Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 8pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Robert H. Crist (1829-1912), Co. F, 21st Indiana Vols., [later captain 1st Ind. Hvy. Artillery], New Orleans, La., Feb. 13, 1863, in part: "…the Regt are occupying 2 cotton press yards. That is yards for sheltering & storing cotton while they are compressing it for shipping…as for stealing from Uncle sam. I would have to plead guilty…an angel would get in a thieving way in the Qr. M. department. Why not I?. I make enough to live comfortably…I have been abused for not making 5 times as much, but I have some conscience left…stealing is the game and will be while the warless, if there is any thing to steal. The greatest swindle now is in the subsistence department. Our coffee comes burned roasted & ground. Some of it is not 1/4 coffee…there was a big swindle in buying horses & mule wagons…our business is mostly out side the camp…speaking of the 21st. It has a very good name in the north…it is to be known as the 21st Ind. Regt. Siege Artillery…old Jimmy the Col. [James W. McMillan promoted brigadier general Nov. 29, 1862 & bvt. major general March 5, 1865] took a notion he must be promoted for his stealing, propensity or bravery and went to Washington for a brigadier general ship and failed…then found it was…more honorable to have command of an artillery Regt…our Regt. will then have 12 companies…lots of officers & big guns. We now have several 30 pound Parrots on carriages…they are rifled pieces…what a vast amount of noise we will make…they was H_ll on scouting…failed to come in 3 companies out on the R. R. to Brashear surrendered to a flag of truce…the rebs threatened & scared them to terms. They are now paroled and on Ship Island…since we left Brashear the rebs came down on the opposite side of the river…and fired on the men that were building a fort…now one of our companies has to go back with 2 of our 30 pounders…several of our officers are putting on the red ground shoulder straps with red cord down the outside seam of their pants…there will be a change…at Vicksburg soon…yet…the trap is not well set. The rebs are now getting very much dissatisfied and nearly starved out…the river is nearly over its banks…Old Williams last ditch is full of water again…there is no levee back of the ditch. There will be a country overflowed…". The original transmittal cover is included. VG.
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