My passion is studying American history leading up to & including the Civil War. I particularly enjoy reading, transcribing & researching primary sources such as letters and diaries.
An unidentified California Gold Seeker (Doug York Collection)
The following letters were written by Franklin Farr (1822-Aft1880), the son of Josiah Farr (1781-1849) and Laura Allen (1786-1846) of Cavendish, Vermont. The first letter was written by Franklin enroute to San Francisco, California, in March 1850. The letter was apparently mailed from Calleo, Peru, where the ship he was on stopped after rounding the horn of South America.
The second letter was written from Calaveras county, California, where Franklin had been residing for some time. In this letter he describes the state of mining affairs in Calaveras county, transitioning to Quartz mining. He also speaks of the dangers to human life in the county which prompted San Francisco’s Daily Evening Bulletin on 7 September 1868 to report that Calaveras county was “infested with a gang of robbers and murderers who render it unsafe for anyone to travel to that locality.”
Franklin wrote the letters to Osgood Parkhurst (1808-1867) of Cavendish, Windsor county, Vermont. Osgood was married to Harriet Louisa Farr (1808-1867), an older sister of Franklin’s. The second letter was not written until 1868, a year after Franklin’s sister (Osgood’s wife) had died. Osgood was still residing in Cavendish with his daughter, Mary Parkhurst (b. 1838), however.
Curiously, from the Bellow Falls Times of 23 December 1859, we learn that the Parkhurst family had been the victims of a burglary. Awakened in the night by an intruder in the home, the burglar escaped with $23 from Osgood’s wallet.
[Note: These letters are from the private collection of Richard Weiner and were transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Letter 1
March 11, 1850
I now take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same. I have not got any news to write to you now. I have enjoyed myself very well. We are in Calleo [Peru] now. We shall stop there two days and then we shall start for San Francisco. I have not got time to write but when I get there I will write more.
We have had a very pleasant passage. We can’t get there before the first of May. I don’t want you should think anything about me and if you go out West, tell them that I will come out when I come back. You will want to go out again then you may think that I don’t write much but I will write more next time. There is thirty passengers aboard and we are a going up to [ ] now and then we came back and start. We have not stopped before and shan’t stop again. That is all that I can write here to you.
This is from Franklin Farr
Letter 2
Addressed to Mr. Osgood Parkhurst, Cavendish, Vermont, United States of America
Mountain Ranch October 18, 1868
Mary,
I received your letter and was glad to hear from you and that you and family are all well. My health is good at present. There is no news that I can write you It is very dead here now and will be till water comes again. That will be in about two months. Provisions is cheap now. There is not any mining now but quartz here now and it is hard to make that pay unless a man has plenty of money to spend. It has cost me a good deal and I Han’t got any that. I think much of yet. I am prospecting some now but I don’t think it of much account.
You wrote not to let them break in my house and kill me. They hain’t yet but they have stole 500 hundred dollars. That is about as bad for what is a man good for without money or wife now days.
I have not seen Mr. Fish but I heard from him. He is not doing what he will and doing what he will do…this fall here. There is a good deal of robbing and stealing here now. There has been three men killed close by me in about a month.
I will send a paper with this. There will be one every week if you like them. That is all I think of now.
The following letter was written by 29 year-old Samuel Bowman Swats (1833-1908) of Augusta county, Virginia. He was the son of John Swats and Anna W. Hensley. Just prior to the Civil War, Samuel was enumerated at Burkes Mill, Augusta county, Virginia, where he worked as a carpenter. He was married to Virginia Cross (1839-1915) in 1858.
Samuel served the Confederacy originally as a private in 1st Battalion Virginia Cavalry. This company was later consolidated with other companies to form the 11th Virginia Cavalry and Samuel was in Co. F. According to his obituary, Swats was twice captured and imprisoned, once in Camp Chase and again at Point Lookout where he remained a prisoner until after the close of the war. He was described on muster roll records as standing 5 feet 9 inches tall, with blue eyes, and black hair.
According to Samuel’s military record, he was taken prisoner on 7 September 1862 at Darksville, Virginia, and confined first in the Atheneum Military Prison in Wheeling, then at Camp Chase, and finally at Camp Douglas. He was officially exchanged at Vicksburg on 1 November 1862, some two weeks after this letter.
Samuel wrote the letter to Dr. Alfred C. Hughes (1824-1880), a Wheeling physician who was at the time a political prisoner at Camp Chase. Presumably Samuel and Alfred became acquainted when Samuel was imprisoned either at Wheeling, Virginia, or at Columbus, Ohio, or both.
Transcription
Addressed to Dr. Alford Hughes, Camp Chase, Ohio, Prison 2, Mess 14
Cairo, Illinois October 17th 1862
Doctor Hughes, dear sir,
I embrace the present opportunity for letting you know how we are progressing on our trip south. We got here on Wednesday after we left there on Monday & have been in occupation of a horse stable and lot of about 1.25 acres ever since. I have not been outside since I came in. Some of the Boys have been on parole in town, Mrs. Shipley Myers & one or two others of our crowd was out among the rest. Our prison is nothing like so pleasant as it was at Camp Chase. Our provision is not so plenty or so good nor the water. We use the water from the Ohio River. There is a good many of our boys sick and nearly all of them complaining. The gripe was yesterday that we were to leave today but there is no news of it. This morning our progress is very slow. We found one hundred and forty prisoners here from Camp Douglas & the last squad from Camp Chase got in here two days ago. We know nothing about why we are detained here. Some of the officers say it is for want of transportation. Others say we are waiting for other prisoners to come in.
I wish you to see John Allen of Mess 8 and ask him about young Wallace whom we left in the hospital & let me know certainly whether he is dead or not. Lieut. Acres told me he was dead. Write me a note and let me know if you please.
Tell all the boys that we are getting on as well as can be expected under the circumstances. Tender my regards to Messrs. Marting, Cox, Strum, & all other friends of Prison 2. Very respectfully yours, — Samuel B. Swats
P. S. I will write again before crossing the lines if it is possible. We may start from here in a day or two but it is uncertain. It may be a week or two. Write anyhow. I would like to hear from you all. There has some 8 or 10 taken the oath here. — S. B. S.
I forgot to say to you that I wish you to see the commandant of the post about my telescope. It was marked to me when it was taken & I was told that I would get it again. If you can get it, send it to Virginia by the first chance. You have my address. I would not prize it so highly but it was a present. It can be sent by express after it gets through the lines. This is your order for it. — S. B. S.
I could not find an image of Jonathan but here is a CDV of Henry Carrier who served as a private in Co. F, 5th Vermont Infantry (Photo Sleuth)
The following bitter and heartrending letter was penned by Jonathan W. Larabee (1837-1914) about four weeks after the Battle of Fredericksburg to his aunt back home in Vermont. Jonathan was the son of Alexander Larabee and Sarah F. Williams of Addison county, Vermont. He was employed as a miller and farmer when he married Nellie Fogerty (1841-1909) sometime prior to his enlistment on 7 September 1861 as a private in Co. H, 5th Vermont Infantry. This Regiment was part of the Vermont Brigade, veterans of many battles and noted for its losses as well as for its heroism. In the Battle of Savage’s Station on 29 June 1862 (part of the Peninsular Campaign), the 5th Vermont lost 188 out of 400 troops in just one-half hour of fighting. Their most costly battle, in terms of overall losses, prior to when this letter was written, was Fredericksburg in mid-December 1862. This battle—in which Union casualties exceeded 12,000—was a humiliating defeat and further eroded the patriotic sensibilities and fighting spirit of the Union troops. In a letter written ten days after the Battle of Fredericksburg, one of Jonathan’s comrades in Co. H by the name of Robert Pratt captured the sentiments of the dispirited troops when he wrote, “Thousands after thousands of men being killed and made crippled for life —all for what? God only knows… This is not only what I think, but most every other soldier…A lot of them are deserting. Who knows who will be next.”
Larrabee, responding to a letter from his aunt which may have disparaged his lack of patriotism, rales against the purpose and the carnage of “such an unjust and unholy” war, singling out emancipation as a cause not worth fighting for. He goes on to state that if he is not discharged, he will for sure desert to Canada, and that he doesn’t care what his Aunt or any other family member thinks, or, for that matter, whether he even lives or dies. We learn that his aunt has talked his wife Nell from sending him civilian clothes to make good his thoughts of desertion. There is also a statement of his “playing off” (feigning illness) to avoid caring out his duties as a soldier—particularly going into battle. This is a poignant story of an angry and alienated man who just doesn’t want to fight anymore and, in the process, seems to be about to turn his back on his fellow troops, his family, and his country.
Despite their travail, neither Larabee nor Pratt deserted (though over a hundred others in the regiment did before the war ended). Larabee remained a member of Co. H and went on to fight many more battles as a Union soldier, being wounded on 19 September 1864 in the Battle of Opequan in Virginia. He was discharged as a veteran on 29 June 1865 after nearly 4 years of service. He lived many more years thereafter before dying in approximately 1890 in Rutland, VT.
[Note: This letter is from the private collection of Richard Weiner and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Transcription
Mrs. W. W. King, Orwell, Addison county, Vermont
Camp in the field January 11, 1863
Aunt Lois—if I may once more call you so, I seat myself to answer your letter received today. It found me not well but so as to be around and hope this may find you enjoying yourself better than I am.
Now Lois, I am agoing to talk plain with you. I am agoing to tell you just as I think speak my mind on the subject to a letter and if you don’t like it, why it is all just as well. Not that I wish to hurt the feelings of you or any other friends—if I may so call them—but that I wish to have you understand that there is not the least bit of honor in this unjust war. And more than that, it is a disgrace to the soldier that will fight in such an unjust and unholy cause. And there is no more signs of its being settled than there was a year ago. The thing of it is just here—there are men cooped up in cities perfectly out of danger that are making money. They are doing well. They cry, “Push on!” Well, we do and lose fifteen or twenty thousand men. [When] a dispatch is sent to Washington of our loss, it is looked over with a critic’s eye and then what do they say? “Why what is that? Twenty thousand men? That is nothing out of six or eight hundred thousand men. Oh, that is nothing.”
I suppose you had rather I would be murdered and cut up into pieces than see me get out of it any way only honorable. You don’t have to suffer the pain. You are alright. Go it down there in Virginia and you might as well say we are doing well enough here in Vermont. But I will ask you one question, what are we fighting for? It is impossible for you to answer that question unless you say to free niggers? That is all. There is no Union freed by it—no country saved. But there is an enormous amount of lives lost. But [that] is [apparently] of no account. That is what they enlisted for—to be shot. But never mind the soldiers. Save them cursed niggers, let it cost what it may in blood or treasure.
But there is one thing very certain—that is that it will not cost me much blood unless they catch me for I am bound to never go with them again near enough to the enemy to get shot. I had as leave they would catch me too as not. I don’t know as I have much to live for more than a wife. The rest seem to take up against me—some in one way and some in another. But it is all well enough. I can take care of myself without depending on Vermont. There is just as good people in Canada as there is in Vermont and they get as good living there as they do in the United States.
Nell said Mr. Catlin said he thought the war would be settled in three months. He made a sad mistake. He meant three years or longer perhaps. You may think I am rather hard on you but if I should write my mind, you would think this a very pliable letter. I am a full-blood Democrat myself and that is a rare thing in Vermont and it is not only me but all of the blue coat soldiers as you may call them (for you can’t call them Union—no, far from that, and every day on the decline).
“This murdering men for the fun of the thing don’t set on my stomach at all. But don’t never say any more about a man gaining any honor here I this unholy and unjust cause for there is none to be gained.”
–Jonathan W. Larabee, Co. H, 5th Vermont Infantry, 11 January 1863
Now you may take this letter as you will for I mean every word of it and more too. If I can’t play off and get my discharge, I shall go to Canada or start for there at least for I never can endure this long. This murdering men for the fun of the thing don’t set on my stomach at all. But don’t never say any more about a man gaining any honor here in this unholy and unjust cause for there is none to be gained. I can see it here but you only get the hearsay of the thing which probably sounds very well to you up there but here is where you can see it one day after another. If a man is sick and can’t go and falls out of the ranks, he is cashiered, his pay stopped, sent to Harper’s Ferry to perform so many weeks hard labor with ball and chain.
