114th New York Infantry, Baltimore, Maryland

The Civil War Letters of Erastus Gregory, Co. C, 114th New York Infantry

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These letters were written by Erastus Gregory (1833-1863), the son of Levi Gregory (1799-1878) and Clarissa Evans (1810-18xx) of Guilford, Chenango county, New York. Erastus was married in 1854 to Maria Amelia (“Meel”) Place (1835-1911) and had four young children born prior to 1863. Their names were Virgil Carruth Gregory (1852-1947), Merritt Charles Gregory (1855-1920), Mary M. Gregory (1856-1920), and Hattie Jennie Gregory (1861-1954). A fifth child, Henry Gregory was born in 1863.

Erastus enlisted as a private on 24 July 1862 in Co. C, 114th New York Infantry. His letters—20 in number—begin with his description of the journey from Norwich, where the regiment was organized, to Binghamton by canal boats, and proceeding thence to Baltimore. In November, the regiment sailed for New Orleans as part of Banks’ expedition, and on its arrival there was assigned to Weitzel’s (2nd) brigade, Augur’s (1st) division, 19th corps. It was stationed for a time at Brashear City and neighboring points, and was first engaged at Fort Bisland, where it had 11 men wounded, 3 mortally. It did not participate in the Bayou Teche campaign, but joined its corps before Port Hudson, May 30, 1863, where it was actively engaged for 40 days in the siege and suffered severely in the grand assault of June 14, 1863, where Erastus was killed.

Letter 1

Baltimore
September 10th 1862

Dear Friends,

I take this opportunity to write to you to let you know that I am well at present and hope this letter will find you the same. I started from Norwich about Sunday and rode all night and till noon the next day and arrived at Binghamton. We stayed there until the next day at 11 o’clock on Monday. Then we were marched on board the cars and was not off five minutes to time until we got to Baltimore, three hundred miles. We had some fears of the rebels on our way. They tried to meet us at the junction but they was a little behind the time. We got there first. They was one and a half miles from there when we went through. Our train was drove by two engines adn we flew now, you may believe.

It seems droll here to see everything guarded. Our tables, water, springs, wells, and everything we eat and drink is under guard. I shall write again in a few days. I expect to stay here but do not know. Tell Amelia I am well. Tell the children to be good till I come home. You may think I am homesick but I am not. I have the same determined revenge on the rebels as ever. I shall write again soon. I have not got time now to write all I want. Give my love to all enquiring friends. Yours, — Erastus Gregory

Letter 2

Baltimore
September 12th 1862

Dear Friends,

You will not expect to hear from me again so soon but I have an opportunity to write and I will improve it with pleasure. When I wrote before, I was too tired to write. I had just got off from the cars and had slept in the engine house all night on the hard floor and a good night’s rest it was for me too after riding on the canal and railroad three days and nights without sleep and without only two meals of victuals and one of them after I got to Baltimore. We had a few crackers to eat but we were not allowed to get off the cars to get anything to eat and we are not allowed to buy any extra victuals here unless we do it at the risk of or lives for there is a great many gets poisoned by eating things that they buy that has been poisoned by secesh. Over one half of the city of Baltimore is secesh today and just out of the city is 13 heavy government guns loaded with shells and are pointed towards the city so that the first move that they—the secesh—make to help the rebels will be rewarded by having their city, their houses, and their property destroyed by fire in less time than it takes to write it.

We are surrounded by revels on all sides. There us an army of them got up as far as Harrisburg within two hundred miles of Binghamton but they are after them and they will have them too before they get where they intend to go. But they have made their brags that they were going to New York and was going to destroy all the property that they could get their hands on. But I guess McClellan will foil them before they accomplish their purpose.

You folks that life in Old Guilford know very little of what is going on here. They say that they have got every secessionist in the Southern army but this is not so, for there is thousands in the City of Baltimore alone that would fight against the Union if they dared to do it. And I almost believe that we have got to turn out almost to a man and have an awful battle between freedom, slavery or secession, and I believe that we shall have to have ten hundred thousand men from the Northern states yet before we can surround and take them.

Our regiment is in first rate health and spirits and we are all ready for a fight. And we shall have one here very soon in all probability. Read this letter to Amelia and tell her that I have not forgotten her and the children. Tell the children to be good and tell Hanky [?] and Augusty that I send my best respects to them. Tell Bill and Fideel that I have got down South and I send my best respects to them and tell Bill to come down some day and see me, Tell him he will have to get his horse the night before if he gets back the same day.

