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.
The following correspondence was composed by Thomas Williamson Walke, aged 52 (1814-1897), the progeny of Anthony Walke IV (1783-1865) and Susan Hatfield Carmichael (1786-1874). This letter reveals that Thomas resided on a farm co-owned with his younger sibling, Anthony Walke (1816-1897), while he maintained a legal career in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. His father’s death occurred in March 1865, and his mother continued to inhabit the farm with her two sons.
Thomas Hoomes Williamson
Thomas wrote the letter to his cousin, Thomas Hoomes Williamson (1813-1888), the son of Thomas and Anne (Walke) Williamson of Richmond, Virginia. Thomas Williamson joined the faculty at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1841 and worked there his entire life except for the war years when served with the Confederate Engineer Corps. He worked on the defenses of the Rappahannock river and Manassas. He was on the staff of Stonewall Jackson for a time. In his letter Thomas Walke shares family information on the Ohio branch of the family while seeking information on the Virginia branch. He refers to “the late unnatural war” which has prevented them from maintaining communications.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Chillicothe, Ohio December 4th 1866
Col. Thomas Williamson Lexington, Virginia
Dear Cousin, some weeks ago I sent you two papers—one containing an obituary notice of Father who died last March, and the other an historical reminiscence of Gen. Stonewall Jackson.
For a long time past, I have thought of writing you to ascertain the condition of our Virginia kinfolk and whether or not they suffered much during the late unnatural war, but I did not feel confident that my letter would reach you, nor do I feel altogether so now.
During the fall, two Confederate officers (Messrs. Goode and Boys from Virginia) visited Chillicothe and remained several weeks. I became acquainted with them and they gave me some information respecting yourself; but they knew very little about our other Virginia friends.
A few days ago I received a letter from my brother Cornelius (now a resident of New York City) 1 who said he had learned from Mrs. Granberry (formerly of Norfolk) and from Dr. Walke (late a Surgeon in the Confederate service) that Uncle William and our Norfolk kindred generally were well and had suffered comparatively little by the war, but they gave him no definite information respecting your brothers and sisters, and Capt. Henderson and our other cousins, from all of whom we are very anxious to hear.
Nearly all your Ohio kinsmen were conservatives and Peace Democrats and took no part in the war—voluntarily at least. Brother Henry was at sea when the war broke out and on his return he was ordered to the Mississippi Flotilla. He was afterwards given command of a vessel and sent to cruise off the coast of Europe. 2
Brother William died at his residence in Union county three years ago last fall. 3 John is the Probate Judge of Pickaway county and being as fat as ever, his friends say he adds great weight to the Judicial Bench. 4 His son Robert was in Louisiana when the war commenced. He first joined the Crescent City Regiment composed of the finest youths of New Orleans. The regiment fought with distinguished gallantry and was nearly destroyed at Shiloh. It was then broken up and its members placed in other organizations. Robert was attached to the cavalry and served under Bragg, Johnston, Hood, and Dick Taylor. He was in all the heavy battles of the West and Southwest, but received no injury.
Sister Virginia 5 and family were all well when last heard from. Brother Anthony and I live on a farm about a mile and a half from town with Mother. Anthony attends to the farm and I practice law, having an office in town. Both of us can sing the old Egyptian song:
"I have no wife to bring me milk No wife to grind my corn"
In looking over Pa’s papers, I found a collection of old family records, deeds, &c. He had intended compiling a brief history of th family in compliance with a request you once made him, but private & public business interfered and old age coming on, it was neglected altogether. At Henry’s request, I made out short sketches of the members of the family referred to in the old papers and if you wish it, I will send you a copy of them. There are probably errors in them which you can correct and deficiencies which you can supply. Ma and all join in kind regards & compliments of the season to you & family. Very affectionately yours, — Thos. Walke
P. S. Robert Walke referred to in the letter was a great friend and admirer of Mr. Francis Smith whom he met at Alexandria, La. Robert was in business at Cotila on the Red River when the war began. He has returned to that place & resumed his old employment. Please let us hear from you fully respecting our Virginia kindred. Yours truly, — Thos. Walke
1 Dr. Cornelius Calvert Walke (1822-1914)was a New York City physician and a censor of the New York Medical College (The Board of Censors examined the qualifications of students before their graduation and receiving medical degrees.) The erudite physician was a member of the American Geographical Society. He was married in 1848 to Hannah E. Hitchcock and they lived in an opulent home at 213 Second Avenue. See The Dr. Cornelius Walke House in Manhattan.
Henry Walke (1808-1896)
2 Despite his southern heritage, Henry Walke (1808-1896) remained loyal to the Union and played a bigger role in the war than Thomas may have been willing to admit. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Henry Walke was a Commander in charge of Unionist forces at Pensacola, Florida. In January 1862, he commanded the gunboats “USS Tyler” and “USS Carondelet” in operations along the Western Rivers. Promoted Captain in August 1862, he commanded the ironclad “USS Lafayette” until July 1863, when he was ordered to command the cruiser “USS Fort Jackson.” From 1864 to the end of the war, he was made Captain of the steam sloop “USS Sacramento”. Promoted to Commodore in July 1866, he commanded the Naval Station at Mound City, Illinois, 1868 to 1870. He attained the rank of Rear Admiral in July 1870 and served on the Lighthouse Board until April 1873, when he retired from active duty as a Rear Admiral. Three United States Navy destroyers have been named in his honor. (Find-A-Grave)
3 William Walke (1806-1862) was married to Virginia Evans in 1831 and was living in Milford Center, Union county, Ohio, when he died on 17 November 1862. His wife died on 22 March 1865. One of his sons, Isaac Evans Walke (1841-1922) served briefly in Co. H, 136th OVI late in the war.
4 John Walke (1811-1895) was married at Chillicothe in 1836 to Francis McArthur Kercheval (1817-1882) and he was a Probate Judge in Pickaway county, Ohio. His residence as in Circleville. His son Robert Kercheval Walke (184–1892) was in the Confederate service. He was a sergeant in Co. K of the Louisiana Crescent Infantry (the “Kid Glove” Regiment) and then a private in Capt. Dreux’s Louisiana Cavalry.See “Capturing the Hornet’s Nest with the Kid Glove Regiment at Shiloh” by Dan Masters.
5 Susan Virginia Walke (1820-1895) was married in Chillicothe in 1840 to James Dun (1818-1892) and they lived in Deer Creek township, Madison county, Ohio.
I could not find an image of Winfield but here is one of David Mount who also joined as a recruit in Co. I, 13th Iowa Regiment (Iowa CW Images)
The following letters were found in the pension file of Winfield Pulaski Romick (1848-1865) who served during the American Civil War as a private in Co. I, 13th Iowa Infantry, and also as a private in the 7th Iowa Cavalry. He received a “slight scratch” on the left arm during the charge of his regiment on 21 July 1864 in the prelude to the Battle of Atlanta but survived that wound only to die of chronic dysentery in August 1865.
Winfield was the son of Israel Romick (1818-1903) and Hannah Arney (1820-1895). He was born in Mad River, Champaign county, Ohio, in February 1848 but came with his parents to Davis county, Iowa prior to the Civil War. He enlisted as a recruit in the 13th Iowa on 1 April 1864 when he was 16 years old.
[Note: These letters were found by Phillip Whiteman at the National Archives and made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by request.]
Letter 1
Camp McClellan Davenport, Iowa April 21, 1864
Well parents, I take this opportunity to let you know how I am getting along. I am well and hearty as I ever was. We took the cars at Stumptown 1 about [ ] and reached Keokuk at 2.40 p.m. We then took the cars for Fort Madison at 5 o’clock and reached that place at 7 o’clock. On the 13th we took deck passage aboard the steamer Jennie Whipple at 8.40 and landed here at 4.30 p.m. of the 20th. I was examined, passed muster, and drawed my clothes today. As to my age, I have not been asked how old I was since I left for they don’t ask a fellow here how old he is when he looks like he is 18.
We met the regiment as we come up the Mississippi but did not know it at the time or we should have turned back. The boys that came up with us started down this morning at 7 o’clock by way of the Illinois Railroad. We will stay here probably a week or ten days. I can’t tell anything about it for I know no more thah you do. We are just waiting orders and ready to leave at any minute. Our squad of recruits all passed but Jim Goddard. He is rejected but I don’t know whether he will go home or not. He talks of trying to get in as drummer or fifer. I don’t know whether he will succeed or not. We are all well and hearty and I believe we will make a Bully set of soldiers.
As we came up, the boat landed at Burlington to take in some freight and we received an invitation to attend a supper which was made there for the soldiers and the captain of the boat said we were the most civil set of soldiers that ever rode on his boat and he would wait on us an hour and insisted that we should go and we went up and took supper. They had a very good supper prepared and as we were hungry, we made a bright display of our eating qualifications and had the pleasure of shaking with Rev. Michael See after which Harvey Garrett returned our thanks for their hospitality and gave them three hearty cheers and left.
We signed the pay roll today and will probably draw our pay soon but I can’t tell. I hope it will not be long for I want to get to the regiment as soon as possible. I could stay here all summer if I wanted to but I would rather be with the regiment. I guess I will send my clothes to Stumptown by express if Jim [Goddard] does not go home. But I will direct to Troy and they will send you a letter to let you know when they come. There are a good many soldiers here for different regiments and there are not many larger or stouter soldiers here than myself and there are a great many younger ones. Jim [Goddard] was not large or stout enough was the reason he was rejected. You need not write to me until you hear from me again for likely I will leave here before you get this. You see I am in a hurry so no more but remain your son, — Winfield
1 River Junction, often referred to as “Stumpy” or “Stumptown” is just down the road from Lone Tree, Iowa, 12 miles south of Iowa ity and 26 miles west of Muscatine, in Fremont Twp. Fremont Twp is in the southeastern tip of Johnson County.
Letter 2
Camp McClellan Davenport, Iowa April 24th 1864
Well I guess I will try to write you a short letter again to let you know how I am getting along by this time. We drew our bounty yesterday and I only drew $25. I guess I will not get the 300 dollar bounty but it can’t be helped now. I expressed $15 home. I should have sent home more but I bought some of my clothes instead of drawing and I will get money for what I did not draw after a while. I thought it would be a great deal cheaper to buy than to draw. I am very sorry that I did not get the $300 bounty but I did not enlist for money so I will just…
…important to write so I will quit for the present. Yours &c. — Winfield.
