History of Buchanan County, Iowa 1842 to 1881
Transcribed by Tommy Joe Fulton and Peggy Hoehne
pages 187-188
LETTER NO. CXVI.
JACKSON, TENNESSEE, April 7, 1863.
FRIEND RICH: - By order of James M. True, colonel commanding this post, a council of administration, to consist of Colonel James P. Gilbert, Twenty-seventh regiment Iowa volunteer infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Robinson, of the Sixty-second Illinois, and Colonel Mitchell, of the Fifty-fourth Illinois, was appointed to dispose of the effects of deceased non-commissioned officers and soldiers. The council, upon consultation, concluded to sell all such articles at auction to the highest bidder. Of course they sold very much below cost, as clothes of deceased soldiers, who had lain for months, perhaps, in the hospital. were not likely to be highly prized. Besides the soldiers could not buy; for all are loaded at all times with the last pound of baggage they can conveniently carry. The citizens, almost all of whom are, I doubt not, at heart secessionists, did not feel disposed to buy; for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. The property of one hundred and fifty-three deceased soldiers was sold, by order of the council, and brought the sum of three hundred and ninety dollars and seventy cents.
Our arms were inspected the other day by, Lieutenant Hunter, of General Kinball's staff, and one hundred and fifty pieces were condemned. I wrote you some time ago that there was to be an exchange of arms. Our quartermaster, who, as I informed you, was taken prisoner when the raid was made on the train, was at Memphis that day to effect the change, but did not, at that time, succeed.
C. H. L.