Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-10-18
A PRECIOUS DOCUMENT.

From the Columbus (Ga.) Sun and Times.l
The following letter was found in the
streets of Columbia Immediately after
the army of General Sherman had left.
The original is still preserved and can be
shown and substantated, if anybody de-
sres. We are indebted to a distin-
guished lady of this city for a copy, sent
with a request for publication. We can
add nothing in the way of comment on
such document 1t speaks for itself:
CAMP NEAR CAMDEN, s:C..l
February 18th, 1865.
My DEAR WIFE: / have no time for
particulars. We have had glorious
time in this State. Unrestricted license
to burn and plunder was the order of the
day. The chivalry have been stripped of
most of their valuables. Gold watches,
silver pitchers, cups spoons, forks, etc,
etc., are as common in camp as black
berries. The terms of plunder are as
follows; The valuables procured are es-
timated by companies. Each company
is required to exhibit the results of its
operations at any given place-l.5 and
first choice falls to the share of the Com
mander-in- Chief and staff, l-5 to the
corps commander and staff, 10 to field
officers of regiments, and 2-5 to the com
pany. Officers are not allowed to join
in these expeditions without Disgusting
themselves as privates. One OF our
corps commanders borrowed a suit of
rough clothes from one of my men and
was successful in this place. He got a
large quantity Of silver (among other
things an old time silver milk pitcher)
and very fine gold watch from Mr..
DeSaussure at this place. DeSaussure
is one of the F. F. of S. G., and was
made to fork out literally. Officers,
over the rank of captain, are not made
to put their plunder in the estimate for
general distribution This is very un-
fair, and for that reason, in order to pro-
tect themselves, subordinate officers and
privates keep back everything that they
can carry about their persons-such as
rings, earrings, breast-pins, etc, etc, Of
which, if | ever live to get home, | have
about quart am not joking have
at least quart of jewelry for you and
all the girls-and some No. diamond
rings and pins among them. General
Sherman has silver and gold enough to
start bank. His share in gold watches
and chains alone, at Columbia, was two
hundred and seventy-fve (275)
But said could not go into particu-
lars. All the general officers and many
besides, have valuables of every descrip-
ton down to embroidered ladies pocket
handkerchiefs Il have my share of them
too. We took gold and silver enough
from the d--d rebels to have redeemed
their internal currency twice over This
(the currency whenever we came across
it, we burned, as we considered 1t utterly
worthless.
| wish all the jewelry this army has
could be carried to the Old Bay State.
1t would deck her out in glorious style /;
but alas it will be scattered all over
the North and Middle States. The
damned niggers, as general rule, pre-
ferred to stay at home-particularly
after they found out that we only wanted
the able bodied men, land, to tell you
the truth, the youngest and best looking
women.) Sometimes we took off whole
families and plantations of niggers, by
way of repaying the secessionists But
the useless part Of these we soon man
age to lose-sometimes in crossing riv-
ers-sometimes by other ways
shall write to you again ON vii
mington, Goldsboro, orSsomt. place in
North Carolina. The ordr, 10 march
has arrived, and mnst close hurriedly
Love to Grandmother and Aunt Char
lotte. Take care of yourself and the
children. Don't show this letter out Of
the family.
Your afectionate husband,
.lI. THes. J. MYERS, Lieut., etc.
PSI will send this by the first flag
of truce to be mailed, unless i have an
opportunity of sending it to Hilton
Head. Tell Sallis ] am saving a pearl
bracelet and earrings for her. But
Lambert got the necklace aud breast.pin
Of the same set, / am trying trade him
out Of them. These we're taken from the
Misses Jamison, daughters Of the Presi-
dent Of the South Carolina Secession
Convention. We found these on our
trip through Georgia
This letter was addressed to Mrs
Thos. J. Myers, Boston, Mass