Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. folio, written by Pvt. Robert H. Crist (1829-1912), Co. F, 21st Indiana Vols., [later captain 1st Ind. Hvy. Artillery], Baton Rouge, La., July 20, 1862, in part: "…our Regt is all tore up. It is now stationed in 4 different places to protect batteries stationed about the out skirts of the city. 'We' are fixing for a fight. There is quite a body of troops at Vicksburg and some at Camp More, some 40 miles east of Woodville. The Mich. Regt, 14th Maine and a small part of 1 or 2 other Regts is here with us. There is 3 or 4 batteries. We can hold Genl. Van Doren at bay some time. The citizens are scared nearly to death. Many of them have pits dug in their back yard and covered over to go into in case of a battle and the balls fly too thick for their amusement. Bitter Secesh are thick all among us. No one can cross the picket line in or out without a pass. So Secesh has to stay in or out unless they can coax a pass out of the Provost Marshall. The women are the worst. How they will abuse the Yankees, but the Yankees has not eaten them up and they begin to think Yankees are not as bad as represented…there is not much doing in the cotton trade here now. John & I did not make much on cotton. 'Shoulder straps' (commissioned officers) come in ahead of us…I have made a few dollars on coarse salt…they cut my wages down $1.00 on the the month, but while we stay South I can make it up…Treasury notes are plenty enough here but $5.00 is the smallest change we can get…and silver is not to be had…we are obliged to take and give what we call Baton Rouge. Everybody grumbles at it but everybody takes it. It is in bills of $.05, .10, .25, .50…$3.00…and poor paper it is…you would laugh to see me with both hands full of Baton Rouge trying to get it in my wallet…a $1. bill tore cross wise…is good for $.50…Confederate Bills isn't worth a d__n…holders of them have long faces…the Bills look very well, but they don't go. Even 'em Richmond Merchants make the excuse [that] they cant change it. Gold is worth 80 percent here…our Col. is commander of the post. He was shot but is about well again. Our Qr. M is post commissary…the guerrillas are getting scarce…they are joining the Confederate army or backing down. Some come in and give themselves up. They are out of powder and times are tight with them. We captured several sacks of fine salt a few miles down the River…that was destined for Camp More. I fear the poor fellows must do without salt in their bread. The darkees out of town complain they have to eat bread without salt. I have sold some $25. or $30. worth…out of Pork Barrels and some we captured in Algiers…they buy the salt to salt cattle…so if you get a Bbl of cheap molasses. Put in a pork…you may known it came through some soldier's hand…". The original transmittal cover is included. VG
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