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Transcripts - Box 13: Wilson Vance

July 5, 1889

Findlay, O. July 5, 1889

Colonel Arnold McMahan
Toledo, Ohio

My dear Sir: Your favor of 2nd inst., to hand.

I was so young at the time of the battle of Chickamauga & so much has happened to me since then to crowd out recollections of details that I fear I cannot be of important service in the matter. I will, however, send your letter to Serg't Schochard as you suggest & return it to you when he gets through with it.

I wrote the report which Vantine signed and of course it was utterly inadequate. Indeed I had no idea till years afterward of the importance of the work we did or the significance of the movements we made.

I hope you will give to the world in some shape a full statement of the part taken by the 21st in that battle with its connection and bearing upon the whole engagement.

With regards
Faithfully yours
Wilson Vance

p.s. Have you seen Vanderveer's letter incorporated by Boynton in a letter to the Cinti' Commercial-Gazette denying that he was the man who gave you the order to charge?

August 13, 1889

Findlay Ohio Aug. 13, 1889

Col. Arnold McMahan
Toledo, Ohio

Dear Colonel: Your letter came while I was absent in Washington and since my return I have been ill and not able to attend to business much of the time. I had therefore not written to Boynton & now, as you request it, will not do so.

Boynton is a very high-minded honorable gentleman of wide attainments and a lofty sense of honor. He would not knowingly mistake anything.

Before you wrote I had called his attention to his error in supposing that we were ever at any time attached to or under the orders of Steedman or Brannan.

His spirit towards us is not hostile, but, in some respects his recollection of the movements at Chickamauga differs from ours. I have no doubt it will all come right. I have known him for about 18 years & have always found him the soul of honor.

Am glad to know you are getting things in shape & will await eagerly the result.

Faithfully Yours
Wilson Vance

MS 562: Introduction | Transcript List
MS 562 Series Description: MS 562: Introduction | 86th O.V.I. Records | Arnold McMahan Papers
MS 562 Abstracts: Part 1 (McMahan Correspondence) | Part 2 (Box 12) | Part 3 (Box 13) | Inventory
Manuscripts by Subject | Civil War Collections