I shall have to take the 2nd sheet to finish my letter. Give my love to all enquiring friends. Tell Alva’s folks that I send my best respects to them and wish them well. Tell Bill to take my splints and make Bill gun [?] one bushel and one half bushel basket and make Uncle Azor one bushel basket and then if he can afford to give anymore, let Meel have it and he may have the rest. Tell him to give Israel Townsend a bushel basket. I like to forgot him. And send Homer up to Azariah Albour’s and get my sythe and snoth and whetstone and take it home and I will pay him for it. And Azariah owes me 3 shillings and I want you to tell Wash Chambers to make him pay it any way and then you can give it to Amelia.

Perhaps you will want to know about the weather here. It is a little warmer here than it is there. There has not been any frost here yet although in some parts of Pennsylvania when we came through I noticed that they had had a harder frost than you had there. But the trees are as green here as they are there the 1st of July. There are peaches here in great abundance. They are brought into the City by the wagon load after load.

We have had some good news here today. If it is true, I am glad. But I fear it is not so. We heard that Stonewall Jackson had been taken with 30,000 prisoners. It is a good thing if it is and will be a good blow towards crushing out this rebellion and we shall soon see better times and be permitted to return to our homes in peace.

I wish that you could all see the City of Baltimore and Harrisburg. The City of Baltimore is seven miles long and five miles wide and there is scarcely a house in it but that is made of brick. The streets are all laid with cobble stone and a wagon makes more noise than the cars do. There is two forts near the city, one on one side and the other on the other side so that it is impossible for the rebels to enter the city without a fight. There is not one minute in 24 hours but what there is a train of cars running through the city and five hundred wagons a going all the time and it makes quite a noise, you may as well think, and negroes by the wholesale. More than half [are] negroes, both white and black. There are negroe wenches here that are lighter skinned than a great many women up there who pretend to be white.

I do not think of much more to write and if I did, I have not got room. Tell Meel to be a good girl and be good to the children and I shall be back as soon as I can. Tell her that my health is good so far and I guess this climate will agree with me first rate. You must write to me as soon as you get this and write for Meel and write all the news for I do not know how long we shall stay here. — Erastus George

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1861: Unidentified Soldier to Chris

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I have not yet learned the identity of this soldier who appears to have served in Co. K, Ohio Infantry, but what regiment? There are several names mentioned but I can’t place them and I can’t be certain of the signature either. Likewise, I can’t place the Camp location mentioned except possibly the one mile from the Soldier’s Home near Washington. Perhaps a Spared & Shared follower can look at this with more time than I have available.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Mountains Hills, Washington
October 4, 1861

Dear Sir,

Your letter came to hand in due time. I wrote to you about the same time you wrote to me and have been waiting for an answer and come to the conclusion that that is your fix. Chris, Co. K was out on picket last night. That’s just what I like. If I could go on picket all the time, I would be satisfied.

We left Camp Sholes last Saturday and are encamped now about a mile from the Soldier’s Home. Chris, that is the nicest place I ever saw. It is shaded so that the sun cannot shine in with all kinds of nice trees. Sunday evening the grove is just covered with fine haired folks. All of them have a waiter. It is some of the royal blood if Virginia and Maryland.

Chris, the colored woman out to see our cook shanty last night and showed our boys how to cook.

One of our boys got mad at the Captain the other day and went to the Colonel and told him that if he did not get another captain, he would get transferred into an artillery company. The Colonel told him that he would give the office to Crocket in a little while. Higginbottom is a brave man and he is good to his men, but he stammers, gives wrong commands, gets excited easy, and drinks hard. The Colonel promised Lieutenant the commission last night. The boys will feel rich when they get him for commander. He is going to make a military man if he lives. That one thing is all Company K lacks of being the gayest old company that ever left Ohio. The Colonel is going to send all home that gets sick when the long roll beats. There is about 25 of them lame and cowards. Only two in our company. One of them is blind and the other is afraid to breathe.

None of our boys has got in the guard house yet. There is four in the chain gang for five days, three carrying four muskets apiece for ten days, and two with wooden pockets for five days and enough to carry all the water for all the cooks.

I believe that is all. Write soon and tell me if you got that money I expressed to you. Chris, if Phebe don’t take Cole, she will be as bad off as Sarah Wolf is. Chris, if Foty and the rest of the girls get so wild that you can’t handle them, send them out here and they will soon get cooled off by order of Col. John Cochran.

M. A. Sturges [?], Adjutant Goodbye

California Gold Rush, Terry's Texas Rangers

1849: Benjamin Franklin Terry to John Coffee Hays

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Benjamin Franklin Terry, ca. 1860

Benjamin Franklin Terry (1821-1861) was born in Russellville, Kentucky, the son of Joseph R. and Sarah D. (Smith) Terry. After his parents moved to Mississippi, they divorced and Benjamin moved to Texas with his mother, settling with her brother, Maj. B. F. Smith, in Brazoria county. When he was 20, Benjamin inherited his mother’s Texas estate, consisting of over 2,000 acres of land on the Brazos River along with 18 slaves. In the early 1850s he formed a partnership with William J. Kyle and received a contract to construct the first railroad in Texas—the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway. They used slave labor to construct the road. Later, during the Civil War, Terry organized and led the 8th Texas Cavalry (the legendary “Terry’s Texas Rangers”). He was killed in the first battle fought by the rangers near Woodsonville, Kentucky on 17 December 1861.

