These letters were written by 19 year-old Joseph T. Blair (1843-1863) of Co. F, 12th Ohio Regiment. Joseph was the son of Samuel Blair (1820-1844) and Eliza Ann McClure (1819-1890) of Adams county, Ohio.
Joseph died on 10 November 1863 as a result of a gunshot wound received at the hands of guerrillas while scouting near Boyers Ferry on 31 October 1863. The CdV above picturing Joseph T. Blair was found on Facebook. The inscription in James’ own handwriting on the reverse of the card was written just a month before he was killed by guerrillas. The images were AI generated to sharpen them. The original images appear at the end of these letters.
Joseph wrote these letters to his cousins, John Alexander Steen (1841-1918) and William “Chester” Steen (1845-1927). They were two of the sons of Alexander Boyd Steen (1813-1896) and Nancy Jane McClure (1821-1893) of Winchester, Adams county, Ohio.
Blair wrote the letters to his cousins, John Alexander Steen (left) and William Chester Steen.
Letter 1
Camp Warren near Charleston, Virginia March the 21st 1862
Mr. John & Chester Steen My dear cousins,
I with pleasure resume my pen to inform you that your letter of the 10th inst. came to hand today and read it with much pleasure, and as it was raining today and all nature looks sad and melancholy, I seat myself to spend a pleasant hour in replying to you. I was glad to hear of you being in good health. My health is quite good at present.
Well, I believe that the best news that I have to write to you at this time is that the weather has been very good for about two weeks until today and it is again raining, but not such disagreeably rain as we formerly had. Spring seems to be open already. We have indications of its approach in the warm and balmy air and the warbling notes of the birds are heard in the forest. Old winter’s icy reign is yielding to the gentler sway of spring which we welcome with grateful hearts. I trust the spring will open with auspicious promises and its labors be largely remunerative to you, my agricultural friends, so that you may rejoice in its abundant and golden fruits, and ‘ere spring ends, I hope to see this wicked Rebellion crushed and peace and prosperity again reign over our once prosperous and happy country.
You spoke of having quit your school and again went to work. Well I guess the time is near at hand when I will have to work. Probably I shall not be occupied in the same kind of work which you are, but I assure you that it will not be much easier. You will be engaged on a farm and I will be engaged on the Mountains hunting for seceshers. There is evidently a movement on hand up the valley. Yesterday the 34th Ohio Regiment passed by here bound for Gauley Bridge and I understand that the 60th Regiment is on its way up here. Our Artillery company left us some time ago and I think that we shall follow them before long. I suppose that our destination will be to cross the mountains and take possession of Lewisburg and the Tennessee Railroad and in so doing, we will cooperate with our troops at Manassas. Such is my idea of these movements but I cannot ascertain anything certain for you know that military leaders always keep a provoking silence on all such things. I had hoped to get out of Virginia when we again marched, but I guess that I am bound to disappointment for at present there is strong indications of having to take a March across the mountains.
Major General John Charles Frémont
The principal topics which are discussed in camp is in regard to Frémont being appointed Major General of the Department of the Mountains, and you are well aware that our regiment belongs to that department. I don’t know but what he is a very good man, but I know that he is not very popular in the Old 12th. Our boys all think that he is an abolitionist and our regiment has a great dislike to that party. However, I should like to see the old gent who has caused so much trouble in the War Department. I would advise him to keep his abolition sentiment to himself when he is with the 12th Regiment, else it might prove to be unwholesome for him. We look for him here shortly to review us. His headquarters is at Wheeling, Va.
You spoke in your letter of the death of Spencer Wilson. ¹ It was a very sad occurrence. I think that it must have grieved his father a great deal. I have seen many such cases — only worse. Many a poor fellow have I seen buried out in the mountains without a coffin or a friend nigh him. There has been three deaths in our regiment within the last week. Their deaths was caused by exposure. One of the boys which belongs to my company has just returned this evening from Ohio where he has been home sick. He brought us all the news from the vicinity of Lebanon. He says that the folks about there thinks that the war is about over. How is it in your neighborhood? Do you think that it will be over anyways soon? We all think that it will terminate this spring. We get a telegraph dispatch every morning and it always contains good news. The Rebels seem to get repulsed on all occasions. The dispatch this morning announced the capture of Newbern, North Carolina, by Gen. Burnside. It also stated that the fight was still going on at Island No. 10. They have been fighting there for three or four days. I suppose that is something similar to the fight we had last November at Gauley Bridge. We cannonaded there for over a week and there was apparently but little damage done on either side. But I think that the rebels is about whipped out. We have driven them out of all their strongholds — namely Columbus, Bowling Green, and Manassas. If they are not well enough fortified at those places to stand and fight us, I don’t think that they will find a place on the whole continent where they can.
I see that their press has quit blowing that one Southern man can whip five Northern men. I think it about time for their brave sons of the South has had their fighting qualities pretty well tested of late, and I guess that they find a Northern man — or Yankee as they call them — is just as good as any of their Southern chivalry, and proves to stand fire a little longer if any difference. I am not certain but my impression is that the Old 12th will have to try her nerve again before the war is over.
Well, I am no ways anxious for a fight but if fight we must, I believe that the 12th Regiment will stand fire about as long as any of them. We never was shipped but once and I don’t think it likely that we will get whipped again, but I won’t say that we can whip five Rebel Regiments. That would sound too much like the Southern gas.
We have got an Old Secesh in jail here now who killed one of our spies last summer. His own son is here to testify against him. He has not had his trial yet. I don’t [know] what they will do with him but I think that very likely he will look through a halter. There is a Negro to be hung in Charleston next week for killing his master. I did not learn the particulars of the case.
I am on picket guard tomorrow. We have to go on about every three days. We have fun when we are out on picket telling the Secesh ladies as they pass by about the Union victories. It makes them hang their heads and look like they could not help it and I don’t believe that they can help it either although if talking and sour looks would do any good, they might. You said that a woman bit you once, John, but it did not hurt. I will bet if you would see one of these sour looking Secesh women, you would say that you would rather be bit by a rattle snake than to have her to bite you. You spoke of going to see your woman again. You must certainly be going to get married before long. You had better wait until the war is over so that I can attend your wedding and besides that you will have plenty of company for I know of lots of folks that are a going to get married after the war is over. I expect that I will stay in Virginia and marry a Secesher. I have almost fell in love with some of the sweet creatures.
Oh, I like to forgot to tell you that I got a letter from a woman yesterday. It was a nice one and a good long one too. It took me until midnight last night to write an answer. You know of course I took great pains in writing and composing it. Boys, that is the war. I have to spark these times __ to spend a portion of the night in writing to some pretty girl. What do you think of that mode of sparking? It is a first rate way when you can’t do any other way.
I got a letter from Ira the other day. He was hale and hearty and I should not wonder if he was in love up to the eyes. Well, cousins, I hardly ever commence a letter but what I fill the sheet of paper but you must excuse me this time for my fingers is crimping and I have been writing all day and now it is near bedtime. Tell Jim that I shall look to hear from him in your next. Give my best respects to Uncle and Aunt and all the family.
Nothing, but remain your cousin, — J. T. Blair
to J. A. Steen and W. C. Steen
Write soon.
¹ 1st Sgt. Spencer Wilson was the 19 year-old son of Congressman John Thomas Wilson of Adams county, Ohio. He served with the 33rd Ohio Infantry until his death at Louisville on 4 March 1862.
Letter 2
On Picket Guard near Sharpsburg, Washington county, Maryland Tuesday evening, October the 7th 1862
Mr. Wm. C. Steen, dear cousin,
It is with the utmost pleasure that I embrace the present opportunity of answering your kind and most welcome letter of the 13th ult. which I received the 5th inst. Although somewhat delated in its arrival, it was nonetheless interesting. Your letter found me enjoying good health & all other comforts & blessings that pertains to a Soldier’s Life, and it is my sincere wish when this scribbling reaches its destination, it may find you enjoying the same.
Well cousin, since I last wrote, fighting has been the word of the day with us. Our Division has been engaged in all the hard battles that has recently taken place in the State of Maryland, the details I suppose you have been made acquainted with long before this. And I expect that in reading the accountsm you have more than once saw the name of the 12th Ohio Regiment as we took an active part in every engagement and the list of casualties will come up with any other regiment that was in the battles.
Our Division was [in] the advance from the time we left Upton Hills until we drove the Rebels back into Virginia & consequently we had all the reconnoitering & skirmishing to do which, I assure you, was no small job. In the Battle of South Mountain, our regiment made three desperate and decisive bayonet charges. We drove the Rebels at each charge with great slaughter. This was the first hand to hand fighting that I ever was engaged in & I hope that it may be the last. The loss of our regiment during the day was 33 killed & 91 wounded. 1
The Battle of South Mountain, MD., Sunday, September 14, 1862. “The glorious charge of the 23rd & 12th Ohio Volunteers (College. Scammon) against the 23rd & 12th North Carolina, under the Rebel Gen. Garland, who was killed in the charge.”
Our loss in the Battle of Antietam was very severe but the number I have not yet ascertained. The Battle of Antietam is considered the hardest battle of the war & our regiment was in the thickest of it all. To give you some idea of our loss, I will just relate a few facts. We came to Washington with near 800 men & now we only have 300 left. Of course we have lost some by sickness but the greater portion we lost in the numerous battles & skirmishes that we have been engaged in of late. I shall not attempt to give you the particulars as it would be too tedious, & I suppose that the newspapers have already given you a satisfactory account. Suffice it to say that I got through all safe although I can’t see how I escaped. But I suppose that my time had not yet come. 2
Since the battles, things has remained comparatively quiet. We are camped near the Potomac at the mouth of Antietam Creek & do not apprehend any danger at the present as the Rebels are all on the other side & some 8 or q0 miles back from the river. And I don’t suppose that hostilities will be resumed until we cross over which I suppose we will do before long as the greater portion of McClellan’s Army has already crossed (we belong to Gen. Burnside’s Army) & I suppose we will follow McClellan as soon as possible. The Rebels are said to be in force near Winchester, Virginia, & I suppose that another great battle will be fought before many days—that is, if the Rebels will stand. But it is generally supposed that owing to their late disasters in Maryland, they will not be able to make another stand tis side of Richmond.
I am on Picket Guard today about one mile and a half from on the road leading to Sandy Hook & Harpers Ferry. Large bodies of troops have been passing along all day. I suppose they are going to Harpers Ferry to cross the river.
Gen. Jacob Dolson Cox
Our brave and beloved Gen. [Jacob Dolson] Cox 3 has been ordered back to Western Virginia to assume command of our forces there. We was very sorry to part with him. We would much rather went into a hard fight than to part with our gallant general who has been with us ever since the commencement of the war & who by his gentleman & soldier-like manner won the admiration & esteem of all who served under him. He left here for Washington last Sunday. He made us a short speech before leaving in which he said that he was very sorry to part with us and that as soon as he got to Washington, he would go to President Lincoln & Secretary Stanton & if possible obtain permission to take his Ohio Division back with him so you need not be surprised if you again hear of us being in Western Virginia shortly. We all want to go but it is not because we like the country. It is because our general is going & we want to be with him no matter where he goes.
Last Saturday we was reviewed by President Lincoln & General McClellan & staff. Old Abe did not make a very striking appearance. He is undoubtedly the ugliest an that I ever saw & owing to his being in company with so many fine looking officers made him look still worse.
Old Abe’s late Proclamation is the chief topic of conversation in our camp (I mean the negro proclamation). Some are disgusted & some are disposed to treat it as a joke, but to take all things into consideration, the thing don’t agree very well with any of us. I never could induce myself to believe that I am fighting to free the infernal negroes but things look decidedly that way at present. My opinion is if the war is not settled before the first of January, it never wil be settled for I don’t believe that our soldiers will sacrifice their lives to free the negroes. However, I feel in hopes that a speedy termination of the war is at hand. I think that enough of blood has been shed & am quite anxious for peace to again be restored to our once prosperous & glorious country.
I got a letter a few days ago from cousin John & Jim. They was both well. They was then at Point Pleasant, Virginia. It seems as if they are a going to take their first lessons on the same ground that our regiment did. And from the present state of affairs in that region, I think that they will soon get to see the elephant. I hope that nothing but success may attend them until they have the privilege of returning safely to their homes.
I congratulate you & uncle on your safe arrival back from the wars, as you said that you had seated but was not fortunate enough to get to see a Rebel. I suppose that there was quite a stir in Old Adams County about that time. I presume that if the Rebels should undertake to invade Ohio, they would meet with a warm reception from our patriotic men & boys that are left at home.
Well cousin, as it is getting dark, I must soon close. Just now a messenger has arrived from camp informing us that we are ordered to cook five days rations & be ready to march by daylight in the morning. This means business is on hand. The general supposition is that we are bound for Western Virginia but I can’t say whether that is our destination or not. I can tell you all about it in my next.
Give my love & best respects to uncle & aunt & all the rest. Write when convenient & I will answer promptly. Nothing more but remain your most affectionate cousin until death, — Jos. T. Blair
Address your letters thus. Co. F, 12th Regt. O. V. I., Gen. [George] Crook’s Division, 9th Army Corps, Washington D. C.
Tell Eliza & Catherine Steen & Ellen Blair to address their letters in the same manner as there has been some changes taken place since I wrote to them & you will oblige your cousin, — Jos. T. Blair
1 An after action report by Gen. Cox stated that the 12th OVI, in the center of the assault on South Mountain, “was obliged to advance several hundred yards over open pasture-ground, under a most galling fire from the edge of the woods which crowned the slope, and behind stone fences. The skirmishers of this regiment, advancing with admirable courage and firmness, drove in those of the enemy, and the regiment with loud hurrahs charged up the slope with the bayonet. The rebels stood firmly, and kept up a murderous fire until the advancing line was within a few feet of them, when they broke and fled over the crest into the shelter of a dense thicket skirting the other side.” [Source: Cox’s Official Reports, Antietam on the Web.]
2 In his after action report of the Battle of Antietam, Gen. Cox described the contested attempts of the 9th Army Corps to cross Burnside’s Bridge and eventually engage the enemy south of Sharpsburg where they met with initial success but were eventually overwhelmed by Rebel reinforcements. The 12th OVI held the extreme left of the Union line in the late afternoon assault, backing up the 16th Connecticut and the 4th Rhode Island.
3Gen. Jacob Dolson Cox, a former divinity student at Oberlin College, was a staunch abolitionist from Ohio who rose to the rank of major general. “Despite Cox’s inexperience, then-commander of Ohio’s forces, Major General George B. McClellan, came to appreciate his talents, giving him an independent command in western Virginia shortly after the outbreak of hostilities between the North and the South. In 1861 and 1862, Cox played a central role in taking and holding for the Union what would become the new state of West Virginia. Cox’s forces took the new state’s future capital, Charleson, in mid-1861, helping ensure Union control of West Virginia for the remainder of the war. In mid-1862, Cox transferred to the Army of the Potomac for the Maryland Campaign, and in a period of three weeks, he underwent a dizzying ascent to corps command. On 14 September, he initiated the successful first assault at the Battle of South Mountain, which was the Union’s first victory in many months. When IX Corps commander Major General Jesse Reno was killed at that battle, Cox succeeded him. Three days later, at the pivotal Battle of Antietam, Cox would be the tactical commander of the Union left wing, made up entirely of the IX Corps. There, his forces almost succeeded in sweeping General Robert E, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia from the field. Only an unexpected assault on his left flank by Major General A.P. Hill’s division stopped Cox, though McClellan’s wrong-headed decision not to reinforce Cox at this critical moment sealed the Union’s fate that day.” [Source: The Army Historical Foundation, Jacob Dolson Cox]
Letter 3
Camp of the 12th Regt. O.V. I. Near Fayetteville, Western Virginia Wednesday morning, February 14, 1863
Mr. Wm. C. Steen, dear cousin,
Yesterday I walked down to the camp of the 91st & on arriving there John gave me a letter from you dated January 4th & brought by Mr. McNeel. I was very glad to hear from you as quite a length of time has elapsed since I received any communication from you. The last one that I received was about or near the 1st of October & about the time that we left the Army of the Potomac. I believe that I wrote you a reply just the day before we started west but I never received any reply & consequently I did not write anymore thinking that owing to your brother’s going into the army you had enough of army correspondence without me so you see that your letter was unexpected. But I can assure you that it was none the less welcome & interesting for I am always happy to hear from my cousins & friends & when they write to me, you may rest assured that they always receive a reply. And if the mails fail to do their part, I of course am excusable.
Your letter found me enjoying health & all other comforts & blessings that pertain to a soldier’s life which I suppose that you are aware are rather limited, but however we are enjoying ourselves somewhat better than we was when I last wrote for then we was laying on the memorable battlefield of Antietam, almost destitute of the bare necessities to keep life and soul together. But now we are i winter quarters and are fixed comparatively comfortable & are enjoying many of the comforts of civilized life. I suppose that you are aware of our return to West Virginia & the circumstances that led thereto & consequently I shall not numerate the many incidents and adventures that took place on that long & fatiguing march, but I have no doubt but what they would be of interest to you. But I shall have to defer relating any at present as it would require too much space & be must too tedious an undertaking so I will put you off with the consoling promise that when the war is over & I have the pleasure of again seeing you, I will endeavor to interest you for a couple of hours in relating anecdotes and adventures that took place during our campaign in the East which was one of the most active and exciting campaigns that we ever experienced.
Thinking over our rapid march to Washington & the many fortunes and misfortunes that befell us while there it seems but a dream. But alas, when we sum up the list of our casualties while there, the stern reality of the case presents itself in full view and we dismiss such reflections with heavy hearts. About the middle of November we arrived at Gauley Bridge where I had the pleasure of meeting John & Jim & Ira. The meeting was unexpected, but I don’t think that there was ever a more joyful one. Since then we have been together quite frequently & I assure you that we enjoy one another’s society hugely. Their regiment is brigaded with ours & I think that it is more than probable that the fortunes of war will keep us together all winter. I at least hope so. Their camp and ours is about one fourth of a mile apart. I am looking for John to come up here today as him and I propose writing to some of the fair sex and the peculiarity of the case requires us both to be together so you may consider that some of the fair creatures is about to get a few tender lines. So I must make haste and finish this & prepare myself for the work which we are anticipating. I suppose that John and Jim has given you a description of the town and vicinity of Fayette & consequently I will not say anything about the God forsaken hole.
You cannot imagine how much I was surprised to hear of Eliza Steen being married, No, I can’t say that I was surprised to hear of her getting married for that was an event that I have long been looking to hear of, but what surprised me so much was to hear of her marrying Beverage. I was sure that the chosen one was a Mr. S. C. However, I hope that she may live a long and happy life & never regret the day that made her Mrs. Beverage. When you see them, wish them much joy for me. I will oblige your cousin Thompson.
Well cousin, you don’t write very encouraging in regard to war matters but your ideas agree with mine exactly. My opinion like yours I think that there is too much saying and doing for the Negro. And another thing I have found out is that our leaders think more of the Almighty dollar than they do of the country. Whenever this money system of warfare is played out and we commence fighting in earnest, I think that we will be blessed with the return of sweet peace to our once glorious but now distracted country and not before. Some predicts that the war will soon be over but I can’t see on what ground they make such predictions for it is now almost two years since the war began during which time it has raged with a fierceness unknown to the civilized world. And now what have we gained? I can’t see anything that makes the war look any nearer to termination than it did on the 16th of April 1861 (which was the day I volunteered). But no one can deny that we have lost a vast amount of valuable human lives. Our regiment has lost near two-thirds of its men and if they put us through the remainder of our time as they have done of late, I think that there is a fair prospect for losing the remaining third. One consolation is that I only have a little over a year more to serve and if I am spared until that time, I shall us my own pleasure about serving any longer. And if things are then carried on as they now are, I think that is is more than probable that I shall quit the biz.
Wednesday evening, the 14th. John has come up and we have transacted our business and I seat myself to finish your letter. I am going to send it down with John to give to Mr. McNeel as he is going to start back shortly. I have no news of any importance to communicate at present but hope that you will excuse this uninteresting letter & I will try to do better the next time. Give my love and best respects to Uncle and Aunt, and write soon to your most affectionate cousin, — Joseph T. Blair, Co. F, 12th Regt. OVI, Fayetteville, Western Virginia
Letter 4
Camp of the 12th Regiment Ohio Volunteers Fayetteville, West Va. February 27, 1863
Cousin Chester,
Pardon my negligence in not writing to you sooner. Your ever welcome letter found its way into our camp time since & found me enjoying health & all other comforts & blessings that pertain to a soldier’s life. I should have written you an answer long ago but as everything has remained so dull, I concluded to wait until some items of interest could be collected but I am now as much at a loss for startling events as what I was when your letter was received. But I suppose that I will have to write something no matter whether it be interesting or not for if I delay answering your communication much longer I fear that you will think that I have forgotten you. Everything has remained comparatively quiet since I last wrote. I don’t think that there is now as good a prospect of leaving here as there was then. The only prospect that I now see is in the event of our subsistence giving out which is quite probable for the roads are in such a condition that it is impossible for our supply trains to reach us & our commissaries are nearly exhausted. Heaven speed our departure for I am heartily sick of this part of God’s forsaken footstool.
Yesterday I saw a Cincinnati Commercial of the 22nd inst. and I see that the fight at Vicksburg has commenced. I feel quite confident that this time our troops will be victorious for I think that this last expedition which has marched against the much coveted city will prove equal to the emergency. If we should be victorious there, I think that the backbone of the rebellion will be crushed & I don’t suppose such a circumstance would set very well with the Butternuts of the North who has been so vigilant in trying to promote the Southern cause. But I feel convinced that all their fuming and fretting will be overthrown & the war will yet be brought to a successful & honorable issue. I see that our leaders at Washington are beginning to get to work in earnest. The famous Conscription Act has passed the Senate & when that once becomes a law if it don’t wake up the rebel sympathizing friends in the North, I am very much mistaken. This is as it should be. I don’t like to see men have to come to war who has families depending on them for support, but I want to see every young man in the North who is capable of bearing arms brought out & made to taste some of the realities of war. They will find it quite different from sitting ay home & denouncing the war policy & the Administration. I can’t say that the war policy is just as it should be, but how in the name of common sense are we going to help it. We have got into a muss & the only way to get out of it is to fight it out & I say if our rebel sympathizing friends of the North are not willing to fight voluntarily, force them to do so.
I see that the conscription provides that the single men shall be called out first & now I suppose that our home pets will be pitching in after the girls & getting married so as to be exempt, but I trust that our patriotic girls of the North will redouble their patriotism & show them no quarter whatever—not because I am afraid that all of the girls will be married before I get back, but because I want to see those featherbed pets who has been laughing in their sleeve at us laugh awhile out of the other side of their mouths.