P. S. Direct to Co. I, 13th Iowa Infantry, Cairo, Illinois.
Letter 3
Pulaski, Tennessee May 20th 1864
Dear Parents,
I embrace the present opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I have received your letter and was very glad to hear from you and to hear that you were well at the time of writing. I would have written soon if I could for I am afraid you have been uneasy about me but I did not get your letter until the day before we started from Clifton and as I was on guard that day and had to fix up for our march, I had no time to write. But you need not be uneasy about me for times will sometimes come when I cannot write every week. But I will always do the best I can.
We have been marching four days now and have stopped here to rest a day and then we are going on to Huntsville. They say our regiment is only 28 miles from here. The rebels are in front of them and they can go no farther until we get there and whip out the rebels. But that will not be hard to do for we have got a pretty strong force along with us and they are not more than 8,000 or 10,000 of the rebels and we have got more than that here, besides what are there. They have stopped at Athens.
Well, I have stood the march as well as anybody in the company and think I can go through pretty easy. We have come about 60 miles. The second night I got pretty tired as I was on rear guard and did not get into camp until about 10 o’clock at night. The next night we did not get in until 3 o’clock in the morning. But I feel first rate and you need not be uneasy about me being discontented or anything else. And when I get through with our march, I will tell you more about it.
As i have not time to write much, I will bring my letter to a close. Write soon and often for you can’t imagine the good it does a soldier to hear from home. So no more at present but remain yours truly, — Winfield
Letter 4
Camp near Huntsville, Alabama May 24, 1864
Dear Parents,
I will again try to write you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along at present. We reached here yesterday about 10 o’clock after traveling 19 miles. We found the regiment here and was all glad to find the boys and all of them well.
We have marched about 120 miles since we left Clifton [Tennessee] and was on the road 8 days, laying over one. I have stood the march first rate as well as anybody in the regiment and as I had not then been detailed as fifer, I had a gun and cartridge to carry through. I think soldiering is not very hard work; still we marched pretty hard some days.
We have orders to march again to start tomorrow morning for Rome, Georgia, being about 150 miles from here, and I feel like I can march pretty well now as we have had one days rest.
I forgot to tell you in my last where to direct. Direct to Co. I, 13th Iowa via Nashville, Tennessee, and your letters the same way. You need not be uneasy about me if you do not hear from me again for two or three weeks for very likely I will not have a chance to write again until we get through our march. But I will write as soon as I can. I would like very well to hear from home again for I have had but one letter since I left. And tell John Wallace and Jim to write to me and I will write to them as soon as I can. I am most out of postage stamps and cannot get any here but it may be that I can get them when we stop again.
Well, I guess I will have to stop for this time and fix up for inspection. Write soon and give me all the news and when I get time, I will not write such short letters. But you must remember that we are sometimes hurried so that I have not much time to write but you need not stop on that account for I will always do my best. But I must quit or I will not be ready for inspection. So no more at present but remain yours truly. — Winfield
Letter 5
At Decatur, Ala., May 27, 1864, the 13th Iowa regiment, with the rest of the Crocker Brigade, was attached to the Fourth Division of the 17th Army Corps. General Crocker, who had commanded the division, was compelled on account of poor health to relinquish his command, and was succeeded by Gen. W. Q. Gresham. The regiment now moved forward with this command to Rome, Ga., arriving there June 6th, and thence by way of Kingston and Allatoona to Ackworth, where on June 8th the Seventeenth Army Corps took its place in line with the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by Gen. James B. McPherson, and became a part of the great army commanded by Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, consisting of the armies of the Tennessee, the Ohio and the Cumberland. One of the greatest campaigns In the history of warfare had now begun and, through it all, the Thirteenth Iowa was destined to bear a conspicuous and honorable part.
Camp near Aqua [Acworth], Georgia June the 8th 1864
Dear Parents,
I take the present opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and getting along fine. As I told you in my last that it was very likely that I would not have a chance to write again soon, I hope you have not been uneasy about me. Since I wrote my last letter, we have been marching all the time with the exception of two days and one of them I wrote to John Wallace and the other I had no chance of sending out mail. I received your letter at Rome bearing date of the 8th of last month which is the second letter I have had from home since I left but I am looking for another the first mail.
Well we finally got as far as we can go until we route the rebels out of here. We have had some pretty hard marching since we left Clifton [Tennessee], having marched about 300 or 350 miles and we are all very glad to stop awhile and rest. Still I have stood the marching fine and am getting fat on it. I think it has done me good to march.
Well, I suppose you heard of the fighting that has been going on here and probably know more about it than I do. I don’t know how long we will be in taking this place. Very likely we will have no more fighting to do here for we heard this morning that Hooker had out flanked Johnston on the left and they were both running to see which can get to Atlanta first. I don’t know how they are making by this time. Johnston held a pretty good position here in the mountains and one that will be hard to take unless Hooker does succeed in drawing him away and if he does that, they are about played out for we have about 150,000 men here now and if we can get them out of these mountains, we will more than make them get.
I think if Grant succeeds in taking Richmond, we will get to go home pretty soon for they are about gone up down this way. Tell Mr. Pierson’s girls (and the old woman to boot) that I think it would have been just as easy to send their respects on a little piece of paper as to send it second handed, but I am much obliged to “em for their spects.” Tell little Mag I am taking as good care of myself as I know how and tell her that I think if she will take good care of herself, I think she will get to be a pretty good-sized girl after while.
You wanted to know what I done about a blanket after I had mine stolen. I had to go and draw another one. As to that letter, there was no harm in opening it. We heard in Decatur that the 7th Iowa Cavalry had gone through there that morning but I guess it must have been a mistake or Bill would have known something about [it]. Well, I have not time to write any more at present. Excuse my short letter and poor writing for I have nothing to writ on and just have to sit down on the ground and after marching so long as we have been marching, a person will naturally get nervous. But enough in the way of apologies. So no more at present but remain your son, — Winfield
Letter 6
Camp 13th Iowa June 16th 1864
Dear Parents,
I again seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along down here in Dixie. The boys are all getting along tolerable well. I am doing pretty well at present. I had a little sick spell a few days ago and the oyster had me to go to the Convalescent Camp just to get out of the rain for it has been raining very hard here for the last few days but I only stayed there one day and came back to the regiment.
I received your kind letter day before yesterday bearing date of the 28th of last month and was glad to learn that you were still getting along well at home. I have received the two Guards that sent me and was glad to get them for they are the next things to a letter from home. You seem to think that I am not stout enough to stand a hundred miles march but since we started on our march, I have marched about 375 miles and a pretty stout yet and feel like I could stand another just as big if it was necessary but I guess we will have no marching to do for some time as there is something else for us to do now that we have found some Rebs.
Well Mother, I am sorry to hear that you have been afflicted with a boil but you know we must all have afflictions some time and you know too that it is good for us to be afflicted sometimes for it learns us to be contented adn how to appreciate the blessings of good health. You said you had a good time visiting with an old friend of yours. I guess I don’t know anything about the woman—at least I have no recollection of ever hearing of her. I would like first rate to have been at your [Methodist] Quarterly Meeting for I have not been to meeting since we left Clifton and that has been a good [while] but I will tell you the reason for fear you conclude that I don’t want to go to meeting. Since we left Clifton, we have been marching all the time until we have been in this fight and we have no time for meeting now for we have to build forts and dig rifle pits at night and fight in the day time and you know that keeps us pretty busy.
On the 7th we had got to the front of the army and stayed there until this morning of the 9th. The we advanced about 10 miles and camped about one and a half miles from the Rebel breastworks. On the morning of the 11th we marched out and attacked them commencing with very heavy cannon. Since that we have been laying around in front of the enemy watching them get behind trees and shoot at us. But there has been none of our regiment killed unless it has been done since I commenced my letter. We have driven them from a good many of their fortifications & rifle pits and are now in some of them. We have captured four or five pieces of their artillery and a good many prisoners and there are a great many of their men deserting. There was about sixty of them came over to us one evening and said that their whole regiment would be over that night and that the whole brigade would come over as soon as they could get away. But I guess they are watching them so that they can’t get away. I think we will rout them out of here in a couple of days. We are in the rifle pits now and some of the boys are shooting over at them. We are getting along pretty well I think so far and we are in a hurry to get them out of here.
I forgot to say anything about that piece of carpet. I guess it will not be worthwhile to send it but you can lay a little piece up in some dry corner and save it till I get home. I guess I will be at home before long and I can see it there for I don’t think that this thing can last much longer—at least I am living in hopes that we will capture the most of this army and then if Grant takes Richmond, they will be about played out.
Well, I believe I have nothing more of importance to write so I will bring my letter to a close. You wanted to know whether I heard from the Little Rock boys. I don’t hear from them often. So no more at present but remain your son, – W. Romick
Letter 7
Camp 13th Iowa June 21st 1864
Dear Parents,
I will try and write you a few lines again this evening to let you know how we are getting along by this time. I am well and hearty as I ever was. The Troy boys are not in very good health at present. Bep [?] and John Evans and Dolph Miller and Harvey Garret are akk complaining considerable and have been for some two or three days but I guess there is nothing serious the matter with them, and Jim Allen has had two or three chills but is getting well now.
Well I have had no letter from home for a good while—not since I wrote my other letter—but I guess as you will not write to me, I will write every time I get a chance just for spite. I think if I write about three or four times a week and about two sheets at once, you will get tired and write to me to tell me to quit a while and give you time to get your breath. Whenever you get tired, just let me know.
Well I suppose you know that we have been fighting here for sometime. If you don’t, I do. We have been here fighting for the last 11 days and I don’t know when we will get through. We are driving the rebels considerable but they may fight for some time yet as they still hold possession of the mountains. On the night of the 18th, they evacuated their first line of entrenchments and retreated I guess about two miles and the next day we advanced about the same distance. We hear a good many good news here but I will not write anything more than I can see for there is no dependence to be put in anything we hear. There has been heavy cannonading all along our lines for the last two days and considerable musketry but we have been a pretty lucky regiment so far, not losing morethan one or two men since we have been here.
