180. COLORED REGIMENT OFFICER IS MISTREATED AT LIBBY PRISON An excellent war-date Union officer's Libby Prison letter, 2pp. 4to., in ink by most likely 2nd Lt. Edwin Y. Brown, Co. A, 82nd USCT offering his brother a rare glimpse into the horrible conditions experienced while confined at Libby Prison in this letter that was smuggled out of the Confederate bastion. In part: "...I will endeavor to give you some slight idea of my...imprisonment...after sharing similar treatment with other officers for seven months [on] the 11th of March the officers of colored Regt's, four including myself, were taken to a cell where we found six of the officers of the Kilpatrick and Dalghren Raiding Party then lately captured and four negro soldiers. Two or three days later two more negroes were brought in with us. For a sink we were allowed an open tub which was emptied twice in twenty-four hours. One Officer of the negro regt. and one negro carrying it out. Of late we have been excused from that duty. Our food is of the poorest quality but starvation compels us to devour it. It consists of a small piece of very coarse corn bread, a few spoonfuls of black beans boiled in salt and water, and for the past few weeks a small piece of spoiled bacon...for two months we received no animal food. The small quantity of food together with the...want of exercise is fast reducing our strength...what is this abuse for? T'was it for any crime committed?...some of your Freedom loving friends could easily obtain a special exchange, if they could be induced to interest themselves in the matter...[on] the 6th of May all of the officer then here (except us specials and a few hostages) were sent to Macon Ga...Edwin...". Worthy of further research that the author is indeed Lt. Brown, but it is certain that the author is from a black regiment. Overall very good.   $1,000 - 1,200