But I must stop this or I will have no room to say anything else. I gave John & Jim that letter that you enclosed in mine & expect that they have answered it before this. I was down there last Sunday and found the boys all well and hardy. I am looking for John up today as I saw him the other day when he was on guard & he said that he would be up today. Give my love to& best respects to Uncle & Aunt & all enquiring friends & reserve a good portion for yourself. Write soon and tell me what the folks in your vicinity think of the late Conscription Act. your cousin, — J. T. Blair
Excuse bad writing as I write in haste.
Letter 5
Headquarters District of Kanawha Fayette Court House, West Virginia Monday, March 30, 1863
Mr. W. C. Steen, dear cousin,
Your ever welcome, interesting communication of the 15th inst. found its way into our camp a few days since & this morning finds me seated for the express purpose of writing you a reply although I don’t expect that I shall be able to interest you very much for since I last wrote nothing of a very startling character has developed itself, but I can’t say how soon there may. To judge from present indications, it will not be many days before something more than ordinary will take place for we are almost hourly expecting an attack from how large a force I am unable to say. But it is reasonable to expect that it is much larger than ours for our force at present consists of only two parts of regiments of infantry & two batteries of light artillery. But I feel confident that we shall be able to whip five to one, or at least hold them in check until reinforcements arrive. But if they should even compel us to abandon this place altogether, I don’t think that there would be very much advantage gained on their side & not much lost on ours for this is not an important point in a military view it is only held as an outpost for the defense of the Kanawha Valley.
Today all is activity in camp. We are moving 15 days rations inside of the fort preparatory fora siege. Whether it will come to this or not, I can’t say, but sincerely hope that it will not for I don’t like the idea of being besieged. Our regiment has never yet fought inside of fortifications & I hope that we will never have to for it seems to me too much like following the example of Jeff Davis & Co., but if they advance on us soon as every possibility indicates, we will have to rely on our fortifications to protect us from total annihilation.
I suppose that you are aware that the 91st Regiment has left here. I was sorry to see them leave for I have spent many pleasant hours with them during this long and dreary winter (that is with John, Jim & Ira and some more of my old acquaintances) but probably we may get together again before long as they have not went to distant parts. They only went down to the Kanawha Falls to relieve the 23rd Regiment that was doing garrison duty at that place. The distance from here to there is only 12 miles so you see that we are not very far apart after all. I received one letter from John, Jim & Ira since they left. They was in good health and seemed to be much better satisfied with their situation there than what they was while here and they have good reasons to be so for they are in a much better place than this. I don’t think there is much possibility for us to get out of this part of God forsaken footstool unless we are driven out for the roads are fastly improving and provision is arriving rapidly. There is some talk of an advance in the direction of Cumberland Gap but it will not be undertaken before the first of May & not then unless we are reinforced.
I see that Gen. Burnside has arrived in Cincinnati & taken command of the Department of the Ohio. This is just what I like to hear. I don’t think that a more competent person could have been found to fill that important place. He is energetic & we may soon expect active service. Well I can’t say that I am very anxious for a fight but I am getting very tired of this monotonous camp life of inactivity. We only have one more year to serve and during that year I want to see all of the sights. I want to go south & serve through an active campaign there & then I will be satisfied. Probably I will get my satisfaction. Time will prove all things.
The health of our camp is not as good as we could wish. We have had more death by sickness in our regiment since we came here than we ever had before. I can’t see what is the cause unless it is on account of the water which is of a very inferior quality. You said that you had heard that Alec Blair was in the hospital. It is so. Poor Alec. He is in a pretty bad fix. He is in the hospital up here. I was down to see him yesterday. He looks pretty bad. I visit him quite frequently & do all I can to keep him in good spirits as this is one of the greatest object of a sick soldier. He expects to get a furlough before long. I think that he should be discharged for his constitution is of too delicate a nature to stand the hardships which pertain to a soldier’s life.
A thousand thanks to you cousin Chester for the introduction to my cousin Mary B. Although introductions on paper is not as satisfactory as the original way, yet it will do very well under the present existing circumstances as no better means can be adopted. I must hurry this scribbling to a close to write my newly introduced cousin a letter for I am anxious to become better acquainted with her. I was very glad to hear of you having such a good time at that party which you was speaking about & more than glad to hear you having the good fortune to fall in love with one Miss Barefoot. But I must caution you not to exult too much over your success for it will probably prove a misfortune to you if your soldier brother John should hear of your proceedings.
Chester, you and I don’t understand the Conscription Law alike. As I understand, the first draft will include all unmarried men between the ages of 20 and 35 years. Am I not right? I think if you will carefully examine the law, you will find that I am. You said that you had heard some say that they would die before they would go to war. They were quite patriotic indeed but you may be sure when they said that they was only gassing. I perceive that the Butternuts are all very loud in their threats what they will do, but they never can muster courage enough to carry them into execution. Is not this so? I suppose that you read about the little affair which took place some time ago in Noble county, Ohio. I read an account of it in the Cincinnati Daily Commercial of the 23rd inst. This clearly demonstrated what the Butternuts would do if they could carry out their designs by threats but they could not muster courage to back those threats to the last argument which is to arms. This is just as it will be in all cases. They will no doubt boast considerable what they intend to do but in my opinion they will never assume courage enough to fire on anybody of us soldiers that may be sent into the disaffected districts to maintain order and enforce the law.
The weather is most beautiful and spring like today. I hope that we will have no more of this disagreeable March weather which has been so prevalent out here for the last two or three weeks. As you asked me to excuse your bad writing, I will agree to more than do so if you will only condescend to excuse this, although I have no excuse to make of having sore hands as you had. The only excuse which I have to offer is of getting in too much of a hurry & you will believe when I tell you that only 40 minutes has expired since I commenced this so you need not be surprised if you find a great many mistakes. Give my love and best respects to Uncle & Aunt and all the family. Write immediately if not sooner to your affectionate cousin, — Jos. T. Blair
Letter 6
Fayette Court House, West Virginia April 29, 1863
My dear cousin Chester,
I with pleasure embrace the present opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your ever welcome and interesting communication of the 19th inst. which I received a few days since. I was very glad to hear from you and to learn that you was yet enjoying the blessing of health. My health remains as good as I could wish & hoping that when this reaches you it may find you the same.
I shall proceed to tell how matters and things are progressing in this part of the so called Southern Confederacy but first let me advise you not to build your imagination too high and be expecting to hear something of a startling character for if you do, you will be sadly disappointed for I have no exciting news to communicate at present. Nothing worthy of notice has developed itself since I last wrote. Old Fayetteville & vicinity remains as peaceful and calm as a slumbering infant in its cradle. But how long our quietude will remain undisturbed I can’t say. To judge from what rumor says, one would think that we would have been attacked long ago, for it has long been reported that the Rebels are marching against us from Princeton & Raleigh & a score of other places too numerous to mention. But yet nothing of a hostile disposition has made its appearance. I almost wish that they would come for I am willing for anything that will relieve this dull monotony of inactive camp life.
Deserters are coming in from the enemy very fast during the last five days. There has over twenty come in and give themselves up declaring that they are disgusted with the Confederacy. They represent their army in a very bad condition in regard to provisions. They say that they don’t get half enough to eat but there is no confidence to be put in what a deserter says. If a man is mean enough to desert his country, he is also mean enough to lie. Don’t you think so? My opinion on such matters is this. I don’t think that there is any principle about a deserter no matter which side he belongs to.
I got a letter yesterday from John & Jim & Ira. They was well with the exception of John who has been complaining for some time but I guess that there is nothing very serious the matter. They are now at Summerville which is about 45 miles from here so you see that we are getting pretty well separated. But I expect that we will get together again during our summer campaign.I hope so for I would like to see the boys again before I quit the service. But if I don’t get to see them summer, I will be disappointed for this is my last summer—for the infantry service at any rate. I now only have a little over 11 months to serve until I will again be free & if I conclude to again enter the service, I shall enlist in the Navy for I have had quite enough of the army & I have a strong inclination for to try a life on the waters for awhile at any rate.
I got a letter from home the other day stating that sister was no better & that she wanted me to come home and see here. I would like very much to do so but I fear that it will be impossible for I have been trying for the last week to get a furlough but have not yet succeeded & no very favorable prospects of succeeding either. My captain is at Charlestown on business but I am looking for him back in a few days and then I will get him to intercede for me and probably I will succeed in getting a leave of absence for ten or twelve days. I shall try my best at any rate for from what I can here, Elizabeth is not long for this world & I should like very much to see her once more. But if it is God’s will that we should never meet again on earth, I trust that we may be prepared to meet in heaven where parting will be no more…
Your affectionate cousin, — Joseph T. Blair
Letter 7
Cousin Chester,
Yours of the 20th inst. reached its destination yesterday & I hasten a reply although I have nothing of interest to relate but I think that promptness always helps in a great measure to make a correspondence pleasant & interesting. I was down to see Jim last evening & found him to be some better although it will be some time before he will again be able to resume his usual duties. He looks very bad & is quite weak but I think the worst is past as the fever is broke. He is in good spirits which will help him along much ore than quinine which is the universal medicine used in the army.
With the exception of a small cavalry raid which took place a few days ago, things have remained comparatively quiet in this region but am unable to say how long such will remain so as you are aware that the Rebs have assumed the offensive and may probably give us a call before long. The raid which I speak of took place down on the Kanawha at the mouth of Loup Creek. About 600 Rebel cavalry dashed in there the other morning and surprised two companies of the 2nd Virginia taking the whole of them prisoners but fortunately there was part of the 91st who was stationed at Gault Bridge that were near at hand and they attacked the Rebs and routed them, recapturing the most of the 2nd Virginia boys. Meantime Col. White sent two of our companies to intercept their retreat but they retired by another road & I suppose are now well in their way back to Dixie.
You stated something about 100,000 more men being called out. I am glad of it. Pity it was not a million. I would like to see Ohio invaded from one end to the other. Probably the people would get their eyes open & come to their senses. It is perfectly disgusting to hear how men who are supposed to be sane are acting. They don’t seem to care what becomes of our country just so they can provide some means of safety for their own precious selves. I don’t believe that anything short of an invasion will make them comprehend the end which they are leveling us to. Let them once see some of the realities of war and I think they will shut their peace croaking mouth and come to the conclusion that the only way to compromise with Rebels is to use the bayonet.
The weather is very warm up here but we have showers occasionally which keeps the dust at bay. We had a very heavy rain last night. Today we have general muster & I must hasten to a close and prepare myself for the emergency.
The 4th [of July] will soon be here & I expect we will have as big a time as circumstances will permit. Thank fortune if my life is spared I will spend the next 4th in Ohio.
Ira and John are well. John says that he will keep you well advised as to how Jim gets along. Give my respects to Mollie & Kate. Also to Uncle and Aunt & write immediately if not sooner to your most affectionate cousin, — Joseph T. Blair
“PVT Joseph T. Blair was “killed by bushwhackers” near Fayetteville, WV while riding with on November 10, 1863, so he may never have come up against Mosby’s Ranger. there is no doubt that some of his comrades did later on!”
The following letter was written by Rezin Shawhan DeBolt (1843-1927), and his older brother, Silas Debolt (1841-1924), when they served in the 49th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI) during the American Civil War. They were the sons of Silas DeBolt, Sr. (1807-1895) and Betsy Parkison (1812-1893) of Tymochtee, Wyandot county, Ohio. Their older brother, George Rider DeBolt (1833-1864) also served in the same regiment as a member of Co. K with Silas. Rezen was a principal musician in Co. D, later, F&S. George died a POW at Danville Prison in Virginia in April 1864. The boys enlisted in August 1861. Silas mustered out in September 1864 after being wounded in the Battle of Picketts Mills. He had previously been a POW when captured in the Battle of Stones River. Rezin was also present in the Battle of Picketts Mills where he received an injury to the head from the concussion of an exploding shell. Although he was in hospitals in Kingston, Georgia, and Louisville, Kentucky, the injury was not adequately treated at the time, and it affected him the rest of his life, eventually resulting in the loss of sight in his right eye. His struggle with “chronic sore eyes” was recognized in affidavits by friends in his records with the federal pension office. His discharge took place at Victoria, Texas, on Nov. 30, 1865. He went home to Wyandott County, which was his legal residence until 1871. He began to teach school from 1871 to 1875 in Benton County, Mo., where he married her in 1874.
An obituary notice for Rezin appearing in the Anderson (Indiana) Herald claimed that Rezin was a “veteran bugler of 28 major conflicts in the Civil War…His record of military service included participation in the battles of Shiloh, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Pickett’s Mill and Nashville. At the battle of Missionary Ridge, the intrepid bugler broke the code of military ethics by sounding “charge” against the orders of his commander and brought about victory instead of defeat.” Rezin won a citation for this action and the bugle is now a treasured relic in the Archaeological building at Ohio State University.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Camp on the Mississippi Valley 6 Miles from Corinth May the 26th 1862
Dear Mother,
I again [have] the opportunity of addressing you a few lines in answer to your very kind and welcome letter which I received last evening of the 13th inst. and to tell you that we are all enjoying very good health, hoping that the reception of this will find all of my folks in the same state of health.
Debolt’s sketch of Union forces surrounding Beauregard in Corinth, MS, in late May 1862
We have not had that awful battle yet which we are expecting every day to commence. It will either be a very great battle, or [ ], surrender, before long because Gen. Halleck has got Beauregard nearly surrounded. Just as soon as Gen. Butler gets in their rear the circle is around them as follows. When Butler comes round with his extreme left (the left is where the dot is on the mark), that will close the circle.
The pickets has been fighting every day for nearly two weeks until the day before yesterday. There is a rumor in camp—I do not know if it is true or not. It is as follows. Beauregard sent a flag-of-truce to Gen. Halleck. On the flag was these words, “A Special Dispatch to Gen. Halleck from Gen. Beauregard,” and Gen. Halleck answered it in 24 hours. We do not know what it meant but the firing on pickets has ceased. We do not know if he did send it or not but we have had more privilege in camp since that day than before.
Gen. Halleck and papers say that if they are left alone, they will take Corinth and most all of Beauregard’s forces prisoner without losing hardly any man.
Dear Mother, I received a very kind letter [from] Mary a few days ago. She said that she wanted me to write to her and inform her how you are getting along because she cannot get any letters from home anymore. She said that she did not know the reason of it. She has not heard from any of you for a longtime. She thinks that our folks can save their paper if they do not want to write to her. I think so too. She told all of us that William Baird told the Dr. that George turned her out of his house when she was up to Mexico [Ohio] and the Dr. takes delights in telling her of it and he tells it before strangers—those that wil spread it abroad. If that little puppy did tell it, he had not better come home for if he does, he will get three maulings and good ones too. That is enough of that for it makes me mad to think of it.
When you write to us, please tell us all about how the people and horses and panter [?] are getting along. Oh yes, I most forgot. Please tell Mr. Beckly to write to us. Rezen wrote two letters to him and he has not received any answer from them yet. And tell Mart to write to us for we would be very happy to hear from him. Tell him that E. is well. Send our respects to Mr. Dutcher also. Please tell him to send a hearty laugh in your letter. We would be happy to hear from him also.
Direct your letters to S. or R. Debolt, Co. [K], 49th Ohio Volunteers, USA, 6th Brigade and 2nd Division, Gen. McCook commanding, in care of Col. W. H. Gibson.
From your sons, Silas Debolt and Rezin S. Debolt. R. wrote this letter.
Oh yes. Most forgot to thank you for those stamps you sent us for they are very scarce here. Goodbye for this time. Please write soon and often and please excuse the bad writing and correct mistakes. — S.D., R. D., G. D.
The following letter was penned by Theodore Stone (1839-1906), the son of William Stone (1817-1905) and Rebecca Doliber (1817-1859) of Marblehead, Essex county, Massachusetts. In the 1860 US Census, Theodore was enumerated in his father’s household at Marblehead; his occupation was given as “fisherman.” After the Civil War, he entered the shoemaker’s trade. The 1890 Veterans Schedule informs us that during the war, Theodore enlisted on 6 April 1861 to serve three months in Co. C, 8th Massachusetts Infantry. In early May 1864 he enlisted again, this time in the US Navy where he was assigned to the USS Malvern as a “Master’s Mate.” He was in the navy for one and a half years, leaving the service in November 1865.
In the 1870’s, Theodore was married and had three children but he must have lived a troubled life. A Marblehead newspaper reported that he became despondent after the turn of the century and in 1906 he “took his life by drowning…after pinning his arms to his sides with 40 feet of rope. A suicide note was later found at his place of employment.
The USS Malvern was formally commissioned 9 February 1864 at Boston Navy Yard. Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, she became Admiral Porter’s flagship. She participated in the campaign that resulted in the capture of Fort Fisher, N.C., in December 1864 and January 1865. She captured blockade running steamers Stag and Charlotte 19 January [1865] off New Inlet, N.C., and participated in the attack 18 February [1865] on Fort Anderson, Cape Fear River. She was frequently utilized for conferences between General Grant, Admiral Porter, and President Lincoln. Her last notable service for the Navy was to convey the President up the James River to Richmond when that city was evacuated by the Confederates 2 April [1865]. Malvern decommissioned 24 October at New York City.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
U.S.S. Malvern Beaufort, North Carolina September 6th 1864
Aunt Mary,
I received yours of the 28th today and answer immediately. Previous to receiving your letter, had not received anything from home for over two weeks and I began to think you had all gone to war or somewhere else. So Frank has gone to war after all and I hope he will have good luck. I have wrote to him today and directed the letter to Marblehead. Tell Father to forward it to him as quick as possible. You seem to think that Father and Nahum will go to war but I hardly think they will. The Army of the Potomac is not a very inviting place, but nevertheless it must be filled with good men.
The Rebels are about played out and soon will cave. The news of the capture of Atlanta reached us today. Mobile will soon knock under and Grant has got possession of the Weldon Railroad—one of the main things towards the capture of Richmond—and all he wants is one hundred thousand more [men] to whip the whole Rebel Army and I hope they will give it to him. Now is the time to strike. They are on the brink of despair and one good shove will finish them up and put them on their knees.
I wish we had had the luck to capture [the CSS] Tallahassee1 but the consequences would have been bad for us for we are not able to cope with her. We have nothing heavier than a 20-pound rifled Dahlgren and they are of no account with her battery. She run into Wilmington a few days ago thruogh the whole of the blockading fleet.
Give my best respects to Lawrence and tell him he had better [en]list or they will have him on the Home Guard. I am tired of the blockade for there is nothing to do and I sleep 16 hours out of the 24. The other 8 I loaf on deck. Last Monday night the Rebels fired on us from Forts Fisher & Caswell but did not damage—their shell falling about 20 feet off. We are going from this place to Newbern and up the sound. I expect we shall leave tomorrow.
We have had splendid weather the past month but now it is beginning to look fallish. I want to shift quarters now and go up on the James. Not having any more news to write, I will close hoping you are all enjoying good health and that next spring the war will be ended. The next time you write, fill the sheet out and don’t get off on the plea of sleepiness.
From your nephew, — Theo. Stone
Direct as usual.
1 The CSS Tallahassee was purchased from England in 1864 and placed under the command of J. T. Wood, CSN, who took her through the blockade on 6 August 1864 and made a brilliant 19-day raid off the Atlantic coast as far north as Halifax, N.S. Being unable to procure enough coal to continue, Cdr. John Taylor Wood was forced to return to Wilmington where he arrived safely on the 26th. During this short cruise Tallahassee destroyed 26 vessels and captured 7 others which were bonded or released. The vessel carried three main guns: one rifled 100-pounder Parrot rifle positioned amidships, one 32-pounder rifled cannon forward, and another heavy Parrott rifle aft.
This letter was written by Henry E. Milford (1817-1882), an agent of the Singer Sewing Company. He was located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the time he wrote this letter in July 1863. Henry’s parents were Edward Milford (1794-1845) and Elizabeth Hipwood (1800-1852), natives of Wales and Scotland respectively. Henry was born in New York City and labored as a bookkeeper and an accountant in the metropolis until taking the position as a salesman for Isaac Merritt Singer who machines revolutionized the sewing industry and first introduced installment purchasing.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Rio de Janeiro July 8, 1863
Messer. I. M. Singer & Co.
Gentlemen, your favors pf the 2nd and 26th May are just at hand, both having come by same vessel. The “Else” arrived last week & within 2 or 3 weeks I shall have the goods out of the Custom House and in store. The invoice was all sold to my different agents before arrival, so that I am now looking anxiously for the “Zephyr,” hoping that she may have more machines on boards. Most of the agents buy on 3 and 4 months time, and one note is coming due the latter part of this month, when paid shall have a large remittance to make you. At the present time it is almost impossible to sell for cash, but so soon as the notes fall due, shall promptly remit you.
I have been patiently awaiting som payments due me for sales made this past month and was promised it to go by this mail, but have been disagreeably disappointed, but shall make up for it by next English Mail steamer. Do hurry me up at least one of those Embroidering Machines. Shall count upon that to blow a loud blast, so as to drown forever this infernal Frenchman, C______ [?] agent here. And this and any other new inventions or improvements which you make, else I cannot keep up with the heavy opposition now working against me.
Just now, General James Watson Webb 1 is stirring up a fuss with this government on the ” “Ferdinand [Fernand] Noronha” affair with regard to the Governor of that Island within whose jurisdiction the Alabama burnt our merchant vessels. 2 General Webb insists that the Brazilian government shall discharge the Governor of that Island or else he demands that his passports be given him.
The Federal Ship Mohican is now in port having come in here to coal, trying to hunt up some of these cursed English Pirates. She sails again today and if they meet, goodbye to the Pirates! I only wish our government would send out half a dozen of the fastest gunboats and destroy these piratical crafts. Few days pass without a vessel coming in with crews of our vessels burnt by them. Our shores are alive with them. With kind regards to all in the office, I am respectfully yours, &c. — Henry E. Milford
Please send me a ream of letter paper thin for foreign letters with the enclosed slip at the head neatly printed.
Also, one ream of note paper thin for foreign letters and coast, with the enclosed slip at the head neatly printed. You know what I want to be done the same as your note & letter, for foreign use only inserting my name & address here instead. Also envelopes to match! with my name & address. All to be on thin letter post paper, handsomely executed. This work cannot be done here except at enormous expense and your attention to it will confer a great favor on yours very truly, — Henry E. Milford
Excuse haste, I am writing at the last moment for the mail.