Well I must go and fix up our shebang for I am getting wet for it has been raining for the last month.
Well it is tomorrow morning now and I will try and finish my letter which I commenced last evening. There is nothing going on here this morning except some pretty brisk cannonading and some rattling of musketry but I have got used to that so that I don’t notice it much—only when we are ordered in line of battle as quickly as possible. We expected an attack last night and was ordered to sleep with our shoes and everything on and our cartridge boxes and guns under our heads but the rebs did not disturb our night’s rest. But such orders as that have become so common that we can sleep as well under such orders as with out them.
I think the rebs are going back some this morning and I expect we will have to advance but I don’t know for the brush are so thick here on these mountains that we can’t see more than a rod.
Well, I can’t think of much to write as I have not got a letter from home to answer for some time and i don’t think I can write one of those large letters this time that I was trying to write last evening. I have ben looking for the Guard every mail for some time but still I am living in hopes of getting one today and if I am disappointed, I shall look for one tomorrow. Oh yes, I have forgot to say anything in any of my letters about this other Romick in our company. He is not my cousin as we supposed and I don’t know whether he is any connection of mine or not. His grandfather’s name, I think, was Thomas. He said he would write to his father about it but I don’t know whether he has done it yet or not.
Well, I believe I have nothing more to write at present so I will quit until tomorrow (or some other day). I don’t think this letter will interest you very much but I don’t care for I am writing for spite anyhow and if you want to throw out a little spite, just write a great big letter. So no more at present but remain your son, — W. Romick
Letter 8
Camp 13th Iowa June 28th 1864
Dear Parents,
I will again try this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am yet alive, well and hearty. On the night of the 24th, I received your letters bearing the dates respectively of the 3rd, 10th, & 15th, being the first I have received from you for some time. You rightly comprehend my feeling when you think it gives me such great satisfaction to know that I am still remembered at home for there is no one that loves to hear from home and friends than I do. And I think I am equally as anxious to hear from you as you are to hear from me. It is true I was getting discouraged when I wrote my last letter (as you will undoubtedly noticed from my manner of writing) but you can’t imagine what encouragement them three letters give me and I now feel in better spirits for writing than I had before done for some time.
The postage stamps I received and was very thankful to get them as I [was] just about out. You will probably wonder at me sending for stamps so long before I was out as I have stamped all the letters since that time but you will remember that I was at Huntsville when I wrote for them and at that time I had but two left and as there could be none got at that place, I thought I had better send for some. But as we came through on our march, I found a day book and in it 15 stamps so I have had a good supply since.
Well, I suppose you would like to hear some news from here but from the long and protracted fighting that has taken place, I shall not attempt to give you the details, and when we get through with the present campaign (if I am spared to get through which I hope and trust I will) probably I will try to give a detail account of the long and hard fought battle (or rather siege which it has so far been more like than anything else I could compare it to). Although we have had some hard fighting here, it is very likely we will have some more as hard before the rebels are entirely defeated.
The news are very good this morning, it being reported that our extreme left commanded by Gen. [Mortimer] Leggett and the extreme right under Gen. [John] Schofield have come together enclosing Johnston in a complete circle and cutting off all their supplies. I hope we may be enabled to make their whole force surrender here which [if] done, will probably end our campaign on reaching Atlanta. But they may mass their forces and make one desperate charge to break our lines. If they do this, it is likely they will charge on this part of the line as our line is very weak here and no doubt if they come in any force, they will be successful in breaking through although they have moved most of their force to the right.
Well, I guess as I have no more at present to write about matters and things down here, I will try and answer your three letters in one as I have not got time to write three today. You want to know whether i have been to meeting since I left home. I have but have had no opportunity of attending meeting since I left Clifton. You also wanted to know in the same whether I have a duplicate for them clothes, I have none but I think you will get them in course of time. I received your Japonica which was the first flower I have seen since we came on this mountain and such things remind me of home. You want to know whether I am trying to live right since I came in the army. To this I answer I have been trying to live near right as I can & I fel that if I should fall in the army that I shall only exchange this world for a better one. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain your son, — Winfield
Letter 9
Camp 13th Iowa July 6th 1864
Dear Parents,
I will try to write you a few lines this morning to let you know that I am still alive, well and hearty. I would have written sooner but I have not had time. I received a letter from Jane the 2nd. She was at Bloomfield when written.
On the night of the 2nd, just after going to bed (or laying down rather), we were ordered to move immediately. We got up and started toward the right, marched all night, stopped about daylight to feed the horses and started again at 6 o’clock. Marched until 1:15 p.m. when we arrived on the extreme right. Sent out five companies of our regiment to skirmish while the other five were held back as a reserve. We then advanced, drove the rebs back about two miles when it began to get night and we were ordered to fall back to where we first attacked the enemy. We stacked arms about 11 o’clock and lay down to rest from the fatigue of the previous night and day.
On the 4th, we got up about daylight and got breakfast when I concluded I would have a good dinner to celebrate the 4th as I was always accustomed to do so I went out and gathered a mess of blackberries which I cooked and them together with my hard tack and bacon furnished me a splendid dinner such as a soldier only knows how to relish. After we had eat dinner, we were ordered to advance, We advanced about three miles, driving the enemy before us when it again began to get night and we fell back about half a mile & camped. Yesterday we again advanced at 7 o’clock a.m. about four miles having some very hard fighting to do all along the road and driving the rebs behind their works on the Chattahoochee River where they now hold very strong works. But we will drive them out after a while. We are now in sight of Atlanta and I think we will be in it before long.
In reading my letter you might naturally suppose that we just marched along the road as ew always do on a march but it is not the case. We had to march in line if battle through the thickest kind of brush all the way and each of us thought we done well if we got through without a wound from the brush. But I got through pretty lucky, only I tore my haversack and came near losing all my grub.
Well I have not much time to write today. I just thought I would write a short letter to let you know that I was alive and well. You needn’t be uneasy if you don’t hear from me again for some time for while the rebs are retreating and we follow up, we have no time to write. Please write soon and give me the news in general. Tell me how you spent the 4th of July. I got two Guards last week, both the same date. I suppose one from the office and one from home. If you have ordered it, you need not send anymore from home. Hoping to hear from you soon and often, I remain your obedient son, — Winfield
Letter 10
Camp 13th Iowa July 9th 1864
Dear Parents,
I received your letter of the 22nd last night and was glad to learn that you were well at the time of writing. You say you have not heard from me for three weeks. It seems very strange to me for I have written every week, only when we were marching and I could not. And since we have been been fighting here, I have written at least two every week because I thought you might be uneasy about me so that you will have to lay the blame all to the mail not being carried through regular.
Since I wrote my last, there has nothing occurred of importance any more than we are still fighting and I guess the Rebs are still retreating toward Pine Bluffs which is about 15 miles from here. Day before yesterday the Rebs thought they would trty our strength here and commenced shelling us and as we were right between them and our own cannon, the shells flew pretty thick over our regiment, especially our company which was just falling in to go on picket. There were a good many shells bursted over and around us but there was none of us hurt expecting John Evans. A piece of she hit him on the foot but did not go through his boot, only bruising it. Still he is reported on the list of wounded. We have had five men wounded in our company, about 40 or 50 in the regiment, and I suppose between 150 and 200 in the brigade. This I think to be a very low estimate for both the 15th and 16th Iowa have sustained heavier loss than ours and some companies in our regiment have lost more than we have.
Well, I believe I have nothing more to write as it is not very pleasant writing in the sun to write very long letters when I write so often. I fogot to tell you that I am not fifer yet as we have had no time to make a detail since I have been with the regiment and I don’t care much for I can stand the service first rate as a private and I wanted to carry a gun through one battle and I will be detailed as soon as this campaign is ended.
I guess you can read this and if you want me to write any better, you will have to send me a pen as I have none and can’t get any here—only such a one as I can borrow—and soldiers don’t keep good pens to lend so no more at present but remain your obedient son, — W. Romick
Sunday, July 10th, 1864
Well, I did not get to send my letter off yesterday. I will try and write a little more. I had not told you how we were situated here before and I will have to explain a little. You know that before we moved we occupied the extreme right but since we moved, we have been on the extreme left. We come up and formed line in front and about five hundred yards from the Rebel lines where they were very strongly fortified having a fort containing 16 embrasures bearing on our brigade alone so you may know that our loss has been pretty heavy.
This fort is the strongest I have ever seen. The walls, I suppose, are about 15 feet thick of solid earth. About 25 yards in front of this there are stakes about 3 feet high drove into the ground and sharpened leaning over toward our lines. In front of this there are trees fell so that the tops were pointing toward us. The brush were trimmed off the limbs and these were also sharpened so that it would have been almost impossible to have taken it by storm. When we came up in front of these, Brig. Gen. [William] Hall, commanding our brigade, came along and told [us] in half an hour he wanted to hear us give one of our Iowa yells and never stop until we had planted our flag on the Rebel works. But the Colonels and Major Gen. [Walter Q.] Gresham commanding our division saw the foolishness of such a move and the Colonels refused to lead us forward. 1
We then halted for the night, worked all that night throwing up breastworks and commenced shelling them and continued thus until last night when the rebs evacuated and fell back across the Chattahoochee where they have another line of works and fortifications and we are now in the works they held last night and about half a mile from where the rebs are now in considerable force. Good day to you.
1 The line of forts constructed by the Confederates with their backs to the Chattahoochee River was known as the “River Line” and it incorporated a series of diamond shaped forts called a shoupade. They were placed anywhere from 60 to 175 yards apart depending on the terrain and were connected by earthworks that intersected the Shoupade roughly in the center. The angled section in front of the line from two adjoining Shoupades, allowed for a crossfire on an advancing enemy. Each Shoupade could hold 80 soldiers shoulder to shoulder. They were also constructed to withstand an extended artillery barrage. The Confederates occupied this line until the night of July the 9th, when the retreated across the river. The following map shows the position of Sherman’s Army confronting Johnston’s army on the River Line with its back on the Chattahoochee River. Gresham’s Division and Hall’s Brigade can be seen on the extreme Union right (in the orange circle), flanked by the 3rd Ohio Battery.
