(CIVIL WAR MICHIGAN) Gates George W Archive of letters and

Sale 2207 - Lot 79

Price Realized: $ 1,020

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600

(CIVIL WAR--MICHIGAN.) Gates, George W. Archive of letters and a photograph from a cavalry corporal in pursuit of Morgan's Raiders. 7 letters, about 8 x 5 inches each, generally in strong condition; and a carte-de-visite portrait of the author. Michigan and Kentucky, 1863-64

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George W. Gates (born circa 1844) enlisted as a corporal in the newly formed 11th Michigan Cavalry in October 1863. On 27 March 1864 he wrote "I am in hopes to send you a photograph in my next as we have drew our pay and I have gained my health so nothing is wanting but an artist. Some one has to go to Lex every week for the mail and I will try and go before long." The resulting portrait from a Lexington, KY studio is included in the collection. Gates's final letter home, an eleven-page epic dated 10 July 1864, describes his company's recent pursuit of John Hunt Morgan's raiders through eastern Kentucky. After a frightening early June encounter, he wrote, "It is lucky for us they did not know our force, or they might have captured every one of us, as it was Morgan's whole force." Rejoining their division, Gates's unit caught up with Morgan at the Battle of Cynthiana: "We had quite a smart fight of about two hours, driving them in all directions. . . . Having about four hundred prisoners, we stopped at midnight, and fenced up the prisoners in the road, allowing no one but prisoners in there." This brought to an end Morgan's final raid into Union territory. with--10 cartes-de-visite of Union leaders (Grant, Sherman, Burnside, etc.) found with this collection.