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officers and privates keep everything back that they can carry about their persons, such as rings, earrings, breastpins, &c., &c., of which, if I live to get home, I have a quart.
I am not joking.
I have at least a quart of jewelry for you and all the girls, and some No. 1 diamond pins and rings among them.
General Sherman has gold and silver enough to start a bank.
His share in gold watches and chains alone at Columbia was two hundred and seventyfive.
But I said I could not go into particulars.
All the general officers, and many besides, have valuables of every description, down to ladies' pocket handkerchiefs.
I have my share of them, too.
We took gold and silver enough from the d—d rebels to have redeemed their infernal currency twice over. * * * I wish all the jewely this army has could be carried to the Old Bay State.
It would deck her out in glorious style; but, alas!
it will be scattered all over the North and Middle States.
The damned niggers, as a general thing, preferred to stay at home, particularly after they found out that we wanted only the able-bodied men, and to tell the truth, the youngest and best-looking women.
Sometimes we took them off by way of repaying influential secessionists.
But a part of these we soon managed to lose, sometimes in crossing rivers, sometimes in other ways.
I shall write you again from Wilmington, Goldsboro, or some other place in North Carolina.
The order to march has arrived, and I must close hurriedly.
Love to grandmother and Aunt Charlotte.
Take care of yourself and the children.
Don't show this letter out of the family.
Your affectionate husband,
Thomas J. Myers, Lieutenant, &c.
P. S.—I will send this by the first flag of truce, to be mailed, unless I have an opportunity of sending it to Hilton Head.
Tell Lottie I am saving a pearl bracelet and earrings for her. But Lambert got the necklace and breastpin of the same set. I am trying to trade him out of them.
These were taken from the Misses Jamison, daughters of the President of the South Carolina Secession Convention.
We found these on our trip through Georgia. T. J. M.
This letter is addressed to Mrs. Thomas J. Myers, Boston, Mass.