Letter 11
4th Division Hospital near Atlanta, Georgia July 24th 1864
Dear Parents,
I will now try to write a few lines to let you know that I am still alive & doing well as I could expect. I suppose you have already heard of my being wounded. I received a slight scratch on the 21st in the charge which the Iowa Brigade made on that memorable day. About 8 o’clock we were ordered into line behind the works which we had thrown up the night before. We were then ordered to advance and springing over our breastworks, we charged down a hill on double quick through a heavy volley of musketry, grape & canister. Our regiment ran on down to the hollow and lay down After laying there about 20 minutes, they found the enemy too strong for us and ordered us to fall back behind our works. We got back behind our works just 30 minutes after leaving them, losing 10 men out of our company in killed & wounded, and 126 out of our regiment. The 15th Iowa also suffered a severe loss. The 11th & 16th being in our rear for a support. I was wounded in the left arm just before we were ordered to halt but did not leave the field until the regiment fell back. Till [Tilman H. Elrod] then helped me back to the hospital which was about 3 miles from the lines.
On the morning of the 22nd, through some carelessness on the part of our officers, the Rebs outflanked us on the left (our Army Corps was on the left) & were but a very short distance from our hospital when the 16th Army Corps moving to the left came upon them & held them in check while we moved our hospital back farther to the rear. Our Brigade (or rather our Corps) again became heavily engaged as the Rebs were on all sides of them and determined on victory. Our regiment fought them in front awhile, then jumped over their works, about faced, and began to fight them in the rear. Then they would face to the right and fight them on the flank, repulsing them in every direction.
After the Rebs had made seven unsuccessful charges & our Brigade first advancing then retreating, then marching on double quick by the flank, they retired from the field in disorder leaving it almost covered with the dead and wounded & our troops occupying the same ground they did in the morning, and although our loss as well as theirs is very heavy, we claim another glorious victory. Our Corps is literally cut all to pieces. The 3rd—or Iowa Brigade—have not enough men to [make] one regiment. Our regiment now numbers but 250 men all told, 130 of which are able for duty.
The Rebel prisoners say that their officers made them a speech the night before and told them that the 17th Corps was the “Flower of the West” & they wanted them to cut it all to pieces & although they did cut it to pieces, they paid for it dearly. It is reported that one division of our Corps buried 1500 Rebels today just in the front of the one division & the prisoners say their men will not fight us in the open field again. There is only one of the Troy boys killed. Henry Thompson died in a hand to hand fight with a rebel after being shot twice with a revolver—one entering his head. He fell dead [and] the last words he was known to say was he would surrender to no rebel. 1
I am thankful to tell you that I am but slightly wounded & will be well, I think, in a few weeks, or months at most. In answer to your letter, [John] Elrod is still Chaplain. I guess I get all your letters but they come very irregular. I sometimes get 4 and 5 at one time. This is the third I have got from you since I have written but had no time to write. Tell Sarah I received her letter this evening & will answer it is a day or two as soon as I get time & paper.
Jim Allen says for you to tell or send word to his folks that he is all right but I will tell you a little more. He was struck in the ankle by a ball or piece of shell and it is considerable swelled although it did not break the hide and he will be all right in a few days, I think. You needn’t be uneasy about me for I will be all right in a short time as there are no broken bones. I will bring my hurried lines to a close hoping to hear from you again soon. I subscribe myself, — Winfield
P. S. I will send you a list of the killed and wounded in Co. I.
George McLaughlin, Captain, in the arm David Hudson, 1st Lieut., in the leg Joseph [G.] Berstler, Orderly Sergeant, in the head Adolphus [M.] Miller, 2nd Sergeant, in the foot Robert [N.] Brown, 4th Sergeant, jaw broke John [E.] Johnson, 2nd Corporal [eye]
Four of the Co. I, 13th Iowa Veterans who were wounded in the Battle of Atlanta, July 21-22, 1864 (Iowa Civil War Images)
1 Kentucky born William Henry Thompson (1843-1864) was from Troy, Davis county, Iowa. He left his widowed mother to join the 13th Iowa in 1861 and then reenlisted in 1864. His remains are in the Marietta National Cemetery in Georgia (Grave 5731).Were there an epitaph, it might read, “I will surrender to no rebel.”
Letter 12
U. S. General Hospital, Marietta, Georgia August 4, 1864
Dear Parents
It is with pleasure that I seat myself to write to you a short letter in answer to yours which I received some days since. In fact, I have received two since I have written on the account of having no paper nor no money to get any with as we have not drawn any since I left Davenport.
My wound is doing well & in all other respects, I am in good health. It is true I am not so stout & fleshy as I was when I came in the hospital for my wound, though slight, has weakened me some. But I am as hearty as I ever was in my life.
I like this place just tolerable well. We are pretty well cared for since we have been here.
I heard from the Regiment yesterday. Co. I numbers 13 privates for duty, 4 corporals, 2 sergeants, & one 2nd Lieutenant. When we started on this campaign, we numbered in all 60 men so that you see just two-thirds of our company are disabled (with the exception of 2 teamsters) 10 of which are killed. But I think this is more than an average loss of the regiment. The men are getting sick very fast now as they have very hard times at the regiment. They work all night throwing up breastworks and the next night go and picket and in the day time sharp shooting all day. But I am getting along fine and am perfectly contented with my posish [position].
Your letter brought me the glad news that Atlanta was taken but I can’t “see it.” I suppose it was Gen. Hood that took it but I don’t think he intends to keep it very long or at least Sherman don’t think so. They received orders at the regiment night before last to send all men back here that were not able for a hard chase. It is supposed that Hood is going to take his army to Richmond and Sherman wants to go along.
Well, I believe I have no more to write at present. I will write again when I get paper or money. Our Orderly gave me this sheet and envelope this morning but you needn’t send me any money for I think we will draw soon. I received them pens but had no ink as my ink stand is at the company. Well, I will quit for this time. — Winfield
Letter 13
Hospital Marietta, Georgia August 4th 1864
Dear Parents,
Itis with great pleasure that I seat myself this afternoon to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am still alive and getting along well. My wound is doing fine & I think if there is no preventing Providence, I will be able to go back to my regiment [in] 3 or 4 weeks. I would have written sooner but I could get no paper & this sheet is all I have got now & I don’t know how I can get anymore.
Well, we have got a good place to stay since we came to Marietta. We are staying in some houses that were built for boarding houses for the Military Institute in this place. Since I have been in the hospital, the regiment has had some very hard fighting to do so that I may have been lucky to be wounded when I was, but of course I would rather be with the regiment now that any other place.
The Marietta Military College trained officers before the war. Once General Sherman arrived, it became a hospital and barracks occupied by Union forces. (Image: Library of Congress)
Well, the Rebs are getting one of the worst whippings here that they ever got anywhere & I think if our armies continue successful during this campaign, we will all be permitted to return home in the course of a year or two. But as long as this war lasts, I don’t want to go home—not until my time is out anyhow.
I believe I have no news to give you, only that our company has been pretty lucky since the 22nd, only being one man, Stephen Wirtz of our company was killed on the 27th. The wounded of our company are doing well. The weather is very good for the wounded as it has been quite cool for the last two weeks. I have been out blackberrying several times since I have been in the hospital. There is plenty of berries down here and you can imagine there are plenty to pick them.
Tell John Wallace I received his welcome letter last night and will answer it as soon as I can get another sheet of paper and envelope. I received one letter from you since I wrote my last which was dated May the 8th & as you just directed it to the 13th Infantry, leaving the Iowa out, it went to the 13th Illinois instead of the 13th Iowa, so you must be careful how you direct your letters after this.
Well, I guess as I have nothing more of importance to write, I will quit for the present. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain your obedient son, — Winfield
Letter 14
17th Army Corps Hospital, Marietta, Ga. August 29th 1864
Dear Parents,
I again seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am still getting along well. My wound is healing very fast & is almost well. Since I wrote my last letter, Till [Tilman] Elrod has come here wounded in the chin & shoulder but as it is only a flesh wound, I don’t think it will hurt him much. He is getting along fine & I think will be able for duty or a furlough before long. I guess I could get a furlough if I wanted it but I don’t want one so you needn’t look for me home for some time yet—if not longer. I think it would cost too much to go home for a 30 day furlough.
I have received two letters from home since I wrote my last. You wanted to know whether I ever seen Robert Pierson. He is about a quarter of a mile from this hospital in charge of a squad of convalescents so that I can see him whenever I want to. I have been to see him four or five times since I have been here & he has been up to the hospital several times. You spoke of Villa growling because I did not tell her goodbye. I have no doubt she has been grieving at a grand rate for the last five months. You know she showed her sympathy last spring.
I have received all the stamps you have sent & everything else but I have not had a letter from home nor no other place for some time though I am looking for one every mail. I have heard that our regiment has had another hard fight [and] came out with only 40 men but I don’t know whether it is true or not.
As I have no more at present to write, I will close by asking you to write soon. Yours with respect, — W
Letter 15
Camp Army of the Tennessee Octiber 17th 1864
Dear Parents.
In haste I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am still alive and enjoying good health but probably you would like to know first thing why I have not written for so long a time. Indeed, I have been afraid that you would be uneasy about me & I have no doubt but you have been.
On the first of this month while in camp near Atlanta we received orders to get ready to move in 30 minutes with three days rations in our haversacks. We moved out about six miles and camped for the night. Next day we moved on about two miles where we found some Rebs and after skirmishing with them awhile, we fell back and camped where we did the night before & next day marched back into camp near Atlanta. That evening we received orders to move again in the morning in the direction of Huntsville, Alabama. Gen. Hood having got in our rear had torn up the railroad from Big Shanty to Ackworth, a distance of 10 or 15 miles. So you see the mail could not go through for some time. We marched back to Atlanta & camped.
Next day after camping in that place, our division went out on a two days scout in the direction of Powder Springs, camping there that night and going back to Marietta the next day. We then marched up to Big Shanty and laid over there a day. We then came on up to Kingston where we got mail. I got 4 letters & two papers. We had no more than read the news from home until we were ordered to move in the direction of Rome. We moved out about 7 miles and went into camp at 1 o’clock that night. Next day we marched back to Adairsville & took the cars for Resaca, reaching that place about daylight next morning. We there found that the railroad was burned from there to Dalton, a distance of 14 miles. We laid in Resaca one day and then moved again. That was day before yesterday. THat day we found two brigades of rebels at the mouth of Snake Creek Gap. After skirmishing with them about an hour, we routed them and marched on through the Gap, camping at the north end of it.
