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. 4to., written by Pvt. Robert H. Crist (1829-1912), Co. F, 21st Indiana Vols., [later captain 1st Ind. Hvy. Artillery], Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 17, 1862, in part: "…since the memorable 5th we have had some exciting times. Our forces are now stationed in the garrison and arsenal grounds and have thrown up an entrenchment out side of our camp. The Rebs are reported to be reinforced and bound to attack and take this place at all hazards. Our forces have made all necessary preparations to receive them. We sent a company with a steamboat down the river and another up 10 or 15 miles and brought in some 2 or 300 contrabands and they have been kept at work on the entrenchments night and day as much as they could stand our won troops relieving them. They commenced last Monday 11th and now tis about complete. It is 1 1/2 long including the angles. The darkees worked well and appeared interested but darkees like Boys, work well while tis a new thing. They will probably be returned to their master…unless Genl. Butler sees fit to make a military necessity of keeping them. We have burned…quite a number of houses…in front & back of the camps so as not to give the Rebs a shelter when they come up to fire on us. Several houses have been burned by Sharpers from New Orleans for the sake of plundering and the Foreign Paupers among the New Eng. Division have brought disgrace to our brigade by plundering houses…before the owners left them. Our Regt hates them worse than…the Southerners or Rebs. The Yankees are like niggers. They pick up and hoard everything…our first bakery was on the battlefield…I had 900 loaves of bread and 17 Bbls flour there. The Rebs came and went but did not disturb either…our pickets report the rebs about 5 miles back in the country…says they are coming with large siege guns…we are going to evacuate this place for New Orleans…Baton Rouge…will surely be left in ashes…this country is hostile and it will never submit…let the federal army make a sweep, kill & destroy as they go. Let darkees free, nothing short of this will end the war…I have little faith in there being many Union men in the cotton growing states…our wounded were sent to New Orleans. Several of them have since died…[in] the fight our camp was partly burned and our men…slept under arms one or two nights…the whole town is deserted expect along the river…darkees are plenty…sweet potatoes are ripe, but we are shut out from trading with darkees…our whole Regt was presented with new Enfield rifles…by Genl. Butler with…Bully for us…[Aug. 23]…about 9 o'clock of the 20th while I was…drawing whiskey for the Regt the long roll beat…such confusion you never saw. Women rung…carrying children, bundles etc. ordering niggers & nigger women…running they knew not where…I went up to camp…borrowed a breech loading rifle and went to the entrenchments…I rallied around our darkee cooks, made them get buckets to carry water…the gunboats…opened out in plain style. The balls whistling over our heads & bursting among about 500 Secesh that came up near to our picket lines to reconnoiter…some were on horse…the shells killed 10 or 15 Rebs…the men lay in the trenches two or 3 nights…we moved out of camp…and the troops went onboard the transports and last but not least the Darkees. The steamer Diana was loaded down with darkees. We brought about 5 or 600. There were 8 or 1000 here and O Shade of nightly. There is darkees all around us. There is a Regt of them next to ours. They drill twice each day. This is Genl. [John Wolcott] Phelps arrangement. We are at Carrolton 6 miles above New Orleans. When Genl. Phelps had his regiment formed. He sent…to Genl. Butler for arms. Butler sent up picks & shovels. Phelps is a great nigger man. There is two brigades here now…". In a side note Crist adds, in full: "Genl. Phelps has a nigger Regt in his camp and is drilling them. They are in good Fremont tents, mixed with the troops. He expects to arm them. It better be with Spade & Shovels. When niggers gets commissions. I want to go home." Brigadier General John W. Phelps was a pioneer in arming and equipping Black troops for battle. He organized the first black troops in the Civil War and Lincoln's administration quickly disavowed his actions. He resigned in disgusted on the same day that the Confederate government declared him an outlaw for militarizing these former slaves. The original stamped transmittal cover is included. Near Fine.
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