This came up on my Google.com news alert a few hours ago, Eric picked it up as well.

To me this story only highlights the Pirates and Looters of history theme I have chimed in on often and whom I loath so much. From Civil War correspondences, artifacts, and now trophies of sorts… nothing is off limits to these robber barons of history. Just a matter of time until corpses turn up on Ebay:

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Working in secret, federal archaeologists have dug up the remains of dozens of soldiers and children near a Civil War-era fort after an informant tipped them off about widespread grave-looting.

The exhumations, conducted from August to October, removed 67 skeletons from the parched desert soil around Fort Craig — 39 men, two women and 26 infants and children, according to two federal archaeologists who helped with the dig.

They also found scores of empty graves and determined 20 had been looted.

The government kept its exhumation of the unmarked cemetery near the historic New Mexico fort out of the public’s eye for months to prevent more thefts.

The investigation began with a tip about an amateur historian who had displayed the mummified remains of a black soldier, draped in a Civil War-era uniform, in his house.

Investigators say the historian, Dee Brecheisen, may have been a prolific looter who spotted historical sites from his plane. Brecheisen died in 2004 and although it was not clear whether the looting continued after his death, authorities exhumed the unprotected site to prevent future thefts.

Read more…

This is what I know: his name is probably Edward (Bigelow?) and was a member of the Union Civil War Regular Army (13th Army Corps, 4th Division, 2nd Brigade). He wrote this letter to his his mother, Sarah Bigelow, Lakeville, Livingston County, New York. He recorded his location as Carrollton, Louisiana, Sep 19 1863, with original postal cover, postmarked New Orleans LA, Sep 21 1863.

[contents read in-part]

…You have no idea of the pleasure we soldier boys receive from reading letters from those who are near and dear to us at home. Complaints are often made that we do not write often enough, yet the folks at home seem to forget that we are as anxious to har from them as they are from us … I am far down in Dixie in the vicinity of New Orleans. The weather has been hot, very hot for a long time, but night before last the wind shifted into the NW and it has been cool and pleasant since. Last night we almost shivered under a single blanket and a good many complained of cold toes in the morning. The wind is cool today, but the sun shines warm. In fact, the days are bound to be warm in this climate, though the nights are quite cool. We have a good breeze … every day either from the Gulf [of Mexico] or Lake Ponchartrain. Wm. P and I went to the city of New Orleans a few days since and from thence to Lake Ponchartrain, and looked out for the first time a far as the eye could reach on the surface of the salt water. The water is clear, almost as crystal, and anything moving … can be seen for some distance beneath the surface. Some of the boys have seen alligators while there, but [I] did not happen to see any. Such creatures are quite numerous in these parts, especially in the swamps and along the water courses. In N. Orleans almost every shoe store will have an alligator’s hide hanging in the door. They make boots of whem, which are said to be very durable and will never wet through. New Orleans is remarkable for its cleanliness, the streets are kept in the neatest order, more so than any northern city I have ever been in. The inhabitants are a mixed up mess, being German, French, Spanish, Irish, English and all shades of Negroes, as well as some Chinese. You can hear all kinds of languages and see all kinds and classes of people … At the ship landing all kinds of floating craft from a skiff up to a mammoth steamship, a man of war, vessels of different nations are at the wharves, presenting a somewhat novel sight to one who has always lived inland, and far from seaports. I suppose we will not remain here a great while. The most of our Army Corps have left and gone to Brashear City [LA] and I presume we will soon follow … We thought when we first came here we were bound for Mobile, but we now begin to think our destination [is] Texas and we have about made up our minds for a hard old tramp, and I presume we will have a good deal of bushwacking to do, as that seems to be the favorite mode of fighting among the Texans. Anything and anywhere to help put down this wicked rebellion and I hope the day is not far distant when peace will be restored to this unhappy country. I have seen and experienced enough of the horrors of war, but rather than yield or abandon this war for a dishonorable peace, I am willing to experience more for the sake of Country and the maintenance of our free institutions. I hope yet to be spared to see the end of this war and return home and enjoy once again the privileges of society and the pleasures of meeting friends, bothers, sisters, father and mother around the old hearth stone, where I spent my childhood days … I would be glad to see you all and sit down with you all for a social chat and, by way of variety, take a good old fashioned farmer’s dinner … Well, I must bring this letter to a close. This is Saturday evening, tomorrow is the Sabbath. Whether it will be a Sabbath to us I cannot tell … The Captain and I started for church last Sabbath and visited five churches before we found one where the preaching was in English and we could understand … I am well and in good spirits … The health of the camp is tolerable good … I hope to hear from you again soon and the letter will probably find me somewhere in the southern country … [signed] Edward.

A great letter, an interesting letter, and a mystery I need to solve.

There are the following potential soldiers who could have written this letter at this time and from this location:

Bigelow, Edward E., 29th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry
Bigelow, Edward E., 130th Regiment, Illinois Infantry
Bigelow, Edward E., 77th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Why no New York regiments? That was strange. As a matter of fact, no “Bigelow” for any New York regiment serving in the 13th Army Corps. So, this means the spelling is incorrect or…. well he did not join a NY regiment. Ugh. The frustration of a Civil War letter rescue operation….