Yesterday we skirmished with them again and drove them, marching about 7 miles & camping here last night. Today they said there would be a chance of sending out mail so I thought I would improve the opportunity although I don’t know what minute we will be ordered to move. So you must excuse me for writing in such a hurry. Latest reports say we are ordered to Stevenson, Alabama & from there to Tennessee. Also that Hood has left the railroad and is moving south but I have no more room for news. Suffice it to say this is equally as hard a campaign as the last for we are doing more than half of our marching in the night. Tell the young folks I received their package and will answer it as soon as I can/ My last letters were dated September 29th & October 1st. Orders to move. Yours truly, — Winfield
Letter 16
Camp near Galesville, Alabama October 22, 1864
Dear Parents,
As we have stopped to rest a day or two, I will again try to write you a few lines. I am still well and getting along fine. We have been marching ever since I wrote the last letter. I do not know the object of this campaign but as Sherman is along with us, I guess we will come out all right after a while. I have heard that it was to open up a new line of communication but I don’t know whether it is true or not. Our non veterans & officers are to be mustered out today. You better believe they are a joyful set of fellows. Chaplain Elrod says he is going to take supper with you before long & he is going to eat some for me too. Well our rations have been pretty short for the last week or two as we had to make the last three days rations last five days. But we foraged some & now have on hand a good supply of sweet potatoes and fresh pork.
Well we received the news last night of some—–well, I don’t know what to call them trying to resist the draft in Iowa. Copperheads is too good a name for a set of beings (I won’t call them men) that are guilty of such an act as that & I know of no mode of punishment sufficiently severe to inflict upon such persons. But it is of no use for me to try to describe my feelings toward such a set of law breaking peace advocates. But let them look out for the non vets or they might yet get hurt for no one knows better how to hate them than a soldier.
Well, it is pretty cool down here now adn my hands are so numb I can hardly write. But I guess you can read it if you will take time. Well Mother, I guess I will have to ask you to knit me a pair of gloves as it is getting cold weather & we can’t get anything here. I am ashamed to ask for anything as I have not sent you any money yet but I guess we will get pay some time & there will be more of it when it does come. But I don’t want you to send me any money as I told you before for it might get lost.
Well, I don’t know how long we will stay here. I guess we will rest two or three days & we have just now got the news that we are going to Memphis, Tennessee. WE got mail last night but I did not get any. I am going over to see Robert Pierson today to take a letter to him that was directed to our company. I don’t know who wrote it. I will close for the present. I remain as ever your son, — W
Letter 17
Marietta, Georgia November 7, 1864
As we have again stopped & have a chance of writing, I will try to write you a few lines this morning to let you know that I am still well & hearty. We are now camped in Marietta. Came here yesterday. Have been marching ever since we left Galesville, Alabama. I don’t know how long we will stay here. Our orders are to stay several days & there is some talk of us staying here all winter. But I don’t think we will nor in fact I don’t want to for if we have this rebellion to put down by marching and fighting, we may as well be at it & rush the thing through. But I am willing to go according to orders. It may be that we have done enough this year.
Well, you wrote about the guerrillas making a raid up in Davis County but I guess they did not do much damage. I heard that Pap & Brown tied their horses out in the brush. I think you needed me up there to stand picket for you or to ride your horses after them Johnnies. which would have been more prudent. But I guess you got along very well without my assistance & we had a campaign of our own down here in Georgia & Alabama though it may be not so long as yours was for we only marched about 300 miles and skirmished a little with the rebs.
There is some talk of our army going down to Savannah this winter & you see we will have another little campaign of about 300 miles.
Well, it is now tomoroe & we have just come off of Battalion drill & as times are getting pretty busy, I wil have to close to write the balance of my letter the next time. No more at present but remain your affectionate son, — Winfield
Letter 18
Savannah, Georgia Christmas, December 25th 1864
Dear Parents,
I will try to write you a few lines this evening though I haven’t any[thing] to write that will interest you—only that I am still well & getting along as well as I could expect. The Troy boys are all well excepting Dolph Miller. His head is not quite well yet from a hurt that he received in one of our skirmishes, though it does not hurt him much. We have not had any hard fighting since I last wrote to you but our regiment has been in some pretty hot places—places where the shot & shell fell thick and fast around us. But an all-wise Providence saw fit to protect & save us from the enemy’s deadly missiles & we are now enjoying ourselves safe in the beautiful City of Savannah. And although we have not the accommodations that I am accustomed to on this holiday, we have enjoyed ourselves first rate.
For our Christmas dinner we had a piece of roasted beef, some beans, and that other standard of life, “hard tack.” And we are indeed thankful that we have that much & I hope & trust that we will be permitted to spend the next Christmas at home surrounded with friends, peace and happiness though I would not have you infer from this that I am tired of soldiering for I can say today that I am glad I enlisted when I did & when this war is over, if my life is spared, I a can go home feeling that I have done my duty to my country.
Well, Till has got back to the company. He got here (to the company) day before yesterday but we were all disappointed as he lost his knapsack on the road & all that the people sent to the Troy boys. When I get some money to send home, I want to send for some more as you can send it by mail & it will be a great deal cheaper than to buy it down here. I have got all the letters that you have numbered (that is) three of them.
I would like for you to send me a little thread if you please—some of your own making if you have any that is colored. I believe I have nothing more to write at present & must go to getting dinner. So I will quit. I remain as ever your son, — Winfield
Letter 19
Camp of the 13th Iowa Near Beaufort, South Carolina January 8, 1865
Dear Parents,
With pleasure I take this opportunity to write you a short letter to let you know where I am and how I am getting along. I suppose you have heard before this that I was sick & probably thought I was pretty sick that I could not write but I am well again and as hearty as ever. I was pretty sick the last two or three days we stayed in Savannah but as soon as we got to moving around, I got well. I guess it was only a little spell of the Dumb Ague or something of the kind.
On the 6th, we left Savannah & marched about 6 miles to a place on the river. Stayed there all night and day. We embarked on a ship and sailed to this place, landing here about 5 o’clock that night so you see we have had a ride on the big frog pond. But as the sea was very calm that day, we was not troubled much with seasickness. We have a tolerable good place to camp here only we have to carry wood a little too far, but we get rations enough to make up for that. Yesterday we drawed onions, potatoes, picked beef and some light bread. And besides that there is thousands of bushels of oysters laying right out here not more than 200 yards from camp and we have plenty of them you know. I suppose you recollect the time the time that you fixed up some oysters for John Wallace & I. But I have learned a trick or two since that. I can take them out of the shell & eat them alive and a kicking now & if you will come down & take dinner with us I will give you some oyster soup.
Well, perhaps you would like to know what we are going to do out here in South Carolina & I would too but I guess we are preparing for a campaign against Charleston or some other place though I think we will stay here a week or two before we do anything.
Well it is raining and blowing here and I expect I will have to stop writing as my paper is getting wet. Tell Pap I would like to hear from him too once in a while. But no more at present. I remain as ever your son, — W
I wrote a letter to Flora on New Year’s Day.
Letter 20
Camp near Pocotaligo, South Carolina January 18, 1865
Dear Parents,
As I have delayed writing longer than usual I will try to write you a few lines this morning although I have had no word from home for a long time & this is the reason why I have not written sooner for I thought there must be something wrong with the mail line & there was no use of writing.
The next day after I wrote to you last we moved out about five miles from town & camped two days when we received orders to move again. We had not gone more than about 8 miles when we run into the rebels but as the 3rd Division of our Corps was in the advance, our Division did not become engaged but stopped and formed line of battle and rested on our arms until the other Division got them started. And then we moved on keeping the Johnnies going on the “double quick” until they got behind their works at Pocotaligo. They thought they would give us a little fight but they soon found they were not sharp enough for the 17th Corps. As it was then getting dark. we advanced up to within about 150 yards of their line of works when we halted & give them till morning to study on the subject of giving us battle. When morning came, we found that “Johnnies” were not to be seen nor heard of. They had done just as we expected, evacuated & fell back about two miles across a stream called Saltcather River which place they said they must hold at all hazards. But when night again came on, they had left leaving us in full possession of the railroad from Pocotaligo to Savannah & they have now found out that they don’t understand “flanking.”
Our regiment is left out here to picket a cross road so that we have considerable picket duty to do but as long as there is no rebels about, picketing does not amount to much. It has been raining ever since yesterday noon making it very muddy & disagreeable & I don’t know how much longer it is going to rain. I can’t tell you how long we will stay here but I don’t think we will move again until we get ready for another expedition & then I don’t know where we will go though I think we will first strike for Branchville. And if Grant don’t succeed in taking Richmond pretty soon, I expect we will go and help take that. I don’t believe ait would take Sherman long to flank Lee out of there or capture his army one.
Well, I guess I have written enough for the present so I will close by again asking you to write soon. I remain as ever your son, — Winfield
Letter 21
Goldsboro, North Carolina March 27, 1865
Dear Parents,
With pleasure I now hasten to drop you a few lines to let you know that my life has been spared thorough another long and toilsome march & I am still in good health, this last being indeed one of the longest marches made since the commencement of the present war and a great deal the hardest owing to the season of the year. But when I look back at what Sherman’s Grand Army has accomplished on this campaign, I can but be glad that we are rushing things so fast for without this energy, we cannot expect to suppress this fast declining rebellion.
As I have told you that this was the hardest march made since the war, I will tell you some of the hardships to which we have been exposed though I do not want you to think tht I am complaining of anything that we had to go through. The worst trouble we had was wading and crossing swamps as it is a very rainy season of the year down here. The creeks and streams are all very high, being swollen out of their banks for sometimes a half a mile or more & these—as we could not bridge them—we were obliged to wade, one of which in particular I had to swim for a short distance and the water being so cold and we having such loads to carry, you must know that it is very dangerous. But it will do you no good to know of this so I will change the subject though I must tell you that this exposure has not hurt me in the least.
