Trading With The Enemy

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

A Union soldier's letter written by Robert I. Johnston who, on 8/16/1862, he mustered into "Batty A" Co. RI 1st Light Artillery , was transferred out on 8/12/1864 and, on 8/12/1864 he transferred into "Batty B" Co. RI 1st Light Artillery, and was Mustered Out on 6/12/1865 at Providence, RI. The 3pp., letter is signed only "Bob" but comes a group. Datelined, Opposite Fredericksburg, May 28/63, in part, "there was some awful fighting there. When this army does fight there is someone hurt. They think in North Carolina if they have four or five hundred killed, it is a hard battle. There never was a battle before in this war where two Army's came to so close work as in this last one. ..I WISH OLD ABE AND JEFF DAVIS WERE IN RAPPAHANNOCK OR ELSE ABE RECRUIT THIS ARMY UP. THE SOLDIERS SWEAR THEY WILL NOT FIGHT ANY MORE. ... I HAVE BEEN TRADING KNIVES WITH "JOHNNY SECESH." I WAS DOWN TO THE RIVER YESTERDAY SITTING ON THE SHORE. "JOHN SECESH" HOLLERED TO ME AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I WOULD EXCHANGE PAPERS WITH HIM. I TOLD HIM I HAD NONE, BUT I WOULD TRADE KNIVES WITH HIM. HE SAID HE HAD NO KNIFE BUT WOULD GIVE ME SOME TOBACCO FOR MINE. HE WANTED ME TO SWIM OVER TO HIM, BUT I COULD NOT SEE THE POINT. I TOLD HIM HE MUST COME OVER TO ME IF HE WANTED TO TRADE FOR THE PICKETS OF OURS WOULD FIRE ON ME IF I UNDERTOOK TO CROSS. HE CONCLUDED HE WOULD COME OVER AND TRADE WITH ME. I TOLD HIM TO GO UP THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE SO THE PICKETS WOULD NOT SEE HIM. I WAS OUTSIDE OF THE LINE OF PICKETS THEN. I SAT DOWN IN THE BUSHES AND WAITED FOR HIM. HE LAUNCHED HIS PLANK AND CAME OVER.I GAVE HIM MY KNIFE FOR HIS TOBACCO WHICH HE BROUGHT IN HIS HAT. HE SEEMED RATHER IN A HURRY TO GET BACK TO HIS FRIENDS. HE SAID THERE WERE A GREAT MANY WOULD SWIM OVER TO US IF THEY WERE SURE THEY WOULD NOT FIRE FROM OUR SIDE. I TOLD HIM THEY NEED NOT BE AFRAID OF THAT. HE MOUNTED HIS PLANK AND STARTED BACK AGAIN. AND I RETURNED TO CAMP. ...Sunday at 10 o'clock we form in line for Inspection which lasts 2 hours and the rest of the day we have to ourselves to write homes. THE REBELS GET UP ON THEIR EARTH WORKS TO SEE US DRILL. ... They had better keep one eye on Richmond for fear Gen. Dix might do something there that would cause them to countermarch back. NOW IS THE TIME OLD ABE SHOULD HAVE HIS CONSCRIPTS READY TO REINFORCE DIX ON THE MATTAPONI, BUT HE IS ALWAYS BEHIND. WE DON'T WANT TO SETTLE THIS WAR YET IF THIS IS HIS GAME. THE PEOPLE OUGHT TO RAISE AND HANG THE BUGGER. HE OUGHT TO BE KICKED FOR SENDING VALANDINGHAM SOUTH. ... If I were Burnside, I'd throw up my Commission and never try to do anything again. I am not a Rebel yet but shall be if they don't do something different pretty soon. ..

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