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Thomas Christie to Sarah Christie near lake providence la. april 11th 1863 My Dear Sister, In penitent mood I take up my pen to answer your last letter received some time ago. I do not think I ever passed so long a period before in which I felt so disinclined to all literary pursuits as during the past fortnight, and I cant write a thing that will satisfy myself when I don’t feel like thinking steadily. My last poor attempt that I sent to Helen is self evident proof of this axiom, and I don’t think I can do any better this time. My habits of playing cricket, quoits, and base ball, and the fine weather we are enjoying, which tempts one to be in the open air as much as possible in preference to the hot close tents, must be my apology. Your music is all received, and the whole singing population of the company is greatly obliged to you for the fine new songs, especially, “Rally round the Flag Boys,” with which we have serious thought of serenading Gen. McArthur when we get it all learned. I have copied some of the music at the request of comrades who wished to send it north to singing friends, and everybody unites with me in asking you to continue favors of the kind. I made my tentmates laugh when I read to them your inquiry as to their religion, and I have to inform you that they are as sound “Protestants” as any of the Christies. Still more, we have now for a fourth inmate of the tent, a man with as Irish a name as the others, and who is also free from suspicion of Catholicism. I refer to Sergt. Conner1 who was dreadfully wounded 123 4 “No Glory in It” April 11–October 2, 1863 1. Jesse Conner. See page 55, note 45, Thomas to James, June 26, 1862. at Shiloh, and has just returned to the Battery from the hospitals where he has lain during an entire year. Now, don’t you begin to distrust the power of your faculty for discovering nationality and religion by names. I have been greatly tempted, and so has William, to apply for a commission in one of the negro Regiments organizing here, but my reasons for not doing so are these: In the first place, I do not like the Infantry branch of the Service, secondly, there were so many applicants from Infantry Regts. (about ten for each oªce,) that I thought an artillery man who knew only the rudiments of Infantry tactics would stand very little chance, Lastly, I do not approve of the way they are doing, in commissioning men who are, and always have been, enemies to the negro and to his just rights, and who now take command of him solely for the sake of the high pay and oªce. Here we have one of our privates selected for an oªcer in the 9th Louisiana, Col. Klink. He has been in the Regular service, in the Dragoons, and probably knows something of drill but morally, he is a worthless scamp, and has always been a bitter opposer of the abolitionists, as most of the Regulars are. This disgusts me with the plan, for there are any amount of good men in the Division who would have their hearts in the work, and these are the ones who should get the oªces, even if they are not so proficient in drill as these other unprincipled men. It may be di¤erent in other Divisions however, and I hope so, for this plan of enlisting the blacks is excellent, and by it we could raise one hundred Regiments on the banks of this grand River, and they would be very serviceable in holding the country conquered by us. The negros who were swarming in our camps a week ago, are enlisting now with the greatest alacrity, and soon they will pour in from the country by hundreds when they hear of the chance we o¤er, to fight for their own Liberty. If they would only authorize here the raising of Artillery or Cavalry, I would apply at once for a commission, and I would get it too. I received some time ago a letter from cousin Robert2 at Fernandina, Florida. He wants me to tell you to write to him, as he says you have not answered the last on...

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