Wants a rebel Count.
The spirit of the Northern soldiery and people is well shown by the following extract from a letter which one of the Connecticut Yankees left on the battle field at Manassas. The letter is dated Middletown, Conn., 16th July, 1861. "If I were well and a single man, I be damned if I would not go in the army. However, it is rather dull and prospects are favorable of its continuing the same. If you have a chance to send me one of them dam Rebel coats, with one or two bullet holes in it, I wish you would, as I want one. If you can't shoot a Rebel so that you can take the coat off from him after he is dead — that is, if you have a chance, send to me and I be damned if I don't come and take it, hide and all. The hide, I am afraid, would not be well tanned unless you get one that has been in the sun sometime, yet it can get pretty damned well tanned if we had it with us. Don't fail to send me one of the Rebel coats, by express, as soon as you can get one. Also a gun and a pistol and a knife; if you have to buy them, I am willing to pay for them. Don't forget to send me a Rebel coat without fail, sure. Anything you can get which comes from the Rebel army, I wish you would send to me, as I want them for keepsakes. Now don't forget — anything you can get that a Rebel has or had, send to me by express, and I will pay all the charges. I do not mean cannons or Government property — but you know what I do mean.
"Rifle Co. 'B, ' 3d Reg. Conn. Vols." We suppose the "Rebel coat" has not yet been sent to the land of wooden nutmegs. --The writer of the epistle is probably in the "show" line, and "kalkilated" largely upon profits to be made from the ventilated Rebel Government.