The letter was addressed to John Coffee “Jack” Hays (1817-1883), a former Texas Ranger and colonel of the 1st Regiment Texas Mounted Riflemen in the Mexican-American War. His men were scouts for Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. After the war, Hays left Texas, leading a party of Forty Niners from New York that traveled in wagons to California from Texas. This party pioneered a shortcut on Cooke’s Wagon Road that saved a long journey to the south. That improved route became known as the Tucson Cutoff. Hays was elected sheriff of San Francisco County in 1850, and later became active in politics. In 1853, he was appointed US surveyor-general for California.

Terry’s letter of January 1849 to Hays requests the opportunity for himself and several other men and their slaves to travel overland from Texas to California in a party to be led by Hays. It isn’t known if they made the journey with Hays or not. If they did, they did not stay for they were in Texas at the time of the 1850 US Census.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Stampless cover addressed to Col. J. C. Hays, San Antonio, Texas

Oyster Creek, Brazoria county
January 14th, 1849

Col. J. C. Hays,

Sir, having heard it rumored that you are making up an expedition for California, I take the liberty of addressing you on the subject. Col. Kyle, myself and several others here wish to go and are ready to start now. We would have started in a few days via Chagres but having learned that there are a large number of persons (six thousand or more) congregated there and at Panama waiting for passage down—more probably than will find conveyance in the next six months—we have changed our route.

We all know you well from character and would like to go with you and as we have now concluded to go by land, you will do us a favor by writing me on the receipt of this letting me know if you are going, when you start, what route you are going, how many men you wish to start with, and how many you lack of that number, what are the necessary equipments, &c. &c. &c. Col. Kyle and myself will take part of our negroes (fellows of course) with us. 1

If you are not going, will you be kind enough to let me know what route, in your opinion, is the best, the earliest time we would be able to start to find sufficient grass for our horses, &c. Do you know a guide you can recommend? Hoping to hear from you soon, I am very respectfully yours obedient servant, — B. F. Terry

P. S. Please direct your letter to Houston.

85th Pennsylvania Infantry, Battle of Seven Pines

1862: Adam McGill to William H. Crago

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The following letter was written by Adam McGill (1837-1919), the son of Charles and Mary (Bidenger) McGill of Carmichaels, Greene county, Pennsylvania. Adam was working as a cooper, a trade he learned from his father, when he mustered into Co. G, 85th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on 15 October 1861 as a musician (fifer) at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He served three years and mustered out on 22 November 1864 at Pittsburgh.

The profound regret Adam expresses regarding his regiment’s performance in the Battle of Seven Pines permeates his letter. This marked their initial encounter with the harsh realities of combat, and they found themselves unexpectedly vulnerable to the rebel assault, which forced them to shamefully skedaddle. McClellan placed the blame on Casey’s Division, resulting in their exclusion from the Army of the Potomac for the duration of the war. It would take another two years before the regiment could restore its honor in the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign.

[Note: This letter is from the collection of Keith Fleckner and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Addressed to William H. Crago, Carmichaels, Green county, Pennsylvania

[Following the Battle of Seven Pines]
June the 10th, 1862

Respected Cousin,

Once more I take the pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well as usual and hope that these few lines may find you in good health. We have had an other battle and our division did not get much praise for its conduct, but I tell you that there was never any set of men that fought better than did [Silas] Casey’s—or a good portion.I will admit that some did not stand up as they ought, but the whole Division is disgraced now and sent to the rear. And now the boys say that they will not fight any more for they have been in three fights and fought till there was hundreds of them killed and wounded and have not got any praise for all that they have endured, and now sent to the rear in disgrace. They swear that they will not go in another battle, but I do not know how it will be.

Some say that we will be sent to Fortress Monroe and some say that we will be sent to Washington City and some to Baltimore. But I do not know where we will go from here. But I hope that it will be one of them places.

It is [not] necessary for me to give you an account of the fight at the Seven Pines as it is called,  for you have had a full account of it before this time I suppose. I heard that all the [Pennsylvania] Reserves has come here to reinforce McClellan but I have not seen any of them yet. But I saw a man from the White House Landing and he said that he seen the Bucktails and all the Reserves. I would like to see the boys if they are here, but I do not know how it will be. We are 14 or 15 miles from Richmond now. A good many of the leading men thinks that this is the last stand that the Rebels will make if they are defeated here. But they will make a desperate stand here before their Capitol. But I think that they will have to cave in if they don’t. Casey will come up and make them skeddadle.

