The following letters were written by Solomon (“Sol”) Matthias Glick (1844-1937) while serving in Co. I, 4th Indiana Cavalry. He enlisted in August 1862 and was honorably discharged in June 1865. This regiment was originally termed the 77th Indiana Infantry but was soon after redesignated the 4th Indiana Cavalry. The regiment was divided into three different battalions—Co. I being in the 3rd Battalion led by Col. Isaac P. Gray. This battalion was stationed for a time at Gallatin, Tennessee, watching John Hunt Morgan’s forces, and was engaged in a victorious fight near Munfordville in December 1862, described by this letter from William to his uncle. The regiment reunited near Murfreesboro in March 1863 and participated together in the fight at Chickamauga.

Solomon’s parents were Joseph Glick (1812-1895) and Delilah Glick (1817-1897) who came to Bartholomew county, Indiana, in 1846 from Pickaway county, Ohio. He wrote the letters to his older brother, Uriah Francis Glick (1839-1895). Describing Solomon’s 49 war-time letters after perusing them nearly fifty years ago, the director of the Historical Museum in Columbus, Indiana, Garry Shalliol wrote that “Solomon was a scholarly and moral type who wrote frequently to his family. His first letter voiced approval that he had ‘seen but one deck of cards’ since joining up and pronounced all the men in his mess ‘gentlemen.’ Solomon visited the rebel prisoners at Camp Morton [in Indianapolis] and even did guard duty there before being sent south through Columbus on a troop train.”

“The letters…are more interesting, perhaps, for their reflections on army life than as records of grand military movement and tactics. The cavalry in those days served as the eyes and ears of the army, so scouting, skirmishing, foraging, and courier duty fell to a unit like the 4th Indiana” in the Western Theatre of the war.”

“Battle appears as only a small part of the life of a cavalryman, Solomon reported the fighting in a matter-of-fact way. For example, after Co. L saw its first action he wrote home, ‘The company all have been tried as to their grit and only one has been found that would show the white feather.’ Once his unit came upon two regiments of hidden rebel infantry—‘I paused a couple of seconds. It was get out of there, a trip to Richmond, or death and perhaps the latter. A ball struck every foot of the ground I passed over and more than once I felt the cold air and jar as they went past—zip, zip, zoo, zip.’ Another time he took part in a saber charge, helped capture two cannon, 60 soldiers, and wrote, ‘that shows what 50 men can do when they go at it right.’ Thre is little of the agony of war in Solomon’s letters. If he had private thoughts about life, death and war, he kept them out of his letters.” [The Republic, Columbus, Indiana, 11 April 1979]

[Note: Scans of these letters were provided by Solomon’s g-g-grandson, James Hatch, who made them available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Letter 1

August 2nd [1862]

Dear Brother,

I think it is the intention of going right to work at the Secesh and are not going to have any carbines and I shall take my revolver along. — Sol M. Glick

Deliver this to H. S. Glick or some of the family.

---

Letter 2

Camp Hollowell
August 11th 1862

My dear friends at home,

I arrived here yesterday and a Capt. Harris walked up to a stand in the Union Depot and we made it pay for about 20 minutes—cakes, cheese, pies, &c. We then marched to camp, There are about 1200 in this camp—all of them for cavalry, and this set is not as wild as I expected to find them.

Last evening about 6 o’clock we got our tents and blankets and I slept as ell as I ever did in my life. Lived on baker’s bread, sugar, bacon, beans, molasses. Yesterday we drew some nice beef. This morning I was down to the other camp in which Trotter is in. I talked to John Butler, Dave Van, Jim Van, Andy Robertson, Dock Brunsfield and a lot more. I was in the depot today and saw James Collier, S. Hall, and Logan Collier and a lot more of them get off the cars. It rained today like everything but the tents kept us dry.

I have een but one deck of cards since I came in. We have the nicest camp ground I have seen yet. I have enjoyed myself very well and do not think I shall get tired of it. We have got all gentlemen in our mess, I think. I do not know when we will begin to drill. Come up, some of you. You will see a lot of men. Tell Thompson to come up next week.

Our company is not yet named for it is not full. We have not exercised any at all as yet. There is three camps here. Our is right north of town about 1.5 miles in two hundred yards of the Lafayette Railroad west. But I must close. I think I shall be home soon. If not and you want to write, write to Sol M. Glick, Indianapolis, Indiana

---

Letter 3

Camp Hollowell, Indianapolis
August 17, 1862

Friends at home,

My pencil is once more in hand to let you know how I am getting along. My time has passed very pleasantly since I have been in camp, My health has not suffered in the least from the change.