Well, I must close. Give my love to all the friends. This from, — J. W. Larabee
You have talked Nell out of sending clothes and it’s all right but I believe I can raise money enough to buy a suit of clothes when I get to some little town where they keep them.
The following letter was written by William (“Will”) Darwin Beckwith (1841-1922), the son of Daniel Beckwith (1791-1851) and Sylvia Soules of Schuyler Falls, New York. Receiving an $800 bounty from his town for volunteering, Will enlisted on 31 August 1864 with Merritt Pierce at Troy as a private in Co. L, 1st New York Engineers to serve 1 year. At the time of his enlistment, he was described as a blue-eyed, black-haired farmer who stood approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was appointed artificer on 1 May 1865. He mustered out of the regiment on 30 June 1865 at Richmond, Virginia.
After the war, Will married Josephine M. Norris (1847-1910) in 1867 and in 1871 moved with his family to Wisconsin. Shortly afterwards they moved on to Kansas. In 1901, the family moved to Fresno, California.
Will wrote the letter to his friend, Safford (“Saff”) Silas Taylor (1840-1895), the son of Silas Maxon Taylor (1799-1880) and Rebecca Perry (1801-1844) of Schuyler Falls, New York. Safford enlisted on 19 December 1863 at Schuyler Falls: mustered in as a private, 1st New York Engineers, Co. I on 19 December 1863 to serve 3 years. He was appointed artificer on 1 July 1864 and was mustered out of the regiment on 19 July 1865 at Hilton Head, South Carolina. He died in Schuyler Falls on 23 Jan 1895.
[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Carolyn Cockrell and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Transcription
Manchester [Virginia] May 2, 1865
Friend Saff[ord Taylor],
Your most obedient servant has seated himself this fine afternoon (after a pleasant walk through Manchester) for the purpose of answering your last, which I received Sunday. Right glad I was to hear from you for it has been a long time that I have not had an opportunity to get letters for we have been on the march almost every day since the 24th of March. Finally, we brought up in Richmond a few day[s] ago feeling somewhat worn out but in good spirits. I will give you a short history of our journey.
March the 24th we started with our pontoon train from Broadway Landing direction northeast, bound for the Chickahominy River which we reached the second day about noon and laid a bridge over it before dinner for Sheridan to cross over with his cavalry. But we learned that night that he had crossed the day previous three miles below us so we dismantled our bridge and started back following Sheridan to the extreme left, south of Petersburg. We built a bridge over Hatcher’s Run with logs about fifty rods from where they were fighting [but] they could not see us—we were in the woods. We worked most all night on it.
The next morning the Rebs had to leave [as] our troops [were] in hot pursuit and Co. L with, our pontoon train (consisting of forty wagons, eight mules to a wagon), bringing up the rear. You may guess there was some excitement along the road. We would march all day—sometimes all night—no one thinking of being tired as long as we were after Lee. Our troops drove the Rebs through Farmville about April 7th noon & they burned the bridge after them. They were just over a hill making preparations to shell the village which is nearly as large as Plattsburgh. We came on with our train a little after dark and throwed a bridge over to let the artillery cross and the Potomac Army. Their pontoon train got stuck in the mud but came on the next morning and relieved us.
On we went through the mud and rain towards Lynchburg. Lee was captured at Clover Hill, 1 some eighteen or twenty miles from Lynchburg. I have been within a mile of where he was captured.
April the 10th we started back, bound for Richmond. Our mules were so tried and worn out we could not march but 10 miles a day. The roads were getting worse every day. Sixteen of our mules fell in the traces [and] we were obliged to shoot them. At Burkeville, some 82 miles from Petersburg, we put our train on board the cars [and] went to Petersburg, spent one night there, then on to Richmond. Our flag now gleams in the morning beams from many a spire in Richmond. We have got through marching on. Next, we will go home from Richmond.
We are now quartered on the south side of the river a little below Manchester. Just across the river stands Libby Prison and Castle Thunder. We have a fine view of them from our camp. I have been into Libby. It is a hard looking place. I have not room to describe it. I have been all over the city. The upper part is splendid. The business part is nearly all burned down.
The two pontoon bridges laid across the James River between Richmond and Manchester in April 1865 (Library of Congress)
We have two pontoon bridges over the river. We have got thirty new recruits for our company—a pretty large company. A part of the company started last Thursday on another expedition, not knowing where. The rest of the company and Co. M and H are to build a bridge here. We are at work getting timber there now. Merritt [Pierce] is all right. He says you owe him a letter. [Napoleon] Flanders has gone on that expedition.
No appearance of war here. I think the fighting is over. We will have a good time yet playing with the girls when we get home. That time I think is not far distant. We will probably meet before we are discharged. Yours, if you can read it. — Will
1 Originally the village of Appomattox Court House was known as Clover Hill. It was a small settlement with a few houses around the tavern, a stopping-off point on the main Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road. When the county of Appomattox was formed in 1845, Clover Hill was chosen as the county seat and renamed Appomattox Court House. The next year the county courthouse was built. Slowly the settlement grew into a village of homes, stores, and lawyers’ offices. Among the original structures still standing from 1865 are the Clover Hill Tavern, Meeks Store, Woodson Law Office, Peers House, Mariah Wright House, and Jones Law Office. (National Historic Park)
The following letters were written by Safford Silas Taylor (1840-1895), the son of Silas Maxon Taylor (1799-1880) and Rebecca Perry (1801-1844) of Schuyler Falls, New York. Based on letters, he was probably a member of West Plattsburgh Baptist Church with Merritt Pierce prior to enlistment.
Safford enlisted on 19 December 1863 at Schuyler Falls: mustered in as a private, 1st New York Engineers, Co. I on 19 December 1863 to serve 3 years. He was appointed artificer on 1 July 1864 and was mustered out of the regiment on 19 July 1865 at Hilton Head, South Carolina. He died in Schuyler Falls on 23 Jan 1895.
Safford wrote all three letters to his friend, Merritt L. Pierce of Morrisonville, Schuyler Falls, Clinton county, New York. Merritt was 22 years old when he enlisted on 31 August 1864 at Troy as a private in Co. L, 1st New York Engineers.
[Note: These letters are from the private collection of Carolyn Cockrell and were transcribed and posted on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Letter 1
Elmira, [New York] January 18, 1864
Friend Merritt,
I have a few moments to spare and so I will pass the time in talking with you. Talking! I wish I was where I could have a little talk with you, but never mind. I got here all safe three weeks ago last Thursday night and early the next morning they detailed me to act as clerk in Headquarters at Barracks No. 3. 1 Well, I stayed there in those cold barracks nights and worked in the office daytimes until one week ago today. One week ago last Friday, the officer who has the charge of receiving recruits moved his quarters down here into the city and last Monday the adjutant in command of the barracks sent me down to his office where I am now. I don’t know how long I shall have to remain here—probably till spring and perhaps longer as they have taken my name from the list of those to be sent off.
I have got a grand, good place as far as that is concerned and am having first rate times. There are 4 clerks in this office and two more in the office overhead. They are all good fellows. One of them is the son of Elder Waldron’s that preached at Morrisonville last summer. We sleep in a little room that opens into our office. We have a cook detailed to cook for us in the back room of the office and live first rate. I have a pass and am allowed to go where I am a mind to. We don’t have to write more than four hours a day on an average. The rest of the time we have to ourselves. Young Waldron is a good chess player. He has bought a set of chess men and we have some good games. I have played some with our lieutenant too.
Yesterday I went to meeting for the first time. I had the pleasure of hearing the Rev. Thomas Beecher who preaches in this city. He is a half-brother of Henry Ward Beecher. So now you see I am pretty comfortably situated.
I suppose you have given up all idea of enlisting before this. I wish I could be there a week or so with you, but I should want to come back again. I saw R. W. Caster here the other day. He said that you and Will [Beckwith] had both enlisted but I thought he must be mistaken. The other boys that came have not left yet and will not for some time probably. Steve is in the cook house at Barracks No. 3. He will probably be left there.
We have all kinds of men here in camp and the most wickedness I ever saw in my life. The night before I left Barracks No. 3, there were three men in the barracks I stayed in [who] had delirium tremens….One man in the barracks cut his throat the other night. He was scared because some of the boys cried out that the rebels were coming.
Safford S. Taylor, Co. I, 1st N. Y. Engineers, 18 January 1864
We have all kinds of men here in camp and the most wickedness I ever saw in my life. The night before I left Barracks No. 3, there were three men in the barracks I stayed in [who] had delirium tremens. But it is all still and nice here. One man in the barracks cut his throat the other night. He was scared because some of the boys cried out that the rebels were coming.
Have you heard from Nel[son Bullis] since I came away? When you write, give me his P. O. address. Give my respects to all of the young folks, old folks, and little folks. Now write as soon as you get this and give me all the news. Direct to Elmira, Chemung County, New York.
Yours Truly, — Safford
1 Elmira Prison was originally a barracks for “Camp Rathbun” or “Camp Chemung”—a key muster and training point for the Union Army. The 30-acre site was selected partially due to its proximity to the Erie Railroad and the Northern Central Railway, which crisscrossed in the midst of the city. The Camp fell into disuse as the war progressed, but its “Barracks No. 3” was converted into a military prison in the summer of 1864. It was the prison holding the largest number of Confederate POWs. Its capacity was 4,000, but it held 12,000 within one month of opening. A different source says that Camp Rathbun had a capacity of 6,000 recruits, but that it was turned into a prison for 10,000 and the Union Commissary General was given just 10 days to make it happen. [Wikipedia]
Letter 2
Hilton Head July 16, 1864
Friend Merritt,
Yours of the third inst. was received yesterday and I will now answer it so as to send it by the return mail. I was glad to hear from you. You sent me a good long letter and gave me lots of news. I want you to do just so again. You have probably received my other letter which I wrote to you in answer to the one you sent me at Elmira before this.
Since I wrote last, I have been quite sick—not so but I was up and around but so that I couldn’t do any duty. I was sick over two weeks with the fever, but the doctor broke it up at last.
Since I wrote, there has been some fighting down here. General Foster left here with a lot of troops the 1st of July bound on an expedition. He went up on James Island and gave the Rebs a big scare. His object probably was to draw troops from the army under Johnson and to let the Rebs know that we were alive down here. There were some of our men went. I wanted to go with them but was sick and the doctor wouldn’t let me go. There were but few of our men killed—none of our regiment. I think there will be another expedition before long. General Foster is not a man that remains idle lone when there is a chance of making raids.
Much obliged for that picture. I think it is a very good one. When you get a good chance, borrow some (when they don’t see you) of those girls and send me. I will take good care of them and send them back to you if they make any fuss, but I guess they won’t. Oh! Who do you think I came across here last night, downtown. Why Harv Dodge. 1 If I wasn’t rather surprised to see him here. I supposed he was in Sherman’s army in Georgia, but it seems he was discharged there. He is clerk for the Chief Paymaster of the Department and I guess is doing pretty well. We had quite a talk about old times and about the folks at home.
I wish you could be here a week or two. I would like to go around with you and show you something of Southern life. The longer I stay here the more I feel contented.
Well, Merritt, I had to stop writing and draw rations. I have got through with that, and also the issuing of the rations to the companies, and having just finished eating a piece of large watermelon, I feel first rate. I wish you could see some of the watermelons that the darkies bring in here to sell. It would make your mouth water. They bring in some of the largest melons I ever saw. We get some extras now days. For instance, a man came along today and gave the regiment a lot of turnips, beets, and pickles. He said they were furnished by New York State. Each company of the regiment is furnished with ice every morning by the Sanitary Commission, so we get all the ice water we want to drink.
I expect a box today from home and won’t I have a feast if it comes. Won’t you come and have supper with us? We are going to have potatoes, beef steak, green corn. Mind, we don’t always live as well but some of our boys went huckleberrying today and as they didn’t find any berries, they hooked some corn.
