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394
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UNION SOLDIER, ELISHA N. PIERCE’S LETTER.
“My Own Darling
Wife.”
Letter from a Union soldier describing a number of Negroes who had crossed over
into Union lines, one of them a woman, dressed as a man. 4to leaf, folded to form four
small 8vo pages, written on all four sides; some light staining; with original envelope
addressed to Mrs. E. N. Pierce, West Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Pine Tree Signal Station, Out Post Line, North Carolina, 3 December, 1863
[800/1,200]
A delightful and affectionate letter, “My own darling wife . . . I have got quite a collection of rebel
notes today from a party of negros (sic) who came in, 5 men, stout, intelligent fellows they were, but
one walked with a shuffling gate (sic), short steps and legs knocking together. I asked him the reason
he walked so. He said his “trousers galled him.” The other darkies set up a loud laugh and on
enquiring the cause I found ‘dat darkie were a gall wid britches on.’ It seems that this enterprising
young lady was determined to run off with the boys, and doffing crinoline donned the britches . . .”
He goes on to describe how the Negroes were very nearly caught by a scouting party, and that they
had come some 17 miles from Wilmington. He talks a bit about home and his upcoming court mar-
tial for having been AWOL.
395
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UNION SOLDIER, ELISHA N. PIERCE’S LETTER.
“My own dear wife”
A fine and humorous letter, describing what amounts to an impromptu min-
strel show, provided by two “contrabands” slaves, who also describe a magic
talisman, or “Jack” they used to find the Union lines.
10 pages, on small 8vo sheets,
creases where folded; with the original envelope, addressed to Mrs. E. N. Pierce, West
Cambridge Mass.
Pine Tree Signal Station, Out Post Line, North Carolina, 3 January, 1864
[2,000/3,000]
AN EXCEPTIONAL LETTER
,
RICH IN DETAIL
,
FROM A CAPABLE WRITER
.
Second Lieutenant
Elisha N. Pierce describes a pair of contrabands Ned and Jerry, late of Betsy Sulervan’s (Sullivan)
plantation who had crossed into a Union camp. “I had them brought into my tent, and had the furni-
ture, i.e. two hard tack boxes . . .moved to one corner and room made for a dance. All Darkies can
dance, but these were professional characters: Ned and Jerry. Ned is a dancer & Jerry is a songster,
makes up songs about everything of interest in Dukeling County.” Pierce proceeds to describe and
write down a long typical slave song “shout,” with replying refrain: “Poor old Betsy—-Gone Away.
Had two Niggers—-Gone Away, Betsy’s groaning—- Gone Away, Niggers Happy—- Gone Away,
Free Darkies Gone Away, Independent Darkies—-Gone Away.” This goes on for a half an hour.
After, Ned and Jerry describe how they had made a “Jack” or talisman, from something found at the
foot of a tree struck by thunder; then the complex process of wrapping it in red flannel and soaking in
vinegar with salt and brimstone (sulfur). It was from this “Jack” that they found their way safely to
the Union lines.
396