Union Nurse Jim Morrison sees Rebel Dead Hacked to Pieces and Placed in Tubs:

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2004

A wonderful archive of ten war-date letters written by Pvt. James Morrison, Co. E, 149th N. Y. V. on varying size letter sheets, totaling 35pp., written between Oct. 1862 and Aug. 1863, concerning his experiences while serving with his regiment in Maryland in 1862, and while a nurse at Lincoln Hospital, Washington where he expresses no love-loss over the mutilation on Confederate dead. In very small part: “…[n. p., n. d., but Bolivar Heights, Md., Oct. 26, 62]…we moved from Pleasant Valley…alongside the Potomac…until we were opposite Harper’s Ferry…we crossed on a pontoon bridge…Harper’s Ferry…is a desolate looking place. Fine brick buildings completely destroyed…guns piled up by the thousands that had been burnt up in the arsenal…we passed through the center…which brought us to another pontoon bridge which crossed the Shenandoah…there was a great movement of the Army of the Potomac…I saw more than 75,000 troops…on a move that day. [The] old twelfth passed us on their way south…there was heavy cannonading to the south…our boys went out on picket…and brought in a rebel prisoner…we can see the Rebel camps by going half a mile from our camp…many are afraid that Jackson is coming in by way of Bolivar…there is a heavy force in and around this place…[Fairfax, Va., Jan. 1, 63]…We started off in a hurry for we heard that the Rebels were about six miles south of us…we was ordered to form in line of battle. We was…startled…at the sound of the cannon…the 137th Regt…in front of us moved forward…we was ordered to lie down…General Geary rode up…and told us that there was a heavy force of Rebel cavalry in front…of us…the Rebels fired one round from their carbines and our cavalry returned the fire. There was 5 of our cavalry killed…[Bolivar Heights, Md., Dec. 9, 62]…we started about ten thousand strong on a reconnaissance…we expected to do some fighting…the first day we went through Charlestown…marching twenty miles…I went out on picket that night …there was some Rebel cavalry scouting…within three miles of our camp…we was…five miles from Winchester…the Rebels had given it up and left. They burned about 40,000 dollars worth of tobacco…our forces marched in to the city and took possession of the forts…Winchester looks as though it had seen some fire. All the buildings…were burned to the ground and the inhabitants left were pretty much black and poor…we leave…tomorrow…to reinforce Burnside…[Lincoln Hospital, Washington, Mar. 1, 63]…tell your Pa that I don’t care how many Niggers they send down here to fight…they had ought to do the fighting for my part. I have seen enough of this war…I am in…a ward…there is 20 wards in the hospital…[Lincoln Hospital, May 9, 63 after the battle of Chancellorsville]…I have been very busy this week…many wounded came in. There is 4 or 5 of our regt. two of them are in our ward…our regt suffered badly…we had about 135 Rebel wounded in this hospital. They are very ragged and dirty and some of them were barefooted. Others no shirts and no stockings. They say…common army shoes are $9 a pair…Hooker…ordered the pontoons to be at the river…there has been a very heavy loss on both sides this battle…this war…is an awful war. So many cripples…some of them look horrible arms, legs and eyes gone. Some their under jaws tore off…[Lincoln Hospital, Aug. 14, 63]…I hope that all the boys will be drafted…they will have plenty of time to see all the Rebs they will…before this war is ended…I don’t want to see any more of them. If a wounded Reb should come in to our ward I would hardly dress his wound…the Drs cut the Rebs up when they die. They are…taken to pieces. I see one the…day after he died…he was…cut up and put in a tub. It was an awful sight. But I could stand it very well knowing that it was a Reb. They are pretty saucy in the Hospl. they never ought to be allowed such a comfortable place…for their wounded prisoners…any old shed or barn is fit for them…I know a good many circumstances where there are wounded and taken [prisoner]…they [Rebels] will shoot or strike them with the saber or pierce them through with the bayonet…[Lincoln Hospital Aug. 22, 63]…that boy from Pa…that was doing so well when his mother came to see him is now numbered with [the dead]…her coming was the cause of his death…but I did not tell her so…she wanted to get a furlow for him…she kept teasing for it…his mother got him out of bed before he could walk…he got his furlow in the morning and in the evening…was worse…he was the best boy to take care of…his mother stayed with him until he died and then got his body embalmed and took it home…”. Morrison served throughout the remainder of the war, and was discharged in June 1865. Also included are several poems and small pieces of hand written notes. Usual toning and soiling, else very good.

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