I should [have] liked to have been with you a fishing up at the lakes. Our boys go fishing with a seine every few nights close by here. We have nice times bathing here in salt water. It is a nice place—a sandy beach. We don’t go out far for fear of sharks. I saw a dead one on the shore the other day, nearly six feet long.
I want you to take care of yourself and as more as you can get time to do. I hear that you and Carrie Finn are getting pretty thick (the idea!). I’ll tend to you, old fellow, if that is your play. I am sorry to hear about Nel[son Bullis]. I hope it may prove to be a false report. But I must close. Write me a good long letter soon and tell me about everybody. My best respects to all the old friends. I am, yours truly, — Safford
Sunday morning,
Well, Merritt, how are you this morning? I am well–wish I were there to go to meeting with you this morning. I have just been down on the beach and had my picture taken with the rest of the company. The three companies all had their pictures taken by companies this morning. Our box came last night. Cyrene and Steve are down from Beaufort today. Cyrene sends his respects to you. I am going to write to Will this forenoon, but I am afraid I shan’t be able to get it in before the mail closes. Write soon, — Saff
1 Harvey K. Dodge, b. 1839, was a sergeant in Co. G, 1st Wisconsin Infantry. He enlisted in August 1861. He was the son of Rev. Harvey B. Dodge and Eliza Ann Beckwith, a sister of Edgar’s mother.
Letter 3
Camp 1st New York Volunteer Engineers Savannah [Georgia] May 29, 1865
Friend Merritt,
Your letter, long looked for, has arrived at length. Something is the matter with the mail for letters of last March are just arriving, but never mind. I hope the time is not far away when we will be so situated that we will not have to wait two months after asking a question to get an answer to it.
Well Merritt, we have all been anxious to hear from you fellows up there to know when you are going home, for I suppose we will go out together. I don’t know where to direct this letter to but will direct to Washington as I think it will be sent to you from there. The last northern papers contain an account of the Great Review at Washington. I wish I could have been there with them.
We still remain at Savannah. The company has but a very little to do—only work 4 hours a day. It is fine weather here now. Some hot days but they don’t trouble me much as I don’t have to work in the sun. I wish you could be here to go blackberrying with me. I have been a number of times. You spoke of going fishing. I hope we may live to have a good many more days of piscatorial sport in the wilds of Hardscrabble and Rand Hill.
There has been a great many changes as you say and many of our companions and friends have gone never to return. You have heard me speak of Elder Waldron’s son that was with me at Elmira. I received a letter last week stating that he had died in a Rebel Prison is this state. He was a fine boy. 1 Two of our company have lately died—James Leonard and Horace Van Aranam. The latter was from Ellenburg and was a tent mate of mine. Steve Stickle is at home on furlough. We expect him back this week.
All kinds of vegetables are to be had in the market for the money but “that’s what’s the matter” for we haven’t been paid for 8 months. Apples and plums are ripe, and peaches soon will be.
You have had a chance to see something of war lately I suppose. I wish we would be ordered to join you in Virginia, but I don’t know what they intend doing with us. When you write I want you to tell me what the prospect is of going out and whether we will have to join you and what the regiment are all doing and all about it. I haven’t had any news from home for a long time. I expect Steve [Stickle] will bring some. Jeff Davis passed through here the other day.
But I must close. Tell me where to direct in your next. Write soon and direct to Hilton Head, South Caroline and much oblige.
Yours truly, — S. S. Taylor
1 John O. Waldron served in the 14th New York Heavy Artillery. He died at Andersonville in 1864.
There is insufficient personal detail in the following letter to attribute it to any particular regiment, let alone any particular soldier. Numerous Union regiments were dug in near Petersburg where the city had been under siege for more than half a year by this point in late February 1865. The letter was written by a Union soldier named Edd (Edward) to his lady friend Mary who had the initials “M. E. M.” Edd speaks of the Union troops firing a salute on 24 February 1865 to celebrate the fall of Wilmington, North Carolina—the last remaining supply port for the Confederacy. In response, the Rebels in Petersburg unleashed a barrage of shells into the Union lines “quite hard.” Edd also speaks of deserters and a Peace Commission in Richmond.
Bomb-proof quarters in Fort Sedgewick in front of Petersburg (LOC)
Transcription
Before Petersburg, Virginia February 25th 1865
My dear Mary,
The times still passes off slowly yet but is on account of its being so unpleasant for it has rained nearly all the time since I got back.
We fired a salute last night for the capture of Wilmington and its surroundings. Oh, there is another peace Commission gone to Richmond but for what purpose, we have not yet heard. I hope they will do something so as to settle the war for I don’t think I should cry if it should end—not bad at any rate. The Rebs after we fired the salute last night opened on us quite hard but we would not reply to them. But I guess we didn’t get ourselves under cover anywhere. I reckon I did not for I got to the magazine and stayed until it was over. I’ll bet I didn’t wish myself at home any, Oh no!, where I was the week before. Although we all enjoyed the shelling very much, they done but little damage. Some of the shells went through some of the bomb proofs and some striking the ground and bursted which reminded me of the track we made the time we got out of the road coming home from Jane’s.
There is no news except a lot of the Rebs are deserting every night when it is dark. There was 560 came in night before last on the lines. As there is nothing more, I will close by sending my best wishes to all.
My truest love and a kiss to you. I remain your kind, true friend, — Edd
I could not find an image of Robert McClenahan but here is one of Jerome Hollenbeck who served in Co. K, 5th Iowa Infantry, loaded down for a tramp. (Iowa Civil War Images)
The following three letters addressed to “Isabella” were only signed by her brother “Robert” but I was able to eventually attribute them to Robert McClenahan (1840-1883)of Co. F, 5th Iowa Infantry. Robert was born in Stark county, Illinois, the son of Elijah McClenahan (1811-1886) and Sarah Elizabeth Emery (1815-1855). After his mother died in 1855, his father married Elizabeth Wilson (1831-1911). Both letters were addressed to his younger sister Isabella (1846-1921) who married Silas Webster Reynolds (1840-1898) in 1867. The McClenahan family relocated from Illinois to Iowa in 1854.
According to his obituary, Robert was working on his father’s farm until he enlisted in the 5th Iowa Infantry in July 1861. His service included the battles of New Madrid & Island # 10, Siege of Corinth (Apr 2-May 30,1862), and the Battle of Iuka on 19 September 1862 where regiment won high honors by holding its ground against four times its numbers, making 3 charges with bayonet when all ammunition was exhausted. Out of 480 engaged, the 5th lost 220 killed and wounded. It was during the Battle of Iuka that Robert was severely wounded in the shoulder and was discharged for disability on 2 October 1862 at Jackson, Mississippi.
After returning home from the war, Robert found employment in Sigourney as a marble cutter until he married Matilda Hoover (1840-1910) in 1868. Not long after, he was appointed the postmaster of Sigourney and served in that capacity for 14 years until his death in 1883. Like so any veterans of the Civil War, Robert committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol.
A key to learning Robert’s identity was the mention in both letters of “Seth” who I correctly deduced was his brother-in-law. Seth Enos Hall (1831-1914) was married to Sarah J. McClenahan (1838-1914) shortly after the family’s arrival in Iowa in 1854. Seth entered the service as a sergeant in Co. F, 8th Iowa Infantry, and mustered out as a 1st Sergeant in April 1865. After the war, he returned to his mercantile business in Sigourney.
Letter 1
The patriotic stationery of Robert’s first letter
Syracuse [Missouri] November 19, 1861
Dear Sister Isabella,
I received a letter from you some time ago. I will now answer. I was truly glad to hear from you for the first time & to hear that you was well. I am still enjoying hood health & am in hopes this will find you the same. I would [have] written to you sooner if I could [have] got time but we have been marching nearly every day for over one month. We have been to Springfield & we now on our way way. We expected a fight with Price when we started for that place, but when we got there, he was 50 or 60 miles further. He has left the State. The American flag is now waving in Missouri and they are fixing the telegraph line up again. It is completed nearly to Springfield. We are now to the railroad where we expect to take the cars in a few days & run down to St. Louis where our colonel thinks we will go in[to] winter quarters if we don’t go to Kentucky.
Ezekiel Silas Sampson served as the Captain of Co. F, 5th Iowa Infantry until 23 May 1862 when he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. (Iowa Civil War Images)
Our tramp was very hard on some of the boys but I have stood it very well. We have a very heavy load in our knapsacks. When we get our blankets, overcoats, boots, & everything in and on our backs, we have a very good load. It is acknowledged that our regiment has done some of the best traveling that they ever heard of. We have got so we can march together first rate. The 8th Iowa is one day behind.
Give my best wishes to Sarah [J. (McLanahan) Hall] and tell her that I have not forgot her. [Her husband,] Seth [Enos Hall was well the day we started from Springfield. That was the 9th or 10th. I will have to close for want of ink. Tell Sarah and all the rest to write as soon as they can. I want you to write again as soon as you get this for your letter done me more good than any I have ever got for I did not expect a letter from you. I was pleased to think you had attempted to write to me for I was a feared you would for get your promise. I will write more to all of you as soon as I can get some ink & paper.
From your brother Robert
To his sister, Isabella. Goodbye.
Direct to St. Louis, Mo. Please excuse my writing for you know the kind of a stand we have in camp.
Letter 2
[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Greg Herr and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Syracuse, Missouri December 1, 1861
Dear Sister Isabella,
I must write and let you know that I just received yours and father’s letter of November 25th. I was truly glad to hear from you both but was very sorry to hear that father had the rheumatism. But I am in hopes will be better soon. Tell him the I would liked to been there to help him gather his corn. But that privilege was not granted. But I consider that I was absent in na good cause, for our government must be preserved although it costs blood.
I am still well and enjoying myself well. I got a letter from James yesterday. He is well. They are in Benton Barracks at St. Louis. We are still camped close to Syracuse. I can get a letter from James every day. The cars run up and down daily. I haven’t heard from Seth lately. They are about 20 miles above here at the end of the railroad. We have 5 large Fremont tents to the company where we are very comfortable. we build a fireplace of mud where we sit around & joke and laugh and enjoy ourselves very ell. But after all this, I never lay down at night but what I think of home & how I would like to see you all. I feel in hopes I will be spared to see you all once more. I feel in hopes we will go down to St. Louis so I can get James in here with me.
It is very cold and disagreeable & very windy so I won’t write much this time. The paymaster came in today. I will answer gather’s letter soon. Tell him that I would like for him to send me some postage stamps for there is such a call for them here, it is impossible to get them and we have to pay the postage 5 cents every time. Please write soon. — Robert
[added in pencil]
Father, there have been a great many letters that I have written you that you have never got. I won’t send you any money until I hear from you again. I have just received your letter of October 30th. The boys are very busy shoveling the snow from around our tents. We will close up & have a snow ball [fight] after we get through. We have learned how to flank on them. — Robert McClenahan
Letter 3
Halleck’s Army on the march to Corinth, Mississippi, May 1862
Camp near Corinth, Mississippi May 7th 1862
Dear sister Isabella,
I received your very kind and welcome letter of April 27th about two hours ago and was most assuredly glad to hear from you & to hear that you was all well. My health is still good & I hope the few lines that I write will find you all well. I haven’t saw James nor Seth for over one week. I suppose we are 6 or 7 miles apart. We have moved our camp 2 or 3 times since I wrote the 29th. We moved 4 miles today. We are now [with]in 8 miles of Corinth. We are going way around on the extreme right which makes it much further.
We have heard today that Corinth was evacuated but I hardly think it is true—at least I hope it is not for we might as well fight them here as to run round after them 6 or 7 months longer. I suppose our force numbers over 225 [120] thousand. There were 15 boat loads came yesterday. The line of battle is some 15 miles in length. It has been very slow moving on the account of rains & bad roads. It is very slow making a road for so many troops and also to take heavy guns. The river is very high. It has been pleasant yesterday & today. What wheat there is here is all headed out. There are a great difference in the climate here and there. The days are very warm & nights very cold.
