Friday, July 7, 2017

Diary of 1st Sergeant John L. Ransom: May 22, 1864

No news of importance. Same old story. Am now a gallant washer-man. Battese, the Minnesota Indian, learn't me in the way of his occupation, made me a wash board by cutting creases in a piece of board, and I am fully installed. We have a sign out, made by myself on a piece of shingle: “WASHING.” We get small pieces of bread for our labors, some of the sick cannot eat their bread, and not being able to keep clean, give us a job Make probably a pound of bread two or three days in the week. Battese says: “I work, do me good; you do same.” Have many applications for admission to the firm, and may enlarge the business.

SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p. 60

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