The following letter was written by Roger Hannaford (1804-1882), a native of Devon, England, who emigrated to the United Stated on 1844, settling in Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio. Roger and his wife, Mary Northcott (1810-1852) were married in Devon, England, and had at least nine children before her death in 1852, her last born being Robert (“Bob”) Hamlyn Hannaford (1843-1870) who was a year old when the family sailed to the United States. In 1880 he moved to Marion, Kansas, which is where he died. In the 1860 US Census, Roger was enumerated as a widower farmer in St. Clair, Butler county, Ohio.

In Roger’s letter to his niece he refers to a letter received from his son Edwin (“Win”) Augustus Hannaford (1841-1915), a quartermaster sergeant in the 6th Ohio Infantry. It was written shortly after the Battle of Chickamauga that took place on 19-20 September 1863 and conveys the sad intelligence that the youngest of Roger’s sons, “Bob”—a private in Co. C, 93rd Ohio Infantry—was wounded in the battle and taken prisoner by the Confederates. The details of Bob’s captivity are not known but others in the 93rd who were captured at Chickamauga were taken to the Confederate prison at Danville, Virginia (see 1863: Isaac W. Newton to Sallie McQuiston). We know that he survived the war, however, and was discharged from his regiment on 3 November 1864. He married Mary Judith Coppage (1842-1915) and had one son before he died in 1870 of consumption (tuberculosis).

Roger had another son who served with Win as a Corporal in the 6th Ohio Infantry. His name was Ebenezer Hannaford (1840-1905). After Ebenezer was mustered out of the regiment in 1864, he received a commission as Adjutant Lieutenant with the 197th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in April of 1865. He wrote several articles of his unit’s course during the war and had a couple of them published in Harper’s Magazine in 1863 and 1864. He published a few books after the war about his time in the service including: “The Story of a Regiment, Campaigns and Associations of the 6th Ohio Regiment (1868)” and the “Last Survivor (1904).” He died at his residence in Springfield, Ohio in 1905.

[Note: This letter was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by Kathy Nicholson by express consent. Kathy is the great- great granddaughter of Roger Hannaford.]

Transcription

Hamilton [Ohio]
October 5th 1863

My dear Lu,

Yours to your aunt Sarah has been received (that is to say your note). Herewith I send Maggie’s and Willie and Tykes’ photographs. I think they are good—especially Willie’s and Mary Lizzie’s. Your Grandmother received a note from Julia a day or two since (Saturday).

We received a letter from Win dated Chattanooga, 21st September. He was safe but poor Bob was wounded in the leg, and what is worse, is a prisoner, if alive. He was wounded on the 19th (Saturday). Poor dear boy. I fear I shall never see him more. Edwin tells me that his comrades offered to help him off the field. His reply was, “Join your company and never mind me.” He little expected a repulse but such was the case so that that part of the battlefield where he was lying was soon in possession of the rebels. No one knows his fate.

I can write no more. All well and all unite in kind love. Your affectionate Uncle, — Roger Hannaford