I received a letter yesterday of April 15th from Mary, Father, & Mose Snodgrass. I wrote to Mary the 29th which I suppose she has received by this tie or will soon. I have written to you so often lately that I expect you will get tired of them. In fact, it is the hardest place to tell anything that I ever saw. It is the same thing over & over all the time. We are not allowed out of hearing of the drums. In fact, you can tell as much about what we are doing as we can.
Brig. General Schuyler Hamilton—“a kind an affectionate man to his men”
I want to go and see James & Seth as soon as possible but I expect there will be no chance until after the battle if there are one here. [Brigadier] General [Schuyler] Hamilton says he will let us go as soon as he is allowed to let his men leave. General Hamilton is a kind and affectionate man to his men as I ever saw.
It is now nearly sundown. We are on a very nice knoll. Our wagons haven’t come up yet and it’s likely they will not be up tonight as the train is so long & roads so bad that it is impossible. The health of the company is good at present. I will write to some of you about once a week if it is but to tell you that I am well. I will give the postage stamp you sent a chance to travel the road again. The reason I put a stamp on the letter, Rayburn wasn’t certain that he would go home & if he did not, he allowed to mail it for me. I had a chance to get postage stamps enough to do me some time as we came past Cairo.
I close with my best wishes to Father, Mother, and all. the rest. Goodbye from your affectionate brother, — Robert
To his remembered sister Isabella. Write soon. Direct as before.
This tag team letter was penned in July 1862 after the disastrous Peninsula Campaign and captures the disappointment and frustration of the majority of the folks at home in the Northeastern states of the Union. The letter was written principally by Charles G. Coffin but a page and a note were also added by George P. Brown and one other whose name was obliterated by a tear in the paper. It is believed that George P. Brown was a “clerk” in New York City and his home in 1862 was on 51st North Second Avenue. I was not able to identify Coffin.
They addressed the letter to their friend, Don A. Pollard in Baltimore. Whether he was a resident of Baltimore or only passing through there on a business trip or for some other purpose is unknown. It is my hunch that the men were either business associates or former college classmates.
Transcription
New York [City] Tuesday, July 15, 1862
D. A. Pollard, Esq. Baltimore,
I received your favor of the 6th current and now propose a kind of answer, but what kind, I cannot tell. To answer a letter properly, one must be in good health & spirits. While I am tolerably well, I am not in good spirits. I am not satisfied with the war prospects in Virginia. I consider the delay in occupying Richmond a most unfortunate matter. Much more of such kind of work or the lack of military talent in the operations on the Potomac and indeed throughout the last nine months of the war on and about Virginia has been one to do as little hurt as possible to the enemy. Such a weak & senile course must lead to ruinous results; nothing less than independence to the rascally South but ill will of Europe super added.
“For my own part, it seems to me that the parties in power have never thought of this war as anything more than a kind of riot. It seems as if they were fearful of hurting the feelings of the Rebels.”
— Charles G. Coffin, NYC Businessman, 15 July 1862
The ill will of Europe I do not value only as it is calculated to subserve the purposes of the rebels. For my own part, it seems to me that the parties in power have never thought of this war as anything more than a kind of riot. It seems as if they were fearful of hurting the feelings of the Rebels. Why had they not called out the 500,000 men that I have talked of so long and have marched without stop or hindrance throughout Rebeldom hanging every leader and his friends as they meet? It is of little use to put a large army on the Potomac to lie 5 months in idleness and then lead them out to be murdered.
Why had not the army been hurled on Manassas, killed & captured half the Rebel army and taken its cannon? Because there was wanted someone who had a spark of generalship in his composition which ours had not. Though I stand alone, my view of the proceedings of all the Generals is that they have been faulty. They have all declined & spurned the advantages that they had within their reach and the victories, so called, have been attended with results but partially favorable. Fremont first always, Hunter next, are the only two who seemed to start right and had they been met with the proper feeling by the Government, all would have been well. For the great lack of military skill, the Nation, notwithstanding its great sacrifices, is drifting towards the abyss of ruin of divided opinion.
I want Congress to remain at its post. I want some one hundred monitors built. I want instructions given to our generals to live on the enemy, kill & capture all they can, and set every negro free, granting a pass & pointing him to the North Star, inflict all the hardships that was will justify or excuse.
And I would hang Mayor Wood, James Wood (bery), Vandamningham, &c. at the corner of every street, and any woman who lent her sanction to the Southern Rebellion should find a dwelling place inside of some prison walls and all foreigners who supported the Rebel cause in any way I would compel to remain 40 miles above the water or leave the country.
I wish I could find some general who has military education with a spark of Napoleonic stir. Then I should have some courage as to results. This matter has made me too mad to write more. We are to have a demonstration today & I hope it will be a rouser. I shall lend my all to kill traitors to the country. All well & remain very truly yours, — C. G. Coffin
Our mutual friend whose name is at the bottom of the last page has kindly allowed me to scratch you one work after expressing my satisfaction that you are in good health and heart, I have to tell you that I do sincerely subscribe to the substance of all Coffin has just written. I have changed my opinion of McClellan. Think he has been much overrated, that he has every quality of the soldier except the very one we gave him most credit for—viz: General. The proof of this I find in the fact that it took him so long to find out that the Chickahominy Swamp was not the best base of operations. By this culpable ignorance, there has been thousands on thousands of lives and millions of property scarified needlessly. But I think I hear you exclaim, how egotistic of me to criticize the military moves of skilled & experienced military men. Perhaps I deserve this, but it is pardonable for us all to have an opinion. Is it not a little singular that the man (General Benham) should in his first movement with an independent command have so egregiously blundered. I should like to hear from you upon these points.
Yours &c. [signature destroyed by paper tear]
July 16, 1862
Friend Don,
Not agreeing entirely with the above, I leave “old time” to determine. The meeting spoken of by G. C[offin] was a big thing. Union Square and Sam Kellingers were full. Probably the most uninteresting news I can write is your work is all up, balances got—and all o.k. Your particular friends D.H. H. & Savage are hearty. Yours truly, — G. P. Brown
G. Coffin desires me to say that the only prominent man enquired after in the crowd of yesterday was John C. Fremont. — G. P. B.
Dr. Alfred C. Hughes (1824-1880) was a born in Wheeling, Virginia, to a prominent family. His ancestors were Irish Catholics who had emigrated to Virginia in the early 1700s, and his father, Thomas Hughes, Sr. (1789-1849), was a veteran of the War of 1812 and a prominent local merchant who invested in lumber yards and steamboats.
Advertisement for Dr. Alfred C. Hughes’ Medical Practice in the Daily Intelligencer at Wheeling newspaper. Dated 24 April 1862
Dr. Hughes, the seventh of ten children, studied medicine at the Homeopathic Medical College of Philadelphia before graduating in 1853. Upon graduation he returned to Wheeling and established a successful practice. Interestingly, assisting him in his practice was his sister Eliza Clark Hughes (1817-1882), a female pioneer in the field of medicine. Eliza commenced the formal study of medicine in 1855, and followed in her brother’s footsteps graduating from the Pennsylvania Medical College in 1860. Dr. Eliza Hughes was among the first female medical school graduates in the country, and was the first female medical practitioner in the state of Virginia. Eliza and the rest of the Hughes family supported the Confederacy and Eliza even had a brief personal correspondence with Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The Hughes’ hometown of Wheeling was predominantly pro-Union, and so the once-influential family quickly became ostracized. Alfred’s doctors practice was eventually forced to close, and in August 1862 Eliza herself was arrested after she refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States; soon after her arrest, she took the oath and was released. She continued to practice medicine, but was increasingly distracted by the war, and she was eventually summoned to court and charged with slandering a pro-Union woman. Sources imply that her pro-Southern stance during the conflict also resulted in her being ostracized from the Northern medical community, as her name does not appear on all contemporary lists of female physicians. She was the author of Letter 6 and Letter 11 in this collection.
Dr. Alfred Hughes’ southern sympathies became widely known when he brazenly acted as a correspondent for the pro-Confederacy Baltimore Exchange. Hughes’ writings against the Lincoln administration ultimately branded him a traitor and when he refused to sign the Oath of Allegiance, he was arrested at Wheeling on 30 May 1862 and was received on 6 June 1862 at Camp Chase, a Union-operated prison camp in Columbus, OH, where he was held for approximately seven months.
While in prison he did his best to fill the many tedious moments of prison life by crafting many useful household objects and various other personal items typically found in a lady’s toilet. Many of these items can be now found in museum collections today. Hardly reconciled, he remained a captive until Dec. 25, 1862 when he was exchanged for the soldier brother of a Philadelphia physician. After his release, he moved to Richmond, Virginia. His family’s arrival there helped give rise to the belief that he was a peace commissioner sent to the Confederacy’s capitol in order to help end the war. At that time, he was lionized by many in the South and was even elected to the Virginia legislature. He advocated enlistment of slaves into Confederate military service. Among his many patients who he saw both during and after the war was the wife of Robert E. Lee.
Mary Kirby Adrian (1832-1909). Children were Thomas Hughes (1850-1941), Mary Joanna Hughes (1852-1939), Elizabeth Pitts Hughes (1854-1939), and Adrian Hughes (1865-1930).
Dr. Alfred Hughes’ name is the 12th on this broadside. (Wheeling University Archives)
Letter 1
Addressed to Dr. Alfred Hughes, Columbus, Ohio, Care of D. B. Tiffany, Prison Post Master, Camp Chase No. 37
No. 10
Wheeling [Virginia] July 13th 1862
My Dear Friend,
I have felt so sad ever since I received your last letter to think that unintentionally I have given you so much trouble when my only desire is that your mind shall rest perfectly easy is regard to home and all that you hold most dear, knowing that He who ruleth all things will take care of us if we only put our trust in Him and try all that is in our power to do only and all that is right. But knowing my dear Alfred that all of our letters have to be examined and not thinking for one moment but that you would know what I meant and hoping that your imprisonment would not be so hard to endure if good was brought out of it, will have to be my excuse. You know my dear Alfred that there are things that occur in every family that is most unpleasant to have strangers know everything about that necessarily. I cannot recall what is alluded to, therefore it is of no account to you & yours. I am compelled in writing to you to write in such a way that you might understand things that would be unpleasant—especially to me to have strangers know anything about, but I promise this thing shall not occur again. I was so much disappointed that I did not receive a letter from you last evening. I do not know why but I fully expected one. I have not been able to see Mr. McDermot yet. Will send down for him tomorrow and ask him to stop here and will tell him what you have written concerning the papers. Do not, my dear husband, give yourself the least trouble in regard to business matters. Of course I expected some trouble and have not been disappointed but some persons that I expected much trouble from have given me least and vice versa, but I implore you my dear Alfred, as you love me to keep up your spirits as I am sure we will get along.
My health has been improving every day since I have taken the medicine you told me and as I grow stronger I find that things do not trouble me as they did. Delia wants to know if she “bese a label” if you will have her for your girl but that she will not be a “lebel” if it is not for Jeff. I do not want to see you so very bad some times it seems as if I could not possibly bear this separation much longer and God grant that the time may not be much longer.
The last several days has been cool and pleasant here. I was so glad to have it so knowing how you suffer when the weather is hot. The pin and ring that I know you took so much pleasure in making for me I would rather you would keep until you can bring them to me yourself. Mother and Fan say they will write to you soon. All your friends desire to be remembered to you.
My dear Alfred, there is a better day coming for us. It will now always be dark and gloomy. I will send all the late papers in yours trunks and your cotton socks. I have hunted all the old ones up so that I can repair a number I order that you will not have to darn them yourself. You would find it a most difficult thing to do nicely. In fact, it is quite an accomplishment in any lady to be a neat darner and one that very few acquire. Send me word of there is anything I can send to you to make you more comfortable. Would you not like to have your lounging chair to sleep in hot nights? If you would and will send me word, I will send it by Express.