I would like very much to see you and have a long talk with you. It would be much pleasanter than writing, but I hope that it will not be long till we will see each other and spend many happy hours together.

A part of Casey’s Division has just started out on a reconnoitering expedition and the 85th is among them. But I expect that they will run if they see any Rebels. There is a power of sick here now and the whole Division is about played out now or if they ain’t, they will be if they don’t take them away from here. There is about 6 in the hospital that I think won’t live three days. The disease seems to be so fatal that there can’t be anything done by the doctors. They get out of their mind and that is the last that they know about it. They linger that way a few hours and then they go the way of all the world.

This is a very hot day. One day it will be hot enough to roast a man and the next day it will rain and be cold enough to freeze you almost and that is the cause of it being so unhealthy. You will please excuse my bad writing and many mistakes for I can hardly write but will try and do better the next time. I will have to bring my letter to a close by asking you to write soon. No more but remain your cousin, — Adam McGill.

to W. H. Crago, Esq.

53rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Battle of Fredericksburg

1862: Joseph Spang to his Parents

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Joseph Spang (1839-1927), a brick maker and the son of Jeremiah Spang and Catherine Fricker of Pottstown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania lived to be 88 years old, but in his entire life we can be certain that he never forgot the 13th of December 1862 on the heights above Fredericksburg. He was quick to enlist when the war began, offering his services in Co. C of the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment. Later, in September 1861, he mustered into Co. A of the 53rd Pennsylvania Volunteers and was awarded the stripes of a corporal.

[Note: This letter is from the private collection of Keith Fleckner and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Falmouth, Virginia
December 18th 1862

Dear Parents & Brother,

Yours of the 1st arrived here and found me in good health. You said you thought Fredericksburg would be taken by the time your letter reached me. It was taken the next day but at a terrible loss of life. On the 11th the bombardment of the city commenced. The cannonading was awful at night. The city was on fire in six places. The pontoon bridge was not laid at dark. The enemy shot at the men from the houses and cellars. That night the bridge was finished but it cost 300 men to lay the bridge.

We crossed next morning the 12th. When we reached the other side, our regiment was thrown out as skirmishers. We skirmished with the enemy til dark when we were relieved. Next morning, the 13th, we maneuvered around the streets til all was ready, the enemy pouring shell into us all the time. French’s Division engaged the enemy first. We next. I cannot tell you the truth of that awful fight. The conflict was terrible. Our regiment was the furthest in advance of any of our troops.  We sheltered ourselves behind some houses and were only 50 yards from the enemy’s rifle pits. Our men were cut down like grass while the enemy could not be touched. All we could see of them was their guns and sometimes a head.

The fight lasted all day. At dark we came back to town. Our regiment stood three hours with fixed bayonets and not a man had a cartridge. I expected every minute the enemy would charge on us but we stood there [and] no one came to relieve us. At dark the lines fell back and we were [finally] relieved. 1

We recrossed the river on the 15th. Our dead lay thick on the field. The enemy’s loss is nothing to ours. On the 17th I was detailed to go along with a flag of truce to help bury our dead.  The rebs had guards around us while we were burying. We buried 700 and did not get half done. Our dead were stripped of everything that was good. Some were naked. Not one man had a pair of shoes on.

They say we can never whip them. I learned that their loss was light to what ours was. They say, “What are you going to do with Burnside now? We had the advantage of you here. This shows what Burnside is. McClellan would never have took them up in this style.” This is the way they talk. They say McClellan is the best general we ever had and I say so too. We have been whipped badly here. You will see in the papers our loss. [ ] will give a correct list in the paper. We have 15 men in our company yet. None of our company were killed, all wounded. I was not touched—only by a splinter that flew from the house when a ball passed through. We are discouraged and hope this war will soon be over.  Sigel has come up with his horses. I will now close. I am near froze the reason my writing is so bad.

My Love to you all. From your son and brother, — Joseph Spang

I send some pictures that I got in Fredericksburg. Don’t lose them. Keep all I send home safe and my memorandum, take care of for me.

1 According to Bates’ History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, “ Early on the morning of Saturday the 13th, under a dense fog the regiment marched into the city and halted for an hour under fire of rebel artillery.  The fight was opened at the front near Marye’s Heights by French’s Division, which was repulsed.  Soon after, the Third Brigade led by the 53rd moved amidst a shower of deadly missiles by the right flank, up St. Charles street and formed in line of battle along the edge of the town.  The rebel infantry, but a few hundred yards in front, was protected by a stonewall along a sunken road while immediately above, the hilltops were bristling with cannon.  At the word of command, Colonel Brooke at the head of his regiment led the charge under a storm of shot and shell that swept the ranks with terrible effect.  But undismayed they closed up and pressed steadily on till they reached a position within one hundred and fifty yards of the enemy’s line which was held, despite every effort to dislodge them, even after their ammunition was spent.  At evening, when the battle was over and the day was lost, what remained of the regiment retired silently from its position and returned to the city.”

