American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents

Roberts writes to his family while serving in the Western Theater, including battle content from multiple skirmishes and engagements. Highlights include: 

4pp, 27 September 1862, [Kentucky]. "...I heard the bullets breeze any how at Kentucky River and the bombs flew the next morning over our heads pretty fast I seen the rebels' cannnons. There was a big force marching on us and if we had stayed there an hour longer we would all have been taken prisoner."

4pp, [1 December 1863]. "We have had another big fight [Battle of Lookout Mountain, November 23, 1863] since I wrote to you, but I come out safe. We charged Lookout mountain in one day...the next morning we drawed four days rations and marched on after the rebels and we kept taking them in squads all along the raod. We went on to Ringgold and there we stopped for two days. There we burned the depot and tore up the railroad and burned the ties and destroyed all we could...."

2pp, 30 [May] 1864. "I had luck to get hit this time [Battle of Resaca, May 13-15, 1864] but it did not break no bones. It went through my arm and side. It hurt a little but it is a doing fine...I am at Hospital No. 4 in Jeffersonville, Indiana."

Final letter very faint front and pen back, written from "General Hospital Branch No. 4" (very faint). Describes occurrence of a Lincoln meeting and a  dance.

Together, 4 war-date letters.

HDS indicates that Charles Roberts enlisted on 8/5/1862 as a private and mustered into Co. C, OH 94th Infantry. He was mustered out on 6/5/1865 at Washington, DC. The 94th Ohio saw extensive action during its three years service including at the Battles of Stones River, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, and also participated in Sherman's March to the Sea. Roberts was wounded on 5/14/1864 at the Battle of Resaca.