Write soon and write often for I would be glad to receive a letter every day and if it were not for other duties, I would be happy to write you every day. God bless you. Ever truly your wife, — Mary
Letter 2
Addressed to Dr. Alfred Hughes, Columbus, Ohio, Care of D. B. Tiffany, Prison Post Master, Camp Chase No. 37
No. 12
Wheeling, Virginia July 21st 1862
My Dear Husband,
I have just this moment received the four beautiful rings you sent. The two you sent me are very handsome and I shall prize them very much. the lettering is truly most beautifully done. The one that has my Alfred’s name is most especially prized. I sent Mother’s and Hannah’s over to them and I have not yet heard how they fit but I presume they will be just right as mine are.
My dear Alfred, send your mother Eliza theirs as soon as you can. I am afraid they might feel hurt as you have sent me three and not theirs. Mr. Campbell sent me the note that he had written to enquire why you did not receive the intelligence and the answer he received from Camp Chase. I think that you will now receive your paper regularly. Mr. Bell called on me today and paid me 10 dollars and asked me to tell you to send me a blank order on him. I have got a great many papers to send you in the box we send and we will send just as soon as we hear from you what you most require. Do not hesitate, my dear Alfred. Send for anything you need. God bless you. Every truly your wife, — Mary
All is well and send much love to all.
Letter 3
Addressed to Capt. D. B. Tiffany, Prison Post Master, Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio
No. 14
Wheeling, Va. July 27th 1862
My Dear Husband
I received your letter of the 24th inst. making No. 11 22 last evening and when I got it I do assure you I felt so certain that you were ill that I could scarcely open the letter, and when I come to the part which gave me positive truth that my apprehensions were not groundless, but alas were too true, I had scarcely strength to finish the letter. I felt like leaving everything and going out immediately to see you. But when I come to reflect, I thought I had better wait until I heard from you again.
Now my dear Alfred, do let me know if I shall come out for if you were to be very. ill and not let me know or to not let me come out and do all I could for you, I never, no never could forgive you. I know that it would be very unpleasant to have me exposed to all the different persons that I would have to come in contact wit whilst visiting you, but you know what sacrifices I have already made to have you do right and I am willing to suffer still when I have for its object the comfort of my dear husband. I shall direct this letter to Mr. Tiffany in the hope that you may get it much sooner than you otherwise would. And Alfred, do please answer it immediately for I shall be so unhappy until I receive your letter.
I was also disappointed that you did not tell me what you wished me to send you. Mother wanted me to send the box of honey out to you as she thought if you were not well, it might be good for you but I told her that I would wait until I got an answer to this letter for if you knew that we were going to send it, perhaps you would send for something else. If you need anything, my dear, let me know and then you can send again whenever you need. Do not be afraid of giving me trouble for it hurts my feelings to have you think anything a trouble I could do for you.
I went down to Mr. Shiver yesterday. The dividend due you was $30 which he paid me. He was very polite to me. There were a great many gentlemen present which was very embarrassing at first but at the same time I was glad they were there. He said in regards to his bill which of course I did not speak of, that he had a bill with you that he would make out this week and I could send it to you for you to see and receipt and that he would then pay me the balance due you. I thanked him and withdrew feeling most comfortable that the thing I dreaded was so different from what I had anticipated.
Mother told me to ask you who it was that you had fired to fix the cave and step at the hidrent in the house that Mr. Marshal lives in. Whoever it was has not done it.
Dear Alfred, do write as soon as you receive this for it seems as if I could not wait until I hear from you. Keep nothing from me. If you are very ill, tell me so. I pray God spare you and protect you and bring you home again in safely to your little family.
God bless you. Every your devoted wife, — Mary
Will Captain Tiffany have the kindness to hand this to Dr. Alfred Hughes as soon as it is possible and oblige me. Very respectfully, — Mary A. Hughes
Letter 4
Addressed to Dr. Alfred Hughes, Prisoner of War, Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio Care of Capt. D. B. Tiffeny, Prison P. M., No. 37.
No. 17
Wheeling, Va. August 7th 1862
I received your letter No. 27 last evening to late to answer and have it go in this morning’s mail. Do not, my dear Alfred, think for one moment that any of us are unwell for I am feeling as well as usual now and I do assure you that the little children never were in better health that at present.
You know, my dear Alfred, that I have many and various duties to attend too. I find that having been sick as long as I have that my work has accumulated to that extent until I scarcely know sometimes what to do first. But you will know there is nothing that could give me half so much pleasure as in writing to except my dear husband that of reading your dear, sweet letters. You have been very kind, my dear Alfred, to write as often as you have done. Continue to do so, my dear, for I could not do without hearing often. Sometimes I send to the office in hope of getting a letter and am disappointed. When such is the case, I am scarcely fit for any of my duties. I imagine that you are ill or are treated so badly that you do not like to write and tell me.
In your letter marked 26 I received the strip that you cut from the Cincinnati Gazette in relation to the exchange of prisoners. I mentioned to you in my last letter my having seen it in several papers. My daily hope and prayer is that you may soon be released and permitted to come home to your family for home is not home without my dear husband.
I cannot imagine what they want to hold you prisoner for. I am sure you have done nothing and they ought to know your word was worth more than those persons that have taken the Oath and say it is not binding nor it is for they do not think I want you to take an oath to support a state when they have failed in making any new state [referring to “West” Virginia] . How you could support a thing which they themselves do not acknowledge, I cannot understand.
I thought that I had told you that Mother and Hannah thought their rings were very handsome. Indeed, they prize them very much. Pinks’ Uncle John went out scouting and when he returned, his friends had retreated and the town was in possession of the opposite party and there he had to stay until he succeeded in getting with his friends again. I think the impression is that he has done so but I ask no questions as you know, my dear, that it is one of my feelings to never ask for more than is told to me.
“I asked our old friend across the way how she would like Will to be drafted. “Oh,” she said, “He would get a substitute.” I told her that I could not ask a poor man to do what I was afraid of doing myself.”
Mary A. Hughes, Wheeling, Va., 7 August 1862
Several of your friends have left to parts unknown. B. O., J. C., J DeB. These are among the numbers. I have heard that last night and night before that several hundred run off to keep from being drafted and the worst of it is that they are the very ones that were all in favor of having other people go to war. It is quite common now to hear of them talk of hiring substitutes. I asked our old friend across the way how she would like Will to be drafted. “Oh,” she said, “He would get a substitute.” I told her that I could not ask a poor man to do what I was afraid of doing myself. Mrs. Dunlop told her in my presence that she hoped that Will and both the Mr. Cran [sons?] would have to go—that she wanted all persons that were in favor of the Union to go and fight for it as her husband was doing. So you see how bitter the feeling is for them, even in their own party towards those who stay at home and say the Union must be restored at all hazards.
How I have run on telling you. what the general conversation is now. I hope this letter will not be considered contraband as I have told you no news. I have heard none to tell.
Write soon and write often. did Judge [George W.] Thompson 1 get the box Mrs. Thompson sent him? If he did, how do you all like the shirts we sent you? I sent you only one as Eliza made a mistake in cutting them and Mrs. Thompson sent the shirt of one of hers back as it was too narrow. She could do nothing with it. we could not get any more material like it so I gave her the shirt of one of yours which I had all done just ready to sew in the sleeves. I am making the other which I will send you the first opportunity.
God bless you and keep you my dear husband is the prayer of your ever true and faithful wife, — Mary
Judge George Western Thompson
1 Judge George Western Thompson “was born in 1806 in St. Clairsville, Ohio, near Wheeling, Virginia. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1837. In 1832 he had married Elizabeth Steenrod, the daughter of Daniel Steenrod, a prominent landowner and businessman. James K. Polk appointed Thompson United States Attorney for western Virginia, serving from 1848-1850, when he was elected to the U.S. Congress, serving from 1851-1852. In 1852 he was elected judge of the 20th district of Virginia. He was succeeded in his Congressional office by Sherrard Clemens, another Unionist who would also have his own differences with the Restored Government. During the secession crisis in Virginia in 1860-1861, Judge Thompson delivered an anti-secession speech in Wheeling which he published as a pamphlet entitled “Secession is Revolution.” He had written to Abraham Lincoln on October 31, 1860 urging him to “secure able and upright men to aid you in executing your well settled & calm resolve to save the Union by a concession which shall not be unworthy of so momentous occasion.” When the Virginia secession ordinance was passed on April 17, 1861, Judge Thompson denounced it.” (See Pierpont’s Bastille—The Trials of Judge Thompson)
Letter 5
Addressed to Dr. Alfred Hughes, Prison No. 3d, Camp Mess No. 37, Columbus, Ohio, Care of Capt. D. B. Tiffeny, Prisoner’s P. M., [Signed by Allison, Commander of Post]
No. 20
Wheeling [Virginia] August 14th 1862
My Dear Husband,
I received your letter No. 32 this morning and immediately proceed to answer it. I think this letter should be No. 20 but if the letter I wrote you on the 12th was the 19th, then I am correct. Sometimes I have been able to keep a copy of my letters to you but whenever I have thought I had not time to copy them and that they might be too late for the same day’s mail, I have sent them just as I first wrote them. No. 16 I. was so fortunate as to have a copy of. After reading Mr. Gray answer in reply to the letter you wrote him, I went and got my letter that I had written to you and read it over and I cannot find one thing in it that would be contraband news. But he might not have liked my opinion as I expressed in regard to the treatment of my dear husband.
I do desire that you should receive all my letter to you. And as it would not give me one particle of pleasure to write in such a manner that I know you would not be permitted to receive them, I therefore always have been careful to avoid anything in my letters to you in the way of war news.
I received the little slip of paper giving the account of the death of a little girl from the chewing of fly paper. I know we have been in the habit of making use of it, but this summer I have not used any of it for with all care where that are little children, they might eat of it and the surest way is not use it or have it in the house.
The order from the Confederate War Department I have read before and will hear say that it will perhaps be best for me to make no remarks about it as I see what you have said in reference to it has been makes out in your letter to me. But I shall endeavor to wait as patiently as possible coming events hoping and praying that all will soon be right.
You say you see by the Intelligencer that some of those who run off to avoid the draft have been brought back and put in the Atheneum. If such be the case, I have not heard of it. I presume it is a mistake. I sent you this morning the New York Herald, Cincinnati Enquirer, and the Baltimore Sun using one of the labels for direction you sent me. I read [your sister] Eliza’s letter she received from you to Mother yesterday. She said she would do as you wished her to do but she thinks—and I agree with her in opinion—that there is nothing that can be of any effect to separate [your brother] Tom 1 from that vile creature but death which she said that she is wicked enough to pray for daily. Give him up my dear Alfred. Be determined to do right yourself and try and think no more about him. I try to control my feelings but when I think of his conduct since you have been taken prisoner, I feel such perfect contempt and despisement for him that I have not language to tell you my feelings and you know it is not my nature to remember wrongs but rather to look them over. But never could I forgive him unless he might be in great want of a friend some day. Then I might be that friend and forgive him all. We think that he has sunk so low as to write you anything that might give you trouble. Never mind him, my dear. There is terrible suffering in store for him for what he has made you and his good old mother suffer for him.
Write soon. Remember me to all. All’s well. God bless you and keep you is the daily prayer of your ever devoted wife, — Mary
1 Thomas Hughes, Jr. (1822-1886). Thomas worked as a merchant tailor in Wheeling, Virginia. He was 42 years old when he married Bessie McEldowney (1834-1875) in March 1864. They had one child together before Bessie’s death in 1875.
Letter 6
Addressed to Col. C. W. B. Allison, Commander of Post Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio
Wheeling Virginia August 22, 1862
My Dear Brother,
I received the letter you sent me in the envelope containing one for Mary and today she received the one No. 41. Yesterday’s was marked No. 40. She is still getting better. Complains of headache but it is slight. She sat a short time on the chair this morning but seemed glad to get back to bed from weakness. Her appetite seems to improve about fast enough to be natural.