11th Pennsylvania Reserves, 40th Pennsylvania Infantry, Battle of Antietam, Battle of South Mountain, George B. McClellan, Prisoner of War

1862: Robert Hindman Ray to William Ray

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Robert Hindman Ray (1841-1871) was twenty years old when he enlisted on 10 June 1861 to serve in Co. C (the “Dixon Guards”), 11th Pennsylvania Reserves (40th Pennsylvania Regiment). He was promoted to corporal in April 1863 and mustered out of the regiment in June 1864. He was the son of John Ray (1798-1876) and Ann Smith (who died in 1850). The family residence was in Fairview, Butler county, Pennsylvania. Robert wrote the letter to his older brother, William Ray (1826-1873).

[Note: This letter is from the collection of Keith Fleckner and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

This early-day view of Fairfield, Butler county, Pennsylvania states that the house under the arrow was where Robert’s older brother, Matthew Smith Ray (1830-1908), “went to housekeeping” in 1854.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Camp at Brooks Station, Virginia
November 25th 1862

Dear brother,

I seat myself to pen you a few lines to let you know that I am well, hoping these lines may find you the same. I should have written to you sooner and will have to ask your pardon for not doing so, but we were always moving and I thought that I would wait until we would stop someplace to stay awhile but it appears that that place will not be found for a while. I do not know where to begin nor where to end this. When I wrote to you last, we were at Fredericksburg, only about ten miles from where we are now. But shortly after that we went to the Peninsula and joined McClellan’s army. We were there about two weeks when we got into a fight [at Gaines’ Mill] and a hard one it was. There was 4 killed and 22 wounded in our company. [Lt.] Newton Redec was killed. The remainder was taken prisoners. We were taken to Richmond and kept there from the 27th of June till the 5th day of August. We got pretty hard usage but I have not time to give you a full account, but we spent some hungry times.

We were exchanged and put right into the service again. We were brought back here and joined Pope’s army. Then came the Battle of Bull Run where we suffered heavy again. Lieutenant [John C.] Kuhn was killed there also your old friend Samuel Christley. Then when the Rebels went into Maryland, McClellan got command and we whipped the Rebs at South Mountain and Antietam. And [just] when he got his army again ready and had commenced to move, he was removed, which was the ruination of our army. But we can’t help it.

I have great reason to be thankful that my life has been preserved.  We are expecting another battle soon. I had a letter from home yesterday. They are all well. I do not know that I have much to write that would be of any interest to you. It appears to me that this is being made a political war. I hope we may be victorious but the war must be a long one—it cannot be otherwise. We need not talk of starving them out. That is “played out.” They have a large army and will fight and are determined to fight as long as there is one of them left. I hope the war may soon be over. All hope this. I have seen enough to satisfy me.  

I saw William Starey yesterday. He is well. I heard that you were talking of coming home. Let me know when. Let me know what you are doing and all the news that you can of. I would write more but I have nothing to write that would interest you. Write soon. Nothing more but remain your brother, — R.H. Ray

William Ray

Direct to R.H. Ray, Co. C, 11th Regt. PRC

The owner of this image says the reverse side identifies one of these Union privates as Robert H. Ray but can’t be certain which. He thinks it to be the one at left but my interpretation suggests it’s the one at right and his facial features more closely align with those of a brother identified on Ancestry.com
Antebellum Mississippi, Cholera Epidemic, Shipwreck

1834: John M. Neal to Ann O. [Neal] Myrick

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John M. Neal wrote the following letter to his sister, Ann O. (Neal) Myrick (1790-1835), the wife of Walter B. Myrick of Hertford county, North Carolina. There are references in the letter to John’s Uncle, Thomas Newsom of Southhampton county, Virginia, which was just across the state line from North Carolina.

John’s letter relates the details of a shipwreck in the middle of the night on July 3rd 1833 in which he and 68 other souls survived though the vessel they were on was raked over a reef in the British West Indies and sank with little but the bow sprit rigging above the surface of the waves and five miles from the nearest island. It’s a riveting account—one that would have John informing his sister, “Tongue can’t express the feelings that existed at that time…I thought it my last breath in this world.”

