"I am willing to go half naked eat parched corn and nothing else for the sake of the noble cause in which we are engaged any thing any exposure, for the cause of Liberty and Independence.”

Autograph letter signed by R.M. Rucker, 2nd Tennessee Infantry. 1 November [1861?], [Virginia, along the Potomac near Maryland]. 2 pages.

A fascinating letter with excellent skirmish content enhanced further by the addition of a hand-drawn map. Apparently written as an addendum to another letter, we are able to ascertain that it was written on 1 November 1861. Private Rucker writes home with money and instructions. He also writes in thanks for the box sent that included whiskey and onions, which he reports are very difficult to obtain. Despite the hardships he is facing he writes “But you must not understand from this that I am dissatisfied because…I am willing to go half naked eat parched corn and nothing else for the sake of the noble cause in which we are engaged any thing any exposure, for the cause of Liberty and Independence.”

He continues with an account of stumbling across enemy artillery batteries and the subsequent skirmishing along the Potomac River, in part: “Yesterday evening on hearing some friends…I went down to the River to a position on a hill where I could see what is going on. I discovered that the enemy had planted two pieces of artillery on the Bank opposite one of our batteries and were firing at this battery…Which was hid up in Quantico Creek at the mouth.” Further commenting on the fighting: “they would shoot at us their balls fall far and short our boys at the batteries would holler and shout at them sometimes pretty considerable fleet was to be seen both above and before our batteries they look like there want pass very bad but are afraid to venture. They are all a pack of cowards I believe.

Featuring a small hand-drawn map at the foot of the letter, oriented east. It shows the Potomac River, with Maryland on the far bank. Feeding into the main waterway are the Creek Quantico Chopawamsic Creek, with the 3 artillery batteries labeled and marked along the banks.

Tentatively identified to Private Robert M. Rucker of the 2nd Tennessee Infantry (CSA). Not much of his service is recorded except for his enlistment on 1 May 1861 into Company A. The 2nd Tennessee was organized at Nashville and mustered into service at Lynchburg, Virginia. From May until October 1861, they were assigned to the Department of Fredericksburg before assignment to the Aquia District in the Department of Northern Virginia. While there they saw action at Aquia Creek and First Bull Run (First Manassas) before returning to Tennessee in 1862. They would be bloodied at Shiloh before participating in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to Atlanta.

The reference to “Locki Weakley” could be to Wickliffe Wakley (1847-1929), a brother or half-brother to three men who served in the 2nd Tennessee with Rucker: Thomas Porter Weakley (1839-1910), Olin Weakley (1843-1928), and Richard Watson Weakley (1841-1910).

Excellent content and illustration.




[Civil War, Letter, Union Confederate, Nathan Bedford Forrest]