Description:

WASHINGTON: "THE MEANEST HOLE I EVER SAW..."
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 7pp. 4to., written by Sgt. Moses M. Ordway, 40th Mass. Vols., Fort Ethan Allen, Va., Sept. 15, 1862 to his brother, in pencil. In part: "…We formed the Regt near the depot and marched to the Fall River depot…took the steamer Bay State for Jersey City…the boat was very much crowded…took the cars for Baltimore…it was reported…that the last Regt that passed through Baltimore…had to fight through so after the cars had started the officers gave us ten rounds…a piece. It made the boys as crazy as coons. You would have thought the whole Southern Sates were going to be annihilated…it was to Philadelphia that is the only place where we were treated decent....The aristocracy some of prettiest women I ever saw lined the streets and kept us shaking hands all the way through…there were three girls for every soldier. We all went in for kissing all the prettiest girls...The Federal pickets commenced some after we got through Baltimore. We passed over the road that was torn up…by the Rebels. We passed over the Long Bridge that they destroyed…Washington is the meanest hole I ever saw…the Capitol is not more than 200 yards from the barracks. I saw an old sow with a litter of pretty large pigs rooting around the Capitol steps besides numerous other hogs. They are as plenty as dogs in Boston. …you ought to see the Niggers grin at us all along the way…I used to have a great sympathy for the negroes. It is all gone now. I wish the Devil had them all…if they want to fight let them come on. We have seen lots of the boys that before Richmond. They are a hard looking set…our pickets are advanced about five miles out in Secesh…they bring in Rebel scouts occasionally…if you have any idea of enlisting you had better give it up. One of the family is enough in the business…". The original transmittal cover is included.

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July 8, 2015 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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