1864 CIVIL WAR Soldier Letter 53rd PA - Great BATTLE CONTENT Wounded by Shell

Description

Civil War soldier's letter, 3 pgs., approx. 5" x 8", dated at
Hospital near Ship Point, June 22, 1864
, from Levi Hann, Co. D, 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry, to his parents in Turner Creek, Potter County, Pa.
Includes the original envelope, a scarce
patriotic cover
, with wreath at top of arch, with "Give this Wreath to the brave, Who their Country would save.".
The writer of this letter, Levi Hann, was mustered into Co. D, 53rd PA Infantry on April 4, 1864. He
died of disease
on Feb. 8, 1865, at Annapolis, Md., and is buried at the National Cemetery there.
Great content
, writing of being wounded by a shell on June 16th - in the
Assault on Petersburg
, noting that
"the men fell like dew drops from heaven all around me"
. He writes the sad news of a friend killed on June 18th by "a ball that come out of a shell" (grape shot or cannister).
Includes (spelling corrected):
"Dear and kind respected parents,
I now take my pen in hand to pen you a few llines to let you know that I am getting better than I was. I am jarred bad with a shell. Don't worry about me, for God will take care of me. I will get or have
[got]
out of two or three hard fights. I did escape a great danger for the men fell like dew drops from heaven all around me and I was spared thank God...
Well, I must write the bad news about Leonard Merrick is killed. He was killed on the 18 of June. I was hurt 16 of June. I haven't got any of his things, only an old tobacco box that I and him carried paper in. He was killed with a ball that come out of a shell...Len was killed at three o'clock. He told me that he wished he was dead and he and they would shoot him and he got his wish. O how lonesome I will be when I go back to my regiment; all the boys killed and wounded. The last time I saw Len it was when I and him got supper. We had a good supper. We didn't think that it was the last time we ever see each other, but it was. I hope he is in a better world, but I am afraid not. I prayed and talked to him and he got a little better, but he would quarrel lots. O how I do pity his poor mother and friends. He was killed in a charge near Petersburg.
Albert Evans was taken prisoner last week. I and him was on picket. We had a good time. we had a quart of big ripe garden cherries and a lot of stewed apples and Johnny cakes and some young taters. Well, he is taken prisoner now.
Now Mother, if I ever done any wrong thing, I want you to forgive me. Pray for me that I may hold out faithful. So good by all.
Levi Hann
to Harriet Hann"
The two sheets are detached at the spine at left and have been reattached with 4 small pieces of paper tape (see photos). Fine.
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