The following letters were written by Howard Marks Hopkins (1841-1929) who enlisted at the age of 19 in Co. E, 3rd Michigan Cavalry, on 5 September 1861. He remained a private throughout his service and mustered out on 30 May 1864. During his service, he participated in sixteen engagements and skirmishes, and was constantly on scouting duty.
Howard was the son of Aaron Hopkins (1794-1844) and Pheobe Marks (1806-1872) of Rome, Lenawee county, Michigan. Howard’s father brought his family to Michigan in a horse-drawn covered wagon from Nassau, New York, in 1844 but died three months after his arrival. Howard’s father’s death left his mother with four small children in almost a destitute condition so Howard and his older sister Mate were adopted by Jeremiah Ferguson, who brought them up and gave them a good home. Before the Civil War, Howard had the opportunity to to attend Adrian College in the winter of 1860.
After the war, Howard returned to Michigan where he married Adelia A. Teachout (1846-1925) in 1867. This letter was written to Howard’s cousin, Abbie Watson, whom I believe was the 20 year-old daughter of Joseph Croasdale Watson and Ruth Langdon of Wayne county, New York. Abbie married Archibald Barton (1833-1925), ten years her senior, in the late 1860s.
Letter 1
Corinth, Mississippi
December 15, 1863
Dear Cousin Abbie,
Your kind favor of November 15th came safe to hand last evening and I hasten to answer it fearing if I waited one or two days, that I might get negligent and wait as long as you did. Abbie, let us be more prompt in future and not delay writing so long. See what Young thinks about delaying things too long. “Procrastination is the thief of time. Year after year it steals till all are fled. And to the mercies of a moment leaves the vast concerns of an eternal scene.” (Young’s Night Thoughts).
Your letter found me in good health and spirits. The general health of the soldiers are good. Never since I have been in Dixie have I seen the army in as good spirits as they are at present. They all feel ready and willing to perform the task before them and are confident of a speedy and successful close of the war.
Glorious news are wafted to us on every breeze. General Grant has won a complete victory over Bragg. Burnside has put Longstreet to flight. And everything in the West looks cheering. The Army of the Potomac have not done much, nor they never have done anything worthy of note, nor they never will until the Western army goes down and does it for them. What work they do have in Virginia. I wish that some General would take that command and do something with it. Either whip the rebels or lose every man in the attempt. What is the use of keeping an army of so many men and do nothing? They had better be at home tending to the women than where they are doing nothing. What do you think of that, Abbie?
Well, wait awhile longer. Then you will see plenty of soldiers flocking home. Only about ten months longer and the three year men will be discharged. Then I will come down and see you. Mate and I have got it all planned. What a grand time we will have, won’t we? Oh, say Abbie, you must have your cousin Dill at your place. I want to see him. I suppose he is in the army yet.
About Blanchard and Mary Ann, I begin to think they have forgotten me. I have not received a letter from home over four months.
You say you think that Mr. Perles and Mate will never get married. I think they will. Mate told me they were engaged. Don’t you say a word to her that I told you.
Abbie, you speak of my being quite attentive to my early love, Miss Curtis. I will admit that I saw her some two or three times while at home and had a very pleasant visit. Do not fear. I am coming East before I get married. I have got to find someone to have me first. I am sorry you are getting too old to get married. I guess you can find someone to have you after the war closes. Now write me as soon as you get this. I am as ever your cousin, — Howard. Adieu!
Letter 2
LaGrange, Tennessee
Sunday Morning Jan. 17, 1864
Dear Cousin,
Your kind favor of January 4th came safe to hand last evening and as is ever the case, I was very very glad to hear from you. Yes, Abbie, I am ever glad to hear from you and to know I am not forgotten by those at home who are near and dear. Abbie when you write me again, send me your photograph, won’t you? I shall look for it. I have not had a letter from Blanchard since I came back. I think it too bad. They seem to think so much of me and then not even write me a letter. They are good souls for I love them and may God bless them and their labors.
To me what a blessed gift letters are—especially when written to the lonely soldier who is far, far from kind friends and home. Home. What a sweet word. How I love it. One noble writer has said that the three sweetest words were, Mother, Home, and Heaven. How true. I wonder if I shall ever see my dear good Mother and home again. I trust and hope I may and that soon. You will say at once that I had better be asking myself the question, will I ever reach Heaven. I have asked myself that question many times and my daily prayer is that I may so live that I can reach Heaven and meet those gone before. Oh, is it not a pleasing thought to think if we are only faithful, that God will never leave nor forsake us?
Since I last wrote you we have moved camp. We are now camped at LaGrange, Tenn. where we were last summer. How long we shall stay here is more than I can say. Some say we are going to start for Texas in a few days. There is one division of this army going and we may be among the number. I hope so. I should realy like to visit Texas before I return home. A great many of the men are reenlisting as veterans and if they get 3/4 of the regiment, they will go home on furlough in a few weeks. There has quite a number enlisted already and I think they will get 3/4 of the men. I do not know as I shall reenlist. I think that I will not until some of those men in the North come out and then if they need more men, I am willing to go again and until those men in the North does do something, I shall not enlist again. I think if I stay three years that I have nobly preformed my duty.
You say you think your Cousin Dill is not in the army. You do not seem to know as much about him as you use to. What is the trouble? I fear you have had some difficulty. Write and tell me, won’t you? You wished to know where Jack Bond was. He is with us yet—is well and feeling well. Jack is a fine fellow.
Abbie, write to me soon. Give my love to all friends and accept this poor scribble from your very affectionate cousin, Howard. Goodbye, Abbie.
P. S. Direct to LaGrange Tennessee, Co E, 3rd Michigan Cavalry
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