Lucius B. Wing letter to wife, December 20, 1862   Save
Ohio History Connection Archives/Library
Description: In this letter to his wife written between December 20-23, 1862, Lucius Wing relates his first-hand experience during the Confederate raid on the Union supply depot at Holly Springs, Mississippi. During this raid, rebel soldiers led by Confederate general Earl Van Dorn captured around 1,500 Union soldiers and destroyed Union supplies, disrupting and delaying General Ulysses S. Grant's efforts to defeat the Confederates at Vicksburg. Wing (November 15, 1822-February 1, 1902) was born in Wilmington, Vermont, and moved to Newark, Ohio, in December of 1853 where he became a wealthy and successful merchant. During the Civil War, Wing was present at the Confederate raid at Holly Springs (spelled in the letter as Holley Springs) and was captured and questioned by Confederate forces despite being a civilian. Following the war, Wing continued his prosperous business career and served as both a member of the State Board of Agriculture and as a trustee of the Ohio State University, the latter until his death in 1902. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: VFM6424_01
Subjects: Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives; Confederate States of America; Union Army; Military missions;
Places: Newark (Ohio); Licking County (Ohio); Holly Springs (Mississippi)