The Informal Truce: Trading Coffee and Sugar after Ezra Church

 After three months of campaigning in the summer of 1864, John Myers of the 55th Illinois described how the men of both armies embarked on an informal truce after one of the bloodiest battles of the Atlanta campaign, Ezra Church, in late July 1864. 

     "The pickets have kept up a continual fire which almost amounted to a battle until last evening when it ceased, and they commenced trading coffee and sugar," he wrote. "This morning we find a few of our pickets missing. Having gone into the Rebel lines to trade they were retained as prisoners while some of their men have come in and given themselves up. As it is unsafe to be fired at, both sides agree to allow the truce to remain unbroken. The Rebels come out in plain view and box and wrestle, and our boys get upon the works and look at them. On one occasion today their artillery opened on us with all its fury when we were in plain sight, but they hurt no one and besides injuring our works somewhat they only showed what they would do if they could. Our artillery replied and soon all was quiet again."

    The 55th Illinois, once known as the Canton Rifles, served as part of the Army of the Tennessee from nearly the beginning stretching back to Missouri in 1861. It first saw combat at Shiloh where the regiment suffered the second highest loss of any Federal regiment in action. During the Atlanta campaign, it was part of the First Brigade of the Second Division of the 15th Army Corps. Myers' account of the battle of Ezra Church first appeared in the September 6, 1864 edition of the Union County Star and Lewisburg Chronicle published in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. 


Federal and Confederate soldiers meet at a neutral place between the lines to conduct trade. These informal truces sprang up during periods of relative inactivity and could become quite active until officers on either side repressed the trade. As Myers describes in his account, the trade in coffee and sugar was brisk. Other items that often came up for trade included newspapers, tobacco, and food. 

In the field near Atlanta, Georgia

August 16, 1864

 

          Since my last letter, the army of the southwest have had a busy time marching sometimes day and night and fighting in the daytime, digging fortifications day and night. We have been so busy that we hardly have time to write to our friends or read the news that gets to us once or twice a week.

          On the morning of the 27th ultimo, the Army of the Tennessee started on the march from the extreme left to the extreme right. After marching all day and half the night, we found ourselves on the right and rested on our arms without dinner or supper until morning when we proceeded to establish our lines and while doing so, the Rebel army came upon us all massed against the 15th Army Corps. They were allowed to come up within easy musket range before we opened on them; but when we opened, our fire was too much for them and they soon were compelled to lie down for shelter. But we had seen where they were and poured a destructive fire in on the ground so that few of the first line got away. The remainder who were not killed or wounded were taken prisoners. When they came in, they said we had got them this time, but we would pay for it for the Texans were coming next and they had never been whipped and would conquer or die. They professed to have had enough for the present and showed great anxiety to get to the rear before we were driven there as they would rather remain prisoners it seems than be recaptured.

Capt. Cyrus M. Brown
Co. G, 55th Illinois

          In a short time the invincible Texans came but they came only to be driven back with a heavy loss and after charging and re-charging until evening, they fell back to their works, and we commenced picking up arms and accouterments and bringing in the wounded. I cannot give you the number of arms and prisoners taken, but you have no doubt seen General Sherman’s official report. Our loss was probably not more than one-fifth as much as the Rebels’ loss because we did the shooting principally ourselves as the Rebels could not shoot when advancing and they did their shooting after they laid down. They could not do much execution while we poured a destructive fire into them. No artillery was in the action on our side that I know if but the Rebels had some engaged, but it was not sufficient to drive us back. Some correspondents have written that we were covered, but the cover we had on our part of the line was the timber in which we formed them. Some of the more fortunate had carried a rail fence and put up partial works.

          We have pressed the Rebels until we have gained a position almost within musket range of each other and their pickets make it unsafe to walk around in camp as musket balls are constantly flying around. The pickets have kept up a continual fire which almost amounted to a battle until last evening when it ceased, and they commenced trading coffee and sugar. This morning we find a few of our pickets missing. Having gone into the Rebel lines to trade they were retained as prisoners while some of their men have come in and given themselves up. As it is unsafe to be fired at, both sides agree to allow the truce to remain unbroken. The Rebels come out in plain view and box and wrestle, and our boys get upon the works and look at them. On one occasion today their artillery opened on us with all its fury when we were in plain sight, but they hurt no one and besides injuring our works somewhat they only showed what they would do if they could. Our artillery replied and soon all was quiet again.

          The Rebels don’t intend to fall back but are determined to make a stand here and we would do nothing to discourage them for, although we don’t exactly like fighting, we would rather fight than march and then fight. We know that by fighting only can the rebellion be crushed, and we believe in crushing it pretty soon. I think we could have been in Atlanta before this time if General Sherman had desired it, but to crush the Rebel army is now the object for while we would consider this an important item, the taking of Atlanta would be an empty victory. You must not think that because we have not entered Atlanta that we have been whipped for we admit nothing of the kind.

Private Charles B. Wood
Co. G, 55th Illinois

          We have full confidence in our leaders, in our army, in the President, and in Andy Johnson, too, and we have faith in the American people notwithstanding Copperheads, and of course are satisfied that all will be well. The principles of liberty, justice, and good government will be sustained, and peace restored. Most of us who are fighting for this will probably be at our last home but to our friends and humanity we bequeath the blessing we have suffered and endured so much for.

 

Source:

Letter from Private John H. Myers, Co. G, 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Union County Star and Lewisburg Chronicle (Pennsylvania), September 6, 1864, pg. 1

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