Letter, page 1
Letter, page 2
Transcript

BEANS STATION / TEN // OCT // 22 / 1862 cds with manuscript “Due 10¢”in both pen and pencil, endorsed by Lt. E. Kirby, Adgt 58th NC Regt Partisan Rangers, on CAPTURED UNION PATRIOTIC to officer’s brother, David B. Kirby, Care of John Ott, Esq, Richmond City, Virginia. Original letter headed “Cumberland Gap, Oct 22, 1862” signed E. Kirby who was the adjutant of the 58th NC Partisan Rangers. Full typed transcription included. In part, he says, “The whole of Genl Bragg’s Army has passed through the Gap on their way to Chattanooga – Cousin Ned arrived here this morning on his way to Knoxville to resume command of East Tennessee, he is very hard on Genl Bragg for not fighting Beull at Mumfordsville he said that Buell had only 20,000 men while he (Bragg) had thirty thousand. Our Regt will leave the Gap for somewhere near the railroad very soon as Gen McCown takes command of this post with his division. I suppose we will go back to Johnston Depot where we were before we come to this post…I have been acting as Assistant Adjutant General and Col. Palmer as Brigade General.” Much more of interest. Back flap tears extending slightly over the top. At the time, the 58th was in Gracie’s Brigade, Heth’s Division, Department of East Tennessee. The letter was too long for the scanner bed – although appears cut off top and bottom, that is only the digital image, not the letter itself. Also, the second page is digitally cropped to a half page. $1,800.

Lt. Col. Edmund Kirby was a resident of Virginia when he enlisted 29 July 1862 as a 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant. He was commissioned into Field & Staff of the 58th NC Partisan Rangers Infantry. He was killed at Chickamauga, GA, on 20 Sept 1863, having attained the rank of Lt. Col. Capt. Isaac Bailey recounted the casualties of the 58th thusly: "Early in the action Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Kirby, while gallantly cheering his men, fell pierced by four bullets. ...Colonel Palmer, the only field officer with the regiment, was here wounded, but sill continued in command…” The 58th North Carolina Infantry was recruited on the eastern rim of the Appalachian Mountains in early 1862. The area was largely in the Mississippi River drainage basin, and the men were more akin to their brethren in Tennessee and Kentucky than other Carolinians in the Piedmont or Coastal Plain. More thorough history of the 58th at http://www.26nc.org/History/58th-History/58th%20history.html