Raynors HCA 2015-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/19/2015
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., Nov. 23, 1863, in part: "…we are still occupying Fort Williams…a steamer came down this morning with her Pilot House entirely gone and cotton bales piled around the wheel [house] with some 30 or 40 shots in her. She the (Black Hawk) had one or two killed and 3 or 4 wounded. Her machinery was not touched. It was…just below the mouth of the Red River. The steamer Emerald came down a few days ago with some 500 soldiers on, 150 for our Regt. She was fired into there and today we hear firing down the river…the rebs are at Indian Village…if the Rebs get possession of the river above and below us we will certainly be in a tight place…some of the troops are…near the salt works that we were at to destroy last winter but we could not get to it for low water (and rebs)…our troops occupied Brownsville and Mattamoras, Texas…Gen. Gillmore is baptizing the people of Charleston with greek fire…there is very little excitement here about Nigger soldier[s]. There are a party here in town who pick up stray darkees and forward them on to Port Hudson…and get $10 per head and if the darkee has $10 when taken they release him and catch him again. They occasionally pick up one of our teamsters and tear up his pass [and] sometimes the officer's servants. The rage for Nigger commissions has died out. Our Q. M. Sergt. is 2nd Lieut. in the 18th Regt. C. D. A. (Corps de Afrique)=Co. L and M of our regt…number 148…we are the largest Regt in the department…the 175th N. Y. Regt is here…with us…[they] are nearly all German…I am glad…the Union ticket is ahead in Sullivan…while the soldier knows that the elections are going in his favor at home he feels much better…". The original transmittal cover is also included. Near fine.
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