Why I Enlisted

This entry is from Brother of Mine, The Civil War Letters of Thomas and William Christie, edited by Hampton Smith.

William and Thomas Christie were half brothers, 13 years apart in age.  They served in the same Regiment,  the 1st Minnesota.

Soldiers must have had various reasons for enlisting.  In this entry, Thomas, the elder of the two brothers, writes home shortly after enlisting explaining to his family why.

October 21, 1861

. . . .I shall not deny that motives other than strictly patriotic have had an influence upon me; but I don't think these other motives are wrong.  I  do want to 'see the world,' to get out of the narrow circle inwhich I have always lied, to 'make a man of myself,' and to have it to say in days to come that I, too, had a part in this great struggle. I lay all these workings of my mind frankly before you; it is for you to say if they are wrong.  You know, my dear father, that I have never concealed anything from you.  Do forgive me, and have Mother forgive me, for acting now in a way to pain you. I feel sure, even as I write, that  you will not only give me your blessings -- but that you will even be glad to have your son enrolled among the Defenders of the Union.  But whether that be so or not, I must go. . . .

2 unidentified soldiers in Union shell jackets, from Library of Congress collection.

Brothers

This entry is from Brother of Mine, The Civil War Letters of Thomas and William Christie, edited by Hampton Smith.

William and Thomas Christie were half brothers, 13 years apart in age.  They served in the same Regiment,  the 1st Minnesota.

Thomas is writing to his father.

Corinth

June 20th, 1862

These deaths have a good effect upon the men, making them feel kinder and more brotherly towards each other.  We are no longer a mass of discordant elements thrown together and called a Company, with no fellow-feelings for any one outside of our own platoons -- as was the case at Fort Snelling and the Arsenal -- , but we are now bound together by common bereavements and common dangers into one body.  The feeling of isolation here in the South, and of dependence upon each other strengthens the bond.  As a consequence we are today stronger and more efficient as a Battery than when our Morning-Report gave a hundred and fifty-six (156) men as fit for duty; the number now is 80.  When the orderly Sergeant addressed us last night as "Brothers" the word went straight through to our hearts, for we felt that it represented the Truth.

2 unidentified soldiers in Union shell jackets, from Library of Congress collection.

With the Alligators

This entry is from Brother of Mine, The Civil War Letters of Thomas and William Christie, edited by Hampton Smith.

William and Thomas Christie were half brothers, 13 years apart in age.  They served in the same Regiment,  the 1st Minnesota.

May 4th 1863, Smith's Plantation. Louisiana (near Vicksburg) - Thomas

Four hundred and fifty of the prisoners taken at Port Gibson passed our camp this evening under guard . . . As they marched past, all the men of our Division lined the road on both sides.  Both prisoners and we were in great good humor; many a joke flew back and forth between us.  It is due to our men to say that not an insulting word was spoken.  One well-dressed Texan in conversation with one of our boys inadvertently used the word "Yankees" in speaking of us.  He instantly corrected himself, and with a graceful bow begged our pardon.  "We do not consider you Western gentlemen to be Yankees."  One of our fellows replied laughingly, "I think you will find that although we are Western men we have Yankee principles!"  "Boys," said one of them, "we are going North.  but  you will have to stay here with the alligators!"  Indeed no one would have thought in hearing the talk that we were enemies."

Three Confederate prisoners (Gettysburg) from Library of Congress Collection