The following letter was written by Austin M. McDowell (1815-1892), the husband of Susan Ann Finney (1813-1889) and the Captain of Co. D, 74th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War. Austin was working as a lumber agent in Xenia, Greene county, Ohio, when the war began. He enlisted in October 1861 and resigned his commission in mid-February 1863—just a few weeks after this letter was penned.

From Austin’s letter we learn that he was not with his company in the Battle of Stones River. He was apparently in Xenia, Ohio, on recruiting duty.

Transcription

Xenia, [Ohio]
January 3rd 1863

Lieut. Wm. H. Moody
Dear Friend,

Not having heard from you for some time, I drop you a line. I am having no success in recruiting. My squad reports to me regularly and we have not yet got a single man. How are you getting along? I think it downright folly to keep us here doing nothing but mot my will but Father Abraham’s be done. You have doubtless read the stirring news from Murfreesboro. It has been a terrible battle and I fear the 74th has suffered great loss. I feel great anxiety for my own noble boys. I hope and believe that they have done their duty. I regret to hear that our Colonel [Granville Moody] is probably wounded. ¹ If so, I trust it is slightly and I rejoice to know and am proud to express it that, from accounts, he has won by his valor an imperishable name on that gory field. I am very anxious to hear the final result and particulars of the battle. Dr. Kyle expects to start tonight for Nashville. Rev. Mr. [James] Harper expects to go early next week and likely others will go. Some women think of going. I would like to go but I suppose there is no chance for that. Please write to me soon

Your obedient servant, — Capt. A. M’Dowell

¹ Col. Moody led the 74th Ohio into the Battle at Stones River (Dec. 31, 1862- Jan. 2, 1863) near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. A later account noted that “his horse was shot from under him, he took a bullet in his right calf and he narrowly escaped a fatal wound when one or more bullets shattered a revolver he carried in his right breast pocket, more bullets shredded his uniform so much that one man called him the ‘ragged colonel.’”