The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-10-20
4 Precious Document.
From n South Carolina Exchanged

4 Precious Document.
From u South Carolina Exchanged
The following letter was found in tn
streets Of Columbia Immediately ate
the army of Gen. Sherman had LETT
The original is still preserved and cal
be shown and ~substantiated, if anybod.,
desires, We are indebted to n distin
guished lady Of this city for Il copy
sent with n request for publ ,ation.--
We can add nothing in the way Of com
mcnt on such Il document. 1t speaks
for itself.
CAMP NEAR CAMpEN, $. c.,
February 2G, 1868,
Mn Dear VIE: have no time fol
particulars. We have had n glorious
time in this State, Unrestricted IL
ccnsc to burn and plumber was the or
der Of the day, The chiyalry have
been stript of most Of their valuables,
Gold watches, silver pitchers, cups,
spoons, forks, etc, etc, are rs common
in camp as blackberrics. The terms OF
plumber are rs follows; The y~aluableS
procured are estimated by companies,
Each company is required to exhibit
the results Of its operations at any civ
IN place-l-5 and first choice falls to
the share Of the commander m-chici
and staff, l-5 to the corps commander
and staff, Is to field officers Of rcgi,
mcnts and2-5 to the company, OH
GERS are not allowed to join in these cX,
petitions without Disgusting themselves
as privatcs. One Of our corps com
mandcrs borrowed u suit Of rough
clothes from one Of my men and was
successful in this place, He got alargc
quantity ofsilyer (among other things
an old time silver milk pitcher) and II
very fine gold watch from q Mr., De
Saussurc at this place. DcSaussurc is
one of the +. +. VS. Of $. G., and was
made to fork out literally. Officers
over the rank Of Captain are not made
to put their plumber in the estimate for
general distribution. This is very I'M
fair and for that reason, in ordcrto pro
tcct themselves, subordinate officers
and privatcs keep back everything that
they can carry about their persons
such as rings, a rings, breast pins,
etc, etc, of which, il | ever live TO get
home, ! have about u quart. I'M not
.joking--I have at least II quart Of jew
ci,y foryou and all the girls and some
No. ! diamond rings and pins among
them. General Sherman alone has sill
yer and gold enough to start Il bank
His share in gold watches and chains
alone, at Columbia, was two hundred
and scvcnty-tiyc (275.)
But | said ! could not 90 into partic-
nlars. All the general officers and
many besides, have valuables Of every
description down to embroidered Ia
dies pocket handkcrchcils ! have my
share ofthcm too.) We took gold and
silver enough from the Id rebels to
have redeemed their internal currency
twice yer This Ghc currency when
eve wc amc across it, we burned, rs
we considered it utterly worthless.
] wish all the icwclry this army has
could be carried to the "OId Bay State"
1t would deck her out in glorious style;
but alas il will he scattered all ovcrthc
North and Middl" States. The damn
ed niggcrs, as 4 general rule, preferred
to stay at homc--particularly after they
found out that we only wanted the able
bodied men, (and, to tell you the truth,
the youngest and best looking women
Sometimes We took of whole families
and plantations of niegcrs, by way of
rcpaying scccssionists. But the use
less part of these we soon manage to
Iosc-somctimcs in crossing rivers
sometimes by other ways.
shall write to youagain from VIII
mington, Goldsboro,' or some place in
North Carolina. The order to march
has arrived, and | must close hurricdly.
Love to Grand Mother and Aunt Char
lottc, Take care Of yourself and the
children. Don't show this letter out of
the family.
Your atiectionatc husband,
THOMAS j. MYERS, Lieut., etc.
z. 81 will send this by the first
flag of truce to be mailed unless | have
an opportunity of sending it to Hilton
Head. Tell Sallie ! am saving u pearl
bracelet and earrings for her. But
Lambert got the necklace and breast
pin of the same set, am trying to
trade him out Of them. These were
taken from the Misses Jamison, daugh-
tiers of the President ofthc South Car
DINA Secession Convention. Wetound
these on our trip through Georgia.
This letter was addressed to "Mrs.
Thos. j. Myers, Boston, Mass
WHY JEFFERSON DAvIs's CHILDREN
.rr An f,ru,I m GnNvrNT -. 1pttpr