We have had no fighting to amount to much until we got pretty near through to this place & then we had a pretty smart fight though we had considerable skirmishing all along the road and our brigade did not have very hard fight even here as the most of the rebel force were in front of the Left Wing of our army. Our brigade only lost about 40 or 50 men. I suppose it is not necessary to give you an account of the route we came on as you will see that before this reaches you though I must tell you that our regiment was the first to plant its colors in the City of Columbia.
We received the long wished for mail today. I received 5 letters, three from you and one from Sarah & one from Flora, She said they were then living near Fremont so I will not know where to direct to her again but perhaps I will find out after awhile. Tell Maggie & the old folks that wrote in your letter that I am much obliged to them and will remember them when I get more time. I will be very busy for a day or two at washing and fixing up our camp as we are a going to lay over for awhile & when I get fixed up, I will answer all my letters. Also tell Mr. West that I will try to fulfill my promise as soon as possible but it is supper time and I will have to close for the present. My respects to all enquiring friends. I remain as ever your son, — Winfield
I could not find an image of Bradley but here is a cdv of an unidentified New Hampshire soldier photographed by A. W. Kimball of Manchester, N. H. (Dave Morin Collection)
Bradford A. Hurd (1832-1863) of Somersworth, New Hampshire was a 25 year-old shoemaker when he volunteered on 2 September 1861 as a private in Co. B, 4th New Hampshire Infantry. Just six months earlier he had married Carrie F. Bailey. His parents were James Hurd (1796-1876) and Abigail Wadilla (1798-1848) of Sanford, York county, Maine.
Bradford died at a hospital on 21 June 1863 from wounds to his leg and ankle caused by a shell on the night of 17 June 1863 while on fatigue duty at the upper point of Folly Island, South Carolina. Bradford’s commanding officer, Lt. Fred Kendell, claimed that the fatigue party was in the process of preparing the ground to erect batteries for the purpose of shelling Morris Island when the enemy noticed the activity and fired at them, mortally wounding Bradford. He was carried back to camp and his leg was amputated in the regimental hospital but they were unable to save him.
Some of Bradford’s war correspondence is reportedly housed in the Georgia Historical Society of Savannah.
Bradford wrote this letter to his younger brother, Luther J. Hurd (1842-1881).
Bombardment & Capture of Forts Walker & Beauregard, Port Royal, S. C., Nov. 7, 1861.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Hilton Head, South Carolina December 2, 1861
Dear Brother,
I received your very kind letter last night, December 1st, and was very glad to hear from you once more. You don’t know how much pleasure it gives me to hear from home much more than it would if I was at Great Falls. The reason is I cannot get so much as a paper to read here and when I get a letter from a friend, it is a good treat to me. Besides that, I love to get letters from anyone.
We arrived here on the 7th of last month and had a battle with the rebels which lasted six hours and we whipped them badly and made them run. [See Battle of Port Royal] We took everything they had consisting in cotton, corn, guns, rice, cannons, cloth, and two forts. We took more than five hundred thousand dollars from the, We took thirty pieces of cannon, oranges, pineapples, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and everything almost you can mention of which we are feasting on.
We had a hard time coming here on board the boat [USS Baltic]. We was in a gale 18 days before we arrived here. Three days would have been long enough to come here had the wind been fair and we was without much food for ten days. No one can tell the scene but those that passed through it. Nay, I never see another such a time. I have not space to tell you all the details on this sheet of paper. Luther, how would you like that? But after all the hardships that I have passed through, I do not feel anything like giving it up. I am willing to do anything to save my country from ruin.
You said perhaps I was not more than two hundred miles from George. If he is at home, I am not more than fifty from him. You said you wanted me to send you something and if I can, I will send you a box of oranges and pineapples. Perhaps you will not want to hear from me very often for you will have to pay the postage on the letters for they will not take three cents and I can’t get any stamps. But if I live to get home, I will pay you. So Luther, be a good boy and write to me as often as you can. Give [my] love to Laura and the rest and I will write to them all soon as I can. — Bradford Hurd
This letter was written by William H. Dorsey (1819-1854), the oldest son of Richard Brooke Dorsey (1791-1869) and Anna Elizabeth Dorsey (1800-1884) of Elk Ridge Landing, Anne Arundel county, Maryland. By 1850, Richard and Anna had relocated to Baltimore where Richard was a merchant. William was yet unmarried and living with his parents in Baltimore at that time. It is presumed that William was named after his paternal grandfather, William Hammond Dorsey. The Dorsey family were slaveholders in the 1850s and the content of the following letter gives us some notion as to their opinion of Yankees and societal preferences.
I could not find a biographical sketch for William H. Dorsey but one ancestral record indicates that he was married on 21 December 1848 to Arabella Arthur (1828-1866) of Clay county, Missouri and that he died in New York City in August 1854. Arabella was the daughter of Michael Arthur (1800-1884) and Amanda Melvina Martin (1804-1889) who came to Clay county, Missouri, from Barren county, Kentucky in the late 1820s. Arabella’s father operated the first hemp factory in Clay county and he became a very wealthy businessman and real estate developer in Liberty. He operated a general store on the southwest corner of Water St. and Kansas St., and also was the proprietor of the Arthur House Hotel. Arabella died in Liberty, Missouri, in 1866 after a protracted illness of Consumption (tuberculosis). This record is probably accurate because there is nothing more in the family’s ancestral records despite a lot of detail regarding William’s siblings, one of whom—Richard Brooks Dorsey, Jr.—served in Co. H, 1st Maryland (Confederate) Infantry during the Civil War.
The post script of this letter suggests that William was engaged in some mercantile venture in St. Louis.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Liberty [Missouri] October 29, 1842
Dear Mother,
I wrote on the first of the month from St. Louis giving a sketch of my trip up to that time. I remained there 3 weeks and was most disappointed in not receiving a letter from you. The last and only one I have received was in Louisville.
I started from St. Louis about a week ago and have only progressed this far on my journey west. The [Missouri] river is extremely low rendering it both dangerous and difficult for steamboat navigation. We were 4 days in getting to Chariton, half the time sticking fast on the sand bars and the balance creeping along through the snags which in some places are so thick as to resemble a perfect forest—hundreds of them in sight at once besides a great many below the surface. We had, however, quite an agreeable time notwithstanding our slow traveling. The boat would sometimes be aground for 5 or 6 hours at a time when we would take a gun and go ashore amusing ourselves—until she got off again—by shooting. Along the whole river is the greatest quantity of game, deer, wild turkeys, pheasants, partridges, & prairie hens by thousands on land, and millions of greenbacks on the river. We had fine sport and kept the table well supplied with game.
At Chariton the navigation became too uncertain [so] we left the boat and now travel by land up the northern side of the river, Today I go still farther west to Fort Leavenworth and a short distance up in the Indian country. I regret very much that I have an engagement in St. Louis on the 8th and shall be obliged to return by that time. If it were not for this, I should take a 2 or 3 weeks trip up the Missouri into the Indian country. From the Fort I return through Westport to Independence and from there take the stop for St. Louis. I think it is very probable I shall have to make another trip up here before my return to Baltimore. I shall certainly be up as high as Booneville next month.
From the 200 miles down the river north, south and west to the state boundaries is one of the finest country on the face of the earth. You can form no idea of it unless you could see it. Eastern folks generally have formed a very improper conception of this state. It is far, far ahead of Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois in every respect either for beauty of scenery, fine streams, fertility of soil or society there is no comparison. The scenery in many places is lovely beyond description. There is every variety of it. You can have either a boundless prairie extending 40 or 50 [miles] without a tier and as level as the floor with soil from 25 to 30 feet deep, or a forest of trees twice as large as any you ever saw, or you can have a beautiful rolling prairie, one hill swelling above another for hundreds of miles, intersected here and there by skirts of timber just enough to add to the variety of the scene. Were I to move to the West, I should not think of stopping short of this and would probably go still further west to the Platte county over which we pass today.
The emigrants to this state are of the better class—principally Virginia and Kentuckians. Very few foreigners or close-fisted Yankees—another great advantage of the states south of the Ohio. But I must close. I don’t know whether you will be able to read this. I have sprained my thumb and can’t bend it. Write me at St. Louis. I will write you again on my return then if not before. Yours &c. — W. H. Dorsey
I sent you several days ago a newspaper containing the advertisement of a sale I was going to have on the 8th of next month. Goods taken for debt.
This letter was written by James Madison Campbell (1840-1891) of Selma, Liberty Township, Delaware county, Indiana. His parents were Samuel Graham Campbell (1797-1873) and Elisabeth Goings (1804-1882). He wrote the letters to his older sister, Jane Campbell (1835-1906). James enlisted as a musician in Co. K, 19th Indiana Infantry on 29 July 1861. He mustered out as a corporal on 28 July 1864 after three years service. The 19th Indiana was, of course, part of the famed Iron Brigade or “Black Hat” Brigade during the Civil War.
Serving with him in the same company was his older brother, William Harrison Campbell (1838-1912), who also wrote several letters home. They can be found at—1861-62: William Harrison Campbell to Jane Campbell.
Some of the boys of Co. K, 19th Indiana Infantry after the Battle of Antietam
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Fort Baker, Virginia September 22, 1861
Dear Sister,
I received yours of the fifteenth instant and was sorry to hear that you was so uneasy about Will and I. Will got here last Tuesday week and on Wednesday following he went out with us to the fight but unfortunately we were too late by about two minutes to get into the fight for it was over before we got there though there were several shots fired from the cannon after we got on the ground where they were fighting.
A word of explantation with regard to the fight. In the morning there was five companies of our regiment went to the town of Lewinsville in company with the 3rd Vermont on a kind of scouting expedition and after they had finished their work and started back to the camp and had not come but a short distance when the Rebels opened fire on them from the brush and thickets where they were concealed. Our men immediately returned the fire and fired several rounds but to little effect, when there was a brass 32-pounder brought on the field and opened fire on the Rebels and the first shot struck one of the caissons and knocked it off the wheels and killed nine men. They fired twice at the artillery, then turned it and fired in another direction at a cavalry company and made great destruction among them.
The number of Rebels killed was about thirty and a great many wounded. Our loss was four killed and five wounded (some say seven). There was some firing last night among the pickets and we hear this morning that there was a Captain in the California Regiment killed 1 and four Rebels also. This is about all the fighting that has been here that I know of.
