Benjamin claims that a "good meney" of the 61st New York Infantry Regiment deserted the Union, but there were also many deserters on the Confederate side. He notes that three deserters were hung last week, then three more the previous day, and three more were scheduled to be hanged the following week. Benjamin continues, stating he heard reports that 800 Confederate soldiers came into the Union lines as deserters mainly because they have very little to eat. He goes on to write that they celebrated Christmas recently but he was disappointed by the lack of options for the meal.
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