1 James Watson Webb (1802-1884) was the American Minister to Brazil during the Lincoln Administration. He was accused of extorting a large sum of money from the Brazilian government for favors, Carl Sandburg wrote that Webb “believed that Lincoln should have appointed him major general, rating himself a grand strategist, having fought white men in duels and red men in frontier war.” [Wikipedia]
2 In the spring of 1863, the Confederate Commerce raider, CSS Alabama, commanded by Captain Rafael Semmes, conducted a series of captures of American vessels near Brazil. Semmes used the port on the island as his base for several months while carrying out these raids. The US later sought compensation from Britain for the damages caused these vessels because these raiding vessels were typically British-built and hid themselves in British ports.
I could not find an image of Charles but here is one of Harvey Woodward who was the same age and also served in the 9th New Hampshire Infantry. (Dave Morin Collection)
The following letters were written by Charles H. Dunning (1841-1865) of Milford, Hillsborough county, New Hampshire. Charles was born in Nashua, the son of Thomas Dunning and Mary Hutchinson. His letters do not speak of his parents so it is assumed that they were both dead. The 1850 and 1860 census records enumerate him in the household of his Uncle Benjamin F. Hutchinson (1814-1900) who was married to Eliza Richardson (1816-1901) of Milford. It was to his Uncle Benjamin and his cousin Mary Elizabeth Hutchinson (1846-1873) that he addressed these letters, mentioning one or twice his grandmother Azubah Tarbell Hutchinson (1780-1863) who lived with Benjamin’s family.
Charles wrote all four of these letters from hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while serving in Co. F, 9th New Hampshire Infantry. He enlisted on 15 August 1862 and was mustered out on 16 March 1863, discharged for disability. After returning home, Charles lived less than two years. His death on 6 January 1865 was attributed to consumption.
The two hospitals from which the letters were written were Turner’s Lane Hospital and Mower General Hospital in Chestnut Hill (suburb of Philadelphia), the latter not opening until January 1863.
Letter 1
Addressed to Miss Mary Hutchinson, Milford, New Hampshire
[Turner’s Lane Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.] Sunday, December 21st 1862
Dear Mary,
Your letter was received last Wednesday and I was of course glad to hear from you. My loneliness has been some better while I remain indoors, just as it was at home when I was not at work. But I presume it will come on again as bad as ever for I commenced work yesterday in the dining room. The Steward wanted a hand and I wanted exercise and it is too cold to go out much so I accepted his proposal to help him a while. My work is assisting to set the tables and waiter at meal times. I have plenty of exercise now. I get up at six and work pretty hard till 10. Then rest an hour, then dinner occupies my time till 2 and supper from 4 till 7. I don’t know how long I shall stay. The Steward wants me to be detailed for a year but I fear that in a few days I shall be too lame to be very spry as a waiter.
After trying six times, I made out to see Dr. [Edward Swift] Dunster. He told me be would examine me today but I have but little faith in his doing it. It takes a great while to get anything done here unless he has some influential friends to push the matter. There are men here who are utterly disabled and always will be and have been trying for months to get a discharge but there is no sign of their getting one at present.
I notice that Congress has passed a bill for facilitating the discharge of disabled men in the hospitals and I hope it will be carried into effect very soon.
The man from Rhode Island who was trying to get his discharge that I wrote you about some time ago has got it and gone home. I think money did it. He was the soundest man in the ward when he went away.
I am very anxious to hear from the New Hampshire Regiment and from Charles R. since the Battle [of Fredericksburg]. Please send me a paper containing the list of killed and wounded if you can. The papers here contain only the names of Pennsylvanians. Several of the wounded have been sent to this hospital. They say is is the most terrible battle of the war so far and it amounted to nothing. There must be a screw loose somewhere. I think it is at Washington.
I have not heard from Henry, Pierce, or Charles for a long time. Mary, tell Mrs. Turner for me that no engagement nor anything that could be construed to that effect had ever passed between Miss Lovejoy and myself. Our acquaintance and conversation has never even approached that matter. I am very sorry if she has given anyone reason to believe to the contrary. I never intended to certainly. If she has told this untruth our acquaintance is most assuredly at an end. Love to Grandma and all the rest. From Charles
Monday morning. The surgeons had a surgical operation to perform yesterday so there were no inspection or examinations made. I shall keep trying until I get an examination of it till next July.
The boat is which David and his regiment were embarked was compelled to put into this fort for repairs. They came in last Monday. I read of their arrival in the morning’s paper Wednesday and went down to see if I could get aboard and see David and Mr. Hussall, but the boat was out in the stream about half a mile and I could get no one to row me out so I had to give it up. I don’t know whether they are here now or not. I shall go down and see tomorrow if nothing happens to prevent. — Charles
Letter 2
[Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania] Evening of January 11th 1863
Dear Mary,
I have been reading the papers all day and have neglected to write til now and the gas light is so dim that I cannot see planly so I think I shall write but a short letter this time. Last Sunday when I wrote, it was snowing but it did not continue long and we have had a week of splendid weather with one quite cold day. Now it is warm and pleasant as April or May. This is an exceedingly open winter thus far here and I presume it is in New Hampshire.
I was much pleased with Emri’s letter and will answer it very soon—as soon as I can hunt up something to write about that will interest him. Uncle Benjamin says Aunt Eliza wants me to write something to be read at the Soldier’s Aid Meeting. I am sure I would if I knew anything in the world what to write. If there is anything that you would like to know, I would like very much to tell it if I could. But I am sure I cannot sit down and write what I happen to think of what I see andhear around me in a manner that would be interesting, still less instructive to you. If you can give me an idea of what you want to know, I might have some foundation to start upon.
I am getting along about as usual with a fair prospect as far as I can see of remaining here during the war. I spoke to the Steward about detailing me here and he says that now no men can be detailed so as to receive extra pay. At the commencement of the war they did som but now the orders are that all soldiers shall be sent to their commands as soon as they are able and that citizens shall be employed about the hospital. He said they preferred soldiers to citizens and kept those that they liked who were able to work and covered up the breach by calling them patients. So if I stay, I can only get $13 per month, board and clothes, or $16.50 and clothe myself. I do not know but this is the best place I could find during the winter months. If I could go home in the spring, I would be contented to stay but I suppose I shall not have the privilege of exercising my own choice in any way.
David and his regiment have gone. They are ordered to report to Gen. Dix at Ft. Monroe. I did not see Mr. Hassall. He was out every time I was there. It comes nearer home than ever to hear of the death of Jim Murphy & Brooks. I cannot make it seem that they are dead. It may not be our Jim Murphy. It is a very common name among the Irish. If you have not heard in any other way except seeing the name in the paper, I shall still hope it is not him.
I have not shown the Spirit Pictures to many of the soldiers for the reason that it would expose me to a great deal of ridicule for nothing. The pictures are to me no test whatever and if I show anything to a shot tic [?]. I want is to be a test. In the first place, the pictures are very imperfect. If you had told me the pictures were those of yourself and Emri or anyone else, I should think I could see a resemblance and if I had ever seen Dr. G’s children, I should not be able to tell whether they looked like them or not. Show me a picture that I can recognize of someone in the spirit world and I should have some courage to exhibit it for I could swear that I knew the picture to be perfect, But to show them this picture that doesn’t look like anybody in particular, but does look like anybody you please and say that somebody says it is a picture of somebody that I never saw nor heard of, why I think the skeptic “couldn’t see it in that light.” But would see in me a spooney and I think I should be one.
This would be a very easy matter to humbug in and charging $7 for a picture that don’t cost 7 cents looks very much like it. But whether genuine or not, I wouldn’t give much for a picture of any friend if I was compelled to write the name under it in order to know who it was.
I heard from Henry by the way of another friends at the same camp yesterday. He expected to get a job for the winter building the barracks for the new camp. I heard from Charles about two weeks ago but nothing from Pierce for a long time. David said he would write to me as soon as he arrived at his destination. I write a great many letters for the soldiers who re disabled or never learned to write for there are many of the latter class among the soldiers. I wrote one today that was a task for me. It was a love letter for a soldier who can neither read nor write. He would not tell me what to write but said I knew better than he did. I suppose he thought from the number of letters I write that I was posted in the business. I didn’t know whether to lay on pretty thick or not so. I took a medium ground. I have had the privilege of reading several of this sort and shall probably read the answer to this last one. I have made out a pretty long letter but have not said much after all. I am not in a writing mood tonight at all. From Charles
Do you have to pay for my letters that are franked?
Letter 3
Addressed to Miss Mary E. Hutchinson, Milford, New Hampshire
Chestnut Hill [Philadelphia] February 12th [1863]
Dear Cousin,
Your letter written last Friday came to me today. The one you wrote and misdirected is in the post office in the city I think as I see by the paper that there is one advertised for me. I have no means of getting it unless someone goes down and I do not suppose they will at present for money is scarce among the boys.
I wrote home last Tuesday when we were having very conflicting stories in regard to our discharges. Since then I have learned something more definite. Last week a Dr. Cuyler came from Washington with instructions to this effect. Any man is able to perform any kind of duty about the hospital or will be fit for duty in six months, will be kept in the hospital and not discharged. Those who are utterly disabled will be discharged and if there are any doubts, they will go against the patient. Those who happened to have their Description Lists here at the time of the other examination will be discharged for their papers were made out and sent to the General’s office to be signed before the new orders came. All others are to be rexamined by the board upon the new basis.
I was examined and pronounced by the first board for a discharge, but while waiting for my Descriptive List, the new orders came. So I may consider my hopes of getting home a flat although I have not passed the second examination. The board are now at work and will be at this ward this week, the Dr. says, and I shall do my prettiest to get a discharge, bt the probabilities are all against my getting it.
I don’t know but I may as well tell you what a “Descriptive List” is. It is a document giving a description of the soldier (to prevent mistakes and deceptions) and having an account of pay, clothing, &c. which he has received. You see a patient must have one of these when discharged to prove his identity and to ascertain the amount of pay due him. When a man enlists, three of these are made out, One is left with the state Adjutant General, one sent to the Adjutant General at Washington, and the other kept by the Captain of the Company in which he enlists. It is a surgeon’s duty to have a Descriptive List of every patient under his charge, but in the one horse way things were conducted at Turner’s Lane, mine with many others were not sent for. There is a bare (but very small) probability that I shall succeed in getting one at the next examination and I will write as soon as I can the result of it. I see by the paper that Burnside’s old Corps, now Smith’s, has embarked for Ft. Monroe. Our regiment is in that Corps. So if I or Henry go to the regiment, we shall have a good time getting there. David is down there (I suppose) and perhaps Pierce will see him. Goodbye for a while. — Charles
I received a letter from Henry this week. He was expecting another job building a hospital.
It don’t make much difference how you direct if the post master only makes out that the letters is to go to Army Hospital at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia.
I haven’t laid any plans for the future yet. I am in a quandary to decide whether to volunteer for guard duty here or apply to go to the regiment. Which had I better do?
Letter 4
Addressed to Benjamin F. Hutchinson, Esq, Milford, New Hampshire
Chestnut Hill February 19th [1863]
Uncle Benjamin,
The letter from home came this forenoon. I was of course glad to hear from you. I am sorry grandmother is sick but hope she will be better very soon. I have wished many times that I had not written so surely that I was coming home yet I was almost as sure as though I had my discharge in my hands, and it was only by chance that the new orders came just at that time. I have thought just as Dr. Dearborn says that I was really discharged. In fact, all that was wanting was the form. I spoke to the Dr. this morning about that very thing and asked him why it was necessary for me to have another examination when others, examined at the same time and under the same rules were discharged. But just at that time, Dr. Cuyler came from Washington to inspect the hospita and found that men were being discharged who would soon be well and fit for service. He therefore repealed the decision of the board so far as he could, but those that had already gone in to be signed (and those were the ones that has Descriptove Lists) were too far along to be repealed. He said that now the board had instructions so that their decision will be final. They will not be at the ward till sometime next week.
I confess I have a little more hope of getting home since his examination for I know I can never do duty in the field and shall try hard to convince them of the fact. I should like exceedingly to have you come out here but I do not know as you can do anything to help along my discharge. At the other hospital you might for the Surgeon in charge had everything his own way and could discharge men when he pleased. Here all depends upon the decision of the board and I do not suppose you could influence them much. However, I have thought over a great many things that I should do if I get home but don’t know as I should undertake any of them, What had you thought of? Or had I better wait till I get there before I engage in anything?
I have plenty of the publications of the Tract Society to read but they do not get read much. Besides these, I get hold of a novel once in a while and have the daily paper. It does not take long to devour a book and I spend most of the time in trying to invent some way to kill time faster. I ought to be a proficient Euchre player for I play a good deal every day. We have a good band and I go into the corridor and listen to them a while every day.
Henry took pity on my want of money and sent me a dollar which I received today. I mean to go down town and spend a part of it tomorrow and visit a new acquaintance I have made since I came here. It is a gentleman acquaintance. To be sure, I should like a little more money but can get along without unless you have plenty to spare. I have not seen anyone that I ever saw before in the city. The Hutchinson Family [Singers] have been here several weeks and Mr. Currier lectured here last Sunday but I could not see them.
No snow yet. Tell H___ to write a Kind of a love letter for one of the boys every week and always read the answers for the fellow cannot read, of course. I stuff my ears with cotton. Goodbye for the present. C. H. D.
James M. Mason, the older brother of Maynadier Mason of Virginia
This is an original handwritten letter written by Maynadier Mason (1807-1865), dated January 7, 1862, at Rome Georgia on letterhead from Confederate States of America, War Department, Ordnance Office in Richmond, Virginia. The letter is addressed to Miss Ellie Bouser who we learn from the letter was seeking a teaching position in some southern female seminary. In addition to chronicling is travels throughout the south inspecting ordnance in Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama and South Carolina, he also mentions in some detail the efforts of his son—Robert French Mason (1834-1902)—to rescue some slaves, particularly Charles and Buck, from the family plantation at Rose Hill that was occupied by Yankee officers in Union controlled Virginia on the outskirts of Alexandria. By the time of this letter, Robert was a member of J. E. B. Stuart’s Horse artillery and though he offered to make the daring rescue attempt himself, his father considered it too risky and persuaded him to try again by hiring a scout to perform the task. In the 1860 Slave Schedules, Maynadier Mason owned 17 slaves ranging in age from 1 to 65.
Maynadier concludes his letter by expressing his profound disappointment regarding the Lincoln Administration’s decision to release James M. Mason (his brother), and John Slidell, figures associated with the Trent Affair, believing that had they not been released, England would undoubtedly have entered the war by this point.
No doubt Maynadier Mason shared the same views as his more famous older brother, James M. Mason (1798-1871) who was a white supremacist. He believed that negroes were “the great curse of the country.” His solution to the “problem” of free blacks was returning them to slavery, stating they were better off enslaved in the United States than they could possibly be in Africa.” [Wikipedia]
T R A N S C R I P T I ON
Rome, Georgia January 7th 1862
My dear Ellie,
I certainly had expected when last in Richmond to have received a communication from you. The last I heard of you was through your younger sister Tody. You were then sick and promised to write as soon as you were well and was very much disappointed in not hearing from you to tell me that you had recovered. I hope, however, when I reach Richmond which will be in about three weeks to receive a long letter.
Since 1st October, I have been traveling and seen a great many influential and wealthy gentleman and have endeavored to get you for you such a situation as I thought would suit, but find the distracted state of things in the South have thwarted all my efforts so far as a private families. I applied at Florence, Alabama; also in Kingville, South Carolina, to the female seminary, but found they had engaged their teachers. In any other times save these war times, there would be no difficulty, salary from 3 to 7 dollars per day. I shall be here for a few days proving cannon, thence to Nashville, Memphis, and Columbus, Kentucky, from there to this place and then to Richmond. I left Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on my last jaunt; took the East Tennessee route to Richmond, then to Manassas, [and] to Centerville to see Robert who is now there in search of news from Rose Hill. He told me he had engaged a scout at $50 to go to Rose Hill and bring Charles and Buck away. The scout returned (Rose Hill from Centerville is about 20 miles) and reported it is impossible as the house has been guarded for months and the officers made it their quarters. This the scout got from a black man who told him that Charles was dead, also four of his children. I can only infer that black man was Josh, Sophie’s husband.
I directed Robert to renew his efforts and give $100 to bring Buck away and see William Reid who may aid him. Robert said he would go himself. I told him not yet; [to] try your scout once more. I have no doubt with the aid of Mr. Reid it can be accomplished. Now is not this a sad and sorrowful story? And what has become of Mary, Mrs. Swain and Chip, Kitty, and Betsy? God only knows as neither Robert or myself have heard for three months and the scout could not learn from this black man—a sad and mournful story.
After I left, I wrote and begged Mary and Mrs. Swain to come to Fairfax Court House and I could get the Negroes away, but they [Mary & Mrs. Swain] preferred to remain to take care of the property. I write all this as I am sure you would like to hear from those who so much esteemed you. All this war news you see in the papers more than I do.
I wish the Yankees had not given Mr. Slidell & my brother [James M. Mason] liberty as they were very comfortable and well-treated at Fort Warren. John Bull would have soon raised the blockade and pitched into them by sea and the war would soon be at an end & have no doubt it will not be long before a quarrel is raised, if the Yankees have spunk enough to do so, and I do hope and trust if ever we should have a chance, to carry the war into Africa and shew them how pleasant it is to be driven from home, possessions, and all destroyed. You may rely on it if ever our army gets into [paper torn] will give them a sad retribution. But I’m at the end of my tether and must now close & hope to have a letter from you when I get to Richmond. With kind remembrances to all at home. Henry Dixon, or Dan Delany, I believe, are in Washington. when you write, tell me about Mrs. Dixon and the girls.
This is the Volunteer Enlistment record for Addison Cravens (1817-1892), born a slave in Tazewell county, Virginia, who joined the 11th US Colored Troops (USCT) on 15 December 1863 at Fort Smith, Arkansas. The regiment was organized in that month and subsequently attached to the 2nd Brigade, District of the Frontier as part of the 7th Corps, Department of Arkansas. It remained a part of the corps until April 1865.
The 11th Regiment performed guard and escort duty out of Fort Smith until November 1864. The unit saw action at Fort Smith on August 24, moved to Little Rock in November 1864, saw action at Boggs’ Mill on January 24, 1865, and performed duty at Little Rock and Lewisburg, Arkansas, until April 1865. The 11th USCT (old) was consolidated with the 112th and 113th (old) to form to the 113th United States Colored Troops (new).
Company B of the 11th United States Colored Infantry was led by Captain John Hayes Jr., an attorney who had originally enlisted as a private in the 5th Kansas Cavalry in September 1861, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He served as a 2nd lieutenant and recruiting officer for the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment from 1863 to 1864. Hayes mustered out of service on April 1, 1865, and returned to his home in Corydon, Wayne County, Iowa.
An original duplicate (not scan or photocopy) of this same Enlistment record for Addison Cravens can be found in the collections of Virginia Humanities. See Addison Cravens’s Enlistment in the Union army. A description of that record claims that the enlistment form was filled out and signed on Craven’s behalf by “Dr. John Hayes, Jr. who also conducted the medical examination of the recruit.” This is not true. The form was filled out by the recruiting officer, 2nd Lt. John Hayes, Jr. and the medical examination was performed by Abijah D. Tenny, Asst. Surgeon, 1st Kansas Colored Infantry. Addison Craven’s signature was written for him and validated by his mark, “X.” When he enlisted in 1863 at the age of 44, Addison was described as a 5′ 10″ farmer of dark complexion (census records describe him variously as black or mulatto).
Addison Cravens’ remains are buried in Fairview Cemetery, Van Buren, Crawford county, Arkansas. See Find-A-Grave. Family records reveal that after the war, Addison continued to farm in Van Buren, Crawford county, Arkansas. His arrival in Arkansas is not recorded but it was sometime prior to the birth of his first child in 1838. He had a son by the same name, born in 1838, who also served with him in the USCT.
Although there is no accompanying letter remaining with this sketch, it was retained in the original envelope and the address to Mrs. Eliza Riddell of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, informs us that it was likely the work of her son, George Riddell (1844-1916) who served as a private in the US Marine Corps aboard the USS Clifton in Farragut’s fleet, West Gulf Squadron, from 15 October 1861 to 15 October 1865. While in the service, he was described as standing 5′ 8″ tall, with blue eyes and brown hair. The family bible gives George’s date of birth as 24 March 1844 which would have made him 17 when he entered the service. The pension record also states that just prior to his enlistment in October 1861, George was employed in a Type Foundry. He died unmarried in 1916.
At the time of the 1860 US Census, Eliza Riddell (b. 1819) was enumerated as a 41 year-old “Shoe binder” living in Philadelphia’s 7th Ward with six children in the household ranging in age from 5 to 21. The 21 year-old, named John, was employed as a “car builder” and his 16 year-old brother, George, was employed as an “apprentice.” The four younger children were all females. George’s death certificate informs us that his parents were John Riddell and Eliza Scott, emigrants from Ireland. George’s father, John Riddle (1815-1859) was a blacksmith by trade.
As near as I can tell, George served only on the USS Clifton which saw a lot of action during the war. The Clifton was a side-wheel steam ferryboat built in Brooklyn in 1861. In February 1862, she joined Porter’s mortar fleet at Ship Island and then participated in the capture of forts Jackson and St. Philip below New Orleans in late April. She took part in the attacks on the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg in June 1862, taking a shot through her boiler that killed 7 men. She helped to capture Galveston in October 1862 and saw action in the lower Mississippi until she participated in the attempt to establish a foothold in Texas in September 1863 and was run aground and captured by the Confederates at Sabine Pass.
George’s pension record states that he was taken captive at the Second Battle of Sabine Pass on 8 September 1863. He wrote in 1915, “I was a private in the Marine Corps on board of the gunboat Clifton when taken prisoner. I was sent with other prisoners to Camp Grose, Texas, and from there to Shreveport, Louisiana, and again to Tyler, Smith county, Texas, and again put in prison from which place I was paroled. I cannot remember the date on which I was paroled. I was then taken back to Shreveport and placed on board a boat and taken to New Orleans and transferred to another vessel and taken to Brooklyn Barracks, New York.”
Clifton (left) is captured at Sabine Pass along with USS Sachem
Addressed to Mrs. Eliza Riddell of Philadelphia, Pa.
Drawing
George’s sketches of three shipwrecks: (1) The Morgan—a Rebel Gunboat as she lay burnt and sunk one mile above quarantine [on the Mississippi River]. (2) Union Gunboat Verona as she lay at English turn bow on shore. (3) Revel Gunboat Galveston, sunk and burnt, at a large sugar house also riddled with shot.
The Union gunboat Veruna (not Verona), pictured above, was sunk in April 1862 and seems to match George’s sketch. I could not find any record of the other wrecks, however.
These letters were written by Lt. William Henry Thurston (1838-1924), the son of Isreal Thurston (1809-1888) and Abigail Persing (1817-1892) of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. William worked as a blacksmith before he enlisted and was mustered into service on July 8, 1861 as a private with the Forty-Third Regiment, Battery F, 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on April 22, 1865 and mustered out with the Battery on June 9, 1865.