Yesterday Jack Martin came again for me to see Mort Gunther. I left at 7 o’clock. [ ] and returned at 8 p.m. which was 30 miles. I found Aunt laboring hard to get a regular breathing. She breathes so rapid and all the difficulty seems to be on the right side. The lung on the same side sounds hollow and wheezing like she may get along but I have my doubts about her being able to get home soon. Poor old Aunt. I pity her. Her family is broken up and she can’t hear one word about her husband or sons. She don’t know where they are—dead or alive yet. Jack told me he was so sorry you did not continue your business and submit to the powers that are over us all as they physicians in Wheeling had accomplished just what they [were] so earnestly anxious to do and some of them have said that you can never have the power to establish Homeopathy here again and they are determined to put it down or deprive you of your extensive practice. Alas! how depraved and selfish human nature can become when professional men will rejoice over the misfortunes of others. What can we expect from such creatures but that which is evil. There are times that try persons of honor and moral rectitude in a fiery furnace. The only thing for us all to do is to trust to provide for a speedy release from trials and fearful persecution.
Mary say she only hopes you may return home in safety and that there may be a speedy release for all political prisoners.
Did you get the two letters I wrote you and [ ]’s? One thing I forgot to tell you about the Iodine, the bottle containing the yellow powder is marked P_____ and the only Iodine I could find was a small quantity in the medicine case that stands between the door and window. I had enough to answer the purpose but would like to have a small quantity on hand for fear the children might need it….
All send their love. Write soon as you get this. Yours affectionately, — E[liza] C[lark] Hughes
Letter 7
No. 24
Wheeling, Va. August 28th 1862
My Dear Husband,
I slept a little better last night and consequently feel much better this morning. I received your dear letter marked No. 46 yesterday after I had written to you. No. 47 has just this moment come to hand. You do not know how delighted I was to get such a good long letter from y dear Alfred for I was led to expect from what you said in your first letter that you wrote in prison, No. 2, that I would never receive but one page hereafter. In your letter No. 46 Mr. Tiffany wrote me a few lines stating that you had written every day to me and that he could not account for my not getting your letters more regularly. I know that it is not my dear Alfred’s fault that I do not get them as soon as I should, and I am also perfectly well satisfied that it is not Mr. Tiffany’s fault. But you see, my dear, that I have received these two last as soon as I could expect.
Present to Mr. Tiffany my compliments and tell him I shall ever hold him in grateful remembrance for the many acts of kindness shown to my dear husband while held a prisoner and I hope that I may some day have [the opportunity] to express them in a more substantial manner, and if I do, it ill give me great pleasure to do so. And also too Col. Allison and to everyone that has shown any kindness to my dear husband for I have not language to tell you how this separation from you has grieved me. I have felt sometimes that it was almost impossible for me to bear that I could not live and thus be separated from you. But God is just, my dear Alfred, and we are often led to see that the very things we thought the worst for us proves to have been the best for us. But my dear, I hope and pray and fear and pray that ere long we will be permitted to be together again. Forgive me, my dear Alfred, for thinking for one moment that my husband would be so certain of release and be disappointed.
I am still weak and [your sister] Eliza says that hateful thing nervous. You know how it always offended me to be thought nervous that I cannot help but fear that you may still be held prisoner. God grant that they be only fears and that I shall have my dear husband home again soon. All well. God bless you and bring you home soon is the prayer of your devoted wife, — Mary
Letter 8
No. 30
Wheeling [Virginia] September 5, 1862
My Dear Husband,
The letter I wrote you yesterday should have been No. 29. My dear Alfred, I was told yesterday that you would not be discharged and that an exchange could be procured for you but that it was believed you would not be permitted to take your family with you. Now my dear husband, fearing such might be the case and also fearing that you would not accept the exchange under such circumstances, I write immediately to desire you to do so and if you can be permitted to come home and take your family with you, do so for Oh how happy I will be to leave all to go with my dear beloved husband. But if you cannot take us with you, do you go without us? Alfred, my dear one, you do not know how it almost breaks my heart to think of such a thing as separation from you, yet I feel I could better part with you to have you go to a land of freedom that to still be separated from you and have you remain a prisoner as you are. And if I cannot go with you, I can soon join you to there live and die. God will take care of us if we only do right.
My dear Alfred, if there is any thought of such a thing and you would not be permitted to come home, telegraph me and will meet you and travel with you as far as I can for I must see you before you go. The first time I was sick, the hope of going over to see you encouraged me too and helped to make me well in that I was deprived. This time I was sick I wanted to get well before you came home. If I am to be disappointed in this, I must see you before you go and then we can make our arrangements for my coming after you. Do not have one regret to leave Old Wheeling for I do not think unless things should become settled, you could ever live here again. I would have our old comfortable home if I could be certain I should have nothing but a covering over our heads—say, for instance such a house as you now live in. I should leave all—yes—if I had all the wealth of Wheeling. I would leave all rejoicing to be with my dear beloved husband. Home without my dear Alfred is not home.
I must make more sacrifices for the good of my dear husband Alfred. My dear, I would be willing to give my life for your good although I must admit that I passed the entire night before, I could not reconcile myself to part from you. I do not believe I am yet reconciled but I accept it as the best thing that can be done. If I thought you would be better to leave us behind, I could bear it much better for then I would be doing good for my husband. But I do not believe Sao for I think it would be better for us to go with you. If we cannot go, then you must go without us. Try, my dear, to see as I do for I feel if you go way satisfied, it is the best that can be done. I can bear it better.
I think I feel better this morning. I did not sleep last night for I was in so much trouble that I could not. I received your precious letter numbered 54 last evening. I assure you, my dear husband, I feel greatly indebted to you for your kind care for me although I had taken care to provide for the sudden change of weather yet it is very grateful to my feeling to know that my dear husband thus thinks and cares for his wife. God bless you and keep you and bring you home to me right soon is the prayer of your ever true and devoted wife, — Mary
Letter 9
No. 34
Wheeling [Virginia] September 11th 1862
My Dear Husband,
Today I am suffering with one of those terrible sick headaches that I am often subject to. But I am so happy at the reception of your dear letters marked No. 60 and 61 that I should not mind it at all only that I know that it will prevent me from writing a good long letter to my dear Alfred. How happy and light-hearted I feel in comparison to how I felt for several days. I tried to place confidence in the Lord knowing that in the end He would bring everything right but my dear Alfred tells me that I have nothing to fear—that I will be permitted to be with him wherever he goes. How happy & full.
Alfred, you can never know how much I have suffered for some days and feel so happy now that it appears as if I had some dreadful dream and just awoke from it. You were wrong, my dear Alfred, in thinking that the person that told me this was not a friend for they are a true friend to you as well as Judge Thompson and only had your interest at heart, fearing that you might not accept your exchange if you could not take your family. It would be improper to tell you their reasons for thinking and it does not matter if they only prove fears. The friend was the one that gave you the letter they had received from the Rev. Mr. Moore. Now you know, my dear Alfred, they could have no object to either distress or pain me. Coming from almost anyone else, I should not have paid any attention to it. God grant the time will not be long before I will have my dear husband with me. I feel as if it did not matter to me how my dear husband was reunited to me or on what terms except dishonor—that I could not suffer. I can bear being sent from home and all I hold dear to be with my husband & feel just as I have always expressed myself to you in regard to your taking of that oath & would undergo any suffering before I would have you, my dear husband, do what you think wrong.
God bless you, my dear Alfred. Do what you think is right in the end. I will write again tomorrow. God bless you and keep you is the prayer of your ever true and faithful wife, — Mary
Do not, my dear Alfred, be uneasy about me for I am still improving every day. You know it is nothing uncommon for me to have terrible sick headaches sometimes and to have to go to bed and stay until I get relief. I will be alright I hope tomorrow. Remember me to the Judge. God bless you and bring you home soon is my daily prayer. — Mary
Letter 10
No. 36
Wheeling, [Virginia] September 14th 1862
My dear Husband,
This the Holy Sabbath day, the sun is shining bright and beautiful, but we now have no more quiet on the Lord’s Day. It does seem to me that the Holy Sabbath day sis especially selected and set apart for the most noise and confusion. The 14th Regiment is just now leaving here on their way to Clarksburg. It is said they are not needed now but they are fixed up and they thought better to send them out the road until they were needed but as there is six other days in the week, I think it is very strange that they select what ought to be the Holy Sabbath day—the day set apart by our Savior to worship and in prayer to thank Him for His kindness and protection through the week.
I received your dear letter marked No. 63 yesterday evening. I also received the slips you cut from the papers, one on Friday in letter 62 and the other in this last letter. I am much obliged to you, my dear, for them. I will, my dear, try to send you a paper in the manner you speak of. I do think it is not right that you should be deprived of the papers I send you. I have no doubt but they are thrown out at the office here.
My Dear Alfred, I have commenced to read the book, True Christian Religion. I try to read some every day. Tommy has gone through the catechism you gave to me just before you was taken from home. The other children I did not require them to learn to recite but read it to them, I do have them all pray for their dear Father every day, for the Lord to bless him and take care of him, and bring him soon home. My Dear Alfred, do not think for one moment I feel hurt at you for anything you might say for I know that my husband loves me and his only desire is for my good and you, my dear husband, know that I truly and devotedly love you and would do anything to give you pleasure and happiness. I pray God that it will not be much longer that we will have to be separated for I feel as if this separation were almost killing me. Forgive me, my Dear Alfred, but you know how dear you are to me and I am so lonesome and not feeling altogether well. You know how natural it is to become dispirited. I think, my Dear Alfred, that I am still improving and getting stronger each day. My throat is about the same as when I last wrote you. I still am very careful. I went over to Mother’s this morning for breakfast. I think a walk in the pure morning is good for me for I always feel better after breathing the pure morning air. I have felt much better since I received your last several. letters. I was so unhappy at the thought of your being still separated from me that it seemed that I had no heart or interest for anything but I pray God to let this trouble pass from me and to bring you home soon to me. I know that my dear husband has all confidence of being united [with] his family soon.
Mr. Friend was one amongst the first bills I presented after getting well. He told me that he would pay me just as soon as he could but he did not. I would have sent to him several times but hearing that e was sick, I preferred waiting until he was well. On last Monday I saw him pass our house so that I wrote him a note asking him to please to attend to your bill. The next day, Tuesday, his son called and gave me twenty-five dollars and said that his Father would let me have more as soon as he possibly could. Chat Wheat called to ask me to enquire of you if the Rev. Mr. Wheat that is a prisoner at Camp Chase was any relation of theirs. Mr. Tiffany did not take any part of my letter or rather your letter to me. It must have been the letter to your Mother he had reference to, as a part of it was cut out.
Alfred, my dear, write me every day if it is but a few lines for I truly cannot eat my dinner until I hear from you. God grant it will not be necessary much longer to write but that we may soon be united never to separate again in this world is the prayer of your true, devoted wife, — Mary
Letter 11
Wheeling, Va. September 16th 1862
My Dear Brother,
Yours of the 12th inst. was duly received. We have not yet been [ ] to review our bonds. If Norton persists in taking me through, I will do as your letter advises me. Mr. Stansbery did not tell me. He told it at Hans Phillips’ with the request that they would tell me what to expect. Mother says for me to answer your letter for her. She called on Mr. Dulty for the rent. He told her he would pay it next week. If he don’t do, she wants you to tell her if she will. give it to the hands of someone else to sue him. And Mrs. Martin promised to pay as soon as her husband came home, but Mother doubts her and thinks she had better serve her as Dulty ought to be as neither of them have paid a cent. She also wants to know if there is a possibility of you getting home or to be exchanged. She thinks anything is better than a long imprisonment (that is, anything that is honorable). She sends her love and is anxious about your health. Says for you to write her about those business matters as soon as convenient.
I went out last Thursday to see Aunt Cynth. She was very ill, coughing almost every breath. A large swelling has made its appearance on the lumbar vertebrae and one in the right groin. Feet and ankles still much swollen. Her daughter told me she had spit up something that looked like a chicken liver streaked with blood. For her constant cough, I gave Hyoscin which had a [. ] effect on her while I remained there and sat up with her during the night. Today Jack came for me but I can’t go until tomorrow. When I told her what you said in your letter and headset word to her husband, she cried like a child and said for me to send her thanks to you and that she would pray daily for you to be released from your unjust bondage.
