Beschreibung:

Lot of 7 items, most early war. Includes: 1p, 4.75 x 7.75 in. partially printed Head Quarters Army of Mississippi discharge form for J.A. Davidson of the "Rankin Rough & Readies" under Capt. E.J. Runnels. Dated Jackson, Aug. 20, 1861. Two copies of purchase order for the "Rough & Readies," 6th Regt., 2nd Brig. Mississippi Volunteers. Sept. 30, 1861. For blankets, skillets, pans, plates, etc. for $422.60. Signed by E.J. Runnels. Two copies of discharge for E.L. Booth, also of Runnel's company, 7.5 x 12 in. May 24, 1862, at Corinth. Discharged for "disability." Manuscript General Orders, 6 x 8 in. Head Quarters Reserve Corps, 3 May 1862. Orders for the troops to cook three days' rations and be ready to move at a moment's notice tomorrow morning or to night. Signed for Maj. Genl. Breckinridge by T. O'Hara, AAAG. And manuscript document, Camp 6th Miss. Vols. Near Corinth Miss. May 7th 1862. Addressed to Genl. Breckinridge, as commander of the Army of Mississippi Reserve Corps, requesting leave for Capt. Runnels to go recruit more troops. Signed by the only commissioned officers in the Regiment. The officers then list their reasons, including the observation that ...the ranks of his company have been thinned by battle & disease more than those of any other. Signed by A.B. Willis (Adjt), W.C. Thompson (Lt.), N.H. Allen (Lt.), T.F. Lindsey (Lt.), G.C. Nelson (Lt.), A.Y. Harper (Capt.), M.L.McDonald, Jas. Stephens (Capt.). The "Rankin Rough and Readies" was organized in Rankin County, mustered into state service at Cato on April 27, 1861, immediately after war was declared. Several companies were mustered into Confederate service in late August, initially as the 7th, then in November, their original number, 6th, was restored. Most of these documents either relate to the company being supplied after being mustered into Confederate service or events just after the Battle of Shiloh. They would appear to be but a few of the documents generated by captains of companies. Runnels was the Captain of Co. A, but other than that, little seems to be known about him. After the fall of Fort Donelson, the Confederate forces of the trans-Mississippi units were concentrated at Corinth under Albert Sidney Johnston. The plan was to attack Grant at Pittsburg Landing near Shiloh, TN. During the battle, the 6th kept charging the enemy lines (manned primarily by the 53rd Ohio) at an area known as Rhea Field near Shiloh Church. Other units who began the battle with the 6th (such as the 23rd Tennessee) broke early in the fighting. The sixth fought on unaided. Finally, their numbers were too low to be effective. Of over 425 men who went into the battle, barely 100 returned to Corinth (only 60 answered the roll immediately after the battle). Several of these documents are discharges for men presumably too badly wounded at the battle to fight again. At this same time, A.Y. Harper was elected Lieut. Col. of the unit, and J.R. Stephens, Major. Previous holders of these positions were also seriously wounded, including Col. J.J. Thornton. Theodore O'Hara was a Kentucky native son, who studied law with John C. Breckinridge, Vice President with Buchanan and CSA Secretary of War. O'Hara abandoned law to take up journalism. He served in the Mexican War, and shortly after, formed a paramilitary unit whose goal was to evict the Spanish rulers from Cuba. During the Civil War, O'Hara would serve with Albert Sidney Johnston and General Breckinridge. As an extension of his journalistic interests, O'Hara also wrote several poems that caught the public imagination. "The Bivouac of the Dead" is quoted in numerous cemeteries (and often uncredited in the North since O'Hara served the Confederacy). It has been debated whether it was written during the Mexican War or after some of his battles in Cuba. Condition: As expected with some edge scuffing and toning. Mostly readable.