The Southern Patriot, 7 November 1833

It’s believed the ill-fated vessel John was traveling on was the English brig Lorton commanded by George Duncan. An extract of Capt. Duncan’s account of the incident was widely published in the latter half of 1833 in which he relates that “on the morning of the 2nd July” while en route from St. Domingo to Nassau, his vessel “struck on a sunken rock bearing from Egg Island N. by W. 8 miles.” He clarified that “the rock is about the size of a boat’s bottom, and 6 feet below the surface of the water, with seven or eight fathoms of water on both sides of it,” adding that “the rock is not in any chart which I have seen and the fishermen in the vicinity of the place report that they did not know of it.”

John’s letter concludes with a description of the rest of his journey to Columbus, Mississippi, by way of New Orleans and Vicksburg where he had to avoid residents and passengers suffering from the Cholera Epidemic of 1833.

The house Walter B. Myrick (1795-1870) built in North Carolina, just across the State line from Southampton county, Virginia.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Addressed to Mrs. Ann O. Myrick, Murphrysborough, Hertford county, North Carolina

Columbus, Mississippi
April 19th 1834

Dear Sister,

I am once more landed in the United States which is more than I expected. The 3rd of July we were cast away on that night at midnight on Abbie’s Reef, a solid bed of rock. She knocked her bottom to pieces and filled with water. We remained in the cabin until she filled and then we had to go on deck and take the waves. They ran over us at times ten feet high and all of us hanging on to the rigging. The seas beat her across the reef and went into deep water, a channel deep enough to of swallowed her up. The channel was about 80 feet wide. When she went in, all of her was out of sight except a part of her stern. There came a heavy sea and run her across the channel which hove her in more shoal water and she sunk all under water except part of the bow sprit.

When she entered that channel, I thought it my last breath in this world. Tongue can’t express the feelings that existed at that time. We had four female passengers and some of them were in their night dress [just] as they got out of their berths. I loaned one my cloak to wrap her up for each one had as much to do as he could to hold on to the rigging for they were holding on from the top pf the water. The cook of the brig was washed off and the next sea hove him in again and he was saved. There was a cow that was washed off at the same time and was lost after she sunk. She remained permanent.

Next morning we discovered land about five miles—a small island. The captain took the females and made for the island and there they found one family of fisherman and they has a small boat and with the two boats, they succeeded in saving us all—69 in number. We suffered for water and provisions for one week very much. All the water we drank we had to dig small holes in the sand beach and that was so salty we could hardly make out to swallow it.

We were taken to Nassau, New Providence—one of the British West India islands—and there we were treated most shamefully. I have sent you a paper with the account of our treatment. Write me as soon as you receive this for I expect to remain here all the summer. I lost all my mill stones & a part of my clothes and I only had money enough to get me some clothes and to get me to this place.

I am now working at my trade to raise money enough to get home and that will take me the best part of the summer. I have wrote to Uncle [Thomas] Newsom. If his [letter] should not arrive safe, you will show him this. I wrote him the 13th inst. but there is no certainty in letters going safe on account of the water courses. They sometimes in this country lose the whole of the mail in crossing some streams that they have to ford.

The cholera was raging from New Orleans as high as Vicksburg where I left the Mississippi. I made but little tarry as the cholera was on the farms with my acquaintances. There was two cases on the boat that I was on.

Give my best respects to Mr. Myrick and children, and to Uncle & Aunt. Tell Walter to write me what luck he had fishing & what all the others done on the [paper torn]. If Uncle Newsom hasn’t received his letter, tell him to write me. Also give my best respects to M. & all of your neighbors. I have nothing more to communicate at this time. I now conclude & remain your affectionate brother, — Jno. M. Neal

Draft, Indiana Homefront, Substitutes

1864: Rachel (Hawkins) Epperson to Mary Ann (Byerly) Wiseman

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The following letter was written by Rachel (Hawkins) Epperson (1827-1896), the wife of William Epperson (1833-1904) of Decatur, Marion county, Indiana. At the time she wrote this letter in October 1864, she was the mother of two children—Austin L. Epperson (1856-1931) and Uriah Spray Epperson (1861-1944). She was also pregnant with her third child, Emma Epperson (1865-1944).

Rachel and her husband were Quakers. She was the daughter of Nathan Hawkins and Rebecca Roberds. She was married first in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, April 1848, to Joseph Furnas (1826-1849) but he died the following year. As the letter will show, Rachel’s 2nd husband, William Epperson, was in the meat business. Af few years after this letter was written, the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where William pioneered the Pork and Beef Packing industry in 1868.

Rachel wrote the letter to her “respected friend” Mary Ann (Byerly) Wiseman (1837-1922) who was married to William Benjamin Wiseman (1832-1909) of Corydon, Harrison county, Indiana, in 1858. Mary Ann was the daughter of Jacob Byerly (1812-1862) and Susan Eliza Wiseman (1817-1869).

