2008-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008
A good war-date Union soldier's letter written in ink by Quarter Master Sgt. John P. DeMerit, 29th Wisconsin, 3pp. 4to., "Camp Salomon opposite Helena, Ark.", Nov. 27, 1862. In part: "…this morning the major ordered out 150 men and five teams on a foraging expedition…The Col. & QM gave me leave so I put on my sword, a few hard crackers in my pocket, my canteen with water and fell in…One of our Doctors was the only spectator besides myself…we met our pickets who were about twelve rods apart in squads around little fires…About a mile more brought us to a cotton field. Here hundreds of acres of unpicked cotton lay wasting…About half a mile more brought us to the remains of a building once used for ginning cotton…All that was left was s few half burnt sticks and the iron of a fine steam engine…About half a mile more brought us to the dwelling & c of the plantation. Here was the Massa's house of nice hewed logs …About ten good homes for niggers, the blacksmith shop, the carpenters tool shed, the corn cribs & out buildings all desolate. In the Planters home a few old magazines, & papers, sheets of music, a chair or two, worth only for kindling were sole occupants. In the niggers quarters old jugs, tables of planed boards & bedsteds of boards, old shoes &c. were scattered about…" With postwar note on verso of last sheet, stating "The Major in command of this expedition was WA Greene afterwards Lt. Col & Col. who died early after his service. He was quite willing to forage…but when some speculator at Helena offered him a 1000 dolls if he would send a 100 or 200 men to a cotton field out about two miles so he & a crowd of darkies at H. cld pick the cotton, the Major declined…". Please add his postwar one page note on verso. VG
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