"OLD ABE AND GEN. BURNSIDE STOOD ON THE BALCONY OPPOSITE ME" (CIVIL WAR--MAINE.) Hanson, Elbridge M. Autograph Letter Signed to mother Harriet Hanson. 6 pages on 2 sheets, with accompanying stamped 1st District of Columbia Cavalry cover; worn at folds with heavy contemporary deletion marks on 2 pages. Camp Baker, Washington, 1 May 1864
Elbridge M. Hanson (1836-1881) was a sign painter in Portland, ME before the war, and enlisted in the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry Regiment before transferring to the 1st Maine Cavalry as a private in February 1864. Hanson's regiment was on guard duty as Ambrose Burnside's IX Corps passed through Washington. Hanson noted: "Col. Thomas, W.W. Thomas's son, was there with his nigger reg't. There were several other black regts and 2 companys of Indians. Old Abe and Gen. Burnside stood on the balcony of Willard's Hotel opposite me and were cheered by the regts as they passed." Hanson also recounts the story of another soldier: "17 balls entered the body of the sergt. He refused to surrender until they had fired 4 more into his head. They then stripped him and left him for dead but he was picked up and lived 6 days." Also included is a postscript on a separate scrap of paper in which Hanson describes the terrible losses suffered by the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery in the assault on Petersburg.
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