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Union Vessels Are Laden By Black Contrabands While

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War-date Union soldier's letter written in pencil by Quarter Master Sgt. John P. DeMerit, 29th Wisconsin, 6p. folio, ink, on Board the steamer boat Tecumseh, November 16, 1862, and reads in part: "...We are aboard the Tecumseh or rather 240 of our troops. On the same boat are about 100 cavalry and between 300 & 400 of the 56 Ohio Infantry, making about 700 in all, and I presume the boats, excepting the Tug & Gun Boat will average the same so we have not far from 9000 men. Gen. Hovey commands us....We are as I write now forty miles by the river below Helena. Guerrillas roam all around the country around us. The Rocket was fired into about sunset last night by a few Guerillas. One of the soldiers on the Rocket had his finger shot off which was all it amounts to...On our boat about ten niggers who had fled from their masters and wanted to go with us came to Helena. Everyone of these niggers (men, women & children) were taken by officers for servants. One nigger had about 100 lbs of cotton. As the other boats confiscated as many niggers that is the greatest gain of the trip. It is true that when ever we stopped the boys went out and took chickens, potatoes, & beef but the chances for this were few and amounted to little. The whole plan of the expedition showed inability & foolishness on the part of its leaders. Every man that has only a faint trace of patriotism in him with us is sick of such works...Our Regt. lost one man. He fell overboard and was drowned. We also had one man wounded slightly in the back from the guns of Guerrillas on the shore while coming up. There was about eight men lost in all..." With his postwar note on verso detailing the expedition and the drowning of the soldier. Much more interesting content with DeMerit then adding a great content ca. 1900 postscript. Fine.

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