He wrote the last two letters to his fiancé, Laura Morgan (1845-1928), whom he married in 1865. Laura was the daughter of John Campbell Morgan (1818-1887) and Mary Catharine Weimer (1825-1885) of Sunbury, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania.
At Gettysburg, Capt. Robert B. Ricketts brought 144 men to the field on 2 July 1863 serving six Ordnance Rifles. During the battle they suffered 6 killed, 14 wounded, and three missing. They took a position on Benner’s Hill and at dusk they repulsed a Rebel assault upon the battery in desperate hand-to-hand combat after every round of canister had been fired. The newspaper clipping indicates that Thurston was recognized for his bravery in the action.
Letter 1
[Note: This letter is from the collection of Robert May and was made available for transcription and publication of Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Camp near Rappahannock Station August 6, 1863
My friend Louisa,
Yours of the 1st August came to hand this evening. I am much pleased to hear from you again but I am sorry to hear that you are not well. I hope you will be all right soon. I am well and the men in our company are, in general, healthy. The weather is very warm. We can’t hardly live, water is poor and scarce. I would like to have a goo drink of water from home.
I am thankful to you for sending me the directions to Henry. I will write to him this evening. I have not received any letters from home lately. The last I heard from them they were all well. I suppose you have some fine times having picnics and parties. I would love to see my friends all once more but when, if ever, it will happen.
I suppose you will and have heard of the great Battle of Gettysburg. I received a slight wound in my shoulder but it is almost well and I am doing duty again for which I feel thankful. We expect to have more fights soon. Our men are fighting every day.
I must soon close my poor and short letter and you must excuse me. My paper is poor but the best that I can get so you must excuse it. When you get this, please answer and tell me all the good news. Give my love and best to your family and friends. From your friend, — W. H. Thurston
Direct Battery F, 1st Pennsylvania Artillery, 2nd Army Corps, Washington D. C.
Letter 2
Camp near Petersburg January 8, 1865
My own dear Laura,
I am now writing in Fort Stedman — the battery is moved. Lieut. [John F.] Campbell, Headquarters, is here. ¹ [Lt. Henry] Wireman is in Battery 11 & my section is in Battery 14. I am staying with Lieut. Campbell to spend the evening and tell him of home. I did not arrive in camp until 12 m. today. They thought me lost. I am quite well this evening but my thoughts wander homewards. Months must elapse before I will become of my trip. I wish more to come more than ever. Was it not for the pleasant time I spent with you, I would almost regret coming. Still I must try and forget it and be more content.
The weather is quite cool but no snow. Mud has been abundant until last night when the ground froze solid. Piquet firing has abated to some extent — quiet prevails along the entire line save an occasional shot fired by some sleepless sentries.
I have no news to relate from the Army. [John] F. Campbell has a bad cold. [Henry] Wireman, I think, is writing a letter to Amelia, and poor W. to L. They have asked so many questions that I am tired. I have declined answering until tomorrow. You should have seen the boys flock around me. I was tired shaking hands. All had questions to ask. Poor fellows — how I wish they could all go home and pass a pleasant time. They seemed to think I had seen all their friends when I had no more than seen a few and breathed the pure air in Old Pennsylvania. That seemed to give them some pleasure and to hear me tell what I had seen and done. I could not tell them all. No neither could I tell them what my sad heart experienced when I paced them ever memorable steps toward the depot and when the train hurried me from her who I so tenderly love. The present crowded my mind to such an extent that I could scarcely overcome them when I gave you the parting kiss. No one could tell what I felt. I could not bear it but I was not unprepared to meet its advent. I thought of returning before I came home and knew it required a stout heart and strong mind under circumstances to overcome it. But I am back again and must think of something else part of the time.
I intend going out visiting next week to see Brother ² and Lieut. [Lemuel] Shipman ³ and some more of my friends. I will tell you all about it when I return.
I suppose you have received your New Years gift ‘ere this. I did not know what to send you that might please you. I seen them and thought them pretty. They are called an Indian fan, made at Niagara Falls. Say providing you don’t like it, it will do to look at and think of poor me.
Laura, say, I have been telling the boys what nice times I had when at home. I think I told them I helped to devour one half score of turkeys and gooses and more hens and roosters than I could remember — a pretty story, don’t you think, for me.
Ad in the Daily National Inteligencer for Ford Theatre on Monday, 2 January 1865: Damon & Pythias featuring Edwin Forest played.
I left Sunday, or Monday morning, 2d January 1865. Did not [feel] well. After a tiresome ride, I arrived at Baltimore by 6½ P.M. I immediately looked after a [omni]bus to convey me to Washington Depot. I did not look long when I heard a darkey cry out at the top of his voice, “Did way for Washington!” I soon found myself quite comfortably seated in a stage coach when the driver cracked his whip and soon landed us safe to our awaiting train. I had scarcely seated myself when the train started. The train arrived there 7½ o’clock. I mounted an [omni]bus and went to the United States Hotel. Supper was waiting. I ate some and then started in company with some officers for Ford’s Theatre. The plays were good but I did not enjoy them for reasons I have stated. I went back to the hotel and went to bed but could not sleep much.
After breakfast, I went to the Provost Marshal to procure a pass to join my company when to my surprise I received an order to report to Rendezvous of Distributions and take a detachment of men to City Point. Here my trouble commenced — to be responsible for a lot of men I could not think of but I reported on Tuesday, the 3rd. It was quite dark when I arrived at the camp. Here I met Luther Harrison. He was good company for me. He asked all about you. He told me that you had written a line to him in his mother’s letter which was right that you should so so. Well, I remained that night and the 4th and the 5th until 12 o’clock m. when I started with 88 men for Alexandria to take the mail boat for City Point. We arrived there [Alexandria] at 3 P.M. Here came the tug of war. A____ the mail boat is out of repair and you must wait another day, and since I am getting blind with sick headache, the men helped me back to the Soldier’s Rest. Then I wished for some one to rest my weary head. I was so sick I thought I could not live. One of the men went out and found me a place to sup at the hotel. They put me to bed [and] I soon fell in a stout sleep and did not awake till sunrise when I felt much better.
I had a good warm breakfast. I did not go out much as it rained all day. We remained in the City till 3 P.M., Jan. 6th when we spied the Dictator gliding over the blue waters of the far-famed Potomac [river]. She moored alongside the Quay and soon we were all on board and off she steamed for Dixie. Soon it grew quite dark, fog commenced to hover around us, and the Captain anchored the boat until the fog disappeared. About 11 A.M. we got under way and the next I knew the boat run aground on a sand bar and here we lay till 9½ A.M., 7th January. After strenuous exertions the boat started on its perilous journey. We soon came out in the Bay [where] the winds seemed to be all abroad [and] dashed against the vessels side, shaking her from stem to stern. She reeled and rolled. The passengers became sick. I was compelled to lie down but our little Bark seemingly was destined to outride the storms which threatened to swallow up our noble little ship with so many precious souls and land in safe on shore. We arrived at City Point at 4 A.M. this morning. O, I was so glad.
Monday [January] 9th 1865
I will write a few lines more and close my poor rambling letter. The sun shines warm and bids fair to be a pleasant day. I am so homesick this morning. I wish more for home than when I started but I hope to become more reconciled in a few days. The Boys in my Section are putting me up a house and I must go and superintend the job. Campbell expects to come home soon. He also looks for his Captaincy every day.
I will enclose ten dollars which you will please give to your Papa for me. He paid my subscription for the Democrat and I forgot when I left to pay him. I will write to him soon. Remember me to Grier’s family and yours. The letter you had reference to I found here when I came — also a number of others.
I must now close. Please write soon. Don’t forget to tell me when you received the last billing and anything that could be interesting to me. I still remain yours with much love. — W. H. Thurston
Lieut. Battery F, 1st Pa. Artillery, 2nd Corps, Washington D. C.
¹ Lt. John F. Campbell (1840-1902) succeeded Ricketts as the captain of the Forty-Third Regiment, Battery F, 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, in April 1865. He is buried in Augustaville, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania. John Campbell was most likely a distant cousin of Laura Morgan’s whose fraternal grandmother was Charity Campbell.
² Possibly Silas Thurston (1842-1923) who served withe “Bucktails” in the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
³ Lt. Lemuel Shipman (b. 1838) of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, entered the service as first sergeant of Co. D, 3d Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, 152nd Pennsylvania, in October 1862. He was promoted to lieutenant in May 1864.
Letter 3
Headquarters Battery No. 14 February 25th 1865
Dear Laura,
Yours of the 19th came to hand last night. I was pleased to hear from you again. I am well as usual and will not complain. I wrote to you on the 23rd which no doubt you will get ‘ere this. I had not heard from you in so long and I thought it my duty to write. I still remain in Battery No. 14 and expect to stay some time although we have marching orders. But I think I will not move for some time to come.
I had the honor of firing a shotted salute yesterday in honor of the fall of Wilmington, North Carolina. There were a large crowd of men collected to witness it. I had no accident and it went all well and good. The Army seems to be in good cheer and I think the next fight we make will be a telling blow to the Rebs. We will have some hard fights but I think ’tis safe to say the end is drawing nigh. The Rebels are deserting by hundreds which must soon deplete their ranks. They are without a doubt hungry and tired of fighting. They are also ragged and dirty with forlorn looks and are objects of pity.
Two men had their heads blown off yesterday close here with mortar shells — members of the 51st Pennsylvania. They lay in their tents sleeping at the time which this death monster fell among them. It was a shell 8 inches in diameter which exploded with a great noise. ¹
I am sorry to hear that Becca B. is not so happy as she once was but I suppose ’tis with them like many others — the honeymoon has past into the shades of oblivion and that long expected life of bliss has not been realized. But this generally happens when least anticipated. Those who think they can best agree soonest dispute and live unpleasant, but I hope ’twill not be so with me and some one.
I perceive you don’t like to sit up at a wake. I have a wake all the time. There are plenty of dead buried only a few feet from my tent that fell on the 17th June 1864, but we are used to this and don’t think of it.
Don’t forget to tell Miss Huldah she had better get them teeth and spell me that answer or I will wool her as __ fate.
You say your good old friend Ellen came to see you once, and she talked over my pictures. She must have admired them. What has become of Louisa and John? I did not see them last winter. I seen Ellen at the party at home but had no chance to talk with her. I suppose she is the same as of old.
I must close and go to camp for supper. ‘Tis raining fast and I will get a little wet but no matter. I am used to the storms of Old Virginia.
Remember me kindly to all your family. Also Grier’s. I will look for an answer soon. I remain your best friend and devoted W.
— Lieut. W. H. Thurston, Batty F, 1st Pa. Art.
¹ One of the two soldiers was John Blyler (1845-1865) who enlisted in Co. G, 51st Pennsylvania in February 1864. He was the son of Absalom Blyler (1803-1863) and Catharine Heimback (1812-1857) of Penns Creek, Snyder county, Pennsylvania. A Certificate of Death for Blyler states that he was “killed by enemy by a piece of mortar shell passing directly through his head while in his tent in camp in front of Petersburg, Va. on February 24th 1865.
The following letters were written by James Murkin (1829-1887), an English emigrant and leather-smith who lived in Washington, Washington county, Iowa prior to the Civil War. The date of his arrival in the United States isn’t recorded but the court in Iowa awarded him naturalization sometime between July 1858 and April 1859. I think it’s likely he is the same individual who was registered as 23 year-old “James Merkin” of Cambridgeshire, England, who arrived in New York City in June 1852 aboard the Princeton of New York from Liverpool. He was traveling alone with no other apparent family members.
James enlisted on 1 May 1861 to serve as a private in Co. H, 2nd Iowa Infantry. His muster date was 27 May 1861 at Keokuk, Iowa. Thinking the war would be over quickly, apparently James and most other men in his regiment did not fully grasp that they were enlisting for three years as opposed to only three months. If they did, they couldn’t imagine the war would last more than a year so little attention was paid to that small point, much to their angst when August 28th rolled around.
James survived the war but was wounded in the 2nd Battle of Corinth on 3 October 1862 and spent some time in the Veteran Reserve Corps.
All of the letters were addressed to Roseanna Showalter (1839-1922), the daughter of Daniel and Catherine (McKaren) Showalter who moved from Wooster, Ohio, to Washington, Iowa, in 1844 when Roseanna was quite young. James and Roseanna were married in September 1864.
[Note: These letters are from the collection of Michael Huston and were offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Letter 1
Washington, Iowa November 4, 1860
My dear Ann, for by that name I must still call you. I have wrote to you but received no answer. Ann, please write me a few lines and let me know if cruelty has entered your mind or if someone has set you against me or whether you have so small opinion of me as to think I have slighted you or disregarded my promises which we made, be it far from that, however light you may regard them. Yet I myself am foolish enough to consider them as something more than trifles and am likewise induced to believe that the person who voluntarily breaks a promise will not regard an oath.
Ann, you as a follower of Christ must write me a few lines and let me know if I should find a welcome at your home. If I have wounded your feelings, I am ready to make restitution for it. The reason I have not wrote is through gross neglect, not through any less respect to you.
Ann, I have been true to you in every other respect. My dear Ann, forget the past and write me a few lines and let me know whether you are at home and set the time and I will come. Ann, I have a great deal more to say but not at present. I can tell it to you better when I see you if happily these lines are received.
Ann, be sure to write and let me know your mind. I am yours forever if you will. — J. Murkin
Letter 2
Addressed to Miss Rose A. Showalter, Washington, Iowa
Washington, Iowa November 24, 1860
Dear Ann,
I received your letter of the 17th last Monday and did not intend to write but to come myself last Saturday but I could not and now take my pen in hand to give you my reasons for not coming. I would have rather come and seen you than to have to write these lines. I told my boss that I did not want to work on Saturday but he told me I must work as he had a pair of boots promised on Saturday and I must make them. It would have been folly in the extreme of me to refuse as I have a good deal of work and can make from 7 to 9 dollars per week and this is a throng [?] time with us now but I intend to come as soon as I can and see you.
Ann, you must excuse me for I am a going to write just as if I was a talking face to face with you. Now Ann, I think you must have misunderstood the tenor of my letters which I wrote you to a great extent for I di not, nor cannot, nor do I blame you at all. I think I told you in the first I sent to you that I had not acted right as a gentleman ought to do towards one he pretends to love. Ann, I confess my fault to you in that.
Ann, you say you think as much of me as you ever did. I confess I think more of you since you wrote the last letter. It showed to me that you was capable of standing your own defense. But Ann, you must not draw from this that I did not thinnk you capable of that before—not at all. Ann, you say you have been sorry many times since you made that promise to me. You say you made it in an unguarded moment. Ann, forget the past and look forward, trusting in Him who has guided us thus far, trusting and believing that all things will work together for the good of us both.
Ann, I am of the same opinion as you that a bad promise is better broken than carried into execution, but I cannot see that ours is so very bad after all. If you think I am not capable of taking care of a partner in life, you have a perfect right to give your opinion on the subject. Ann, I hope you will not think hard of what I have said. Ann, the reason that I asked you whether I should be welcome at your house was from the fact I had wrote one letter and received no answer which made me think as you did not write, you would not want to see me there. And as for the treatment I had when at your house, if I had been your brother, I could not have been treated with more respect. Your father has always treated me the same whenever he met me on the street.
Ann, you seem to think we have not that affection for each other that we ought to have. It is true, we have not showed that respect and love to each other we ought to have done, but it is said that a long acquaintance makes a short repentance. Ann, it is very true I am poor and alone in this world, but I believe with a true reliance upon Him, He [who] has guided me thus far, will guide me to the very end. But I don’t think that I have any influence on your mind as to [ ] because I know you are capable of better judgment.
Ann, I do hope these few remarks I have made will not hurt your feelings. Ann, I shall surely come and see you soon as I can. Now Ann, I want you to comply with my request. Burn this [letter] if you please. I hope you will make out to read it. I have a very bad pen which you can readily see. I have considerable more to say but not at present as it is late. Ann, be sure and write a few lines as soon as you can as I am not sure what day I can come to see you. It will not do any harm to write to each other. Yours in love, — J. Murkin
Letter 3
Washington, Iowa February 3, 1861
My dear Ann,
I take pleasure in writing a few lines to you hoping they may find you in the possession of good health as it leaves me at this time.
I told you, Ann, that I would write to you soon so I embrace the opportunity to make my promise good. I want you to be sure and have your likeness put in that locket the first opportunity you have so I can get it the first time I come and then I will have mine put in and give it back to you again.
My dear Ann, I want you to answer this soon and not be afraid to write. I guess your mother will not be against us corresponding to each other if she knew our intentions ar good. Maybe she thought—yes knew—that I had not acted toward you as a gentleman should towards one he pretend to love. I have no doubt in my own mind this was her reason for speaking to you as he did for I know no other reason. She has always treated me with the greatest respect when I have been at your house.
I will close for the present, Yours inn love, — James Murkin
[handwritten poem no transcribed]
Letter 4
April 7th 1861
I now take the opportunity to write you a few lines for your meditation as I promised you. I would write to you the first opportunity that offered itself to me. I had a very wet time going home. It commenced to rain just as I came on the prairie by Major Young’s house so I went to Tom Woods’ house and ate supper with them thinking it would astop raining but my hopes was all blighted for just after I started, it commenced to rain [even] faster. But I did not get wet as I had on a good overcoat.
Ann, I have got my likeness put in the locket but now the question is whether you will like it. I guess, Ann, I will send it to you by Franklin the first chance I have—not that I want to avoid coming myself and by any means because your company is preferable to me than all the world besides, and I will come myself again soon. But I want you to have your likeness taken over again in a darker dress. I will send you one dollar bill in Iowa money so you need not be afraid but it will be good as all other money is failing now.
Dear Ann, I want you to tend to it the first opportunity you have after you get your locket. I think you had better go to the car on the north side of the square as I believe he is the best artist and will give you the best likeness.
Now, my dear Ann, I will change the subject. Whether it will be agreeable to you for us to get married in the fall as early as we can is now a matter for your consideration as well as mine. I want to do all in my power to make you happy and that is my greatest object and shall be my aim in the future to promote your happiness and my only joy and heart’s delight. I will submit this to your judgment and consideration. Hoping to hear from you soon, to all of which I heartily subscribe myself yours through life, trusting you can say the same. From James Murkin to his Rose A. Showalter
Letter 5
Keokuk, Iowa May 26, 1861
Dear Ann,
The first object of my thoughts and the pride of my heart to fulfill my promise. I now take the opportunity to present a few thoughts to you as they appear to me and the first is to inform you that I am well and hope I shall soon hear that you are all enjoying the same blessing.
Ann, you must excise me for not coming out to see you before I left. If I could pew to you my feelings, I know you would readily forgive me. I looked for you that day we started but found you not. I was glad I did not see you for it would have made me feel ten times worse. I never saw such a day in Washington as that day we started for Keokuk. Most everyone I saw was bathed in tears.
We arrived here all safe. There is 2,000 soldiers her now in Keokuk. It is the talk today that the 1st [Iowa] Regiment will leave for Cairo this week. We are living in town. We are not camped out yet. Ann, I cannot send you much news this time but hope I shall be able to write more next time. When you write to me again, I want you to send me your father’s given name. I want to write to him because I feel it my duty. He has treated me more like a father would a son. In fact, he has treated me better than I have deserved at his hands.
Ann, I shall have to close for the present as our supper is about ready and I must close for the present. Now my dear Ann, the object of my heart, I want you to be sure and write by return of mail. Give my respects to all and accept the same yourself. Ann, you must excuse my writing as I have neither k=ink nor pen. Good night.
Letter 6
Keokuk, Iowa June 2nd 1861
Dear Ann,
I now take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and trust that these few lines will find you all enjoying the same blessing. Dear Ann, I think long to hear from you and I long to see you once more. I think if we are not moved from here by the 4th of July, some of us will come to Washington [Iowa] and spend the 4th. I will be sure to come if possible and stay a day or two.
We have merry times—some writing and some singing, some one thing and some another. We have prayer meetings three times per week in our quarters. I was out to meeting this morning and had a very good sermon preached. And this afternoon I am writing to you and tonight I have to stand watch while you will be at rest. I shall often think of you. The 2nd Regiment is sworn into the United States service for three years unless sooner discharged.
Dear Ann, you must not think hard of me because I went with the company. Ann, I could not bear the idea of being called a coward. May, I wold rather go for ten years because I think I am in a right cause. But my dear Ann, I think we will all be back home in six months and maybe sooner. But my hearts shall be with you wherever I go. Ann, I wish I was at your home today so we could have a chat together.
The boys have great times here. we go down to the river and make every steamboat hoist the stars and stripes. Today the boys went down to the river just as a boat came up and demanded the stripes and the captain refused to hoist his colors and they would not let him unload his boat. But he soon hoisted them. Our regiment all marched out in the street yesterday and made quite a grand appearance [of] 1,000 men.
Now Ann, I want you to be sure and let me know how you are enjoying yourself. So dear Ann, I must close by subscribing myself yours until death. — James Murkin
My address is James Murkin, Keokuk, Iowa, in care of Capt. H[enry] R. Cowles, 2nd Regiment Iowa Volunteers
Letter 7
Keokuk, Iowa June 13th 1861
Dear Ann,
I write a few lines in haste to let you know that we [are] called to start for Hannibal, Missouri. It is now 2 o’clock in the morning. The boys are all in good spirits. Dear Ann, you must excuse me for these few words. I have not time. we was called up out of bed and have to start right away. I will write to you as soon as I can. Yours till death. — James Murkin
Do not write till you hear from me again.
Letter 8
St. Joseph, Missouri June 16, 1861
Dear Ann,
I now embrace this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope you are enjoying the same blessing. Dear Ann, I wrote a few lines to you when I started from Keokuk to let you know that I was going to leave for Hannibal, Missouri. we stayed there only one night and the next day we started for St. Jo, 206 miles further west.
Early in the war, both pro-Southern and pro-Northern supporters in St. Joseph displayed banners and flags. When John L. Bittinger became St. Joseph’s postmaster on May 22, 1861, he raised the U.S. flag on the roof of the post office. During the raising of the flag, former St. Joseph Mayor M. Jeff Thompson led an unruly mob that displayed their Southern sympathies by tearing down the flag and flagpole. Thompson later described the incident, “I drew my knife and pistol, ascended the very ladder that they had used to the roof of the building, and amid cheers, groans, shouts and threats, I severed the halyard with my bowie…” The mob tore the flag into pieces and threw the flagpole into the Missouri River. The men then turned their sights on other U.S. flags in town. When they went to Turner Hall they found that Robert Bradshaw and other Union supporters had locked and were guarding the doors. A member of the mob, Alonzo Slayback, asked Bradshaw to lower the flag. He agreed but insisted on firing a salute to the flag. As Bradshaw appeared on the roof, the crowd threatened to shoot him. Slayback pulled his own gun and defended him. Bradshaw cheered the flag, fired six shots in salute, and safely lowered the flag. The City Council banned flying flags of any kind in St. Joseph until after Union troops occupied the city. [Courtesy St. Joseph Museums, Inc.]
