July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
War-date Union soldier’s Autograph Letter Signed “Lieutenant” 4pp. quarto, Camped in Dixie, April 20, 1864, and reads in part: “...I am officer of the day, and by that I mean that the peace and quietness of the camp desolves upon me for twenty four hours...We are about to take the field, and too with the hope that before many days we may meet that Murderer in cold blood of the garrison of Fort Pillow and remember if you watch carefully the military operations of the Cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland, and that the Second Division ever must, that find in human form. You will not fail to notice that like the Rebel Gen. Wheeler, he will gallop through his column; I refer to the Rebel Commander General Forrest, of him let me say a word, before the war began Forrest lived in Memphis. He was what the South term a ‘Nigger Trader.’ He bought and sold and when he pressed that small garrison and overpowered it with numbers his men, murdered in cold blood, both white & black. He who amassed a fortune from the slave traffic stooped to that degraded point as to allow conduct that the infernal regions would blush to hear; where are those cowardly, peace howling Democrats or renegades from the democratic party (rather) who would sanction such a deed if to day. I thought a brother would call it just. I who is without a fortune or a name, would hurl him from my presence, and should it be our lot to meet Forrest and his assassin crew and the fortunes of battle should give us the advantage. I will give to those under my command the watchword. Remember Fort Pillow...” Fine condition.
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