Raynors HCA 2017-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
A good early war-date Union minuteman's letter, 3pp. 4to., written by Sergeant James A. Bailey, Co. E, 5th Mass. (3 Months) Vols., "Head Quarters Patrol Police," Alexandria, [Va.], July 5, [1861], to his friend, in part: "…I have left Cap Massachusetts & gone into this city for a policeman. We have been here 25 days…our principle business is to arrest drunken soldiers. You know that all the hard citizens of the country are out here visiting just now……we also have 3 or 4 Secessionist prisoners on hand most of the time. We keep them locked up in our sky parlor…next to the roof. They say it is hot up there…we have got one up there now, a rich old fellow, who owns more than 100 niggers. Our commander, Lieut. [Charles H.] Shepard [later 1st Mass. Hvy. Artillery] is Provost Marshal of this city. Every body going in or out of the city has to come here for passes. Our place is full most of the time [with] men, women & children, black & white, slave & free & as we have to ask them a great many questions as to where they are going & their business…we celebrated the 4th with a dinner…I went round to all the bar rooms & grog shops & read an order from the Col. ordering them to keep shut up…on the 4th, but somehow there was a great deal of work. A lot of Zouaves who had no money went into a shop & called for something to drink. When the man placed it on the bar they told him it was against orders to sell liquor & that they must seize what he had so they…took 6 kegs of lager beer…& had a jolly time. Towards night someone set fire to a dwelling house & burned it to the ground. It belonged to a secessionist who has fled the country…this city ought to be cleaned out. The biggest part of the people are strong secessionists…the women insult us when ever they get a chance. A great many have husbands & brothers in the Southern army & they tell us that we'll run like blazes when we met Jef. Davis. Old Jef has been coming into this city everyday…but he has not got in yet…the guns of that fort on the hill & two war steamers…would soon send things salting about their heads & could burn the whole city in an hour. The enemy scouts frequently come with a couple of miles of the city & fire a few shots at our picket guard & then run back. Sunday…they came up at half part 2 in the morning & killed 1 & wounded 2 of our pickets & left one of their own men dead on the field & 3 or 4 rifles & pistols…the people are as poor as rats…& if it was not for the money the soldiers bring in half of them would starve. They come everyday to our place for our cold fodder left at table. The species here consists of 25 & 50 cents 'shin plasters'…there are any quantity of soldiers around here-all kinds of uniforms & all kinds of men good & indifferent…a regiment came in from Minnesota [the 1st Minnesota of Gettysburg fame]…1900 miles they came in 5 days. They are 1040 strong good hardy looking men…Jim Bailey. Gov. Andrew is at our camp this morning making patriotic speeches…". Minor soiling with some weakness at the folds, else VG
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