We have been here two days. I have been two nights without going to bed. The first night we was all night on the cars coming to this place. And the next night, just as we was going to bed, was ordered to march and was all night on the cars again. We was after the rebels. They set fire to a bridge on the railroad and we arrived in time to put it out before it done much damage. There was 200 of us. We went and surrounded the town and took 25 prisoners. I cannot give you the full details of it but there was no one killed. But we had lots of fun when we brought them to town. We took a keg of powder and guns and boyeknibes [?] and four secession flags from them. There is another lot of men started up the railroad to take some more. I do not know of only one secession man been killed. One of our regiment shot him as we was coming to this place. One of our men went and asked him if he was not a secessionist and he said he was. He asked him if he had a secession flag. He said he had and swore he should not have it. He drew a pistol on our man and told him he would shoot him and our man shot him down on hte spot and he never spoke.
There is a great many rebels about here but they dare not say much as the Union men are the strongest. They have threatened the Union men of St. Joseph before we came but they are pretty quiet now. The people are pleased to see us wherever we go. If you had seen them come from town this morning when we fetched the rebels to town, one would think we had plenty friends.
Dear, you must excuse me this time for I must close. I am tired. John Eichelberger [see image below] sleeps with me and he is abed and asleep. Dear Ann, you must not write to me until you hear from me again for we do not know how soon we will have to leave. I will write again soon if all is well. Excuse me Ann if I say [a poem not transribed]
Yours with love, — James Murkin
1/4 plate tintype image of John C. Eichelberger. In November 1862 James Murkin wrote about the boys getting their images taken in overcoats, which he didn’t like. At that time they were still waiting on their blue frocks, which were replacing their originally issued gray uniforms.
Letter 9
Camp Lyons, Cameron, Missouri June 25th 1861
Dear Anna,
You must excuse me for not writing to you sooner. When I tell you my reasons for not doing so, you will readily see. I commenced to write a letter to you on the 18th and had it nearly finished when I was suddenly called to leave to go about 50 miles on the railroad to protect some railroad bridges where we still remain and expect to be here nearly all week. But we expected to return back in a day or two. Then I would have wrote to you sooner.
Dear Ann, I think long to hear from you to know how you are getting along. You must write to me by return of mail. you must direct yours to St. Joseph. Dear Ann, it seems hard to me that I cannot communicate to you my ideas only through the medium of writing. We cannot expect to speak in this way as we would if we was in each others company. Oh Ann, I hope it will be our happy lot to see each other again before long. My hopes are all blighted in regard to coming to see you on the 4th of July. But things seem to be going on all right about here. The people in this state are beginning to see the error of their way. They have thought all along we was come to destroy their homes and property. But they are beginning to find out we are for peace.
We have 15 prisoners here with us now. We took [them] yesterday and four the night before which makes 19 and about the same quantity of guns. We was out all Friday night after the rebels—a gang of about 60. It thundered and lightninged and rained nearly all night. We was all of us wet as we could be. We had to travel through the long grass which made it hard traveling. There is many hardships connected with a military life that a man who has not experienced it knows nothing about it. But I am not disappointed in that respect. I look for a hard road to travel, and trusting in Him who ruleth all things, I believe He will bring me safe through where we shall be permitted to mingle our voices together again.
Dear Ann, you must excuse my hard writing for there is some singing and some dancing, some one thing and some another. We have a lot of good-hearted boys, but some of them swear very hard. But I must put up with it and I will send you some postage stamps in this if I can get in town. And I want you to write often as you can and I will write to you every opportunity.
Dear Ann, I have not wrote to your Father yet. Do you think he would like to hear from us to know how we are getting along? I guess he would be very glad. I guess I will write the first opportunity. Dear Ann, I want you to send me a lock of your hair. I sent one of mine to you in a letter so I expect you have got it. Oh Anna, how I long to hear from you. Do you? Be sure and write as soon as possible and do not wait for me to write first. I have not the pleasure to write at all times when I would like to. But I will write as often as I can.
Dear Anna, I must bring my remarks to a close for the present and bid you goodbye hoping that we will shortly see each other again to which I will subscribe myself yours till death. Dear Anna, my hand and heart forever to you I have freely given and never will I withdraw it till we depart for heaven. — James Murkin
James Murkin, St. Joseph, Missouri, in care of Capt. H. R. Cowles, 2nd Regiment, Iowa Volunteers
Letter 10
Camp Lyons St. Joseph, Missouri July 6th 1861
Dear Anna,
I received your kind missive about an hour ago and it gave me much pleasure to read its contents and find that you was in the possession of good health. It seemed to me a dreadful long time since I heard from you. We was out drilling this morning when the letters was brought to our camp so I was taken a little by surprise when I came back to find two letters for me. I received one from my old boss in Washington. I hope it will not be so long again before I hear from you.
Dear Anna, this was the dullest 4th of July I ever experienced. We had to stay in camp all day but even if I had the privilege to have went out, it would have been dull. I would have given most anything to have been at Washington in your company on the 4th but dear Ann, that was impossible under the circumstances. But I hope the time will soon come when we shall enjoy each other’s presence. Some think we will be home by Christmas. Oh desar Ann, I hope that may be the result. If I knew it was, I would gladly stay that length of time.
Dear Ann, I heard from you the other day [that you had] been at Mr. Cochran’s with Miss Powell—Mr. [George W.] Neal’s 1 intended [bride]. He boards in the same tent with me and John Eichenberger. I wished to myself that we could just have stepped in and taken you both by surprise. Dear Ann, you say when anyone sees my likeness, you tell them it is your soldier boy. I glory in your courage. I’d rather be called that than a coward and I believe you would too.
We raised a large flag pole at our camp on the morning of the 4th and the next morning we had a very heavy thunderstorm shower and it was struck by lightning twice that morning. It was struck lightly the first time and the 2nd time it was knocked to splinters.
Dear Ann, I have nothing of importance to write this time from our regiment. They are most all in good health. We have 3 or 4 in our company sick. I have enjoyed good health all the time for which I am very thankful for good health is the greatest blessing we enjoy.
I will have to make my letter short this time as it is nearly time for us to go out to drill. We have got our uniforms. They came in the 4th of July. The whole regiment was out together last night and we looked first rate.
Dear Ann, I received the lock of your hair you sent me in your letter. I’ll be sure to take good care of it and try and not lose it. If it was not for your likeness, I don’t know what I should do. i often look at it and think of the time when we shall meet to part no more. Oh my dear Ann, I hope and trust that time will come. I must close for this time. Write soon as you can. So goodbye for the present. I remain yours as ever til death. — James Murkin
St, Joseph, Missouri, in care of Capt. H. R. Cowles, Co. H, 2nd Regiment, Iowa Volunteers.
1 Neal, George W. Age 23. Residence Washington, nativity Ohio. Enlisted May 1, 1861. Mustered May 27, 1861. Promoted Fifth Sergeant; Third Sergeant; First Sergeant Dec. 1, 1861, and Second Lieutenant Aug. 7, 1862. Ball passed through head, killing him instantly, Oct. 4, 1862, Corinth, Miss. Buried in Union National Cemetery, Corinth, Miss. Section 52 7, grave 10.
Letter 11
Camp Lyons St, Joseph, Missouri July 12, 1861
Dear Ann,
I improve the opportunity this morning to write a few lines to you for your perusal. The reason I have delayed writing to you is because we have been from camp. We started Monday morning at daylight and came back last night. We went about 50 miles north from St. Joseph. We had to travel most the way by foot. It was rather a hard trip for us. The weather was very warm. Monday night was the hardest night I most ever saw. It came up a thunder storm just about dark and continued until 12 or 1 o’clock. I think I never saw it rain harder in my life. We had to stand out in it. There was 300 of us together. We had to go to a town called Marysville in the northwest part of the state. The rebels had threatened to take the town but when we came, they had all left. We was within 15 miles of the Iowa line/ We saw lots of people from Iowa. They was glad to see us. We stayed two days. The people treated us first rate. They came to help the Union men in Marysville. They caught about 50 rebels and most of them took the oath [of allegiance]. We fetched 7 with us that would not take the oath. We will take good care of them till they turn from the error of their ways.
My dear Ann, I am writing to you but I don’t know when you will get it. The rebels have torn up the railroad track and stopped the cars from running between here and Hannibal and burned a warehouse. But we expect the cars will run pretty soon again. There was five companies sent from our camp to help rout the rebels. They was sent while we was out on our trip but we have not heard from them yet nor don’t know what they are doing.
Dear Ann, I have not wrote to your father yet. In fact, I have not had time. You must not think hard of me. Dear Ann, I will write to him the first chance I have. You must be sure and give my respects to your father and mother the first time you see them. I had almost forgot to tell you that I was well and in good health, notwithstanding our hard march. Some of our boys had to turn back the second day and go home, and some of the other company’s boys too. I have no fault to find with a soldier’s life—only in our provisions and in that respect we are not treated as men ought to be in our situation. But if it be true that we have to take another oath before they can hold us three years, I guess we shall all come home when the three months are up. It is the talk in camp that we will have to be sworn again. I am afraid it is too good news to be true.
Ann, I shall soon see you again. Dear Ann, I will try and be a good boy anyhow till I come home again. When you write, you must send me all the news you can. You will excuse me this time for being brief, won’t you? I guess you will. It is reported just now that they are having warm times at Hannibal. A man just came from town but I do not know whether it be true or not as there is so many flying reports. But I will write to you again soon if all be well. So I must bid you goodbye for the present, dear Ann, by subscribing myself yours and only yours till death. — James Murkin
Letter 12
Camp Lyons July 23, 1861
My dear Ann,
I received your kind letter this morning and was glad to hear from you again and to hear that you was enjoying yourself as well as you do. Dear Ann, you wanted to know how I enjoyed a military life, as you say I don’t remember ever speaking to you about it. As far as military life is concerned, I am very well satisfied because I think our cause is a just one. But in relation to our treatment, we have reasons to complain. We have not had our just rights as the army regulations lay down for us. We get plenty to eat now—such as it is. The men have complained a great deal about our fare and we are beginning to get better board. But when I [en]listed, I expected to see some hard time and have not been disappointed. We have seen some good times and some hard times which we may always look for in a military life. But I hope and trust it won’t last long. I hope the time will soon come when I shall return to my Ann and enjoy myself in the presence of one who I will never love again.
Dear Ann, I happened of an accident the other day. My carpet sack was laying on the floor and someone tread on it and broke the case of your likeness but did not hurt you any. I got it put in another [case] and now it is as good as ever but the case is not as good as the one broke. But I don’t care for that. I told Neal the other day that his girl’s likeness was not to be compared with mine. Was I not telling the truth, Ann? I know I was. I told Neal what you said in your letter—that he had better come home or he would lose his better [half]. He said he was not afraid of that. I told him I was not afraid if all the boys in Iowa would attend the like with my girl because they cannot succeed because the one I love will prove true to me and in that respect, I could rest contented.
My dear Ann, I do hope and trust that these troubles will soon end when I can return home to see you once more. It is a true saying which I never realized so plain before—that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I know it to be a fact by self experience. Dear Ann, I wrote a letter to your Father th other day but I had not much time to write so I could not write a very long one as we have to attend to all orders as they are given to us.
I am well and in good health and a most all the other boys. One of our boys shot his thumb off the other day between the first and second joint. It was an accident. He is from Crawfordsville. His name is Williams. 1
Dear Ann, Neal and I often say we should like to step in some evening and catch you and Hetty together. Would not we have a good time? I guess we would! John Eichenberger is asleep right by my side, Neal at my feet, and six others in the tent—all asleep. We have a first rate time. Lots of boys in our tent and all get along well together.
Dear Ann, it will be I guess nearly two weeks before I shall hear from you again if you don’t write till you get this letter. So you will write as soon as you can as it is the only way we have of communicating to each other our ideas. But maybe it won’t last long in this way. I long for the time when I can speak to you face to face once more and you may bet I won’t leave you again without your full consent.
Dear Ann, you will please give my compliments to Miss Gray and tell her that I have to eat dinner at her house sometime with you. I must close for the present as it is nearly time for drill. So I must close by subscribing myself yours, true and faithful, till death. — James Murkin
1 Thomas Y. Williams. Age 21. Residence Crawfordsville, nativity Ohio. Enlisted May 1, 1861. Mustered May 27, 1861. Discharged for disability Nov. 2 8, 1861.
Letter 13
Camp Lyons St. Joseph, Missouri July 27th 1861
I just take my pen to write you a few lines to let you know that we have to start for St. Louis this afternoon at 3 o’clock so it will be no use for you to write to me till you hear from me again. I will write to you just as soon as we stop. If we stop at St. Louis any length of time, you must write by return of mail. We have no idea where we are going to. We have orders to go to St. Louis but wherever I go, I will not forget to write to my dear Ann. You will have wrote to me before you get this, I guess. The letters will be sent on to us so I will be likely to get your letters when it comes. I will send you an envelope too of a new kind. I would have sent you some stamps but I could not get any here in camp and I have not time to go to town.
Dear Ann, you must excuse me this time for writing so short a letter. I have not got the time. G. W. Neal is going to send his girl some envelopes just like yours so you must send them when you write to us. I must close for the present but I give my best love to you hoping to see you again before long [and] hoping that we may be guided by divine wisdom until you and I shall meet again, to all of which I readily subscribe myself yours till death. — James Murkin
To his Anna and only love, Miss R. A. Showalter
Letter 14
Cape Girardeau [Missouri] August 21st 1861
Dear Ann,
I take this opportunity this morning to let you know that I am well. We are on the Mississippi river bound for Cairo. we are within 50 miles of it now. We are stopped at this town called Cape Girardeau for a little while this morning. I have found a shady place on the boat and am improving a few moments this morning in writing to you. We have had a long ride on the river and railroad. We have rode about 500 miles and not got to our journey’s end yet. We have a large lot of us now together now. There was 8 steamers started with us from St. Louis yesterday down the river. John C. Frémont is with us. He has command of all the forces in the West.
Dear Ann, you must not think hard of me if you don’t hear from me as often as you did, I will write to you as often as I can but I am afraid you will not get all I send to you. I guess it will not be any use for you to write to me until we have to stay at some point or other. I will be sure to let you know the first opportunity.
Dear Ann, it is so warm here we are most melted and we have to drink the river water as we cannot get fresh. We are just going to start again down the river but I will try and write some as we go. If you could get a St. Louis paper and read it, it would give you a better idea of our trip than I can in a letter. I guess it is the greatest train that has left St. Louis for a long time—8 large steamboats all in a line and all heavy laden.
Ann, you will please remember and write to me just as soon as I let you know where to write to and you must send me all the news you can. Give my best respects to your folks when you see them and tell them I am well. Dear Ann, it is so warm here I will be obliged to close for the present. There is another young man writing by my side and he has quit. The sweat is just dropping off us both. I will write to you again when I get ashore, if possible, and give you more particulars of our trip. So no more at this time.
From James Murkin
Letter 15
Bird’s Point [Missouri] August 4th 1861
Dear Anna,
THe last time I wrote to you my time was very limited and I had not much time to write what I wanted. We had a very good time from St. Louis to this place riding on the boat. It is very pleasant riding on the river on a pleasure trip, moreso than ours to tell you the truth, and I did not judge myself so well in my situation as I could have done at home in your company. We only stopped at one place on the river where we was when I wrote to [you] last. We stopped there about 6 hours but I did not go ashore.
We started again about noon for Bird’s Point and arrived here about 5 o’clock in the evening. We had to stay on the boat all night until morning and then went ashore. I think it was the warmest day I most ever saw. There was three men sun struck, One of them died instantly but I have not heard how the other two are. They do not [belong] to our regiment.
I suppose you would like to know how many men we have here but I cannot tell just how many there is but as near as I can learn, there is 17,000 and we are looking for 7,000 more tonight. That is all told at this place and at Cairo, just over the river right opposite to us.
Dear Ann, I want you to write to me just as soon as you get this and I think I will get it all through. I have no idea how long we will stay at this place but if we move to any other place, I guess our letters will be sent to us. Ann, if there is any possible chance for us to come home when our three months are up, I will be sure to come home and so will all the rest. Our three months will be up about the 28th of August. We do not like the treatment we are receiving and another thing, we do not like the climate. It is too warm for us.
Dear Ann, I often wish I had taken your advice and stayed at home with you. We all expected to see hard times but we did expect to get enough to eat. But our expectations have been cut off. It is no use for me to try to tell you the way we have been treated in relation to our board but to make a long story short, we have not been treated like white men. So you may rest assured if I have a half a chance to come home, that I will embrace the opportunity.
Dear Ann, if I can once more meet in your company I can enjoy myself better than in my present situation. If we receive such treatment much longer, our company and regiment will be broke up and all will go home. It is nearly our supper time and I must quit for the present and write to you again soon. And if the weather is not so warm, I will try and write a little more and can give you more particulars. So I close by subscribing myself yours through life, — James Murkin
to Anna Showalter
Letter 16
Camp Lyons Bird’s Point, Mo. August 11th 1861
My dear Ann,
I long to hear from you as I have not heard from you since we left St. Joseph. I take this opportunity this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well and in good health and hope these lines may find you enjoying the same earthly blessing. I think if you have received the letters which I have sent to you, I shall hear from you pretty soon. I think we will get mail regular now after this while we stay here. There has not been any letters received in our company since we have been here but some two or three so I do not complain.
My dear Ann, how I do wish I could see you and have some talk with you and stay with you as long as I had a mind to. If I can only get the chance on the 28th of this month when our three months will be up, I will come straight to Washington. Some say they cannot hold us any longer. I hope it may be true but I am afraid it is not. Most all the boys in this regiment will come home if they can about the last of this month. They will come home to see their friends and stay a week or two and then reenlist again and a great many will stay at home. Several of our boys will come home after their three months are up if we do not get discharged. They are not able to stand it as they are not very healthy. It requires a healthy man to stand a soldier’s life in time of war as they have many hardships to go through. Some think if we have to go for three years, we will be home by next spring—that the war will be settled by then. It is not that I care about it. It is the idea of having to go further south where it will be so hot. It is plenty warm enough for me here and all the rest of the boys.
There has been a great many of the boys paid off since we came here. They was in the first regiments but I guess a great many will come back again and reenlist again. But they have been treated better than we have. But we have a new quartermaster and we are living better now to what we did.
I was up all last night helping to unload cannon. I did not get to bed till just before daylight. They are the largest I ever saw, I don’t know how many cannon we have here at this place but we have a great many. I would be very well satisfied to stay here all the time if they would let me rather than to goi any further south. We are throwing up large breastworks to defend ourselves against an attack. When we get them done, we will be pretty well secure against any foe—the rebels.
We have been looking for some more of the Iowa boys down here but they have not come yet. I guess they are at St. Louis. We are looking for Doctor Crab’s company. we saw in the newspaper it was bound for here, but maybe we will not get to see them. I hope we will get to come home so we can be home guards for Iowa and keep the rebels from coming to Washington. We hear they are troublesome on the border of Iowa and that even some of the men of Iowa are not true to the Union.
Dear Ann, I wrote to your father as I told you I would but I have received no answer. I should be glad to hear from him to know how he is getting along in the world and if you are not at home with your folks, give my respects to him and your mother when you see them and tell him I should be very glad to hear from them. I guess you are rather lonesome now, ain’t you? I wish I could just step in some evening and take supper once more with you and your folks and then we could talk of times that has passed my observation and enjoy myself in your company no tongue can express. I have seen some interesting scenes which I cannot describe to you with my pen but we will talk them all over when I see you and I trust that will be before long. If I should hear the news that we was to come home on the 28th of this month, I should then think I should see you ver soon. But we cannot tell. But notwithstanding all that, wherever my lot may be cast, whether east or west, whether north or south, my heart will still sling to thee and I know I may look for the same in return.
But Oh Ann, let us both remember there is a time coming when wars will cease and peace and harmony will reign supreme. May you and I both live to see that happy time and enjoy ourselves in each other’s company, never to be separated till death. I must bring my few remarks to a close by saying do not forget to tell your father to write a few lines to unworthy me. To all of which I cheerfully subscribe myself yours, — J. Murkin
Letter 17
Ironton, Missouri August 25th 1861
My dear and only Ann,
I received your kind letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you as it gave me great pleasure to peruse the contents of your letter. I am well at this time. I never had better health in my life than I have at the present time for which I am very thankful, and I hope this missive will find you in the possession of the same blessing. Dear Ann, you say there is nothing that gives you so much pleasure as to sit down and write to me, I can say the same in return to you—to show my love and regard that I hold towards you above all else—that there is nothing but sickness that can make me swerve from that duty which I promised to you before we parted. My Ann, when I think of the past and remember the happy times we have spent in each other’s company, it makes me long to be in your society again which I hope will be before long. If I am not permitted to come home on the 28th of this month, I hope it will not be long I am permitted to come and stay with my heart’s desire and only joy and hope.
You say when your father told you that I had gone it made you feel bad. Dear Ann, I believe it is what you say. I have every reason to believe it. But do not for one moment think I did it to get from your company. Be it far from me to treat you in such a way as that. You have my heart and hand and constant to you I will ever be. Dear Ann, do not think hard of what I have said because it is the true sentiment of my heart and I do not know whether we will be discharged on the 28th or not. There is so many tales afloat about it that one does not know what to believe. But I am afraid it is not true. If it is, my time will be up before you get this letter. If so that we are discharged, I shall soon be at Washington. But I won’t stay long there. Until I see you, write again [and[ tell me how long you will be till you go home again because I don’t like to see you have to work out all the time. But that is no disgrace to anyone.
Ann, I wrote to your father yesterday and told him to some extent how we was getting along and requested him to write to me if he had time. I told him to direct letters to St. Louis as that is our headquarters and they will always know where our regiment is and can send our letters on any time. I have no idea how long we will stay at this place. I like it first rate as far as I have seen of it. I would like to stay here all the time rather than go any further south. This is a delightful and healthy place and I wish you was here to see it and I think you would like to stay here awhile and view the scenery here. I can’t tell you much about it as we are kept very close and not allowed to go out much from camp. I have not been in town yet to see it. We have been here one week today but what another will bring forth, no one can tell.
I am sitting outside the tent under a shade tree which we put up to eat under and am writing a few lines to you. We are going to have preaching this afternoon. It will be the first I have heard for a long time. We have been drove round so much lately that we have not had the opportunity to hear any preaching for several weeks.
