONDITION: Original letters overall are very good to fine. A few have cracks at folds, but overall very good with easily discernible text. Cabinet card and service record are very good. Bible is cracked at hinges with tape repair. 50622-1 (2,000-3,000) – Lot 2141

Auction: Fine Art, Asian & Antique Auction - August 2016

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2141	$1,777.50	ARCHIVE OF PVT. EZEKIAL G DAVIS (1844-, COMPANY I 34TH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY CIVIL WAR LETTERS. Included in this archive are 60 war time letters to and from Pvt. Ezekiel Davis spanning September 3, 1862 through May of 1865. Letters cover many of the mundane thoughts of soldiers during the war…Sept. 3, 1862- “Keep a brave heart. Conquer the enemy and come home in safety. If “Our Father” permits but if you must die may you die a hero and a Christian and we will meet again in Heaven.”…Feb. 1, 1863 – “While you have your health I shall not worry about you so much as I otherwise should I was afraid that you were at Fredricksburg at the time of the great battle. Many fell. But I am thankful that our dear ones were saved.” …Feb. 17, 1863 – I don’t have anything else. One thing I don’t like so much bread breakfast & supper coffee & bread dry bread for dinner. Sometimes a few beans and once in a while potatoes but they are so poor we can hardly eat them.”… May 23, 1865 – I was glad to hear that you were all well as you said I was in hopes to be home before this but we have to wait with patience til they get ready to discharge us the prospect now that we will be mustarded out by the first or middle of next month as for the war it is really over you may be sure of that.” A few samples of mid-war letters from Gardner to his father: June 28, 1863…”If the rebs should have any success in Pa. it would put on about a year and if they should finally drive us back from Vicksburg things would look hard indeed, but I hope they will not and I don’t believe they will and Grant seems to think so to and I guess Hooker and the rest of them will see to Lee…” Oct. 8, 1863…”I am still in the hospital but am much better and expect to go on duty in a few days again. We have a very good hospital here it is an old church the pews are taken out of course and beds put in and it makes a very warm comfortable place for the sick. There are none very sick here now one man has just come in since I began to write who looks pretty bad. There is one or two who have lost the use of their limbs from exposure and lieing on the ground…” July 3, 1864…”I presume you will have a list of our killed before this reaches you and heard of Baxters death. He was killed instantly in the fight at Lynchburg. We have had a hard time of it since I wrote you last have done….marching fighting and at last nearly starving to death. I can’t give any much idea on paper what we went through… Oct. 24, 1864…”We had some pretty hard fighting about here but we have been victorious in every great battle as yet and the army has the greatest confidence in our General in the last fight on the 19th they attacked us just before daylight an drove our whole line from their entrenchments and for a while I thought everything was lost but there were soon cheeckeed and as soon as Gen Sheridan who was at Winchester reached the field things took a turn the other way…I send you a rebel envelope picked up on the battlefield…” (envelope still accompanies letter) Also included in this lot is a fine post-war cabinet card of Gardner, Massachusetts Certificate of Civil War Service, xerox copy of the 1879 history of the 34th Mass. (459 pages), transcriptions of all 60 letters, 59 of the original 60 letters, many with covers that have had stamps removed and an 1859 dated bible. PROVENANCE: Direct descent from family. CONDITION: Original letters overall are very good to fine. A few have cracks at folds, but overall very good with easily discernible text. Cabinet card and service record are very good. Bible is cracked at hinges with tape repair. 50622-1 (2,000-3,000) – Lot 2141 Auction: Fine Art, Asian & Antique Auction - August 2016 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}

ARCHIVE OF PVT. EZEKIAL G DAVIS (1844-, COMPANY I 34TH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY CIVIL WAR LETTERS.