The letter speaks of the military draft in Indiana in 1864 and the effects it was having in disrupting the lives of her neighbors as well as her own family. In 1864, Indiana, like other Union states, held multiple drafts to meet federal quotas, allowing draftees to avoid service by hiring a substitute or, early in 1864, paying a $300 commutation fee. Substitutes were often paid high fees (sometimes over $1,000) by wealthy men, and they were frequently sourced from men under 20, non-citizens, or previously exempt individuals.

A typical draft notice in 1863

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Addressed to Mary Ann Wiseman, Corydon, Harrison county, Indiana

10th Month, 30th, 1864

Respected Friend,

I take up my pen to inform thee of sorrowful news—viz: Lewis [Wiseman] 1 was drafted, and not being able to buy a substitute, he had to go into camp and was there a few days, and I hear they have left town and gone to Nashville (he has left Eliza in her usual condition and the time is not far distant). Philip went as a substitute for some man. John Hawkins is also gone. There was but few escaped the draft through here. Amongst the rest was William but the Quakers got off by paying three hundred dollars. Fred France went. It was hurting him very much.

Our healths are pretty good and I hope thee is quite well. I wish to hear from thee very much. Joel is here and well. He escaped the draft. Isaac Hawkins’s mother-in-law is not living—not much complaint in the neighborhood. William is not at home much. He bought hogs and took to Illinois and bought corn there and is feeding them there. He has a share of fourteen hundred head. He also bought 400 head of cattle out there and has sold them at Indianapolis and has had 140 head drove through to Indianapolis, and Jesse Merary, Sam Redman, David Compton, and William Whitson, is now on the road to Indianapolis with another drove. Then William will car the balance. He expects to feed 100 head out there this winter. The time seems very long to me when he is gone so much but I try to bear it patiently for the sake of trying to get out of debt. But this draft has sunk him 300 dollars more. He paid 7 dollars a hundred for hogs to fatten (pretty steep that).

We have had a literary at our school house all summer and the winter school commences in the morning for four months. Eliza Allen is to be teacher. She wants to board at [ ‘s] but they don’t talk like boarding her. Huldah Furnas 2 has been gone to Columbus water cure 3 for several weeks but is to come home tomorrow. Her Father is dangerously sick and they have sent for her.

William’s mother has rented out her house and lot and packed her things up, some one place and some another, and talks like she was a going to live amongst her children. [Rev.] Ephraim Bowles 4 has rented a place in Illinois and talks of moving there this winter. He is doing about as usual, eating and wearing and that is about all he makes, but he makes as big calculations as ever.

According to my own wishes and Joel’s request, I have written this. He said if I would write, he would pay the postage. Please write and not wait as I have done. — Rachel

to Mary Ann

1 Lewis Wiseman of Decatur, Marion county, Indiana, was drafted and placed in the 29th Indiana Infantry.

2 Huldah (Jessup) Furnas (b. 1834) was the daughter of Alfred Jessup (1810-1865) and Betsy Jessup (1814-1864) of Hendricks county, Indiana. Huldah was the wife John W. Furnace (1835-1899) of Marion county, Indiana.

3 Dr. Shepard’s Water Cure Establishment in Columbus, Ohio, was a prominent 19th-century hydropathic facility located in the vicinity of what became known as Shepard Station. Established in 1853, it specialized in treating chronic and nervous diseases, particularly in women, using water-based therapies like wet sheet packs and baths.

4 Rev. Ephraim Bowles (1829-1914) was enumerated in Decatur, Marion county, Indiana in the 1860 US Census. In 1870, he was enumerated in Penn, Guthrie county, Iowa. Living next door to Ephraim in 1860 was 32 year-old Lewis Wiseman and his 30 year-old wife Eliza with a brood of children born every other year.

Indiana Homefront

1863: Sarah (Walters) Alsbach to William Cornelius

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The following letter was written by Sarah (Walters) Alsbach (1812-1896), the wife of Rev. Michael Alsbach (1812-1886) of Benton, Elkhart county, Indiana. Sarah’s husband was licensed to preach in the Methodist Episcopal church by the Ohio Conference in 1855. He was ordained a deacon in 1857 and an elder in 1859. He transferred to the Indiana Conference in 1856 and was assigned to the Elkhart Circuit near Benton, Indiana. He lived on a farm seven miles southeast of Goshen and from this point, rode a circuit in Indiana and lower Michigan. At one time his circuit was 300 miles in length. During the Civil War, Sarah’s oldest son Henry served in the 74th Indiana Infantry and her family had to contend with Copperheads—southern sympathizers—on the home front that sometimes led to attacks on her husband. In 1863, her husband was reassigned to the Cicero Circuit and he was transferred to the new Michigan Conference. The family later moved to Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas.

