February 2017 Auction Ends Thursday, February 23rd, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
Civil War letter from Willard S. Cooke of the 37th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. F. Writing to his father on 17 February 1865, Cooke describes the constant rebel deserters coming into their lines: ''...It is raining quite hard tonight - just the time for the Johnnies to desert into our lines. Last night nineteen of them came into our lines in front of the Brigade while usually the number has been six or seven. Every hour, nearly, through the night we can hear a volley of musketry fired by the Rebel pickets towards some of their men who are coming over to us, but there is a mutual understanding between the two and not one of them has been known to be shot in an attempt to desert. They either have no ball in their guns or else they fire over. They are obliged to shoot, however, for if they do not, they are accused and punished for complicity with desertion. It sometimes happens that an officer takes the gun to shoot at them and then the Johnnies sing out to our pickets to lie down so as not to get hit. Some more of them have just come in for I heard a 'volley' and it is a sure sign for the utmost friendliness exists between the pickets of the two armies and they seldom, if ever, fire under under any other circumstances. Those that 'come in' say that more would come but that they are told by their officers that we put them right into our army. They say, however, that two thirds of their army will come over before another campaign even if they knew they would be put into our ranks for they say they can fight better on full stomachs than they can when half starved as they are now. I saw some that came in last night and a happier set of dirty ragged fellows you never saw. Our boys give them all they can eat when they come in and does one's soul good to see them stuff. Victuals seem to taste good to them...W.S. Cooke''. With original mailing envelope. Very good condition. With a transcription of the letter.
37th Massachusetts Soldier Describes a Flood of Rebel Deserters Crossing Enemy Lines: ''...through the night we can hear a volley of musketry fired by the Rebel pickets...''
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