There is a great deal of sickness among the soldiers at present and been several deaths but there has been no deaths in Co. K but several sick and not dangerous. Capt. Williams is getting better. Ben Harter is about well again. Will Orr is better. Crack East is well. James Goings is better. Brother Will is well and I am as stout and hearty as a buck and can jump twice as far, I expect. Our boys are all getting better. You need not be uneasy about us for we are as safe here as if we were at home. No more at present, — J. M. Campbell
Tell Marthy Black if she wants to kiss me, I will give her an opportunity when I come back.
1 Capt. James W. Lingenfelter (1836-1861) of Co. B, 1st California Regiment was killed in the skirmish near Lewinsville, Fairfax county, Virginia, on 21 September 1861. At the time of his death, Cap. Lingenfelter was in command of a scouting party, when finding himself surrounded by a body of rebels, and scorning to retreat, he was shot in the head and immediately killed.
I could not find an image of Asa but here is one of John D. M. VanVleet, of Co. H, 107th New York Infantry (AI generated from tintype)
Asa Brownell (1833-1918) was 29 years old when he enlisted on 28 July 1862 at Addison to serve three years in Co. F, 107th New York Infantry (the “Campbell Guards”). He mustered in as a corporal. During the Battle of Antietam when the 107th New York advanced with Mansfield’s 12th Corps through Miller’s Cornfield mid-morning, Asa received a gunshot wound and was sent to hospitals in New York City and Philadelphia to be treated before returning to the ranks in 1863. He mustered out as a corporal on 28 July 1865 at Elmira, N. Y. His military records suggest that he stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, had grey eyes, dark hair, and was a farmer by occupation.
In the 1860 US Census, Asa was enumerated in Woodhull, Steuben county, New York, in the residence of James Brownell (b. 1787) and his wife, Lois Bancroft (1794-1876). It isn’t clear whether these were his parents or grandparents.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Camp 107th N. Y. Vols Wartrace Creek, Tennessee November 11th 1863
Dear Sister,
It is with usual pleasure that I improve these leisure moments in writing a few lines to you. Yours of the 1st of November reached me in safety night before last and was heartily welcome as all your letters are. I was very glad to get some stamps for I had used the last one that I had and had been obliged to borrow some. Your letter found me well and this leaves me in the enjoyment of a good degree of health.
The last letter which I wrote you, I believe it was written at Fosterville at which place we stayed six days—just long enough to get some fireplaces in the board shanties which were already put up there, but Thursday morning we left our shanties and with our furniture, bedding, and provisions on back, started out into the world to seek us another home. But as good luck would have it, we did not have to go but about 8 miles and had it not been for the rain which fell all the time, it would not have been a bad trip. We travelled on the railroad all the way and got here a little after noon. There had been five companies of the 13th N. J. here and they had some poor excuses for board shanties which we stayed in until Saturday when we had orders to move camp in order to get on drier ground. And since that time, the most of the boys with the exception of a few who put up their board shanties again, have been busy getting up good log shanties. Mine is nearly finished now except the fireplace and I guess my tent mates will get that started today. I am on picket so that I cannot work at [it] myself.
You think we are beyond the reach of cold weather. It is not so although I presume it is not so cold here as it is in York State. Yet we ave some very cold nights here although the days are mostly warm. I am very much [ ] in the appearance of the Southern States. The people here seem to be at least fifty years behind in arts, science, literature, and everything that goes to make up an enlightened people. Occasionally one will find a person who has either been [born] and bred at the North or else received their education at some northern school and the class of people very different from those—especially the poorer class who have been born and bred at the South. But I see that I am getting my sheet full so I will close. Write often. From one who is proud to call you sister, — A. B.
Sixth-plate ambrotype of an enlisted man of 21st New York Infantry in 1861. The 21st New York Infantry, or 1st Buffalo regiment, was recruited in Buffalo, and was the outgrowth of the 74th NYSM. It was mustered into the US service May 20, 1861, at Elmira, for three months and left there for Washington on June 18, 1861. The uniforms acquired by the 21st NY were originally purchased for the 74th NYSM from A. & G. Arnoux, of New York, by the Buffalo City Council. As that militia regiment was not required for three months’ service in 1861, the City Council sold the uniforms to the State which in turn issued them to the Buffalo Regiment on May 21. A report in the Buffalo Daily Courier of June 5 stated, “The uniforms of the 21st are at least 25 per cent better in quality [than State clothing] and one hundred in color.” According to Brigadier General H.R. White, who visited the military camp near Elmira, at this time, the 21st New York wore a “neat and finely fitting gray uniform… It is the same style as the regular State uniform—jacket, cap and pants alike—but fits the men beautifully.” In his regimental history, J. Harrison Mills described the uniform as consisting of “a cap, jacket and pants of gray cloth, trimmed with black, and an overcoat of bluish black lined with red.” After escorting the Buffalo Regiment to the railroad depot on their departure for Washington, D.C., a man in the 27th New York remarked that they “looked well, and very neat in their gray uniforms.” When the 21st reached the Federal capital on June 19, it was reported to be wearing “dark gray jackets, pants, and cap, trimmed with black.” Written in pencil in the case is “From O.[liver] B.[enton] Evans Gallery, Buffalo.” (Ron Field Collection)
The following letter was written by Irish emigrant Myron W. Herbert (1833-1903) of Niagara county who served early in the war as a private in Co. E, 21st New York Infantry and later transferred to the U. S. Navy. According to his military file, 28 year-old Myron enlisted on 12 May 1861 and deserted on 13 July 1862. He was described as a 5′ 6″ tall, blue-eyed, brown-haired farmer.
In the pension application Myron filed in 1890 while living in Brockport, Monroe county, New York, he claimed that he had received a gunshot wound to the left ankle and over his left eye while with the 21st New York and was honorably discharged at Washington on 26 October 1862. He then claimed he served as a Landsman in the Navy aboard the Flag Ship Black Hawk and was discharged after two years at Mound City, Illinois. However, the pension was denied when a review of the rolls found no one by that name serving aboard the Black Hawk. Sadly, Myron died in the poor house in Niagara county in 1903.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Camp Rogers [Upton’s Hill, Va.] October 21st 1861
Dear Mother,
Once more I sit down to pen a few lines to you fondly hoping that this letter will find you on better health than it leaves me. I have been in the hospital about two weeks but I am somewhat better now with the prospect of getting well. I was taken with the chills and fever but I think the doctor broke them too quick on me and set me into the dropsy on the liver. You would scarce believe what a change there has been in my looks in two weeks time. I was as fat and healthy as could be [and] now I am as poor as a crow. I can’t eat anything and can hardly walk around. But I am in hopes to be able to attend to my duty before long.
The doctor had orders to discharge all the soldiers that would be sick for some little time yet and the rest to send to Washington City to the General Hospital immediately so I think that the army will advance in a few days. I don’t know whether they will send me to Washington or not. If I am able to go with the regiment, I shall for I prefer going than to go to Washington. But it will depend entirely when they go. It is the opinion of a good many that we will go down the river and if we do, we will see some hot times.
The enemy has all left Fairfax and gone back, but how far it is not ascertained. They do that to draw our troops into Manassas Junction but probably McClellan knows what he is about—at least I think so.
I had a letter from James the other day. He was well. He said in his letter that he had just received a letter from home. Poor fellow. I wonder where he calls home. Perhaps it is where [ ] is beyond the grave. I had a letter from Thomas the other day. I see that he is one of the true soldiers. He is determined to see the glorious stars and stripes wave yet over a free country. May the God of Heaven protect him. But [what about] Hank? What shall I say in honor of his cause? Does he prefer to save himself and live under a rebel government? or does he wish to remain with his wife and let others fight for liberty for him? I did not know that there was one in our family that would turn their back on the flag that had always protected them. For shame on such men. I can pick out better men among the camp women that goes with the regiments than he is.
Well Mother, how do you get along and how does all the rest? I have not received any answer to Achsah’s letter yet and I do wish you would send me the Lockport papers. You could just as well as not. Well Mother, goodbye for this time. It is raining or I should sit out-of-doors for a while yet. I guess I will lay down a spell. Give my love to all kind friends and don’t forget to write. I am getting tired and must stop writing so goodbye and believe me. Your son yet, — Myron W. Herbert
I could not find an image of Fred but here is one of Edward Williams of Co. H, 10th Rhode Island Infantry (LOC)
1st Lt. Joseph Langford Bennett (1838-1898) of Co. A, 10th Rhode Island Infantry wrote this letter following the death of William Frederick (“Fred”) Atwood (1845-1862), a corporal serving in his company. Fred was the 17 year-old son of William and Emeline Atwood, a recent graduate of the Providence high school. Fred was described by his comrades as having a “genial temperament and generous disposition, which drew around him a circle of personal friends.” Though the lieutenant pledged to “deposit your son’s remains in Rhode Island soil with our own hands,” it does not appear that ever occurred. According to the regimental history, his body remained buried “in a retired and beautiful spot near the Soldiers’ Home, overlooking the Capitol which his youthful footsteps had hastened to defend.” Strangely, Fred’s father enlisted a few months later in the 11th Rhode Island Infantry and he too sickened and died—buried in Arlington Cemetery across the Potomac river from his son.
The 10th Rhode Island regiment was mustered into Federal service for three months in the summer of 1862. It was sworn in at Providence on May 26, 1862 and then moved to Washington, D. C. from May 27 to 29 where it was attached to Sturgis’ Command as part of the Military District of Washington. It saw duty at Camp Frieze, Tennallytown until June 26. With Sturgis, the regiment marched across the Potomac into Virginia, but returned to Washington when Jackson’s threat to the city subsided.
After a few days, on Monday morning, June 30, the 10th was detached from Sturgis’ troops and ordered to relieve the 59th New York in the seven forts and three batteries it had been occupying. These defenses of Washington were north and west of the city.
Company A was sent to Fort Franklin. This position guarded the Baltimore and Ohio Canal, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and the Washington Aqueduct—the new water supply for the city. the U. S. Army Engineers had designed Fort Franklin to protect the city’s receiving reservoir (as conveyed by the Aqueduct) as well as the Potomac river shoreline.
