The Iowa Officer Writes From Mississippi

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Raynors Spring Americana Auction - Feb 28 Par...

By Raynor's Historical Collectible Auctions

Feb 28, 2026

Set Reminder 2026-02-28 10:00:00 2026-02-28 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Raynors Spring Americana Auction - Feb 28 Part1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/raynors-historical-auctions/raynors-spring-americana-auction---feb-28-part1-22414
Fascinating Americana Auction offering item in all periods of American history., from colonial through WWII. The items are offered as Autographs, Broadsides, Civil Wat Relics, Civil War Diaries, Confederate items. Political, Presidential, 20th Century Israel, Early Sports. Raynor's Historical Collectible Auctions bob@hcaauctions.com

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• Lot Description
  A Union soldier’s 4pp letter written by Otis Whitney who served in Co. H, 27th Iowa Infantry. In the fall of 1862 he went into the army as first lieutenant of Company H, Twenty-seventh Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry. On 10 Apr 1863, he became captain of the company by reason of resignation of Captain Jacob M. Miller, the previous captain, who became disabled and unable to endure active field service. Whitney was captain of the company up to the close of the war, and was discharged with the company and regiment at Clinton, IA, 8, Aug 1865.Datelined; Holly Springs, Mississippi, December 23rd 1862, in part, “As one or both have probably been taken & destroyed by the secessionists, I shall have to go back a little further than I would otherwise. ... Our third camp before this was at Waterford from which place we moved down the railroad 5 or 6 miles on the Tallahatchie where we (the regiment) was divided up and posted along the railroad to guard it. ... On Saturday morning (the 20th, I believe) report came into camp that Holly Springs was attacked and taken by the secesh and that a body of their cavalry were on the way to either attack us or pass nearby to destroy a bridge below us. We were accordingly hurried out of quarters with no baggage or provision to march some mile or two, resist the passage, and then return to stay over night. It was afternoon when we started. Reached the post, formed line of battle, stacked arms—built a great high rail fence 30 or 40 rods long (of old rails handy by) then took positions by companies & waited for the enemy. No enemy came, and after waiting two or three hours, word was received to march for Holly Springs by way of Waterfordm whole distance about 15 miles. ... On Saturday morning at daylight, 14 secession cavalrymen rushed upon a hospital a mile from our camp, made prisoners of the guards—some 12 in number, took what horses they could find (among them Doctor Hasting’s horse) and left in a hurry. No one in our company had the misfortune to be taken. Doctor Hastings can owe his freedom to the comfortable habit of waiting for the sun to rise first. However, the boys are all paroled as we hear today—out of the service until exchanged. ... On Sunday morning early we commenced the march for Holly Springs, nine miles distant, which we reached about 2 p.m. The rebels fled Saturday night after destroying immense army supplies, railroad cars, and burning some of the best blocks in the town. They also destroyed a heavy mail and ransacked the Post Office. They also took some 1000 [prisoners], most of who, they immediately paroled, not having time to parole all. Several were killed and wounded. ... Holly Springs is a beautiful place of some 2,000 inhabitants. The beauty of the place consists mostly in the ornamental trees, evergreens, surpass anything I have ever seen in the North. ... The planters’ houses are generally off some distance from the road. Generally very comfortable and capacious, flanked on either hand by negro huts, also in the rear. ... The boys have plundered all they could since coming to this place—against orders. Preserves, jelly, marmalade, and many fancy articles. ... Yesterday I went over the battlefield. The most noticeable feature was broken guns—broken purposely by the victorious party. The dead and wounded are out of sight. The newspaper paragraph recording the fight should be headed, Disgraceful Surrender at Holly Springs, or as Artemus Ward has it, “words to that effect.” There was criminal carelessness on the part of the commander of the post—or treachery....”
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