Sarah wrote the letter to her sister Elizabeth (Walters) Cornelius (1820-18xx), the wife of William Cornelius (1816-1905), a farmer of Lewisburg, Union county, Pennsylvania. In her letter, Sarah devotes the greatest portion to her niece Mary Cornelius whom she addresses rather curtly on her discourteous letter writing. She ends her letter by writing, “We got your letter but I cannot say that I was glad to see it.”

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Addressed to Mr. William Cornelius, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; postmarked Millersburg, Indiana

Benton [Indiana]
February 7, 1863

Dear Brother and Sister,

I thought I would write to you to tell you how we are getting along. We are all well at present. Alsbach is not to home. He is not to home much of the time and when he is to home, he stays only a few days. I would like to go back to see you if I had money and could leave home in one way, but if you cannot agree better than Mary writes, I would not like to see some of you. Mary always writes such stuff that I am ashamed of it. It makes me cry and I cannot help it every time that I get a letter and I have to be ashamed of the family for Alsbach always scolds and the oldest children when we get one of her letters. For she always wrote about Mother when she was alive and said that Mother would swear and pound her with her cane for running Mother down, an old person as she was before she died. I cannot stand [it]. And [also] for running down Edward as she did. I think more of my brothers and sisters than that comes to. Edward was always very kind to me and I respect him as a brother. No more at present but remain your sister. From Sarah Alsbach

To Mr. Cornelius and Mrs. Cornelius

Write soon and often.

And now a few lines to Miss Mary,

Mary you need not accuse Edward for holding a letter that belongs to you for I sent him one of your letters that you wrote to us to let him know what you write to us. You always hurt my feelings very much about my Mother. She was a very old person and you ought to used her kindly and treated her as a grandmother and not talk about her as you did. You said that we did not creep away and not let you know where we was so that you need not pay anything for the keeping of Mother. I think that Mother had enough property to keep her and if I would have had her here, I would have kept her willingly and not have been scolding about her all the time.

As for creeping away from you as you write, or from anybody else, I never done the like for I never was so little as that comes to. I sent $2 to you once for Mother and I never heard what become of it and it is a mystery to me why you always want us to direct our letters to you. You never mentioned your Father’s name in one half of a dozen of all the letters that you wrote to us yet. I would not have a child to write to an Uncle or an Aunt and not mention their Father’s or Mother’s name for I think it is disgrace. When I write, I intend to write to your Father and Mother and direct to them.

If I had the time and money, I would come back and see your Father and Mother and Edward and his family and Isaac and his family, and Mother’s folks and all of the rest of the friends. You never say anything about the Browns or any of the friends or any of the old acquaintances. We got your letter but I cannot say that I was glad to see it. No more.

From Sarah A.

to Mary E. Cornelius

126th Ohio Infantry

1864: Joseph S. Foreman to Nellie A. Foreman

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The following letter was written by Joseph S. Foreman of Co. F, 126th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). He wrote the letter to his wife from the regiment’s encampment near Halltown, Virginia, a month after the Battle of Monocacy Junction, and just as they were about to participate in Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

The 126th Ohio transferred from the 3rd Corps to the 6th Corps in March 1864 and fought with the corps through the hardest battles of its service including the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, Monocacy, Third Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek, and the assault at Petersburg on April 2, 1865.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Addressed to Mrs. Nellie A. Forman, Canal Fulton, Stark county, Ohio

Camp near Halltown, Virginia
August 7, 1864

Dearest wife,

I will now try to write a few lines to you in order to let you know how I am getting along. I am in the enjoyment of good health at this time for which blessing I trust that I feel truly thankful to Almighty God & I trust that when this reaches you it will find you all in the enjoyment of all God’s choicest blessings.

We are now on Virginia soil again about 3 miles from Harpers Ferry and about 1 mile from Halltown. We left Frederick City and marched to the south of the Monocacy & camped close to Tenleytown for about two days and then pulled up and marched to Monocacy Junction and took the cars for the Ferry and then came to this place where we have been since the day before yesterday. I can’t tell how long we will stay here but I don’t suppose very long as there is too many Rebels in the valley yet for us to lay long in one place.

There is a large force here now but if the reports are all true about moving of the Rebel army up the valley, it is not large enough to cope with them in open field. But I think General Grant is doing things up in a style to [ ] the Rebs over the left. I saw Grant the day we left Monocacy. There is the 6th, 8th, 19th and a part of the 13th [Army] Corps here and General Sheridan’s Cavalry, besides a good many Pennsylvania Militia.

I have not got any word from you for some time but I think the mail will come in today. The Rebels are still a roving around taking care of themselves and others too, but principally cavalry and we can’t catch them with infantry. But I think they will soon have run their course. I suppose there is some stir about the draft there as it will take out a good many more of the men but if they do have to come, I trust they will not have long to stay.

I will close for this time, praying that God’s choicest blessings may attend you all. From your husband till death, — J. S. Foreman

To Nellie A. Foreman