Raynors HCA 2016-10
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/21/2016
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 4to., written by Corp. David F. McGowan, Co. I, 47th Illinois Vols., LaGrange, Tenn., Jan. 19, 1864, reading, in part: "…you will have to excuse me if I don't take your advise about getting discharged…everything has the appearance of a march…we are going down the river…some think we will aim at Mobile, some Teaxs…don't think we can get to a worse place as far as climate is concerned…there is quite an amount of business done here by the citizens. They bring their cotton here and sell it for greenbacks and then get permission to buy what goods they want for their own use. I don't think it is a very good policy to let them trade with us but no doubt many of them would starve if it were not for our men. There don't seem to be many Rebels in this neighborhood just now…they are all south of Holly Springs…I have been thinking some of enlisting in the Veteran Corps. What do you think of the idea? From present appearances very few of the 47th will re-enlist…they are moving some of the siege guns from Corinth toward Memphis. It looks a little like evacuating this road…Hart is playing the dead march on an old fife…it affects my nerves very unpleasantly…cats are my favorite. We have several in camp. They are more for ornament than use as the rats are larger than the cats…we have a board floor in our chebang and there are quite a number of rats under it…they fight among themselves and you know there must be Union to be strength…the roads are most awfully muddy just now so there is no pleasure on running about…I haven't become acquainted with any of the fair sex of this benighted land. Nearly all whom I have seen have the everlasting snuff sticks in their mouths. Isn't it disgusting? Almost as bad as tobacco chewing. They can spit beautifully…they split the end of a small stick (something like a split broom) and dip it in snuff and then stick it in their mouths leaving thee inches of the stick exposed to view…Dave Fisher." VG
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