[CIVIL WAR]. A group of 12 letters with risque and explicit content regarding encounters with sex workers at camp.
Sale 1095 - American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents
Day 1 Lots 1-403
Nov 3, 2022
10:00AM ET
Day 2 Lots 404-634
Nov 4, 2022
10:00AM ET
Live / Cincinnati
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Estimate
$1,000 -
1,500
Price Realized
$5,000
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Lot Description
[CIVIL WAR]. A group of 12 letters with risque and explicit content regarding encounters with sex workers at camp.
Unknown female author, presumably a sex worker, to Adjutant General Baker. Genesea, IL, 5 February 1864. 2 pages, docketing to integral leaf verso.
A presumable sex worker writes inquiring to the whereabouts of Major Albert E. House, 6th Iowa Cavalry. "General Baker you are not personaly unknown to me although I have never had the pleasure of an introduction to you yet allow me to say that some of your intimate friends are my friends."
[With:] WILKES, Noah (Company H, 17th Michigan Infantry), to Eli Tuttle. Knoxville, Frederick Co., MD, 6 January 1863. 4pages, on "Death to Traitors!" illustraed lettersheet, with original envelope with red 3-cent stamp.
Wilkes writes to his friend about the sec workers who arrive at the hospital every day, many of whom are Confederate refugees: "There is lots of girls down here but they are too much secesh about them for me, but they will take the root some time. I have pinched some of their tits there is three or four comes in to the Hosp most every day they have [boobies] down to their belts."
PENN, James T. (60th Ohio Infantry), to Thomas C. Campbell. Gallipolis, OH, 7 April 1862. 3 pages, with envelope. Written while at camp, Penn discusses the abundance of sex workers writing to his friend: "Tom you [ought to come down here for you can get all the skin you for a dollar or two." -- TAGGERT, S. De Loss (150th Pennsylvania Infantry). Camp McNeal, 9 October 1862. 3 pages. Taggert writes to an unknown friend about the prevalance of sex workers, including many who are Black. -- BROWN, C.E (possibly an Ohio regt.), to friend George. Camp Sherman,1 Sept. 1864. 4 pages. Discussion of "the clap." -- Unknown author, M. Seven Pines, Near Richmond. 27 May 1862. 4 pages, with original envelope with red 3-cent stamp. A lament about the author's "equipment." -- PERSONS, Elvero (Company C, 18th MIchigan Infantry & Company A, 14th Connecticut Infantry). Bridgeport, VA, 26 December n.y. 1 page. -- DAVIS, James C. (Belger's Battery F, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, mortally wounded at Drewry's Bluff, 16 May 1864). New Bern, NC, 20 March 1863. 4 pages, with original envelope with two red 3-cent stamps.
Includes battle content as well as an extended discussion of Lucinda "the prettiest wenches...that ever you laid your eyes onin your life." -- ROSE, John (63rd Illinois Infantry, died 8 April 1864). Adams General Hospital, 25 January 1864. 3 pages, with original envelope with red 3-cent stamp and Memphis, TN, postmark. -- DOCKERY, Alfred (Company E, 38th North Carolina Infantry, WIA the Winlderness, 6 May 1864), to Mr. S.M. Ingram. Camp Grieg, Near Fredericksburg, 27 January 1863. 2 pages. -- Metamorphic drawing. Exterior shows a soldier with the text "A Soldier I am and here I stand a slave to love at your command. Turn up this leaf and there you will see what cruel love has done for me." When opened, the soldier, pierced with Love's Arrow, revelas an engorged member with the verse continued. -- Unknown author. Buffalo, NY, 14 February 1863. 2 pages. An unusual letter written to a cousin, that opens "for two long years I have been trying to find out your address, and at last I found out where you are." Continuing, "You remember Aunt Lucie always spoke so highly of you. I am sorry to telly ou that she died to weeks ago and in her will she left you $800 and the two-story brick house on Erie Street, and her last words were that she wished you were here to kiss her..." followed by an explicit drawing of a female bent over revelaing her genetalia.
Together, 12 letters written by Civil War soldiers, each with explicit content related to sex workers, veneral disease, intercourse, and other explicit content. Condition generally very good to fine, occasional toning or brown spotting, some splitting along original folds.
Content is graphic and explicit in nature. More detailed transcripts and descriptions are available upon request.
Property from the Inventory of James C. Frasca
Condition Report
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