Rebel Soldiers Believe God Is With Them, But Is Acting "Mighty Strange"

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008

A nice war-date Union soldier's letter written by Sgt. Jordan C. Harriss, Co. A, 81st Illinois Vols., 4p. folio, Vicksburg, Mississippi, January 28, 1864, with cover, and reads in part: "…You perhaps have heard of the smallpox being in our Co. & you may have some uneasiness about it. Several in our Co. are said by the Doctors to have it. Thos. Hansford, Nelson, Life & 4 or 5 others, he says have it some have been sent to the hospital & those in the Co. (Thos. Nelson & two or three more) have it very light…I don't dread it scarcely any…There are several cases of the smallpox in each Co. of the Regt…Now I hope this will cost you no gloomy thoughts for several thousand troops landed here a few days ago & an expedition a great one too I think is on foot & our Doctors have reported us unfit for the march…I have a paper at this time upon my knees published at Selma, Alabama Jan. 17th 1864 & will write verbatim a remark from it which says 'If the contest between us & the North is to be decided upon the simple principle of human power & brute force then it is already decided against us.' Then he goes on & speaks of all before them being filled with darkness & despair & speaks of their only hope which was that God would fight their battles for them but I feel assured that God will smile on the cause of civil & religious liberty. I heard of two Rebs a few weeks ago being engaged in conversation & the topic was on the war & one asked the other if he didn't think that the Lord was on their side & the other replied We-e-ell ye-e-e-es I reckon but He has been acting mighty strange about it Mighty Strange. I believe the Lord could give the Rebels the victory if their cause was well pleasing in his sight but I believe He looks upon Slavery as it has been in the South with sore displeasure & 'the least degree of allowance' & I firmly believe with the Editor of the Richmond Whig that 'Slavery has committed the unpardonable sin & must know its own heart & die' & amen to it & again I say Amen…" VG. Harriss was captured with a majority of his regiment at Guntown, Miss. on June 10, 1864 and sent to Andersonville prison. After his exchange, he was mustered out with his regiment at the end of the war.

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