Dear Ann, it is the general opinion here that we will be home in a short time if we are not discharged on the 28th. They say the South cannot hold out long. The leading men of our regiment think we will be compelled to stay until the war is ended. If that be the case, it cannot be that they can hold out three years. I mean the South. But the time in near at hand and that will tell the tale. I shall not forget to write to you at the earliest moment and let you know if we are to stay or not. If we do have to stay, we must put up with it and may our Heavenly Father guide us all safe through and back to our homes and loved ones we have left behind to enjoy their happy company again.
Dear Ann, I presume that you have heard that a soldier gets 160 acres of land a hundred dollars in money at the end of the war. If it ends in a month from now, we who stay will be entitled to it. But dear Ann, if anything should happen to me, who will be entitled to any rights as I have no one in this country to claim them But that is the dark side of the picture. I will trust Him who has always protected me and guided me through dangers, seen and unseen, and guided me thus far on life’s stormy sea, and who I believe will bring me safe through to the last.
Dear Ann, I have one thing [more] to tell you. I don’t know whether I have done right or wrong. That is, I have not written to my mother since I enlisted. I was afraid she would take it very hard. Ann, what had I better do? I think if I do not get discharged now, I will write to her and tell her the whole truth. I don’t know whether I done wrong by not writing to her in the first place or not. But I guess my brother-in-law will almost know what is the matter because I do not write. When you write me, give me your opinion about it. I must close for the present and go to preaching about thirty yards from where I am writing under some trees. I hope I have not said anything in this to hurt your feelings, If I thought I had, I would not send it. When you write to me again, direct to St. Louis.
From James Murkin to Anna Showalter
Letter 18
Jackson, Missouri September 3, 1861
My dear Ann,
Once more I have an opportunity to write a few lines to you as one of our men is going to start for Washington [Iowa] today. Dear Ann, I have no stamp to put on this letter as we cannot get any new ones here but I hope we will get to some places soon where we can get some. I should have wrote to you before but we could not send our letters.
Dear Ann, I am well and in good health and hope you are enjoying the same. Since I last wrote to you, we have been on the march and as the weather was warm, it was rather hard on us. We have been marching a week. we stopped yesterday for the first time but expect to start today or tomorrow again but don’t know where. I expect we will be where I cannot write home much as we are in an enemy’s country and our letters will not go through their hands. You must excuse my dirty writing this morning. It’s very warm here and it makes us sweat so much that I cannot keep the paper clean.
There have been a great many of our boys sick lately. Some of them are getting better. Four was sent back to the hospital at St. Louis. I believe William Creath 1 was one of them. He had something a matter with his knee. We was all pretty well used up by our last long march but having a day’s rest we are most all of us in good spirits. How glad we would be to stay three or four days and get well rested but we may have orders to march in two or three hours.
There seems to be a great deal of discontent in our regiment in regard to the oath we took when we [en]listed. They declare if they had their money, they would come home regardless of the consequences. I think they will do it, a great many of them. Dear Ann, the army is a hard place to be in. I often wish I was at home with you. If I knew once what I do now, I would have been at home and in your company instead of the one I am now in. Ann, I want you to be sure to write me a letter and send it by the man that brings this, His name is Robert Boyd. 2 You can easily find out when he starts back. I guess it will be hard to get letters either way now.
Dear Ann, I want you to write a few lines to Ditmar’s this morning and as Boyd is to start [home] about noon, I must bring my remarks to a close hoping I shall see you before long. I often look at your picture but I want to see you and be in your company again. Tis all I ask, I heard of some of the boys that got married and started off in the army the next day. Would you like for me to treat so? Ann, I often wish I was married. I must close, dear Ann, for the present and will write to you every chance I get and come home to see you as soon as I can. Dear Ann, I want to say more to you about the future but I can’t express my feelings and desire. Now goodbye for the present. From J. Murkin
To his heart’s desire.
1 Corporal William Creath of Washington county, Iowa, was 28 years old when he enlisted on 1 May 1861 in Co. H. He survived the war and mustered out in July 1865.
2Robert M. Boyd, Age 31. Residence Washington, nativity Ohio. Enlisted May 1, 1861. Mustered May 27, 1861. Mustered out May 27, 1864, expiration of term of service.
Letter 19
Jackson, Missouri September 6, 1861
My dear Anna,
I received your letter of the 20th of August day before yesterday. Although a long time coming, it was a welcome messenger and gladly received. I was glad to hear that you was well and in good health as I am happy to say I am well at this time. Dear Anna, the last time I wrote to you I had just arrived at this place after marching just one week steady and pretty well tired out. I expect we will move from this place in a day or two but to what part, we cannot tell. But I think it will be toward the river. It will be some time before you get this letter, I guess, as we have to send them down the river by some of our men whenever they go. But the worst is we have got no stamps and cannot get any here. But I will get some just as soon as i can. I was almost ashamed to send the last one I did to you without a stamp on it but that was the best I could under the circumstances. We was all fixed inn the same way without stamps.
Dear Anna, you said in your last letter you was tired working outdoors. I do sincerely hope your time will be short for that kind of work. If I could come home and see you I would gladly do it and relieve you from that bondage. But I am away trying to defend the stars and stripes and to uphold my country. If I should be permitted to come home on a furlough, you would not like to marry me and I have to return back to the army again in a few days and leave you, would you? If you will give your consent, I will do it just as soon as I could come home. You can think about it at your leisure and tell me in your next letter.
It is true I should have one at home that I could depend on. If a man have money in the army, he is very apt to lose it unless he is very careful. Now Anna, this is a matter between you and me and I want you to speak to me on the subject as if you was talking to me in person. I know it would be out of the question for me to come home just yet as a great many of our men are sick at this time and they need all that can do duty so under the present circumstances it would be almost impossible for a man that is well to get off unless he would desert. That is a thing I would not like to do. If I did, I would have to go somewhere where I was not known.
You said you would like for me to send you my likeness. I will do it the first chance I have to get it taken and send it to you. It may be soon, I can’t say as to that. We are looking for our new clothes now every day. When we get them, how I would like to come home and see you. The nice peaches we have to eat, they are the nicest ones I most ever saw. They are just a gettin ripe now. I often wish I could come over some evening and bring you some of them and I bet you would say they was good.
Please give my respects to your folks and tell them I am well and in good health. We heard yesterday that one of our men died in St. Louis the other day in the hospital. He belonged to our company. His name was White. 1 He lived in Washington.
Dear Anna, I must close for this time hoping to hear from you soon. Remember me though far away. — James Murkin
If I get no stamps to put on this, I will make it all up when I do.
1 Ishmael G. White died on 31 August 1861 at a hospital in St. Louis. He was 27 years aold when he enlisted in Co. H on 1 May 1861.
Letter 20
Birds Point, Missouri September 9th 1861
Dear Anna,
We started from Jackson Sunday morning, September 8th and arrived at Cape Girardeau at noon the same day, stopped there a few hours until evening and then took a very pleasant ride down the river to Bird’s Point, our old camping place and haven [where we] pitched our tents once more and have just eaten our dinners. I embrace this opportunity to pencil a few lines to you and hope they will find you and al your friends in good health as I am happy to say they leave me at this time. I find it is much better traveling by water than it is by foot. Our last trip we took by land from Ironton to Cape Girardeau was over a hilly country a great part of it and consequently quite tedious to us over a hot and very dusty road. But notwithstanding all the hills and dust to make it unpleasant to us, there [was an] abundance of fruit in places to add to our comfort and pleasant springs of water. But sometimes we had to travel 8 or 10 miles between which made it go rather hard with us.
Anna, I guess you will be at home with your folks long before you get this letter so that you can tell your folks how I am getting along in the world when I write to you which I shall always do as long as I can. I may possibly be placed is such circumstances at times so that I can’t write to you as often as I would [like] so that if such is the case, you won’t think hard of it. I do not know but I think by the appearance of things just now that our stay won’t be long at this place. It is reported that we are to ready at a moment’s warning.
Anna, you can tell your father that I saw a secession boat this morning that was captured last night by one of our gunboats.
Anna, you must excuse me this time for being brief as we have to get ready for dress parade. If all be well, I write again soon. So goodbye for the present, — J. Murkin
To Anna Showalter. Direct to Bird’s Point.
Letter 21
Bird’s Point, Missouri October 7th 1861
Dear Anna,
You will think I have forgotten you completely but it is not so, I have been sick three weeks and not able to write to anyone. But I am getting better now and thought I would try and write you a few lines this morning. I have run down so fast I do not think you would know me just now. Anna, you must not think about seing my likeness now. I would be afraid to send it to you. Besides, we have got no dress coats yet and don’t know when we will get them. It is a hard place in the army for a man to be sick, I cannot picture it out to you but there is a great many sick today in our regiment. I never the like of it. I feel so glad to be able to get round a little. I shall gather strength faster than in the tents.
Anna, I received your father’s [letter] and will answer it but not till I am stronger and more able to write. He said I need not be surprised if I saw him in Missouri. I would say to him that I think there is no need for him to leave his home—not the least. There is plenty of young, able men to go and older ones stay at home.
Anna, I am very weak and must soon close. If I do not write to you as regular as I have done before, you must not think hard of me. It is verytedious for me to write. I could not write with a pen at all. I must close by giving my respects to all. — James Murkin
Direct to Cairo.
Letter 22
Bird’s point [Missouri] October 27th 1861
Dear Anna,
I will try to write again. I received your letter the other day and was glad to hear from you all once again and to hear that you was all well. I wish I could say te same that I was well but I can’t do it at present. But I am getting better although it is slow. I am still under the doctor’s hands but I hope to be able to get along soon without his medicine. I am very weak yet. I guess you would not have known me when I first came out of the hospital. William Johnson is sick. He has been sick all the fall. I never saw a man so run down as he is. He is in the hospital yet. We have a great many sick in our company now but I hope we will all get better on now soon.
We are going to start for st. Louis today. We expect to stay there and recruit up again. I can’t tell you how long we will stay in St. Louis, perhaps all winter and perhaps only for a short time. When you write to me again, send it to St. Louis.
You must not think hard of me not writing to you oftener. I have not been able to so it but I hope this will be received as welcome as if I had wrote to you every day. I am not sitting on the steamboat writing a few lines. I shall send them to you when i get to St. Louis. It is now about 2 o’clock. I guess we won’t get started before night. Then we won’t get to St. Louis till late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. Our whole regiment is going along. It would be quite a sight, I expect, for you to see one of these large boats, This is one of the largest boats on the river. It is named the Memphis. I must rest a while before I write anymore.
We are not started yet. I guess we are going over to Cairo after some of the sick boys that are in the hospital over at that place so it will make it quite late before we get started for St. Louis. I guess this letter won’t be very interesting to you if I don’t change the subject a little.
Well, to change it, I will say that I should like to come home and get my health recruited up but there is one thing I don’t like about it and that is this—we have to pay our own fare and that is too much, I don’t think it right that a soldier should have to do that, It will cost too much although there is some doing it. But it will cost them considerable to go home. If we get to St. Louis, it will be some nearer and won’t cost as much but as I am getting better, I don’t think it any use for me to try to come home because I guess I could not get a pass. Except a man is very sick, he can’t get to go home.
We are now stopped on the river on account of the fog. It is so thick we dare not go and we have been stopped all night on account of the fog. We will start in about ten minutes. The sun just began to come out. We are just a starting again. I’ll post this just as quick as I get to St. Louis. Well, I guess I must close for this time, expecting to hear from you again soon. My love to all and tell them I am getting better although it is slow. Direct to St. Louis. Yours as ever, — James Murkin
Excuse my scribbling.
Letter 23
Camp of Instruction, Benton Barracks November 4, 1861
Dear Anna,
As an opportunity [presents itself], I will try and improve it in writing a few lines to you as it is nearly a week since I wrote to you last. I am glad to tell you I am still getting better and hope I will still continue to do so until I get well. We have been here nearly a week now and I like the place very well so far. We have first rate quarters to sleep in but we have to eat in an open shed. But I guess when the weather gets colder, it will be fixed up so as to make it comfortable.
I expect you would like to know how long we will stay here but I don’t know. But it is supposed we will stay about a month and then go down the river on an expedition. But I hope we will stay longer than that here as this is a pretty good place and healthy to the place we just left. But if we have to go down the river, i guess there will be a great many thousands of us go at the same time. But I shall write to you again before then if all be well.
Lemuel Donovan of Co. H, 2nd Iowa Regiment was 20 years old when he enlisted. He was also from Washington, Iowa.
I expect you was disappointed when I did not send my likeness as i promised to do. I will send it to you after a while when I get a little more like myself. We are getting a new suit of clothes now—all dark blue, so I can’t have that for an excuse. I shall not get it in a case to send to you for it might get lost but send it on a steel plate. Some of the boys are getting theirs taken in their overcoats but I don’t like them at all. I shall have mine taken in my dress coat.
There is a great man soldiers here at present. They was all out yesterday on review. The cavalry and all was out. They looked grand. There is several of our boys come home and some more are coming but they can’t stay but a short time. I could mention several names but I guess you would not know them. Some of the sick boys are getting better so they can’t get a furlough to come home. I guess it would be no use for me to try for one as I am gaining pretty fast now. I can just begin to eat now so that if I take care of myself, I will soon get stout again. May it be my happy lot to get well and enjoy good health again.
Bill Johnson 1 starts for home tomorrow. He gets along very slow. I don’t think he would ever get well here. I am glad he is going home for a while. I think he will get better at home where he can get anything he wants to eat which one can’t do here, There is no place like home.
Anna, I guess I have no more to say this time—only that I am tired and close for this time hoping to hear from you soon. I close by giving my respects to all. I am, Anna, yours as ever, — James Murkin
1 William V. Johnson of Washington county was 23 when he enlisted on 1 May 1861 in co. H. He was discharged for disability on 21 January 1862.
Letter 24
Benton Barracks November 10, 1861
Dear Anna,
I will try and write you a few lines to let you know that I am still getting better and will soon be able for duty again. I guess you will [think] I might have come home on a furlough as did a great many of the boys. I tried to get a furlough but as so many had gone, they had stopped giving furloughs for a week or two and they they will let some more go so I shall try to get me one to come home for a little while. Ten or fifteen days will be the longest time given, so the captain told me, so if I come I won’t have long to stay. But I will have time to go round and see the folks anyhow. I shall be glad to come home and see the folks if nothing else.
It must be pretty lonesome at home now at Washington. I don’t expect I could content myself there now for any length of time now. It would be too lonesome to me just now. I guess all the boys must have nearly all left round there now. I mean all that are good Union men at heart. I know of some yself who are at home but I do not thing they are the right kind of men at the present time anyhow.
The Missouri Republican, 9 November 1861
I suppose your father has heard of the fight down the river [at Belmont] I think about 25 miles below Bird’s Point. We left about a week to St. Louis before the expedition went down the river. I mean Bird’s Point. If we had not left, our regiment would have had to sent with them. The 7th Iowa Regiment have lost a great many men, so it is reported here, but we don’t know for certain. One man of that regiment wrote to his brother in our regiment and stated that one company went with 48 men and came back with 24. It is supposed to be a hard fight. You can let your father read this or read it to him but I guess he will see it in the papers and get the particulars better than I can give them as we don’t know what the result is yet. The newspapers state that Captain Crabb (see image below) is taken prisoner by the rebels.
I do not think I [have] much more to say at this time, Anna, so I will close by giving my respects to all. From, — J. Murkin
Capt. Benjamin Crabb, Co. H, 7th Iowa Infantry, captured at the Battle of Belmont. (Michael Huston Collection) Laura Dunning Elliott wrote a great story of Crabb’s capture in A Captain for Captain…, published Military Images Digital on 13 November 2022.
Letter 25
St. Louis, Missouri December 6th 1861
DearAnna,
Thinking you would like to know how I get a long, I have taken the opportunity this morning to say that I arrived here safe last night and found the boys in good spirits. I took the way by Fairfield to Keokuk and then took the boat to Quincy. Then had to take the cars to Springfield, the town where Lincoln used to live in, so I had the pleasure to see his house. We then took the care for St. Louis where we arrived all safe last evening.
Things look a little different here this morning to what they did when I left, to see so many soldiers. There is about 25,000 here now in the barracks and looking for more every day. It is quite a sight to see them out on drill. I have been looking up some of the boys of the other regiments. I found lots I knew. I saw S. Caty this morning and C. Young and Capt. Elrod and some others which I had not seen for four years. All the regiments are not here. It is doubtful whether they will come now. There is several of the Iowa regiments not here. I guess they will have to watch Old [Sterling] Price in Missouri as he seems to be there yet.
I heard that seven of the regiments was under marching orders. I heard that before I left Washington but it is not so. They have not heard anything of it here.
The weather is warm here at present. It is quite different to Iowa. There have been a few cold days here but not near like Iowa. Anna, you must write when you get this and let me know how you are all getting along. I did not get the last letter you wrote to me yet. Maybe I will the next. I am as well now as I ever was in my life. The boys was all glad to see me look so well.
I must close for this time. My respects to all. Yours as ever, — J. Murkin
Letter 26
Benton Barracks St. Louis, [Missouri] December 22, 1861
Dear Anna,
It has been some time since I wrote to you. I have not had the chance to write to you as I would like to have done. Our company has been to Cairo two times since I came back to the barracks. We took down 25 boats [of] what is called mortar boats for throwing bomb shells. It took us 10 or 11 days to make both trips from St. Louis to Cairo. We have had the prettiest weather since I came back [from Iowa] I ever saw for the time a year, I think. Until last Thursday [when] it began to get cold. Last night it began to snow [and] today it is snowing and raining together which makes it very unpleasant.
Anna, I have not heard from you since I came back. I wrote to you once soon after I came here. I think long till I hear from you. If you have not wrote yet since I saw you, be sure and write just as soon as you can. The time seems long.
Anna, before you get this letter, Christmas will no doubt be over. How I would like to be there and spend Christmas with you. But I must be contented to stay here in Benton Barracks, far away from her I love, yet with whom I hope to spend my days. Anna, it is reported that we are to stay in the city this winter to guard it. I hope we may. I would rather do it than go down the river to fight. Some of the boys want to stay. In fact, the most of them would like to stay in St. Louis all winter.
Anna, I am as well as I ever was in all my life. I think I am heavier than I ever was before. Some of the boys do not get along first rate since they got back. I have been lucky in that respect. I went right on duty soon as I got back. Anna, tell your father I wish he could see Cairo. It looks like war. It looks as if they was going to make a trip down the river before long. 1
Anna, I must close by giving my respects to all. When you write to me, direct to J. Murkin, St. Louis, in care of Capt. H. R. Cowles, Co. H, 2nd Infantry Iowa Vols. Our letters get mis-carried by going to the 2nd Iowa Cavalry. — James Murkin
1 In December 1861, Brigadier General Grant was building up forces at Cairo and conducting demonstrations against the Confederate stronghold at Columbus, Kentucky. The gunboat fleet was being prepared and assembled at Cairo, creating the appearance of a navy yard at the Cairo levee.
Letter 27
Camp Benton St. Louis, [Missouri] December 27, 1861
Dear Anna,
I received your letter yesterday and was glad to peruse its contents and to learn from that you was well and your folks likewise. I can say the same of myself with the exception of a cold I have taken lately.
When I last wrote to you, it was at Camp Benton which you can see above. The building in the center is headquarters. You can have a slight idea of the barracks by the drawing above but you cannot tell what it really is by the picture above.
I stated to you in my last that talk was that we was going to town to guard the city. We are moved to St. Louis but not to guard the town. We are guarding the secesh prisoners which was lately taken in Missouri. I think there is about 1300 of them all together. We had to escort them from the cars to the quarters made ready for them where we conducted them without any trouble but I do think they are the hardest looking set of men I most ever saw. They had no uniforms but old blankets and quilts. They was poorly clad. The people of St. Louis turned out in great numbers to see them as we conducted them from the cars. They were very anxious to get to see them but that game is played out now. How long they will stay here, we don’t know but [we] would like to be here all winter.
We have to guard the secesh pretty strong which makes it hard on us this cold weather. We have plenty of cold weather here now. I did not think the weather was as cold in winter here as it is. Last night was very cold. The quarters which we are in belong to a secesh doctor and also the one where the secesh are quartered right opposite to us on the other side of the street. That man that owned the property [Dr. Joseph McDowell] is now in the Southern army as head surgeon. He turned all his property over to his son. He thought by that to hold it but Uncle Sam was the oldest so he of course took it. The building which we are in will hold 2,000 men. It is intended for a boarding house. The one the secesh occupy is the [McDowell] Medical College and the students boarded in the one we are in. The property is supposed to be worth 1,000,000 dollars. That is pretty good for government. 1
One of the prisoners was show a few minutes ago. It was done through accident. He is wounded very bad. It is thought by the doctor that he cannot live. There is nothing of importance going on here at present.
Anna, this was the dullest Christmas to me I have ever seen, I think. I would like to have been at Washington [Iowa], or rather at your home and I think—yes, I know, that I should enjoyed myself better than I could have done anywhere else. I do hope Anna, that it may be our lot to spend next Christmas together. It is true our last visit was short, but I hope when we meet again, t’wil be to part no more. I [think] the troubles will soon cease and we all return safe to our homes. Anna, you must excuse my writing. We have no seats to sit on nor any table to write on. We all have to sleep on the floor but we enjoy ourselves first rate.
I must close for this time, Anna, by giving my love to you and respects to all. — J. Murkin
1 Gratiot Street Prison served as McDowell Medical College before the war. The head of the college, Dr. Joseph McDowell, was well known in the St. Louis community as a doctor. He was also known for his strange behavior and outspoken support for the South. Dr. McDowell acquired two cannons that he kept at his college. He would instruct his students to fire them on holidays. On one such holiday he dressed in a colonial-style three-cornered hat and instructed his students to “make Rome howl.” When the war broke out, McDowell made his way to the Confederacy, taking his cannons with him. As with many known Southern sympathizers his property was taken and became a barracks. Not long after, word came that 2,000 prisoners of war were on their way to St. Louis. A new facility was needed when Myrtle Street Prison became overcrowded. The McDowell Medical College building became Gratiot Street Prison in December 1861. Generally, Gratiot Street Prison served as a holding place for prisoners until they could be transferred to larger facilities. Gratiot was unique because it held not only Confederate prisoners of war, but also Southern sympathizers, political prisoners, mail runners, bridge burners, and even Union deserters. In many cases they were placed in the same rooms together. The prison was closed in 1865, but portions remained standing for many years. Sadly, both Gratiot and Myrtle Street prisons were torn down during a period of urban renewal. Source: Military Prisons, The Civil War in Missouri
The McDowell Medical College in St. Louis was converted into a Confederate Prison in December 1861. It was located at Gratiot and 8th Streets and was therefore called the Gratiot Military Prison.It’s history records that “on Christmas Eve of 1861, 1,200 Confederate prisoners marched solemnly toward their fate. They were the first of many to be incarcerated in Gratiot—a strangely configured structure with a large octagonal tower looming over any unfortunate inmates who dared escape. No only did Gratiot house prisoners of war but also woman, children, and those unlucky enough to be charged with violating the law in a time of war. And, life in this overcrowded place could be miserable.”
