Lot 369
Civil War Era Correspondence Archive. A group of 15 Civil War period letters (late 1862 to June 1865) in their postmarked envelopes along with one older, without the envelope, to the writer of the larger group.
In the earliest letter, dated Nov. 25, 1858, one "LCM" writes to his friend J.J. Mileham, about LCM's recent arrival in Keokuk, Iowa to attend medical school. LCM complains to Mileham about annoying queries from the locals, "men in ernest (ask) if we buried our negroes when they died or did we drag them off like we would a dead hog or any other kind of animal or if we did not make them work day & night & Sunday too and if we did not lash them every night and all such fool questions." He continues "Keokuk is noted for ugly ladies and Black Republicans."
In the subsequent group of 15 Civil War letters, Mileham writes to Miss Maggie Trotter at Canton, Missouri from various towns such as Cynthiana, Indiana; Camp Point, Illinois and three are postmarked Berry's Station, Kentucky. Mileham moved around and in a letter of October 26th (1862?), he asks for her response to be sent to James H. Gibson, and as he's concerned about the draft, he may have been using an alias. Mileham seems to be a Southern sympathizer from Missouri but left because of the lawlessness and guerilla warfare. He calls Missouri a "hard country…where nothing grows but the rank wickedness of Abolitionism and radicalism."
An early letter to Maggie declares a "flame of love that burns for you and you alone" though in a later one he fears "that fate has decided that you and I are not to be to each other more than friend." Yet he hopes "there is a happier time in store…where love…so long deferred may be fully realized."
In a March 3, 1863 letter from Camps Point, IL, he describes a "highly favored land where Jeff Davis don't rule" and goes on to say that he will "cheerfully go in defense of the stars and stripes", yet in Feb. 19, 1865, he changes tune expressing " the blues about the draft, which our glorious and ever to be adored Sovereign, Father Abraham had ordered" and he says "I shall not go to the fight", as it is not "evidence of bravery to fight where one has no sympathy." Later he supposes that the "nigger is above fear in Mo now much better than white folks and I shall soon expect to hear of some of the good loyal friends getting divorced from their consorts and taking themselves a mate of the real African stock".
An April 10, 1865 letter mentions the "Capture of Richmond" saying "the Rebellion it is thought is nearly at a close and we shall soon have the return of peace." Five days later, he writes again of "the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia with its Commander Gen. Lee" and tells of "men almost frantic with joy. Shouting, singing, firing cannon and exhibiting their pleasure at the downfall of rebellion." He continues "But joy don't always come unmixed with sorrow. I have…learned of the death of President Lincoln…Rumor has it that he was assassinated at the theatre last night in Washington City. Some one shooting him through the head."
The final letter dated July 12, 1865 from Cythiana, Indiana describes returning soldiers "warworn and weatherbeaten…all tired of the war and many are heartily disgusted with what they accomplished, that is the elevation of the nigger, or more properly the degrading of the white man." A disturbing and fascinating time capsule of one man's jumbled thoughts during the years of our nation's greatest upheaval. (16 letters).
Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,750.
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