Description:

EDWARD S. BRAGG
(1827 - 1912) Union brigadier general who led the Iron Brigade at Chancellorsville and during the Petersburg siege. A rather bigoted antebellum letter describing activities on a Southern plantation, 3pp. 4to., Mills House, Charleston, [April 29, 1860], to his wife about his journey to Charleston to attend the doomed Democratic National Convention. In part: "..After much tribulation I am here upon the battle ground…we shall succeed in nominating our candidate…we left by steamboat down the Potomac en route for Charleston…The country is almost a burn. Slavery is not the cause, as Republicans so lowly talk. Nature stamped its impress upon it long before the sons of Africa ever stepped upon our shores. Richmond appeared like an active city-some beautiful places we saw, as we crossed the city. But everything was miserable & antiquated. From Richmond we came to Wilmington in North Carolina…thence came…Florence in South Carolina…there are no little hamlets alone the road but mile after mile we rode along without seeing anything but occasionally a stray Negro. A stray Negro fat, lazy trudging along with a donkey. Sometimes we saw them at work in the field. All looked comfortable and happy-little thinking of the galling chains which Northern philanthropists hear clanking on their feet...The plantation residences are delightful, but the balance of the country we have passed through is forlorn…Harper's…were true to the life-nigger-country & all. Yesterday…we passed a nigger sitting in the hot sun fishing in a mud hole-well satisfied, happy as a clam, waiting for and wanting nothing but a bite...tomorrow I propose…to go down to Fort Moultrie which is a place marked in history for its gallant defense in the War of the Revolution…I propose to go to…the plantation and see the nigger as he is-hear him sing and him dance-I expect some spirit…". Very good.

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September 27, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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