We were inspected yesterday and I was accepted. Only one of the company was rejected and that did not insult me for he was a mean, low-lived fellow that I did not like. Harris is not to be our captain. He was not authorized to raise more than 25 men so he had to form another company and if I get to see you, I will tell you the reason. Our captain’s name is Hartly. I think he is a fine man.

I understood you was coming up next week. You had better not till you hear from me again as I got word a moment ago that we would move tomorrow. If we do, we will get our arms, horses, and perhaps bounty. I was to Camp Morton this forenoon to see the secesh prisoners but I have to hurry for the corporal will soon call for the guards and I am one today. It is the first time I have stood. I go on at 6 o’clock and come off at 8 o’clock. Go on at 2, come off at 4. Go on at 8 in the morning, come off at 10, and then I am free till the company take their turn. Very easy time.

I have had very easy times so far. The rest of the boys are all well. Don’t come till I find out how things stand. If we don’t go, I will send all the money I can spare home if I get any. Be assured I am satisfied with my situation. Yours, — Sol M. Glick

The company is not yet mustered into service so it has no name. As soon as it is, I shall tell you. Simply direct to Indianapolis, Indiana, and I will get it if I stay. There was a company organized and equipped went off yesterday. [They received] one revolver a foot long, a sword, carbine, fine blade. I think I shall buy one—a large revolver—for it will be needed. We had a man in our mess that was in the Indian War and one that was in the Mexican War. He is one of our cooks. We pay 60 cents a month for cooks and it saves a great deal of trouble too.

But I must close for this evening. Write as often as you know where we are. Yours, — S. M. Glick

---

Letter 4

Camp Morton, Indianapolis
September 1st 1862

Dear Brothers,

I am well as ever after standing guard last night. This evening after roll call, we got the news that there were 40,000 rebels between Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, and that we had to go down tomorrow. I don’t know whether it is authentic or not. If it is, I shall do my duty though we should like to be better drilled. We don’t know anything hardly till it comes to pass. It may be that we will stay here a month.

That revolver is very rusty from too little care and you will have to clean it before you use it. You will see a broad piece of iron passing through the barrel. Turn out the screw at the side of it and drive out the pin. Leave the trigger set the way it is and bring the ramrod down as if you were going to ram in a ball and force the barrel off. then take out the cylinder. Maybe I will take it along.

The trumpet sounds and lights must go out. Yours as ever, – S. M. G.

---

Letter 5

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
February 21st 1863

Brother Uriah,

Yours of the 1st ult. was received the other day. It found me well as common—fat and hearty. So you have received the pictures. The largest one is a very indifferent picture. It did not do Nipper justice. He looked in that like as if he was almost dead where[as] if you had seen the original, you would have been proud to own him. You may take the nicest horse and he will take a poor picture. He will look like an old plug.

I came in at six o’clock this morning from a two-day’s forage scout. Started day before yesterday at daylight, went 19 miles and camped. I and another fellow got a bushel and a half of corn for night and morning for our horses. Then I, he and Dave eat our suppers. I then went to a house, got another supper, and talked to a rebel girl until twelve. Then put off for camp two hundred yards off, laid down my oil cloth, covered up with my blanket with my revolver under my head for we had orders to sleep on our arms. Slept till morning, [then] went to a little town called Auburn in Cannon county where the advance had a little fight. One man killed out of the 4th Regulars and five wounded and two taken prisoners. Three of our Battalion were also taken. Five were taken out of our regiment when they were on that road two weeks before. Two of them belonged to our Company named Byrnie and Buchannan. They were noted stragglers. Our battalion went out to clean some of the skunks out but all we could see of them were their little squads of spies on the hills around us, but they would run. We only got three and some horses.

Feb. 26th. Scouted and laid around till sundown, started for Murfreesboro, rode all night, [and] got there about 6 o’clock. Out about Auburn there are some very large hills. There is one 16 or 18 miles from Murfreesboro that you can see back into town. Perhaps you don’t know exactly where Murfreesboro is. It is southwest of Nashville 30 miles if I don’t mistake the points of the compass, on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad close to where the railroad crosses Stone River. By the by, the bridge the U.S. has been so long building washed away last night.

Feb. 26, today I was over to the 2nd East Tennessee Cavalry’s sutler to procure a pocket diary for 1863 but he was out. It is a very hard matter to keep anything regularly here or to carry anything in book shape for your revolver and saber belt will interfere.

It has been raining here for ten days. It is thundering and raining now. I have been very fortunate for none of the details took me out where it was raining. We have a better tent than we used to have. The one we have now is called the bell tent. [tent sketch] — Solomon