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A Soldier Looses His Springfield On Train Ride Tow

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A good war-date Union soldier's letter: 4 1/2pp. 8vo., written in ink, by Corp. Jordan Carroll Harris, Co. A, 81st Ill., Camp John A. Logan, LaGrange, Tenn., Nov. 14, 1862, it reads in part: "...We are in about three miles of the Miss. line. We are encamped now in a very pleasant place between the 31st & 63rd Ill. regts. We passed the 18th at Jackson about 60 miles from here. They tell me that there are about 90,000 troops at this place. We had a very unpleasant ride down here. The most of our Co. had to ride on a flat car and we were badly crowded and the car was very muddy, at night we all piled down on the top of each other & the mud...During the night Marion's gun dropped off the car & he had to jump off & look for it. He found it & caught up again and we pulled him up again...Our troops here had an engagement with the enemy 3 or 4 days ago & completely routed them killing several & took over 200 prisoners. It is reported that Price has evacuated Holly Springs & is retreating southward...Gen. Logan is here but we have to regret the absence of our noble Colonel Dollins. He was thrown from his horse the day before we left Humboldt which injured his knee cap so that he won't be able to take command soon. We fear to go in battle under the Lt. Col. but if he leads us you may listen to hear of the 'Egpytian Tigers' sustaining the honor of Illinois troops...I expect we will advance on Price in a few days & if he has evacuated Holly Springs I expect or I think we ought to follow him up so we may have to travel a foot to Jackson, Miss…". Harriss was captured with a majority of his regiment at Guntown, Miss. on June 10, 1864 and sent to Andersonville prison. After his exchange, he was mustered out with his regiment at the end of the war. Light toning, else very good.

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