Three of the following five letter were written by John Gilman who enlisted in Co. A, 14th Ohio Infantry in mid-August 1861. He mustered in as a corporal and was promoted to sergeant before he was mortally wounded in the Battle of Chickamauga, dying of a gunshot wound to the hip three or four days afterwards.
Of the two remaining letters, one was written by Livingston Everett Beardsley (1840-1923) and the other by Capt. Albert Moore.
Letter 1
Lavergne, Tennessee
February 28, 1863
Dear Brother,
Your letter of the 23rd inst. was received this afternoon. My health is as good as usual. The weather is warm but decidedly on the wet order. It rains nearly every other day and pours down occasionally between showers.
I have nothing new to write you. Everything is quiet in this vicinity. The fort at this place is nearly finished. It would have been done a week ago if it had not rained so much. The citizens here curse the war and everybody and everything connected with it.
We can whip the rebels in our front if we don’t get too strong a fire in the rear. Hang the Copperheads in the North & we will attend to the rebels in the South.
On the 18th inst. I sent you one hundred dollars in Uncle Sam’s promises to pay which I suppose you have received before this time.
We get the Louisville & Cincinnati & Nashville papers every day. I am second sergeant. — Jno.
Letter 2
Lavergne, Tennessee
April 2, 1863
Your letter of March 22nd was received yesterday. My health is as good as usual. The health of the regiment never was better. The weather is cool & clear.
Everything in this vicinity is as quiet as things used to be on the Potomac. Yesterday I was elected a member of the “Legion of Honor.” There is but one chance in five of its doing me any good as there is one sergeant from each company on the roll and only two from the whole regiment to be detached at one time; the others to be held in reserve. I shall try to be one of the first. This “Legion” is to be mounted and armed with the best arms the government has got—probably Colt’s revolving rifles or the Henry rifles. The Henry rifles are breach-loading and shoot sixteen times at one loading.
We expect to get another two months pay in a few days.
It is my opinion that within a very short time there will be either a big fight or a big foot race between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga. It is the general opinion here that the rebels are bringing their army from Virginia to work against Rosecrans. Let them rip. They will get hurt if they pitch into fighting “Rosa.” I wouldn’t give ten cents a mile for this country if the war continues much monger. Everything is being used up as fast as possible. Houses, barns and fences are burnt and everything that is destructible is being annihilated as fast as it can be. The South would be a good place for mechanics after the war is over if the country was not so completely bankrupt. As it is, this part of the world will be good [for] nothing for a good many years. — J. G.
Letter 3
Winchester, Tennessee
August 2nd 1863
Your letter of the 12th ult. was received about two weeks ago. I delayed writing till we got our pay. Since then I have not been able to write till today. I have been sick more than a month but have been doing duty except for the last ten or twelve days. I think now that I will be ready for duty again in a few days as there seems to be nothing with me now except lack of strength.
The health of the regiment generally is good. There are only two sick men in the regimental hospital. The Maumee men are all well as far as I know. The 14th [Ohio] received four months pay July 26th. I sent you by “State Agent” seventy dollars which you should have received by this time. This, I believe, makes the whole amount and I have sent you $255.
Everything is quiet in this vicinity. The infantry are doing nothing but the cavalry are on the move all of the time. The cars are running constantly night and day. We are about three miles from the camp we occupied last year about this time but then there was plenty of green corn here. Now there is none. We get a few green apples, not many. Any kind of vegetables are out of the question.
I wish you would send me Foreman Evans’ note. He is 2nd Lieutenant in the 38th [Ohio] and I think he will pay that note.
The weather is not so hot as it was a few weeks ago. It rains occasionally, just enough to keep things in good order. We have an abundance of good spring water, nearly as cold as ice.
Since the above was written I have received that roll book. It is just the thing I want. I am not surprised at Moses Sargeant being a Copperhead. I had anticipated it. I have heard that Dr. Burritt is a Copperhead. How is it?
August 4th. It is reported on good authority that we are to leave this place inn a few days, that we are to take twenty days rations, and are to have eight mules to each wagon. If that is so, we are probably going across the mountains. A division of cavalry left here yesterday for McMinnville. It is reported that a rebel cavalry force is going north.
It is my private opinion that we will go to East Tennessee but nobody knows. — John Gilman
Letter 4
Chattanooga, [Tennessee]
October 24, 1863
Mr. Gilman,
Dear sir, your letter of the 11th inst. was received today. It causes me great pain to corroborate the fearful statements you have already received. Your poor brother is no more. I saw him wounded on the field and tried to carry him back. Our troops were falling back at the same time and it was with the greatest exertion that I could keep up. John tried to assist me by hobbling along on one foot but he was so weak that we made slow progress.
I helped him in this way about half a mile when he became so exhausted that he could go no farther. Four Indiana boys were straggling back just where we were and volunteered to carry him to a hospital. I gave him into their hands and never saw him again. He was shot in the hip by a musket ball but in what direction the ball enters, I was unable to discover. It lodged inside. I did not think at the time that he was dangerously wounded but Frederick Barnes of our company who was also wounded and left in the hands of the Rebels but afterwards came into our lines by flag of truce says he saw John when he died, which was on Monday.
They had both been carried to the hospital but it was so full that they were left outside with a great many others. Barnes says he called to John about half an hour before he died and was answered. He says he heard John ask for a drink of water. He only took one swallow which seemed to choke him and he tried to vomit. A few minutes after this and his spirit had taken its flight for the untried realities of another world.
His loss is deeply lamented here. He was a good soldier and had gained the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. The only thing left that belonged to John is his pocket knife which is now in the possession of Barnes. I will endeavor to have it sent to you. Everything else fell into the hands of the Rebels.
Yours &c. — L[ivingston] E. Beardsley
Letter 5
Ringgold, Ga.
April 11th 1864
I certyify that I am captain commanding Company A, 14th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry and that Sergeant John Gillman was a member of my company, Co. A of the 14th Ohio Infantry. He was enlisted at Toledo, Ohio, on the 17th day of August, 1861, and mustered into the service of United States on the 28th day of October 1861 at Camp Calvert, Kentucky, by Brig. Gen. Scheoff, ad that he was mortally wounded in Battle at Chickamauga, Ga. on the 20th day of September 1863, and died from the effects of his wounds on the 24th day of September 1863.
Sergeant John Gillman was past paid by Maj. Curtice to include the 30th day of June 1863, and has pay due him fro that date to the day of his death, also a bounty of one hundred dollars.
His only brother, J. W. Gillman, of Maumee County, Ohio, is the proper person to receive all back pay and bounty.
Albert Moore, Captain, Commanding Co. A, 14th OVI
Spared & Shared 23 