INDIANAPOLIS - A rare letter from a Civil War soldier with Indiana ties could fetch thousands of dollars when it goes up for auction later this month.

The 1864 letter by Morgan W. Carter describes a bloody battle and Carter's vision for free blacks. The Indianapolis Star reports it has been in the hands of private collectors but will be included in the March 21 Printed and Manuscript African Americana sale in New York.

Carter's father, John, owned a Madison grocery store and helped move slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Auction founder Wyatt Houston Day says Morgan Carter's letter is the only known document in which an African-American soldier describes an important Civil War battle. He estimates it is worth $6,000 to $8,000.