For some days past, I have had a kind of a temporary office at home. Walking there and back four times a day has, during the warm weather, brought on an excoriation which produces much suffering. What would some 25 remedies cost to begin on? You might need your [ ] when it would not be convenient to get others. I have about 87 dollars charged and have taken in but a small quantity so I thought I might start out on a small scale if I get the leading [ ] and the other small [ ]…
Last night I woke up and heard Mother crying at the top of her voice and sobbing like a little child. I started up and by the time I got half downstairs she had got over it, being caused by [ ] and I had just got back t sleep when Sing [?] who was sleeping with me waked me by the same crying so I concluded the wailings of mid____ had commenced in our quiet domicile. It seemed to be a strange coincidence for the fault of a hearty supper.
Would you believe it, Marshall Norton called to see Mr. G. during his stay in his sick room and was requested to walk up and see him. B. F. K. ‘s youngest daughter is on a visit there. I see Mr. G on the street. He looks as well as ever he did. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan came up yesterday to get some medicine fr their daughter who is going on a visit of ten day. She has not charged yet. Her Mother is very anxious to have that accomplished….
Your affectionately, — E. C. Hughes
Letter 12
Wheeling, [Virginia] October 5th 1862
My dear husband,
I received your very dear letter marked No. 80 dated October 1st on Friday evening. I was so much pleased and gratified to know that my letters to you had the effect to dispel so much of the sadness that you had so lately been suffering from. I know that I possess very little power of letter writing and therefore I was the more especially pleased to have you tell me that my letters were gratifying to you, my beloved husband. I write only from acute feelings and the strong love I have for you, my precious husband. The deep love I have for you, my own, is of that character that I would be wiling to die for you. I was not entirely conscious of how very dear you were to me until I was thus separated from you and I pray God that we will not be separated much longer. But God in His wisdom doth all things well. Let us, my dear, trust Him.
You ask me in one of your dear letters if I do not think you will be a jewel of a husband [and] that if I promise not to work you too hard, that you will assist me with my word. Indeed, I do think you are truly such and although I am pleased to know that you take pleasure in sewing and mending and in doing anything for your own comfort but when you come home, I shall think you have served sufficient time at such work and will therefore free you from such duties. Can it be possible that Judge Thompson gave you or any of the prisoners the impression that it was his intention to go across into Dixie? When he called to see me, I asked him if he were going south. I cannot remember the precise words he used but they were to the effect that Col. Allison had told him he was free to go where he pleased and that it was his intention to remain at home if the people here would permit him. 1 But I would not want to be uncharitable. His brother-in-law is buried today and I have heard that he would only be permitted to remain here as long as he [his brother-in-law] lived. He then may go South and do as he promised to do. We will only have to wait and see.
Sallie told me that her mother had sent word to Major [Joseph] Darr 2 that her brother was too ill to permit her to come in. He therefore sent someone out there to administer the oath. They did nothing that I know of. Miss Jennie and Kate had to take the oath and a number of others. The next day after those prisoners had been to see them, I gave Jennie and Kate the word you sent. They were much obliged to you and wished to be remembered to you.
I received your precious letters marked No. 81 and 82 both at the same time and you do not know how delighted I was to receive these dear letters and to know that the long expected Judge Hitchcock had arrived at Columbus. I do hope and pray that my dear will be permitted to come home to his family. But my dear Alfred, let us do what we believe is right, trusting the matter in the hands of the Lord, believing and knowing that He knows all things and that whatsoever He doeth, will have been for the best thing for us in the end. I would give all I possess in the world to have you with me.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with Mrs. Thompson. She may be to blame for the Judge conduct. I told her I was willing to give up all to go with you South. She said she was not for she did not expect ever to be able to have so comfortable a home again but that I might for I was so much younger. I told the difference that I had five little children to raise and educate; that hers were all raised and that I was broken down by sickness and though much younger, she was just as able to endure hardship as I. But let us be charitable. My dear, I would much rather have you remain a prisoner than to have you act in any way meanly. Do right and God will bless you and take care of you. Truly and devoted, your affectionate wife, — Mary
God bless you.
1 Judge George W. Thompson was released from prison at Camp Chase in September 1862 without having to take the Oath of Allegiance after arranging for a prisoner exchange.
2 Major Joseph Darr was the Provost Marshal in Wheeling.
Letter 13
No. 53
Wheeling [Virginia] October 13, 1862
My dear husband,
I am so happy to tell you that I feel so much better this morning. I do not feel like the same person. Yesterday I was very ill. The pain in my side was so severe that I could scarcely draw my breath. I suppose that I had taken cold but I find I am not able to bare any exposure at all so I will try, my dear Alfred, to be more than ever careful.
I was gratified so much with the description you gave me in your letter of your prison but it makes me more uneasy about you than ever. This constant hope deferred, this terrible anxiety about you, is so wearing upon me that I feel if you are to remain away much longer, you will fine me but a wreck on my former self. you know that I never was healthy at best of times but this constant trouble is so wearing that it is the mind that weakens the body.
Now, my dear Alfred, I tell you what I want you to do after waiting as long as you. think necessary, then if you do not get released in some way, I want you to let me go on to Richmond to try what I can do for you there. Do not tell me I cannot stand the journey. It is this inactiveness or rather this not trying to do all I can that is distressing to me. Set me to work with a prospect of your release and I am sure I will accomplish it if in the power of woman. Tell your fellow prisoners I will go first to work for you but I will not in my own happiness forget them. tell them to give me a carte blanche of all their wants and as I can have no selfish interest to serve, I will promise to do all that is in my power for their release also. And I am sure my simple promise is of more value than all the declaration of one who seems to have no regard for truth or honor.
Our old friend Mrs. P was over this morning. She told me of something that made it impossible for me to understand Judge Thompson’s course of conduct. One thing is that he—the Judge—wrote the oath for this government [and] that a gentleman told her husband that your lawyer Mr. Wheat, had said that he had the oath as written by Judge Thompson in his office and that they could not understand why he was not willing to subscribe to what he had himself framed. This she only gave as she got it, but what I am going to tell you now, she knows to be true for she heard him herself. The day the Wheeling Convention first met here, her husband wished her to go down to the house and listen to some speaking which she did but when she got there, the convention adjourned to Hornbrook’s Building and their was a debate between Mr. F. Colwell and some other gentleman after which Judge Thompson came in and delivered his charge to the Grand Jury which you remember of seeing in the paper. Then he made a little speech apprising of all that had been done for the preservation of the Union and that it was necessary for the new government to be here for the people of West Virginia ad he closed by saying if it was necessary, he would resign his official position and go forth to join the common ranks. This she heard him say herself. Now what has he meant? What does he now mean? God only knows.
I do not, my dear Alfred, want to be unjust but I cannot be blind. Therefore I must think his conduct is not what it ought to be. It is not necessary for me to say anything. The people here condemn Judge Thompson remaining at home for there are men here drafted that would not come out and join the militia that think he should go to the South and represent them. Judge Thompson got home before his brother-in-law made his will. The bulk of his property was left to Mrs. Thompson; Jim Finney and his daughters without a cent. I have heard several persons condemn this also. God only knows but I would rather be the Miss Finney’s than the Miss Thomson.
Trust the Lord, my Alfred, and all will be right in the end. God bless you is the daily prayer of your every true and devoted wife, — Mary
Letter 14
No. 56
Wheeling [Virginia] October 16, 1862
My Dear Alfred,
I received your dear letter marked No. 90 and dated October 13th yesterday. I was glad to see that my dear Alfred keeps up his spirits and does not allow himself to become discouraged. How many more prisoners are suffering for the same cause—-their love of country, and especially their love of truth. You have no idea how delighted I was yesterday. After I had written to you, my beloved one, I sat down to look over the morning paper to see therein copied from the Richmond Dispatch a correspondence ordered by the Legislature to be published between Governor Letcher and the Secretary of War. Read it, my dear Alfred. I see in the pending negotiations for an exchange of prisoners they intend to make [on] such terms as will prevent the arrest and imprisonment of peaceable citizens. Then they certainly will see to make arrangements for the release of such now imprisoned. And you, my dear, will also see in the same article the demand for the release of Mr. Duskey and Mr. Varner who were prisoners at the Wheeling jail at the time you were held in bondage there and who were placed in irons and sent to the penitentiary a few days after you were sent to Camp. Chase.
I do not give up, my dear Alfred, and sorrow as those who have no hope. If I had done so, I should have been in my grave before now. Bit instead of folding my hands in despair, I try to always look on the bright side knowing and believing that the Lord, the Ruler of the Universe who knoweth even the fall of a sparrow, will if we only place our trust in Him, bring all things right in the end though, my dear, the end does sometimes seem a long way off.
I received your dear precious letter marked No. 91 just this moment and also the note you wrote me after receiving my letter. I am so sad to think my Alfred should be made so unhappy although I was very sick and was truly alarmed, hoping not, but fearing much that I was again having another long spell of sickness. It did seem for a little while that there was nothing but trouble and sickness for me. I should not have written to alarm you but that I told you might depend I was well if I did not tell you I was sick. But thank the good Lord, I am almost well now.
The weather is very damp but I have a fire in my room. The children are all well. Delia has not had even a cold all this changeable weather. My dear, you were mistaken in telling me about having my picture taken. You wrote me to have Delia and Allie taken together and then separately and to have them framed and hung up in the parlor. If it will make no difference to my, my Alfred, I would much rather not have my own taken until I have you to go with me. You were also mistaken about telling me that Mr. Boggs took the paper for I did not even know when Bell Gashorn asked if Mr. Boggs was still there. I sent you three Heralds last week. Mother tales the Press yesterday & sent down and ordered the Herald to be left here every other day for it is almost impossible to get them unless engaged. I got a Herald and Engineer today that I ordered yesterday which I will send you this evening and hereafter you will look for the Herald every other day. And when I hear of anything interesting in another other paper, it will give me pleasure to send it to you.
I will write you, my dear, tomorrow and have written you every day this week. But do not be uneasy about me. I will soon be well and hope to live many very many, years with my dearly beloved husband. Give my kindest regards to your friends in prison—Rev. Dr. Baldwin, Judge Foster, and such others—and tell them they must all vie with each other to see who will make the time pass most pleasant and profitable while held prisoner, hoping sincerely that it will not be long now until they can all join their friends at home. God bless you and all is the prayer of your devoted wife, — Mary
Letter 15
No. 58
Wheeling [Virginia] October 19th 1862
My dear husband,
Your dear letters marked No. 92 and 93 and dated October 15th and 16th reached me yesterday. I assure you, my dear Alfred, the pleasure the reception of your seat letters have me was very great. I appreciate truly and thank you most sincerely for your words of cheer and communication of my desire of trying to do something for the release of your dear self and that of your fellow prisoners. You have no idea my dear, with what fear and trembling I proposed such a thing to you, fearing you might think my schemes were wild and imaginary and that you would think me the very last person in the world to send on such a mission & fully appreciate that the undertaking to one so little used as I have been to traveling alone will be very great. Yet I do not for one moment hesitate and I shall be perfectly satisfied with all the trials and dangers I may have to undergo if my future exertions will prove to be advantageous to you. And if you will always have reason too approve of my conduct, I shall be greatly rewarded for all of my undertakings.
I think it would be better for me to go as soon as I possibly can in order for me to accomplish my mission before the cold weather should set in. The older children I would leave with my Mother and I would either close the house and have Carrie sleep here at night and leave Delia and Allie with your Mother or leave Eliza come down ad keep house—just whatever you think best. One plan, I think, is just as [good] as the other as Marthy is beginning to have company now and Eliza is not much used to keeping house. I do not know but what it might be more safe to close the house. I could make all my arrangements and be ready to leave home in a week at the farthest. The only thing will be the procuring of a passport for that purpose. As I have no gentleman friend that I could ask to do me that favor, I shall have to depend on your advice in the matter or perhaps you can procure me a pass yourself. If not, direct me how to proceed about getting one.