Letter 28
St. Louis, Missouri January 8, 1862 [should be 1862]
Dear Anna,
Yours of the 31st came to hand and after looking over its contents was sorry to hear that you was sick and was still encouraged to hear that you was getting better and hope when I hear from you again that you will be well. The cold which I had when I wrote to you, I am not well of yet. I have been quite unwell for a few days and have neglected writing to you. I am better this evening than I have been for some time. A great many of our boys have been quite sick with colds. It seems to be general all through the regiment. The weather is very bad here at present—some time rain and some times snow and sometimes freezing which makes the streets all ice and unpleasant to get about.
A humorous article appearing in the Daily Missouri Republican on 9 January 1862
I will send a newspaper with this letter. you will find on the first page a piece written by one of our boys. It is by Shedad. McDowell College is in Full Blast. It is on the outside column on the first page.
Anna, Christmas and New Years passed off very dull. We cannot get to go to town but very seldom. I have not been up to town since Christmas. We are kept pretty close. I guess it is better for sum than if we was allowed to go as we pleased. I have nothing of importance much to write as things at our college seem to be a going on about right. All is still and quiet. We are still having some new students every few days but they enter college very much against their will. We are looking for more every day from the western part of this state.
Anna, I got a letter from my mother the other day. She is well and she received my likeness safe but she thinks it do not look much like me. But it has been a long time since she saw me that I have changed and to see me in a military suit of clothes would make me look [even] more strange yet. She said she wished I was out of the army and peace and harmony once more reigned in this country. Anna, I hope that day will come soon and we all live to return home to greet those we have left at home.
Anna, I must close for this time. My respects to all your folks and love to. Anna, when you write, direct to James Murkin, Co. H, 2nd Infantry Iowa Vols.
Letter 29
St. Louis, Missouri January 27th 1862
Dear Anna,
Yours of the 19th came duly to hand yesterday and the contents gladly perused over. I was glad to find your health improved so that you was able to write the good news you did. Anna, I am glad that I can say the same in regard to myself. I am well at this time and enjoying the best of health and trust it may remain good.
“Jim Lane’s Expedition” to Texas, Hampshire Gazette, 28 January 1862
Anna, you say you have heard our regiment was going to leave St. Louis. That may be true but I don not know when. It may be in a few days or a week or two. There is none that know when or where but we expect to go down the river. But I hope we won’t have to lay at Bird’s Point this spring. Heaven keep us from staying there. I would rather go with Jim Lane into Texas than stay at Bird’s Point this spring. I saw a speech today that Jim Lane made in Chicago a few days ago. He says he wants his soldiers to fight and he will take negroes to carry our knapsacks. He says he wants a negro to every soldier. He is to have 34,000 soldiers and will want the same amount of negroes. Jim Lane is the very man for me. I hope he will steal ten times the amount of negroes that I speak of here and take them along to help our soldiers carry their baggage. Some of our boys are opposed to Jim Lane but I think he is the very man to fill the place assigned him and I wish him success.
Anna, I think our time is short in St. Louis but where we will go is unknown or who we will go under is hard to tell. We have not heard of Jim Lane taking our regiment with him yet but we hearrd todsay that our regiment was going to Louisville, Kentucky, when we left here.
Anna, I hope we shall be so we can hear from each other every week at least. If we don’t go with Jim Lane, I think we can. Anna, I wrote a few lines to your father a short time ago and told him how we was getting along with our “students.” There was been 75 prisoners died since they came here and 18 negroes. We have had several died in our regiment lately. They have never been well since last fall. Bird’s Point will long be remembered by a great many parents.
Anna, that paper I sent was directed to your father. I will send one to you when I send this letter. That will be tomorrow morning if all be well. I must go downstairs to roll call now, Anna, and finish this after I return.
28th. I did not finish it last night but will try to this morning. I have put a paper in the office for you this morning. Tell your father I sent one to him—the one I spoke of in my letter to you. Anna, I must close as I have to go on guard this morning. Anna, you need not put such a long direction on my letters. I will write it.
James Murkin, St. Louis, Mo., Company H, 2nd Infantry Iowa Volunteers.
My respects to all your folks and love to yourself. — James Murkin
Letter 30
Military Prison St. Louis, Missouri February 8th 1862
Dear Anna,
As we are under marching orders and do not know how soon we may have to leave, I have concluded to devote a short time in writing to you as I have a few idle minutes to spend in that way this evening. But how much pleasanter it would be to both of us to be in each other’s company this evening for a few hours. At any rate, it would be to me to be in the society of one of my heart’s desire.
Dear Anna, I am glad that I can write to you that I am well and enjoying the best of health and hope you are enjoying the same blessing. Some of our boys are sick. I think some of them will come home on furlough as they are not able to march. William Creath is coming home on furlough and two or three others. As a general thing, the health of our regiment is good.
I can’t tell you how soon we may start or where we may go to. It’s hard to tell where we may go. When the news came to us yesterday that Fort Henry had given up to our troops after a short fight of little over an hour, our camp was wild with excitement. The flags of our regiment was all put out in token of the victory our troops had gained. The prisoners ran to the doors and windows to find out what the excitement was [and] when they found out, it grieved them to the heart to think they was beaten again by the Union troops. May Heaven grant us victory and preserve our lives in every struggle for our country and its rights. May the rebels be shortly made to acknowledge the United States as one government and place, and harmony restored again, and we be permitted to return to our homes.
Anna, I will send your father a paper tomorrow. It will contain the news of the fight at Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. I would send one today but I can’t get one now. When you write, send me word whether you got the papers or not that I sent to you. Anna, I must close for this time. My love to you and respects to all. Goodbye. – James Murkin
A facsimile of the Daily Missouri Democrat on Saturday, 8 February 1862.
Letter 31
Fort Donelson, Tennessee February 27th 1862
Dear Anna,
I received your kind missive by G. W. Neal a few minutes ago. After reading over its contents, I was sorry to learn of the cold you had taken and given you a backset. you must take care and be sure not to expose yourself to the cold anymore than you can help till you are able and out of danger. I am glad to learn that you are with Miss Powell. You can sympathize with each other while we are in Fort Donelson in Tennessee. I wish you and Miss Powell could come up here some evening and see us. We are living in log huts the rebels built for their own use. I was never so surprised in my life as I was on Sunday morning after the rebels had given up to us. They say it is about as strong a fortified place as the rebels have in this part of the country. They was a lot of cowards or they would not have given up as they did. Let us have fifty thousand men and all the South can’t take it from us.
I don’t know how long we will stay here but hope our time will be short. We get no news here. We don’t know what is going on. Anna, it is not of much use for me to write to you about the fight. You can see it in the papers better than I can write it in a letter. But I am thankful that I am unhurt and live to write to you.
You say you heard that our regiment left St. Louis in disgrace. We had to march out of St. Louis without music and banner furled up, It was rather hard for us to stand it but we did. But the man that gave the order must keep out of reach of our regiment. Some of the boys has swore vengeance on him. 1
And you say the girls are all getting married round there? Is it to some of the boys who had not courage enough to go and fight for the stars and stripes? They can’t say that of us. We had the courage to scale the enemy’s breastworks and show our bravery in planting the stars and stripes on the top of them.
Our prospect is good for coming home in the spring. I don’t think we will have anymore fighting to do at any rate. I hope not and I will send you a note of scrip such as the rebels use in Tennessee. You must keep it until I come to you.
The ten cent scrip, Bank of Tennessee, enclosed in James Murkin’s letter of 27 February 1862
Anna, you must excuse my writing as I have got no ink. Anna, I must close now and go out on dress parade. Give my respects to all your folks. Direct your letters to St. Louis. — J. Murkin
1 It was General Halleck that ordered the 2nd Iowa Infantry to march out of St. Louis in disgrace. It was meant as punishment for some members of the regiment breaking into the McDowell Medical College museum (where they were guarding rebel prisoners) and stealing several items. After the regiment redeemed itself at the Battle of Fort Donelson in mid-February, Halleck praised the regiment, writing, “The 2nd Iowa Infantry proved themselves the bravest of the brave. They had the honor of leading the column which entered Fort Donelson.”
[Editor’s Note: For a more complete description of the Battle of Donelson by a member of the 2nd Iowa Infantry, see the letter published on Spared & Shared in May 2023 written by Aaron Masterson Colliver to Andrew Colliver on 18 February 1862. Aaron served in Co. G. In it he states, “I have never [seen] such a sight. May God grant that mortal man may never see such again. This hill is about four hundred yards long and has had a heavy growth of timber on it which has been felled. Through this mass of brush and logs we forced our way at a front movement while the balls came like hail. This movement was kept up until we climbed over their earthworks without a gun being fired, when we opened fire on the retreating rebels [in the 30th Tennessee] with considerable effect. We were reinforced after engaging the enemy for some time. We fought for about three hours when night came on when we fell back to the breastworks and lay on our arms for the night. The next morning, after considerable sparring about, they surrendered the fort with all their implements of war and some twenty thousand prisoners.”]
Letter 32
[On the banks of the Tennessee River] March 10th, 1862
Dear Anna,
We are in camp on the banks of the Tennessee river, three miles above Fort Henry. We left Fort Donelson last Thursday, the 6th of March, and marched 15 miles across the country to the Tennessee river where we still are up to the time of my writing these lines to you. We are expecting to go aboard [a transport] every hour. I guess there is not less than 50 or 60 thousand soldiers here within three or four miles at the present time. The talk is we are going to Alabama but we do not know for certain where we are bound to.
I wish you was here to see the number of boats and men here who are ready to [go] on the expedition, wherever it may [go] to. May God grant us success and preserve our lives and grant the time will soon come when peace will be restored and we permitted to return home. I expect, Anna, you will think me slow in writing to you but I have not had the opportunity to do so. You must not think hard [of me] if you do not get to hear from me as [often as] before. I expect we will soon go where it will be difficult to hear from each other for a while. You must write as often as you can and let me know how you are getting along and all your folks.
A massive Confederate Bowie Knife “captured at Fort Donelson by an Iowa Soldier” Bridgeman images
We have heard of a fight at Manassas and heard our troops beat the rebels but we don’t know whether to believe it or not. We seem to be out of the world here in regard to getting news. We get none at all scarcely. But we hope the report is true at any rate.
Anna, tell your father I have got a good butcher knife. The blade is about a foot long. I got it at Fort Donelson. It’s what the rebels call a Mississippi Tiger. A regiment from the State of Mississippi was all armed with them. I want [to] fetch it home if I can. I captured a carpet blanket but had to sell it. I could not carry it. I got a sword and a pistol on the battlefield. I sold all but my knife which I intend to bring home if I can. 1
Anna, I wish I was at your home to eat supper tonight and get some of your light bread. We get none at all now. All hard crackers.
Anna, I will bring this missive to a close by giving my respects to all your folks and hope to see you soon. — J. Murkin
1 The knife described by Murkin may have been carried by a member of the “Tippa Tigers” (Company C) of the 23rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, many of whom were taken prisoner at Fort Donelson.
“Group of Confederate Prisoners Captured at Fort Donelson, on the Morning After the Surrender, Clothed in Bed Blankets, Pieces of Carpeting, Etc.,” from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated History of the Civil War, 1895 Library Photograph Collection
Letter 33
Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River March 23, 1862
Dear Anna,
I supppose you are aware that we have left Fort Donelson which place we left on the 6th of March and came to this river. We are camped about a mile back from the river [in] a very nice place but I am afraid our stay will be shorter here. We can guess at it and that is about all we know. The rebels had commenced to fortify this place [but] our gunboats came up and shelled them out, killing 80 of them and the rest fled for parts unknown. But the graves tell the sad tale of the deed. No pen can describe the horrors of a battlefield.
I could not tell how many soldiers we have here at this time but there has been 100 boats up this river loaded with troops and some of them have made two trips. That was before we left the boat. We have been in camp here three days and they are still coming. It is the greatest sight I most ever saw.
We laid on the boat 9 days. We was so crowded that it was very unpleasant to all on board. We are about 10 miles from Alabama and about the same from the State of Mississippi so you will see we are getting pretty well down south. Spring is coming on quite fast here. The peach trees has been out in bloom several days and other small flowers likewise. This may be a good country but I have not seen a good location on the river yet. I expect we will [need] to see the country more yet before we get through, but I would be willing to see all things settled and we return home.
It is ten months today since we left Washington [Iowa]. I hope two more will bring us all safe home again. We have four boys of our company who are getting discharged on account of disability. They are from the country. I shall send this by one of them to Washington if I can or by one of the 7th [Iowa] boys. We get no mail at all now nor news of any kind. I have not heard from you since you sent with Miss Powell. The time seems long to me. We heard a short time ago our letters would not go any further than Cairo so we did[n’t] care about writing much. I expect it will be out of the question for us to send letters much longer if we have to march again so you must not think hard of it. Some say we are a going to Memphis but no one knows so I will not attempt to say. But I hope we will show to the Southern people that we are not what they say we are—a lot of thieves and robbers come to steal negroes and destroy their homes and property, but that we come to restore peace and put down rebellion. May God speed us in all our undertakings to bring these troubles to a close.
Anna, it is getting late and I must close. Give my respects to your father and mother and all the rest of the family, yourself included, Anna. — Jas. Murkin
May the heavens be our guide till we shall meet again. Direct to Cairo.
Letter 34
Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee April 6th 1862
Dear Anna,
I guess you will think that I have entirely forgotten you but such is not the case. But owing to a report which has been in circulation here that our letters would not go any further than Cairo until this expedition moved on further—but a great many of us are inclined to think it false. Be that as it may, I guess I can send it by a man of our company as we have five men getting their discharge and will start for home in a day or so.
Anna, the last time I heard from you the news was not very gratifying to me to hear that your health was so poor. But I trust these few lines will find you perfectly restored to health as that is the greatest blessing we enjoy in this life. I am happy to say that my health is good at the present time and trust it will continue.
The 7th Iowa is camped close to us but we did not hear them make noise at all. The 7th and the 2nd [Iowa] have seen the elephant, as they term it, and are perfectly satisfied and will be contented to see it no more. Most all of the Iowa troops are here with the exception of three or four regiments. The 4th and 5th and 9th and 10th Regiments are not here yet. Whether they are coming or not, we don’t know. time alone can tell.
April the 9th.
Since writing the above we have had one of the bloodiest battles ever fought on this continent. I commenced to write this letter on Saturday evening and intended to finish it on Sunday and send it by our boys that was coming home, but was disappointed. I had just commenced to write on Sabbath morning as the long roll beat for us to fall in line which was quickly obeyed. The rebels has attacked us in earnest on our out[er] lines and got into our camp while some of the boys was eating breakfast so they had not much time to do anything at all. The sutler of the 6th Iowa Regiment lost a thousand dollars in cash. He had not time to get it out of his trunk so you see they was close on us before we had time to do anything.
The fight lasted all day on Sunday until dark. We lost ground all day. Such a night as Sunday night I never want to see again after such hard fighting all day. [We] had to stay in line of battle all night in a drenching rain ready for the rebels at daylight. If we had not been reinforced by General Buell, they would have beat us, I believe, complete. It is no use for me to try to describe the battle to you. I can’t do it. we thought Fort Donelson was a bloody battle but it is not to be compared with this.
Since the Battle of Fort Donelson, 14 of our company have left us, four have died, and the balance discharged on account of not being able to do military duty. [Samuel A.] Mealley died on the battlefield [at Fort Donelson]. Weber [?] died from the effect of having his thigh broken and after taking [it] off. He died going to Cairo. We have had two died since we came here. One died on the 30th of March after a short illness. His name was John [R.] Fullerton. He came from Crawfordsville. He joined our company at St. Louis just before we left. The other was our drummer by the name of [Samuel M] Eicher from Dutch Creek. He died on the 1st of April after a short illness of four or five days. So you can see that our company is going down fast. I hope we that are left will all live to come home together.
The health of our company is good at present. I think this is a healthy place where we are at now. we are camped about a mile back from the Tennessee river in the woods, or rather in a field—a very pleasant place. The trees are coming out in full leaf and the flowers begin to deck the ground, all indicating that spring is at hand. I have not seen any very pleasant looking places since we came into Tennessee. we have not seen much of the country, only as we came up the river. But I should think from appearance of the country round here that there some very pleasant places to live on further back in the country. I guess before this missive reaches you, we will see more of the country than we have any desire to see.
I suppose you have heard of the place where the rebels are making a stand. The name of it is Corinth. It is about 20 miles from here and been strongly fortified by the rebels. Our pickets had a little skirmish on the 4th of this month. we took 30 or 40 prisoners. It made quite an excitement in camp. we was ordered to be ready at a moment’s warning with two days provisions. Our regiment was kept very still while other regiments shouted and hoped to think they was a going to see the elephant.
Monday morning came and just after daylight the battle was raging again. The roar of the cannon and musketry was dreadful. The rebels out numbered us on Sunday and drove us from our ground, but we made up with them on Monday in number.
We made the attack on Monday morning and in earnest too and the rebels knew it to and began to give way and fall back, we still following them up. Sometimes we had to fall back a little to gain a better position [but] we continued to gain on them all day. They disputed every inch of ground and fought like tigers to the last until about four o’clock in the afternoon on Monday [when] they began to run for dear life and the Yankees—as htey call us—after them. We have not heard the result yet. Some of General Buell’s force went after them. We heard last night we had taken ten thousand prisoners and captured all their artillery and baggage wagons. I hope it is true. They took a great many of our men prisoners. On Monday our regiment came very near being taken. We was very near surrounded but just made good our escape. We took and [were] held in reserve in case we had been needed but came in to quarters again at night and slept in our tents. Lucky for us for it rained and thundered all night so it was lucky for to get back to camp as we did. Today we have been in quarters and not allowed to leave.
Anna, do you write as often as you can? Direct to Cairo. Give my respects to your father and mother and the rest of the folks. Tell Franklin if it was not so far, I would bring him a secesh rifle, but I could not do it now. They search everything that is boxed up to send. I hope this is the death blow to secesh and that we will soon be at home. write soon. Yours as ever till death, — James Murkin
Letter 35
About 4 miles from Corinth May 16th 1862
Dear Anna.
I have been quite unwell; for some time but I am better now. The place we are at now is very scarce of water. We are not at a town but camped in the woods. it is quite warm here already. We laid strewed all over the ground anywhere of a night. We have only two tents for the whole compsany and it is too warm for many to stay in them at night. But I will change the subject a little.
You are all expecting to hear of another big fight from this quarter. We have all been looking too for it before this time but it is not come off yet. If the Corinthans do not leave Corinth, we will ave a warm time here pretty soon. We are taking some of the rebels every day. Some come in and give themselves up.
I have not much time to write much this morning—only to let you know that my health is better a great deal than it has been for some time and that we are getting close to Corinth. We have had some little fighting on our right wing every day lately.
I received your letter sent by William Creath. Was sorry to hear you was all sick but I was glad to hear of your health being improved so much and hope it will continue to do so. I received them two newspapers your father sent to me. I am much obliged to him for them. I must close, Anna. y respects to all and love to you. — J. Murkin
Letter 36
About two miles from Corinth in line of battle May 25, 1862
Dear Anna,
You have all been looking with anxious eyes to this place fora long time, I have no doubt, as have the whole West, but the tale is not told yet. But we are expecting it to commence every hour. We have to lay on our arms every night and keep ourselves ready at a moment’s warning. Our pickets and the rebels are skirmishing all the time. The fight must come off soon. I expect before you get this letter the fight will be over and we in Corinth or driven back. God grant that we may be successful and accomplish our object and bringthe rebel leaders to justice.
We are camped in the woods all the time ever since we landed at Pittsburg Landing. The country is very poorly settled, what I have seen of it. we saw some very pretty places as we came along but they was very poorly farmed. There is plenty of fruit in Tennessee this year. That is all they will have to live on as far as I can see. There is no men left to put in crops and tend to farming. But all seems to have gone to Corinth round here and I guess that such is the case for whenever we come to a house, we find no men folks. Some of the women are honest enough to tell us that their men are gone to fight for their rights and country, but how they are deluded and led astray by not reading and judging for themselves. School houses—they don’t know how to build in this country. I have not seen one yet in Tennessee. I think they need missionaries in the South bad as they do in India. Ignorance seems to have the lead in the South. The slaves seems to have all left and gone with their masters to do their work but they cannot screen them from justice which they deserve.
We have to pay forty cents per dozen for eggs, 50 cents per pound for butter. A bottle of pickles such as we pay 50 cents for at home we have to pay $1.25 to $1.50 here and everything else in proportion. So you can have a slight idea how we have to pay for everything we get from the sutlers. A man needs such things sometimes but we have to pay dear for them. Such are the treatments a soldier gets from home.
Anna, I received the letter you sent by William Creath. I was glad to hear that you was getting better but on the other hand I was sorry to hear of the sickness in the family. But I hope all is well before this time and that I shall hear from you soon with good news. I have been quite sick for some time but my health is a great deal better now. I am doing duty now. I will write to you as son as anything takes place.
I must close my remarks for this time. My respects to all your folks and love to you. I will direct on envelope for you to send me a letter in. We expect to be in Corinth soon. Write soon. — James Murkin
Letter 37
State of Mississippi June 5, 1862
Dear Anna,
We started again yesterday enroute for Boonville in this state. Some say the rebels are making a stand there but how true it is, I can’t say. Yesterday we went but a short distance, 8 or 9 miles. The roads are bad in some places which make it bad to travel. We crossed over a bridge yesterday which the rebels had destroyed. It crossed over a small stream. Our troops had to build a new one to cross over on. The rebels tried to stop our men from building it but we drove them back when they found we was determined to build one. They had to start in a hurry. That was their rear guard only. The main army was ahead.
We are not marching today but are stopping in the woods. We do not know where we are bound but some say to Boonville. But I would like to turn back. I have no desire to go any further south to sleep with lizards and snakes. This is the greatest country for the reptiles I ever saw.
Anna, last 4th of July we was at St. Joseph in Missouri. Oh, how I would like to be at Washington [Iowa] next 4th and celebrate it there. Heaven grant we may all be at home and at peace with all mankind—our own country in particular. But what another month will bring forth, God only knows. But let us pray for peace.
