1864: Caleb Abijah Ensign to William Oren & Herbert Dwight Ensign

*A post-war watercolor of Caleb Abijah Ensign drawn from poor quality image on Find-A-Grave.*

The following letter was written by Caleb Abijah Ensign (1838-1931), the son of Horace Lyman Ensign (1814-1896) and Lucinda Cecelia Parks (1815-1882) of Defiance county, Ohio. Caleb wrote the letter while serving as adjutant and 1st Lieutenant of Co. M, 1st Michigan Engineers & Mechanics. He wrote the letter to William Oren Ensign (1841-1918) and Hebert Dwight Ensign (1844-1898)—his uncles though both of them were younger in age than he was. Both William and Herbert served in the 14th Independent battery, Ohio Light Artillery.

Note: This letter is from the private collection of Evan Hammon who made it available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Headquarters Defenses, Stevenson, Alabama
August 11, 1864

Dear Uncles,

After leaving you I felt much like cussing to think “Pill box” should have known so much—or that he couldn’t have known more. In fact, I was so irritated that I shouldn’t have known you were so long in leisure in time to have improved it while I was with you that I soon ascertained what i might of you.

I have no great deal of news to write you. A letter from home mentions Uncle Ed and family well and as far as known all the rest of the friends.

I sought out Elmer Rand this morning who tells me he had a letter from his father a few days since stating that Uncle Caleb had come to a melancholy end by putting his head into the machinery of an engine which crushed his head instantly. This is very sad information indeed! I can hardly comprehend how one formerly ever jovial, light-hearted, and clear-headed should have become so unbalanced.

I think I shall leave this place before you come back in September. If this gets to you, I will try to let you know where I shall be about the time you go home.

We have had some very warm weather here and some genuine thunderstorms of late. The rains are impeding our work much by softening the ground over which we haul our heavy timber.

But as Gen. Grant was waiting for rains before he could move his army, I suppose what we cn’t do here in the West, he may make up in doing before Richmond.

I presume you are at the action front. I do not know whether your Brother has been in action during the late fighting for I am so busy I do not search the papers. Letters from Lysander indicate him to be still at Knoxville and well.

I am at present engaged beyond my duties as Adj. in making drawings of the defenses here [see map below] and I find myself considerably fatigued tonight. Hoping soon to hear from you and of your well being, I am very affectionately yours, — Caleb

[to] Wm. O. & Herbert Ensign, 12th O. V. Light Artillery

Address C. A. Ensign, Lieut., 1st Michigan Engineers, via Chattanooga, Tennessee