AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED, BY COLONEL GILES WALDO SHURTLEFF OF THE 5TH U.S. COLORED TROOPS, CAMP DELAWARE, NOVEMBER 10, 1863, TO FRIEND PROFESSOR EDWARD H. MERRELL OF WISCONSIN: "TWO WEEKS AGO TODAY, I STARTED TO OH ON A VISIT, HAD BEEN HOME TWO DAYS RETURN A DISPATCH CAME ORDERING ME IMMEDIATELY BACK TO CAMP. I CAME AND FOUND THAT WE WERE UNDER ORDERS TO REMOVE TO FORT MONROE. BUT AS WE WERE DELAYED SOME DAYS IN CAMP I GOT LEAVE TO GO TO PAINESVILLE. STAID THIRTY HOURS - WHAT HOURS!" "THINGS IN CAMP ARE AS USUAL. MCCOY HAS JUST RECEIVED APPOINTMENT AS COLONEL. THE OFFICERS ALL WANTED ME AND PETITIONED SEC. OF WAR TO THAT EFFECT, BUT THE GOV. WAS BOUND TO APPOINT A PET. HE WAS TERRIBLY WRATHY WHEN HE HEARD OF THAT PETITION THOUGH IT WAS SIGNED BY EVERY OFFICER IN CAMP EXCEPT MYSELF. IT WAS CIRCULATED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. THE OLD GOV. SWORE ABOUT ME TERRIBLY, CALLED ME A 'DAMN MEAN INTRIGUING CUSS' AND APPLIED OTHER COMPLIMENTARY EPITHETS. I SAID NOT A WORD FOR ABOUT A WEEK THEN WROTE HIM A HUGE LETTER, CALLIN