June 6, 1862. This morning we are going to repair a bridge. Our regiment is all a going. It’s quite a large bridge crossing a creek and slough. They did considerable damage to it—the rebels. After working till noon, we was ordered back to camp [and] from thence to Boonville, a distance of 12 miles. The weather is very warm and the roads very dusty which makes it bad traveling. Besides, it is very bad to get good water here. The brigade we are in did not stop till 10 o’clock that night. Most of the boys gave out and did not get into camp that night till next day. we stopped within two miles of Boonville.
June 7, 1862. We rested here all day and night.
June 8th, 1862. Orders came early this morning for our regiment to be ready to start back at 6 o’clock this morning to go and fix the bridge. We are in our old camp just now but expect to start for the bridge every minute. Such is a soldier’s life in time of war. What the object of our march to Boonville was, we know not.
Wheat is already cut in this country. All I have seen is very poor. I have not seen but little anyhow. This is not the country for wheat. We went through a small town today. It was nearly deserted by the inhabitants. As we pass along, we find some of the farmers at home and some left afraid of our army. The secesh tell them we will kill them—the army that passed through this route. So a farmer told me the other night. Some believe it and leave hoe. Some act the wise part and stay at home. We are just a going to start to the railroad bridge, ready for work tomorrow.
June 9th 1862. We commenced again on the bridge this morning. I would much rather be here than marching. There will have to be somebody to guard the railroad bridges. I hope our regiment will be one to do it. To travel is hard work. Tonight I have to go out on picket on guard.
June 10th 1862. This morning I will try and finish my letter. Anna, I and two of mycomrades have been in the woods all night and we have to stay all day until night before we will be relieved. The two boys with me are gone a few yards to a small river to try and catch some fish. I hope they will succeed and catch some while I am writing to you. There is not quite so much danger standing picket guard here as there was at Corinth. The rebels are further of us and I hope they will still get further from us. I desire their company no more.
I was on picket guard the night the rebels left Corinth. When me and my two comrades sat down to supper, the balls whistled round us [and] we had to get behind trees to eat it to keep from being shot. I thought of home then. How different it was to be at peace at home than in the situation I was then placed in.
Anna, I have not heard from you since William Creath came back. The time seems so long. I hope I will get a letter soon. Our mail comes very unregular here. I look for one every day but in vain. Anna, I would like to be at home now and stay a few weeks or rather a few months. I could pass them quite contented a great deal more so than here.
Peaches are plenty here and plums and blackberries too. They are getting ripe quite fast. This is a great country for blackberries so far as I have seen.
Anna, I guess I will have to bring my remarks to a close and hope they will find you all in the best of health. Give my respects to all your folks. Write soon. Direct to Cairo or to Pittsburg Landing. — Jos. Murkin
Letter 38
State of Mississippi In camp 2 miles south of Corinth June 19th 1862
Dear Anna,
Yours of the 8th came duly to hand today and found me well, I am happy to say. As I had not heard from you since William Creath came back, I began to think all our letters was getting miscarried and we doomed to disappointment. But at last he long looked for missive came and the lines gladly perused until I found out its contents. Anna, I am glad to know that your health is improved so much and that your folks are all well too. Anna, good health is the greatest blessing we enjoy on earth.
Anna, you say you are a going to live with Miss Gray this summer. You must be a good girldf and if I can, I will be sure to come and see you. I wish I could come on the 4th of July instead of dragging over a miserable 4th of July in this part of the earth. Last 4th we was at St. Joseph, Missouri, but where will we be this coming 4th? I would love to be at home but that can’t be now. The time is too near at hand and we must give up all hope of being at home on the 4th of July next. But Anna, you must not let our absence spoil yours. I hope you will have a good time. If we stay here, we will be shut up in camp, I guess, but we may be miles from this camp by that time. Who can tell or read the future? The past has been gloomy sometimes to us soldiers. It did look a hard road to travel and so it was some days. And them days many a brave soldier went to his reward in heaven, I trust. I gope we will see no more such, but trust the future will bring peace to our country and a bright prospect to us for home.
Anna, William Creath did say to me when he came back that you looked very bad and that you had been very sick. i of course enquired after your health and he told me the state of your health as near as he could, but Oh how long the time has seemed to me since then when he handed me the letter you sent by him until today when I received another.
I say the time has seemed long to me and it seems that such is the luck that you have such is the disappointments in life. Anna, you say that some of the boys are coming back to their regiments who have been home on sick furlough/ This is not a very good place to come to for one who has been sick. There was six of our company discharged one day this week and are now on their way home to pleasant Iowa, and we are still in the land of cotton. But I do hope to come home one of these days soon and find you at Miss Gray’s. Maybe I shall come on a day when you think not. I would like to start for home tomorrow and bring this letter mysaelf. Then I would be be sure that you would get it.
The place we are camped in now is pretty healthy and will be a very pleasant one after we get it cleaned up. The only objection to it is water. It’s rather unhandy and of course makes it quite unpleasant in a warm time like this. I wish we was in a part of the country where it is better settled on account of getting fruit. It is not very well settled round here. This seems to be a poor part of the country and not very well settled. The nights are very cool in this country. The citizens say they never knew it to be so cold at night as it is this season. They say they are extremely cold and that has a tendency to make it unhealthy to some extent at least.
Oh, I must not forget to mention one little item. we have a swarm of bees in Company H, or rather Company H caught them hanging to a bough close to the railroad. We are encamped within 200 yards of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad—that is the name of it. we can gather honey after a while on a small scale.
We have two men toed to a tree for getting drunk and fighting and striking a negro, but they do not belong to our company. I am glad they did not for it would have been a drawback on Company H had they belonged to it.
Anna, you must be sure and write as soon as you get this and let me know how you are getting along. It seems to be the prevailing idea here in camp that our regiment will come back to St. Louis or to Davenport, Iowa. I wish such may be the case. Then I will get a chance to come home and see the folks again. All the boys that are coming back from home say that is the report in st. Louis, that the 2nd Regiment Iowa is coming back—that is, by men who ought to know the truth in such matters. One of the head commanders told one of our men so that we would all be back in a few days.
Anna, I will have to bring my remarks to a close. Duty calls me another way to drill and i must obey the call. My respects to all. Write soon. Direct to Corinth — James Murkin
William Creath is not very well at this time.
Letter 39
Camp Montgomery, Mississippi July 4, 1862
Dear Anna,
As this is a clear, bright morning [and] our national independence day, I concluded to devote a part of it in writing a few lines to you to let you know that I am well and trust these lines will find you enjoying the [same] blessing.
Anna, early this morning we was greeted with the roar of cannon to let us know it was the 4th of july—a day which has been respected by all American people since the time it was first established until the rebellion broke out. It seems to me that this day ought to wake the rebels up to see where they are standing and give them a strong and ardent desire to return to the Union again. Oh what good news that would be to all us soldier boys and to all in general. Anna, won’t we rejoice to see that day? Won’t we have a good time in general? It will be a day long to be remembered by all. May God speed the happy day of peace and unity in America.
Anna, when I heard the cannon rattle this morning, it reminded me of Pittsburg or Shiloh fight. The thought made me shudder and also the hearts of many a mother to bleed and shed tears of sorrow when they think of their sons who are now sleeping in the silent tomb, far from friends and hoe. But they have one great consolation. They died for the stars and stripes—the flag of their country which the rebels had trailed in the dust.
Anna, since I last wrote to you, all has been quiet here round Corinth. But we all feel anxious about Richmond to hear of it being taken by our troops. We hear reports about it every day but we cannot believe them.
We have a very nice place to camp. I just wish you could come and see us and our camping ground. I think you would say it was a nice place for a camp. We have it cleaned up nice and the streets swept clean and nice. If we do not come back north this summer, I hope we will stay here rather than go south on account of sickness. The health of our regiment is pretty good now and some of the boys are coming back to the regiment that has been home on sick furlough and some have been discharged from the service. Our regiment is still getting smaller. They are going one by one. We who are left ought to be thankful that we have good health and are able to stand it.
Anna, I guess I will have to pass this day in camp and it is no use to murmur or complain. But if I was at Washington [Iowa] today, I could enjoy yself and have a good time. Maybe we will all be at home by the fair. I hope we will. Anna, I don’t think I have much more to say this time, but remember me to your folks and tell them I have the best of health. Write as often as you can and tell me what kind of a 4th of July you had and how you enjoyed it. I suppose you will see Miss Powell. Tell her George is well. My love to you and respects to all. From Jas. Murkin
Letter 40
Camp Montgomery July 13, 1862
Dear Anna,
Once more I take the pleasure to write you a few lines to let you know that my health is good at this time and hope this silent missive will find you enjoying the [same] blessing.
Anna, since I last wrote to you nothing of importance has transpired here at Corinth but at Boonville 27 miles south of this place there is some talk of a fight between the rebels and our men. I hope we go any nearer to it than we are. I am willing to quit fighting and return home because I think our regiment has done its duty. A soldier’s life is a very unpleasant life to lead. I am tired of it and would like to return home. The prospect for the war to be brought to a close is not so bright in my opinion as it was sometime ago. It seems that our troops are repulsed at Richmond and in different parts of the country. All these things to my mind so not indicate the prosperity of our county. But I hope and trust that things will take a turn in our favor. If reports are all true, it looks dark at present. This is the dark side of the picture. Anna, you must look at it in a different light and hope for the best and trust that the war will soon cease. Then we will gladly bid farewell to soldiering and rest in peace at home with those we left and hope soon to be with again.
Anna, I suppose you are aware the President has called for more troops. I guess that will include some of those young men he has failed to enlist as a soldier in defense of his country’s rights—young men though they are able bodied but weak hearted—and those young men, some of them, are in Washington [Iowa] going to college and some behind the counter and some are tilling the soil all over the North. Whatever their calling in life may be, they have no excuse to say now, “I will go if I am needed.” I heard some of them make that excuse myself. I hope all them who are of age will obey the call and show to the rebels that we are in earnest and intend to defend the stars and stripes.
Anna, you stated in your letter that Franklin was going out this summer. I should like to know who he is a going to live with. Tell him he must not think of going a soldiering this summer but must stay home and raise something for us to eat. Your father, I guess, will stay contented at home and let them go that are more at liberty and more able to endure a soldier’s life. Although he is able enough, but nevertheless he has no right to leave home while he can look round him and see able bodied young men at home who are at liberty and no one to take care of but themselves. Now I say such men ought to go and show the love they have for the stars and stripes and the laws of his country.
Anna, I guess I will close my remarks for this time. Give my respects to all your folks. Anna, I hope to be in Washington [Iowa] by the fair as we failed to be there on the 4th of July. If not, we will still hope and say hearts parted thus, learn much of sorrow, but smiles are felt as well as tears, and hopes as well as fears. — Jas. Murkin
Letter 41
Camp Montgomery Near Corinth, Mississippi July 23, 1862
Dear Anna,
As I have a few minutes of idle time, I devote it in wrtiting a few thoughts to you. My health is good at this time and hope these few lines may find you well.
Anna, in your last letter you stated you spent the 4th [of July] at Brighton but under the circumstances you did not enjoy yourself as well as if I had been there. It seems that your mind was down in Dixie with me enjoying the 4th of July under a hot southern sun in a rebels’ country, the land of the oppressed but I hope will soon be the land of the free. How I would like to have been with you at Brighton on the 4th of July. I guess it would have passed off a great deal better than it did for you and me. I hope you will have your desire granted—that we may live together before long. Then my wishes will be fulfilled also. The hopes of the future is what keeps up the soldiers’ sprits while far from home and those we love.
Last night as I was on guard standing beneath a tree alone, I thought of the times we had passed in each other’s company. the thoughts came came fresh to my mind and I longed for home again. But I must be contentedwhere i am for a while. But you may depend the first chance I can get to come home, I will do it if it’s for nothing else but to make our promises good. you will agree to that, will you not?
Me and three of my comrades went into the country the other day to get some butter. We found it after going to four houses. We saw some of the southern ladies. I will not give my opinion of them I saw but I think the best looking ones must have gone south, afraid we should see them. But let them go. The other day as me and my comrade—a youung man from Richmond [Iowa]—went out to gather some blackberries, we saw a lady plowing corn. She had one horse and a cultivator. A young man was with her. He also had a horse and plow. You can guess their color. I asked her if that was the rule of the country—for ladies to plow corn? She answered it was. She appeared to be contented. We passed on and left them to mind the corn.
Anna, I suppose before you get this letter you will have heard that five of our company was discharged yesterday and started for home on account of disability. I would love to come home but I want good health when I do. But I shall come under any consideration, sick or well, if I can. I expect some of the young men are afraid they will have to go to war now, are they not? I hope they will turn out like men than to stay back to be drafted and compelled to come.
Anna, my health is better now than ever it has been for a long time. The boys say I will get blind pretty soon because I am getting so fat, I look quite different now to what I did when you saw me last, I wrote to your father a short time ago. You must give my respects to all your folks and accept the same yourself.Write soon and give me all the news you can. Yours till death. — Jas. Murkin
Letter 42
Camp Montgomery, Mississippi August 3rd 1862
Dear Anna,
I received your kind letter the other day [and] was glad to hear from you again and to hear that your health was so good. I can say the same of myself. I am enjoying the best of health at this time. Also the health of our company is good as a general thing. In fact, the whole army in this quarter are in good spirits and seem to enjoy a camp life pretty well. In passing through the different camps the past seems to be entirely forgotten and the scenes of blood and carnage which we have passed through seem to be banished from the minds of the soldiers. So instead of gloom and sadness resting on the minds of us, the bright prospects of home and a speedy overthrow of treason and the restoration of peace to our now distracted country loom up in its stead.
While looking over the different papers that come to our camp, we are highly gratified to see how the call of the President is being obeyed by the men of the North who are fast filing up the number [quota] required. It seems they are getting awake to a sense of danger, I am glad to see it and hope they will continue to do so until we have enough to crush out the rebellion and drive it and its founders to that place where the great arch fiend of God and man reside. There is where it started from and there is where it will end, sooner or later.
Anna, I wrote a few lines to Franklin the other day. I did not say much to him as I had not the time to write but simply told him not to enlist as he was too young to endure the fatigue of military life. I think if he considers the matter, he will stay at home and let others step in who is capable of doing military duty and who are in duty bound to go before those under age. It seems by your letter that you get false reports as well as we do here in regard to military matters, The report about us going to Richmond is false. We are still at Corinth.
You stated in your letter that you had been to Mrs. Ditmars. I am glad you went to see her. She has been anxious all the time for you to call and see her. I wish I had been there too but that is folly in the extreme, is it not, to wish that. But I hope we will meet there ere long. I got a letter from them yesterday and they stated in it that you had been there. They was highly pleased with your visit.
Anna, you state in your letter that you had hoped to see me at home this summer but the signs of the present times drive them hopes away and doubts come in their place. It is very doubtful in my mind whether I will be permitted to come home this summer if my health stay good but if i can get a furlough, I will do it. I would like to come and see you. If I could only stay a short time I would come. Anna, give my respects to Mrs. Gray and tell her I hope we will all live to see this war close. And although we are strangers now, I hope to become better acquainted [even] if it’s by eating dinner at the table. i would like to be there today rather than be in this place. I am in at this time an enemy’s country. Let us hope the time will soon come when we will see each other and allowed to stay at home when there will be no contending armies to disturb the peace and happiness of this once happy republic, but now threatened with destruction. May they learn wisdom, cease to do evil, learn to do well, then peace will reign supreme. May heaven grant it.
Anna, I must close. Give my respects to all your folks and love to Anna. From Jas. Murkin
Letter 43
Camp Montgomery, Mississippi August 10, 1862
Dear Anna,
Yours of the 2nd came duly to hand yesterday and its content gladly perused. I was glad to find you all well. I am glad to state that it found me in the best of health. The health of the regiment is pretty good at this time. The weather is very warm here now but it seems to agree with us very well beyond the expectations of a great many. I may say nearly all of us did not expect to have our health as good as we do but this seems to be a healthy part of the state. The citizens say it is rather fever and aguish here in the fall. I hope heaven will protect us from sickness and preserve our health and give us victory over all our enemies and a speedy return to our homes, better men than when we left and with hearts to love and obey Him. It is said in scripture that righteous exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. [Proverbs 14:34].
Anna, I just came off guard this morning and thought I would write a few lines to you today. Last night as I was walking my beat, thoughts of the past came in to my mind. I thought of the times we had enjoyed together. What happy ties was then to what the present are. We can truly realize that sentiment when war wages its wild desolation and threatens our land to deform. It is truly sowing sorrow and desolation in our midst, When you wrote this letter, you did not know of the last call made by the President that will cause many a tear to flow and many a heart to ache in the North but with us, we jump for joy. I wish they was all ready to take the field now and I would feel a little more contented than I do. I hope they will soon be ready at any rate. Then I think we will be able to stop the rebellion which is now threatening the destruction of the country. The government is now getting awake to her situation.
We are taking our teamsters off and putting negroes in their places. I hope it will be done through the whole army of the North. That will add to our army several thousand more fighting men. It is one year today since the Battle of Springfield. They are celebrating it in Corinth today. We can hear the cannons booming. It’s only by men and artillery that in the Battle of Springfield, Missouri.
Anna, you say you have a good place to stay at Ms. Gray’s but you have to work very hard sometimes. I hope the time will soon come when I will return home to stay and then your outdoor work will stop. But duty calls now and I must stay. I would like to come home and stay till warm weather is over but such can’t be the case. I am afraid this summer.
I am glad to hear you say that you will try to be contented and stay until I come. Won’t you? I will trust you. Anna, it is so very hot and I am sweating so much I must quit off this time. You will excuse me, won’t you? My respects to all. Write again. — James Murkin
Letter 44
Camp Montgomery, Mississippi August 17th 1862
Dear Anna,
Since I last wrote to you nothing of importance has transpired in this quarter nor do we look for any demonstrations to be made by the rebels at this time near us but I expect we will have to move from here soon. Two regiments out of our brigade has gone on some further south. we heard they was coming back again in a short time. I hope they will if there is no need for them to stay, I should think we will not need to move out there. I would rather stay here till cold weather comes than to move unless it is to come home.
The weather is quite warm here or has been until the last two days, The days has been cool for the time a year. Last night was very cold. I am afraid if the days continue to be warm and the nights cold, it will make it unhealthy round here. At present, the health is good round here. My health is good. I cannot wish for any better. Good health makes a military life easy and light in comparison to poor health.
Since I last wrote to you, we have had some quite important orders. We are allowed to go into the country and take from the rebels anything we want such as corn, apples, peaches, potatoes, chickens, geese, milk cows, horses, mules and negroes. We sent out 50 men from our regiment yesterday with teams for the occasion. They went into the country about 8 miles and returned in the evening well loaded with the above named with only one exception—they did not get any negroes. We got three good milk cows for the hospital. They will come in good for our sick boys.
Since writing the above, one regiment of our brigade that went out about a week ago has just returned. One of our teamsters was along with the. He has just come into our tent. He says they captured about 8,000 dollars worth of cotton for Uncle Sam. I see by the papers that some men in the north are trying or has been trying to get into Canada and going West to escape being drafted. But we rejoice to see a stop put to it and them made to stay the test with the rest. We hear also that some are a going south. If such is the case, I hope they will bet enough of it. Such men has no business north at any rate. They ought to be tarred and feathered and sent south and compelled to fight after they get there. I have no doubt that there is lots of such men in the north. They ought to be found out and sent to a southern clime.
The news seems to be pretty good this morning fro the east in regard to the late fight. I hope it is true that the rebel Jackson is routed and his forces scattered to the four parts of the earth and never to be concentrated together again to fight as did the prodigal [son] to his father’s house where there is bread enough to spare. I hope they will be brought to see their danger as did the prodigal son.
The mail has just come in but I did not get any letter. I rather suspected to get one today but here in the army we are used to disappointment so we have to mix the ups with the downs. How true it is in this life our pathway through this vale of sorrow is beset with disappointments. 18 months ago I little thought that I would be a soldier in the State of Mississippi. But so it is we are here and that is not the worst feature of it neither. We can’t tell how long we may have to stay yet. The curtain is drawn and we cannot tell what’s behind it.
It seems to a great many to be darker now than when we first started. A great many called it a breakfast job, but some of the very men think now it will be suppertime before we are through. We all find that we have as good men as ourselves to deal with and hard to subdue. But Anna, laying all these things aside, I wish I was at home, if only for a few days. It seems to me it would be a great deal better for me if I had one I could call my own. I regret when I was at home that I did not see things in the same light as I do now. But I hope an opportunity will offer itself again before long. If it does, we will not let it pass unimproved, will we Anna? We must wait with patience and trust in God.
Luce Teas [?] told me just now that he got a letter from his wife. He seems pleased to hear from her. He says Betty Powell’s brother is coming to join our company. Good for him. I want to see our regiment full once again. When you write to me again, send me word what young men are enlisting. Shame on them who stay to be drafted. I wish I was back for a short time to see some shake and tremble for fear of being drafted.
Anna, give my respects to your folks and tell them I am well. Tell Mrs. Gray I want her to cook a chicken by the time I come back and soon. And tell me all the news. Yours truly, — James Murkin
Letter 45
Keokuk, [Iowa] March 8th 1862 [should be 1863]
Dear Anna,
I embrace this opportunity to drop you a line or two to let you know that I am well and in good health and hope these lines will find you all enjoying the same blessing. I am still at Keokuk in the office but I can’t say how long I may stay. I would rather stay here than go to Dixie. I am not exposed to so many hardships here as I would be down south, and for that reason I would stay. The man is discharged that was here before me. He belonged to the 16th Iowa. I would rather stay my time out here than go down south to fight again. I know what it is to soldier. But if I have to go, I shall do the best I know how.
We have been looking for news from Vicksburg for some time but in vain. I do hope they will take the whole rebel horde there and all they have and put a stop to this war. But until it is done right so we can say this country is free to all of every nation, kindred and town, and that will surely be before peace can be restored. Slavery is bound to fall and may God grant it speedily. When you write, let me know how Franklin is getting along.
I see by the papers that there is a great many of the boys sick at Vicksburg and round that quarter. There has been a great many boys sent to their regiments from here since I came back. I am glad I did not go as it is so unhealthy down there. Anna, tell your father I sent him a Keokuk paper to read so he can see what kind of folks we have down here. I will send one once in a while so you will know how we are getting along in this quarter. The boats are going to run regular next week to Davenport. The river is about clear of ice now.
Tell Cory she must be a good girl until I come to see her again. Anna, it is getting late. I am alone. The folks are all gone out and I [must] quit this time and go to bed. But I have to go to the post office first to carry the mail. My respects to all. Write soon. — Jas. Murkin
Spared & Shared 23 