CONFEDERATE SOLDIER PRE-WAR DOCUMENT - LT. COL. B.F. LITTLE, 52ND NORTH CAROLINA, WIA GETTYSBURG, 7/3/1863

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Item Code: 1054-2209

Dated “March 12, 1857.” One page in ink on unlined paper, 7.625” x 6.75. Exhibits fold-marks, else VG.

Benjamin F. Little was a 31 one year-old farmer from Richmond, NC, who was commissioned as a Captain into Co. “E”, 52nd North Carolina Infantry 3/12/1862. He was wounded at Gettysburg, 7/3/1863, and became a POW who was transferred to Ft. McHenry and then to Point Lookout, MD, and was eventually paroled and exchanged, 3/6/1864 at City Point, VA. (On 7/3/1864, the day of his wounding and capture he was promoted to Lieut. Colonel / staff & Field.

This document is accompanied by a “Faces of the Confederacy / North Carolina” information sheet containing a later life picture of B.F. Little and the following text of a letter written to his wife on July 20, 1863, following his Gettysburg wounding and capture. To wit:

“My dear Wife: I wrote to you five days after my arm was amputated and Dr. Oakley, my attending surgeon, also enclosed a note in the same envelope. As there is doubt about my letter reaching you, I must repeat at least a part of what I wrote before …I was wounded in the afternoon of July 3 by a musket ball passing through and breaking the bone of my left arm above the elbow. It was amputated on the 4th. I am doing very well indeed, not having had any unfavorable symptoms. I think it for the best that I fell into the hands of the enemy. Had I not, I must have been moved soon after my arm was amputated which don’t think I could have endured. I wish I could tell haff of the mercies and wonderful kindnesses which our Heavenly father has extended to me. Let us praise his holy name.”

At Gettysburg the 52nd North Carolina was attached to the Pettigrew’s brigade, A,P. third Corps, along with the 11th, 26th, 47th North Carolina regiments. Marching on the left of Pickett’s division during the July 3rd charge, this brigade went in 2000 strong and lost 190 killed, had 915 wounded and 300 missing for a total of 1405. B.F. Little was one the wounded left on the field who fortunately survived his arm amputation.

This particular document from 1857 records B.F. Little’s payments of four hundred sixteen dollars 66 cents to John P. and Jane P. Little for their shares of the $1250 stock from the Wadesboro Bank that belonged to his father, Thomas Little.

Interesting North Carolina pre-war document connected with a man later to lose an arm at Gettysburg while partaking in the July 3, 1863 action that North Carolinians prefer to remember as Pettigrew’s charge. Invites further research. [JP] [ph:L]

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