Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 29.djvu/128

 112 Southern Historical Society Papers.

ordinate officers and privates keep everything- back that they can carry about their persons, such as rings, earrings, breastpins, &c., &c., of which, if I live to get home, I have a quart. I am not jok- ing. I have at least a quart of jewelry for you and all the girls, and some No. i diamond pins and rings among them. General Sher- man has gold and silver enough to start a bank. His share in gold watches and chains alone at Columbia was two hundred and seventy- Jive.

" But I said I could not go into particulars. All the general offi- cers, and many besides, have valuables of .every description, down to ladies' pocket handkerchiefs. I have my share of them, too.

" We took gold and silver enough from the d d rebels to have redeemed their infernal currency twice over. * * * I wish all the jewely this army has could be carried to the Old Bay State. It would deck her out in glorious style; but, alas! it will be scattered all over the North and Middle States.

"The damned niggers, as a general thing, preferred to stay at home, particularly after they found out that we wanted only the able-bodied men, and, to tell the truth, the youngest and best- looking women. Sometimes we took them off by way of repaying influential secessionists. But a part of these we soon managed to lose, sometimes in crossing rivers, sometimes in other ways. I shall write you again from Wilmington, Goldsboro, or some other place in North Carolina. The order to march has arrived, and I must close hurriedly.

" Love to grandmother and Aunt Charlotte. Take care of your- self and the children. Don't show this letter out of the family. " Your affectionate husband,

"THOMAS J. MYERS,

' ' Lieutenant, &c.

" P. S. I will send this by the first flag of truce, to be mailed, un- less I have an opportunity of sending it to Hilton Head. Tell Lottie I am saving a pearl bracelet and earrings for her. But Lambert got the necklace and breastpin of the same set. I am trying to trade him out of them. These were taken from the Misses Jamison, daughters of the President of the South Carolina Secession Conven- tion. We found these on our trip through Georgia.

"T. J. M."

" This letter is addressed to Mrs. Thomas J. Myers, Boston, Mass."