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SAMUEL P. HEINTZELMAN (1805-1880). Letter Signed (“S. P. Heintzelman”) as General U. S. Army, Headquarters 3rd Corps, June 28, 1862. To Gen. Randolph B. Marcy. 1 p, 5 x 8⅛ in. Tipped to a larger sheet.

Inventory #20363.01       Price: $1,000

Early in the Seven Days’ battles, General Heintzelman requests the return of two reserve artillery batteries.

                                                                        “Head Quarters 3 r d Corps

                                                                                    June 28./62

Brig. Genl. Marcy

            Chief of Staff

            Genl. Sumner ordered back the reserve infantry and one battery of Artillery this morning, keeping two of my reserve batteries with him.  Will you please direct him to send them back, as I have need of them;  Genl. Kearny has asked for an additional battery -- Jordan’s ford has been selected as the crossing over White Oak swamp and it will be necessary to hold it with artillery & infantry.

Very Respectfully /Your Obdt. Servt-/S. P. Heintzelman/B.G.C.

There has been some little firing between the pickets, the enemy the aggressive./S. P. H.”

Samuel P. Heintzelman (1805-1880) devoted over four decades to the service of his country, rising from 2^nd Lieutenant to Major General and Corps Commander in the Civil War.  An 1826 graduate of West Point, Heintzelman spent 2 decades on garrison duty and in recruiting and quartermaster service. During the Mexican War he earned the brevet of Major for gallantry; in 1851 he was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel for his services in the Southwest. With the advent of the Civil War, he received a commission of Colonel and command of the newly formed 17^th U.S. Infantry; 3 days later he was promoted to Brigadier General.  Heintzelman’s troops seized Alexandria on May 24^th, and four days later Heintzelman received command of a division in Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army. He remained in divisional command throughout fall 1861 and winter 1862. He assumed command of the III Corps Army of the Potomac and was promoted to Major General May 5^th. Leading the Union advance at Yorktown during Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign, he vastly overestimated the strength of the Confederate defenders, convincing a naturally cautious McClellan to lay siege to the village. On October 12^th, 1862 Heintzelman was relieved of corps command and assigned to the Military District of Washington. For nearly 2 years he remained at the capital and later was in charge of the Northern Department, with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Heintzelman retired in 1869.