Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 6pp. 4to., written by Pvt. Robert H. Crist (1829-1912), Co. F, 21st Indiana Vols., [later captain 1st Ind. Hvy. Artillery], Camp Parapet, La., Oct. 12, 1862, in part: "…as to Genl. [Thomas] Williams. It matters but little what is said about him. He was a brave man but a poor General. He had too mush sympathy for the rebels and could not bear to see the Western troops in his brigade. First he was mad about it and he took pain to abuse them. Our boys called him all sorts of names. He held his head very high and the boys called him "Old Bee Hunter" or "Order of Combat." Order of Comfort was a peculiar kind of drill of Williams' that officers & men despised. There was a piece of poetry written for his benefit on Ship Island…Williams was an Eastern man and favored Eastern troops and was of the regular service…Williams fell while…cheering on the 21st. No one here supposes a Union bullet killed him. He fell with 4 or 5 balls through him…our troops feel pretty well over the war news we hear through Reb sources of a big fight at Corinth which resulted in our favor. The President's Proclamation takes very well among our Regt. We…look for a fight here soon as the rebs are out of clothes and must come here to winter…we…have a parapet or breast work about 10 feet high from the river to the swamp. The Rebs built it to keep us out and planted quite a number of large guns. They burned some of the carriages when they elf. They are now mounted and we have several batteries besides gunboats and some Enfield rifles…they better not send Breckinridge again…they will certainly try to redeem Louisiana this winter…bed clothes & shoes are scarce with them…I will send you our opinion of Ship Island & Genl. Williams…[here follows a 3 1/2pp. poem entitled, 'The Order of Combat', in part:]…as rhymes without reason…are the rhymes most in season…Ship Island is a glorious land. Surrounded by water and covered with sand…noted for Yankees…and the ours of Uncle Sam…Major Genl. Butler from land came down. His brother, cousins & wife came along…a New England Division partook in the game…farther up the Island…there's brigade No. 2 stuck down in the sand…there's Hoosiers, and badgers and Wolverines too…to fight, bleed and die and do without bread because they don't wear the insignia of N. E. D…should you met a Hoosier & say 'How do you do.' He says 'Order of Combat.' How goes it with you…we have sand in our eyes and sand in our mouths. We've sand in our boots and sand in our craws. But the 'Order of Combat' is the end of the law…revere Genl. Butler and his nutmeg crew. Hang out your banner & don't cry for bread. While you can get it by wearing the Ned (N. E. D.)…[the letter then continues from here]…The New England troops had N. E. D. in large letters on their knapsacks, haversacks, army wagons , on their blind bridles. All boxes, barrels coming here were marked N. E. D. and our boys sat we would have fared better if we had N. E. D. inscribed on us…". An original transmittal cover is included. VG to near fine.
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