2020-09 Putnal
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2020
A great war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 4to., written in ink by Pvt. Isaac N. Morgan, Co. C, 37th Indiana Vols., Chattanooga, Tenn., Feb. 16, [1864] concerning not fighting for the freedom of blacks, reading, in part: "…there is some movement of troops towards Knoxville…it will be some time before they will be ready to prosecute the spring campaign…our regt is the only Ind regt in the department that has been in long enough to reenlist…I expect that the 37th will follow them….I think with you in regard to the administration that there will have to be a change but not with the negro for the system has established itself although I am not in favor of the cabinet having anything to do towards freeing them…I could witness their extinction rather than the Confederacy to gain a single state. I don't look for a change of presidents (if Lincoln is running again)…with the amount of troops that has been called for will in the next year effectively narrow their territory…then the next winter will find them suing for peace…the rations in their army is cut down now to 1/2. A large portion of their army's time is out…and if they force them to continue in service a large number of them will decrease. I have spoken to citizens coming in to escape the conscript and Confederate deserters…I have not heard them express a belief that the Confederacy will ever gain their independence…their soldiers that says they will stay in with the bars & stars until they are free or fallen, admit that their independence can be established by a recognition of the United States…I think you are free to admit that the north will never do that as long as men and treasure holds out to wage war…Rufus thinks that the Abolitionists should fight it out as they love the negroes so well. Well I think every true patriot should hasten to close in…but I don't want Rufus to enter the service nor…encourage him to do so but I cannot see that this is or was for the Negroes. It is either Union or the Confederacy and if the negroes gain their liberty or perish in the struggle I don't care as one can take care of them[selves] after the…great object is established (The Union.)…". The original transmittal cover is included. Morgan enlisted in 1861 and served faithfully throughout the war being wounded in the hand at the battle of Stone's River. Morgan's grammar has been corrected to aid readability. VG
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