You do not know how the conduct of Judge Thompson has grieved me. It is most painful for me to think about—much more painful for me to write of. Mrs. Goshorn and Delia was down here yesterday and said the Judge was there to dinner yesterday and I saw him pass our house which you know he would have to do both going and coming. Mother was also down here last evening. The Judge had been to see her and asked here to get Tom to write to Baltimore and try and find out if there was not some belonging there who was held a prisoner in Richmond who could be exchanged for you. Beautiful dependence you would have on being released depending on such friends as the above named.
Mother will be over today when I will talk the matter over with her. I am grieved that my dear husband should have to suffer unnecessarily so much uneasiness in regard to my illness but I was truly alarmed. I feared I might be very ill for I suffer on this Sabbath day one week ago very much and thought it better to tell you. But the next day I felt provoked at myself for having done so. I am now almost as well as ever so my dear Alfred, cast all fears aside, trusting in the promises of the Lord who has told us that [for] those who trust Him, He will do all things well. God bless you, my dear Alfred, is the daily prayer of your true and faithful wife, — Mary
Edgar Reed (1845-1866) enlisted in the 1st New York Engineers on 5 September 1864. (Find-A-Grave)
The following letters were written by Edgar Beckwith Reed, son of Lucius M. Reed and Margaret Beckwith. He enlisted in the 1st New York Engineers on 5 September 1864 at Troy shortly before he turned 19. He mustered in as a private in Co. L on 5 September 1864 to serve one year; appointed artificer, 1 May 1865; and mustered out with his company on 30 June 1865, Richmond, Virginia. His uncle, William Beckwith, and his cousin, Merritt Pierce, had enlisted and mustered in 31 August 1864. He contracted malarial fever during the war and died 25 Oct 1866.
Edgar wrote the letters to his friend Mary S. Reed who married his cousin, Merritt Pierce in 1867.
[Note: These letters are from the personal archives of Carolyn Cockrell and were transcribed by her husband Chuck and posted on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Letter 1
Camp in the field near Varina, Virginia 19 November, 1864
Miss Mary S. Mead Dear Friend,
I received your letter of October 30th in due time and was glad to hear from you. I am always glad to hear from any of my friends at home. Your letter took me by surprise a little, but I do not think that any excuses were necessary for leap year and being in the army is excuse enough I think at any time. It does a soldier good to get letters from friends at home and if they knew how much the soldier enjoys them, they would write more and often.
I should have answered your kind letter before, but my time has been pretty well taken up by my duties so that I could not write before. A soldier does not have a great deal of spare time I can tell you. I have enjoyed soldiering pretty well so far and think I shall continue to like it. My health has been good ever since I enlisted but Merritt [Pierce] and William Beckwith have both been sick, but they are now well and so that they go out to work.
It has been very pleasant her this fall especially through October but for the last few days it has been rainy and has rained here today. Well, it is time for the rainy season to commence but I wish it were not for it makes the mud so deep–too deep to travel with ease.
There is not a great deal going on here now and we call it pretty dull though there is some fighting on the lines all the time. I am sorry that the people of Petersburg are frightened so as to leave their homes. I think that they are frightened unnecessarily. What do you think? Perhaps I am not capable of judging being so far away from the scene of action.
I like to have a person write as they talk for then it seems as if I were talking with them. You say that you cannot go to war but that you can write letters. Well, that is what the soldiers want of you ladies at home to write letters to them. I thank you for your kind letter and hope that you will again write to you soldier friend. I think that you must have had quite a time camping out in the woods so you can imagine something about a soldier’s camping out only instead of good covering overhead he has a shelter tent.
Merritt and William Beckwith wish to be remembered to you and your folks. I have not time to write more now. Remember me to your parents and any other friends I may have. Hoping to hear from you again. I remain your true friend, — Edgar B. Reed
P. S. Direct as before.
Letter 2
Camp of Co. L, 1st New York Volunteer Engineers Near Jones Landing, Virginia January 10th, 1865
Dear Friend [Mary S. Mead],
I received your very welcome letter some time ago and was glad to hear from you. You must pardon me for not answering your letter before, but our company has been on the move, and I have been kept busy at work all the time so I hope you will deem my excuse reasonable.
It has been raining very hard here today accompanied with a great deal of thunder—some difference between here & Clinton County. I guess that you would think it strange to have a thunderstorm in January. We have had a good deal of stormy weather here lately consisting of rain, hail, snow, and very hard winds. I presume that the weather is not so changeable where you are. We have had some very cold weather here and it seemed like the Old Empire State.
Our company broke camp during the month of December & marched to this place which is three miles from our old camp where part of the regiment now is.
You wished to know how I spent Thanksgiving so I will tell you about Christmas & New Years also. On Thanksgiving I did not work any and I had a visitor from the 96th New York Volunteers. I will tell you what we had for dinner: bread, fresh beef (boiled), beef broth, mince pie, cookies, and cheese. We did not see any of those turkeys that so much was said about [up]north. On Christmas I did not my [unreadable] the rest of the [unreadable]. For dinner we had soup, hard tack, and bread, a small assortment for Christmas. On New Year’s I was better prepared as my box had come two or three days before. I had fried sausage, bread & butter, some stewed plums & berries with some of your mother’s [Harriet Boadwell Mead] maple sugar to sweeten them and a piece of fruitcake that my mother made for Christmas but got here for New Year’s. So, you can see how I spent the holidays.
I hope that you are having pleasanter weather now than when you wrote last. I received those papers you sent, and I had quite a laugh over them. I thank you for sending them. I have no time to write more so please excuse this short letter [and] all mistakes and write soon.
My address is 1st New York Volunteers Engineers, Co. L, Army of the James via Fort Monroe, Virginia. Your friend, — Edgar B. Reed
Letter 3
Bermuda Hundred, Virginia March 18th, 1865
Dear Friend,
I received your letter some time ago & was very glad to hear from you. I guess that you will not think I am very punctual about writing but I can’t help it. Since I wrote to you last our company has changed around some. When I wrote last, we were at Jones’s Landing. On the 17th of February (Friday) we broke camp and went back to old headquarters. Lay there just two weeks to a day when we broke camp again & marched to Broadway Landing which is on the river Appomattox 4 miles above City Point and about ½ mile from the hospital at Point of Rocks. Our company is drilling on a pontoon at that place & we expect to take charge of a pontoon bridge there or somewhere else. You will see by this that we have changed considerably. I am carrying the mail for the company now which brings me down to Bermuda and City Point every day, so you see I am on the go most of the time.
We have been having very pleasant weather & now it looks like spring. The grass is getting up and the fields are looking quite green. I suppose that the ground up north is still covered with snow–no signs of grass yet. I see by your letter that you have been having pretty gay times this winter. I think that you made a pretty good beggar for Elder [C. C.] Hart’s donation by the amount that was taken in. I think that you will not lack for singers next summer. I do not see why they should be afraid to let visitors visit the prison at Dannemora, but I suppose it because they are afraid of a raid from Canada. What do you think about it?
There has not been any fighting near here lately, but we expect it will commence any day now that fair weather has commenced again. I expect that we will put an end to this rebellion before next fall & so do all the soldiers that I have heard say anything on the subject. What do you think about it? You will agree with me of course.
Where our company now is near the hospital, we have a chance of seeing a great many sick & wounded men and [they are] very vast. Their burial ground is not far from us & we can hear the roar of the guns (most all of the time) which they fire over their graves. It is a sad sight I can tell you. Everything portends a big fight for the sutlers have all been ordered to the rear and the small field hospitals have all been broken up & the patients all sent to the general hospitals. Point of Rocks is one of those. I am in a hurry for it [to] commence & get through.
Well, it beats all how time flies. It don’t seem as if I had been here over 6 months and was now on the last 6 months, but such is the fact. I guess that you will find this letter very unconnected, but I hope you will excuse it with all mistakes. I have not time to write more. You will want to direct your letters the same as usual.
Please remember me to your folks and write soon. From your friend, — E.B. Reed
Letter 4
Manchester, Virginia April 28th 1865
Dear Friend,
I received yours of the 5th in due time & was very glad to hear from you. I found your letter waiting for me at Richmond when I arrived there on the 20th of this month. Perhaps you may wonder where I have been so I will tell you.
Our company—all but 30 men—left Broadway Landing the 28th of last month with a pontoon train. We were at Hatcher’s Run [un]til the day before Petersburg and Richmond surrendered when we moved to the left of Petersburg and on the morning of the capture found us on the road to Lynchburg with the army in pursuit of the Rebels. We chased them from that time [un]til they surrendered. At the time of the surrender, we were only 5 miles from the place, and we moved near there the next day. The road that we followed runs beside the Southside Railroad & by looking on the map you can see the country that we went through. At Farmville we laid a bridge which enabled our artillery to get at with the Rebs and give them a finishing touch. I had a great time foraging on the route and we all lived well at the expense of the inhabitants. The march was a fatiguing one for we were on the move for 24 days & sometimes it was all night too. But it is over and great have been the results and yet it is all clouded by the events at Washington, D.C. It was a severe blow to the nation, but I hope that all will end well.
I am sorry to hear that you are so poorly off for singers at our church, but the boys will be home in the fall if all things go well & then I shall expect to see the gallery filled. I think you must have had a nice time at those concerts, and I would like to have attended them. In regard to that letter which contained a peach blossom & to which there was no name signed I know that you will not have to look further than Merritt Pierce as the author.
I don’t think you had better save that sugar for me, but I wish you to eat it for me for it may be some time before I see home again—4 months & a few at least. I think that sugar tastes much better in the woods than anywhere else.
I should think that spring was quite early up north by all that I hear. Here you might call it summer though it is not May yet & we have not very warm weather, but it is a coming. I was sorry to hear that the smallpox had closed the Baptist Church & I hope that it will not spread any further. On Thursday night that you said you were to have a party at your house & was so kind as to give me an invite & I thank you very much for it, but I could not go as I was forced to march all day & all night in pursuit of Lee & his army. I will eat some peaches for you as soon as they get ripe. They are now just out of the bloom. I wish they grew up north & then you would have a chance to see plenty of them for I think that they are a delicious fruit, but I must close for want of time to write more.
Please excuse all mistakes & poor writing & write soon as you can conveniently. Yours truly, — Edgar B. Reed
Letter 5
Manchester, Virginia June 5th, 186[5]
Dear Friend,
Yours of May 12th was received some time ago & was very welcome I can assure you. We are still encamped in the same place as when I wrote last and hard to work building the bridge across the river here. There are 3 companies besides ours to work at it with a large infantry detail helping us. We do not expect to get discharged [un]til the bridge is finished and that will take a month yet so that if we are not on our way north by the middle of July, I shall expect to serve my time out. Well, that won’t be long as I have only 3 months longer to stay which will soon pass away.
You say that you read that the 1 year [enlistees] were to be sent home. I don’t think that that applies to this regiment, and I am pretty certain that no 1-year men will be discharged before the regiment is unless their time expires.
I suppose that by this time you have got through house cleaning and that dreaded job is over for I know that it is always dreaded.
June 6th
I was interrupted yesterday when I had got so far, and I did not have a chance to write again. I have changed my quarters since I commenced this letter, and I am now at the headquarters of the regiment, and I was sent up here yesterday forenoon in company with 50 others from our battalion. Merritt is here with me, but he came because I did. He received a letter from you night before last and he would probably have answered it today, but he has gone on guard and now I suppose that he will not write before tomorrow.
I would [have] liked to have been at your house the night you invited me to be for I see by your letter that you must have had a pleasant time. Well, I suppose that I will be at home sometime between now & fall. We have plenty of rumors about going home but we pay no attention to them.
If you was here now you would see ripe cherries, green peas, apples, and all kinds of garden sauce for sale. We have had strawberries but are about gone. So you see that we have things early down here. The peaches are growing fast and if I stay here much longer, I shall be able to eat some as they will be ripe, and you may depend on my going my duty in that line.
But I must stop for I have not time to write more. Remember me to all inquiring friends. Please excuse all mistakes and write soon.
Spared & Shared 23 