The Colonel Writes from Salisbury Prison in N.C. - Great Content

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/26/2023

Including being Forced to "Draw Lots" for Prisoners to be Placed as Hostages This Union officer's letter is written from Salisbury Prison by John Simpson Crocker who enlisted on 10/16/1861 at Albany, NY as a Colonel, and on 10/16/1861 was commissioned into Field & Staff NY 93rd Infantry. He was discharged for disability on 9/7/1864. Crocker was POW 4/23/1862 Yorktown, VA., exchanged 9/21/1862 Aiken's Landing, VA ( for Lorman Chancellor 132nd VA). The 3pp. letter is written on orange Confederate paper and comes with its original envelope… a rarity in itself. Datelined, Garrison at Salisbury N. C. July 9, 1862, to Revd. Charles H. Taylor. In part, "I AM CONSTRAINED FROM WRITING AS I WOULD PRECLUDE FROM FREE CORRESPONDENCE, it is exceedingly gratifying that friends good & true have earnestly defended and vindicated me from aspersions most false & vile. A DARK CLOUD HAD OVERSHADOWED MY COUNTRY WHICH I LOVE. GLOOMY WERE THE FOREBODINGS OF HER IMMEDIATE FUTURE. FEELING IT MY DUTY THOUGH A VERY HUMBLE CITIZEN, I WITHDREW FROM THE SOCIETY OF THEM AND DEAR TO ME THAN MY OWN LIFE AND ENGAGED IN HER SERVICE. ... Of the manner in which i have performed the duties of my position, i leave for these who have served with me to speak. AT THE TIME OF OUR CAPTURE, MAJOR CASSIDY & MYSELF WERE PERFORMING A DANGEROUS AND WHAT I BELIEVED AN IMPERATIVE DUTY. CONSCIOUS OF HAVING FEARLESSLY PERFORMED MY DUTY SO FAR AS HAS BEEN IN MY POWER THUS FAR, I ENDURE WITH COMPOSURE MY PRESENT SITUATION. FEELING MORE THAN EVER A DEVOTION TO MY COUNTRY, I HAVE A STRONG DESIRE TO BE AGAIN WITH HER SERVICES. .. THERE ARE CONFINED HERE ABOUT 200 OFFICERS & SEVERAL HUNDRED PRIVATES & POLITICAL PRISONERS WHO BEAR THEIR IMPRISONMENT WITH NOBLE FORTITUDE & AS WORTHY SONS OF THE GREAT REPUBLIC. THERE IS MUCH SICKNESS, MANY CASES TERMINATING FATALLY. ... OUR OF OUR NUMBER ARE CONFINED SEPARATELY AS HOSTAGES. YOU MAY WELL IMAGINE THERE WAS QUITE AN EXCITING SCENE WHEN LOTS WERE CAST AMONG THE OFFICERS FOR THE SELECTION OF THE HOSTAGES WHOSE LIVES WERE TO BE FORFEITED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH I TRUST WILL BE AVERTED. ... The glorious fourth was celebrated by the prisoners in a manner worthy of the occasion. The proceedings were quite interesting & will be published. Your humble servant. YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT WAS THE READER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. ... [Note: Letters were restricted to 3 pages at Salisbury and that is why Crocker did not write on his 4th page but added "extras" at the top!]

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