T RA N S C R I P T I O N
Fort Franklin Headquarters Co. A, 10th Regt. Rhode Island Vol. July 2nd 1862
Dear Sir,
Capt. Taber telegraphed you on Sunday, June 29th, that your son Wm. F. Atwood, (a member of our company) died on the said 29th of June and that his body would be sent home to you. Unfortunately circumstances occured which forbade us the melancholy pleasure of fulfilling our designs. Your son was buried on Monday, June 30th at 4 p.m. in the Soldier Retreat. Capt. Taber knows the precise spot in which he lies and we shall at the earliest opportunity bring his body to Providence.
In regard to your son’s death, he would say that it was one of perfect peace. He did not suffer at all, but on the contrary was perfectly free from pain. The Surgeon states that he died from inflammation of the bowels. During his stay in the General [Seminary] Hospital at Georgetown, he received the best of care. One of the most experienced nurses remained with [him] during the night previous to his death. His last request was that he might be buried at home. We did all that we could at the time but we could not get his body home short of five days and the government allows but seven dollars for the whole expense while the actual expense is over one hundred dollars. And unfortunately, while engaged in contriving some way to transport the body, Capt. Taber was ordered back to camp to move his company to this fort. He consequently had no alternative but to comply with said orders.
As a company, we shall see that the body is removed to Providence and interred with all the honors of a soldier and patriot. It may be pleasing to you to know that as a man and soldier, he had no superior. He was regarded by all of his company as an amiable and desirable companion. None mourn his loss more than me. Our company is thrown into the most profound gloom by the loss of our beloved companion. As officers, we feel that one of the ornaments of our company has been removed by the hand of divine Providence and although we mourn his loss, we know that God doeth all things well.
We should have notified you sooner but it was entirely beyond our power. Any questions you may ask, or any information you may desire, we will do out best to satisfy. Please direct to the Capt. at Washington, D. C. By order of Capt. Wm. E. Tabor, Jr., I remain, with much respect, yours to command, – Lieut. Bennett
P. S. If you will send a written order to Capt. Taber authorizing him to take charge of the effects of your son, he can and will do so, until such a time as he can forward them to you.
Our company have all desired to be remembered to you in this the time of bereavement. Rest assured we will do all in our power an we expect to deposit your son’s remains in Rhode Island soil with our own hands. Truly yours, — Bennett, 1st Lt. Co. A, 10th Regt. R. I. V.
Believed to be a member of the Keystone Zouaves (Collection of Al and Claudia Niemiec)
James Rumbaugh wrote the following four letters while serving in Co. F, 76th Pennsylvania Infantry (a.k.a., the “Keystone Zouaves”).. He was drafted into the regiment on 13 July 1863 as a private and was discharged on 23 May 1865. We learn from James’ letters that he was wounded on 7 May 1864 when participating in Butler’s operations on the south side of the James River near Petersburg. According to the regimental history, the brigade in which the regiment was placed, commanded by Col. Barton, embarked upon transports, and headed as if for an expedition to West Point and White House; but suddenly changing direction proceeded down the York, and up the James, landing at Bermuda Hundred. It moved towards the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad, destroying several miles of the track, under heavy fire. The rebels were forced back to Drury’s Bluff, where they were reinforced, and the object of the reconnoissance being accomplished, the brigade was withdrawn. The Seventy-sixth lost sixty-five in killed, wounded and missing.
James wrote the letters to David Henri Dunmire (1844-1901) of Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. He was the son of David and Sarah (Heffelfinger) Dormire.
[Note: These letters are from the personal collection of Don Andrew and were made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Letter 1
Addressed to Mr. Henry Dormire, Maysville, Armstrong county, Penna.
Hilton Head, South Carolina March 28th, 1864
Well Henry, I thought it time I would write a few lines to you to find out how you was getting along. This leaves me in good health and I hope it may find you enjoying the same blessing.
They have got me on an island down here and if the rebels get after me, I can’t run like I could when I was stealing apples. I haint got so much room to get out of the way.
Last Sabbath a week ago about four o’clock in the morning, they heard boats in the stream and sent in for the companies and the men got out and it is supposed that the rebs thought it was too late for them [to] make an attack, and was about leaving and they challenged them and they gave no answer and we opened fire on them and they were rather far out in the stream but we wounded some of them for we heard them groan. If the moon had set about two o’clock, they would have made landing and give us a hot time of it. There was five boats come up there and about 25 lying back in May River, but our gunboats run up and shelled them back. We are looking for them every night.
The company all along the picket line has to fall out at three o’clock every morning and stay up till daylight. We don’t get much sleep at night for we are on guard every third night. I have been on picket every third night since I came down here and that is about five months. They come over in little boats to capture a picket post nearly every night but we always see them before they get landed and they are on the water and we are on land behind a tree and they have a poor show. There never was any of this regiment captured yet until the other night and we have pickets out in little boats—five men in a boat—and the rebs captured one of the boats the other night. [It] is the first ever was captured on picket. We are expecting them to make a raid soon.
Well Henry, we have very nice and warm weather. Everything is green here—only the niggers and they are black as you please. There is towns of them here and they have a few chickens now but not many. If a chicken wants to live out half its days or have good health, it musn’t crow before daylight or it will lose its feathers. We have stole all the chickens, all the ducks, and sweet potatoes that we wanted and that ain’t all we got. But the other I won’t tell you about.
Well Henry, I am tired writing till I see whether you get this or not, and if you get this, please answer it, and then I will let you know more about things the next time. Excuse bad writing and spelling. So l will close by sending my best respects to you and all enquiring friends. Please answer my letter. Tell me all the news. Henry, write soon. — James Rumbaugh
Direct your letter to Hilton Head, S C., Co. F, 76th Regt. Penn. Vols.
Letter 2
General Hospital Hampton, Virginia June 3, 1864
Mr. Henry Dunmire,
I seat myself to answer your letter which I received this morning and I was truly glad to hear from you to hear that you was well. I hope that these few lines will find you still in good health.
I have good health but on the 7th of last month I got wounded through the left leg just above the knee. It is mending slowly. I am not able to get out yet, I got wounded near Petersburg. They were fighting all day and Friday and our brigade didn’t get into it till Saturday and we went in about 11 o’clock and I got wounded about 3 and our brigade fought till 5 o’clock in the evening and then firing ceased. We tore up about 40 rods of the [Petersburg & Weldon] Railroad. It was a hot time for a while. We had a crick to cross and it was about 6 foot wide and about 5 foot deep. There was about 3 foot of water in it and when we jumped into it, the Rebs opened on us and they just piled the crick full of us. We got out of that as quick as possible. The Rebs was in rifle pits at the foot of a hill and had their big guns on the top of the hill and they played right down on us.
They may talk as they damn please about the Rebs losing so many more men than us but I can tell you it’s not the case. I wasn’t so damn bad excited but what I took notice what was going on. If you was at this hospital, you could see some of them. They are shipping them away from the hospital as fast as they get able to and it just fills up as fast as they leave. They are dying very fast too. I will tell you a few things if I ever get home and I have no other idea but I will.
When I get home, I will tell you something about gathering mountain tea and I will throw that anvil away. But my jumping is played out I guess. I guess I can kick the pole yet. Well, Henry, I must close for the present. I will write more the next time. I have to sit on the bed and write this so please answer this as soon as you get it. Tell me when you heard from William. I wrote two letters to him and have got no answer yet. So I will close by sending my best respects to you.
So goodbye/ Write soon. — James Rumbaugh
Letter 3
Ward 19, Chestnut Hill Hospital Philadelphia, [Pennsylvania] September 11, 1864
I take this opportunity to write a few lines to you to let you know that I have got back in the hospital again. My leg is still sore yet but getting better. I guess I will be around the hospital about a month yet and then I guess I will leave it. I am sorry that I didn’t get down to see you but you know that I couldn’t walk very well and I couldn’t get down. You mustn’t think that I didn’t want to come down there for you know how I would like to gather mountain tea. I guess I can’t tell you who gathers mountain tea when I do till I see her again and then I will tell you. I heard from her yesterday and she says she hasn’t been out on the hill since I left not didn’t intend to go out till I came back. And you needn’t try to get her out.
Well, Henry, I just thought about the draft and that you might be drafted, and I thought I would tell you what to do if you were drafted. If you are drafted, just shoulder up your farm and take a drink for me and start, but write and tell me who all is drafted before you leave.
Well, Henry, I guess I will close for this time, not having much to write but hoping to hear from you soon. So please write as soon as you get this and tell me all the news. Don’t forget. So I will close by sending my best respects to you and I will write more the next time. So goodbye. Write soon. Nothing more at the present. Direct your letter to Ward 19, Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia. — James Runbaugh
To Henry Dormire
Letter 4
Chestnut Hill Hospital Philadelphia, Penn. January 31, 1865
Dear friend,
I take this opportunity to answer your welcome letter that came to hand this morning and I was truly glad to hear from you to hear that you was well. This leaves me well and I hope that these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. I am still in the hospital yet and I don’t know when I will leave this. They have sent a great many away from this hospital in the last week. There is only about 18 hundred in this hospital now and Oh God, how I am waiting to be paid off and then I am going to have a big spree or die on the way and I don’t know. It may be I will take a furlough and come home to see how many of you fellows is drafted.
Well, Henry, I got right up in dust when I heard that Bill McClellan was married. I suppose he didn’t make her say quack, quack like he did the goose but he would hold so tight to her as he did to the heifer, only the tail hold wouldn’t be as long. I expect he felt as big as Old Bob Townsend. I don’t hardly think he felt as big as Old Hunter.
Well, Henry, the next time you get your hands on them again, I want you to do more than that or let them be for you will just put them in the [ ] for somebody else and get them spoilt for they will et someone at them and they won’t know when it is done well after that.
Well, Henry, you must excuse me for this time for I have a pass to go to the City and the train will soon be here and I will have to go on this train or not get going this day. Well, Henry, please excuse me for his time and write soon. Don’t forget to write. I will close by sending y best respects. From your friend, — James Rumbaugh
I could not find an image of John Stevens but here is one of John Robert Mills (1826-1885) who served in the same company. He rose through the ranks and was eventually commissioned 2nd Lieutenant.
John D. Stevens (1836-1921) was serving as a private in Co. K, 60th New York State Volunteers when he wrote this letter in mid-March 1862 from Camp Goodrich. He enlisted on 2 October 1861 at Ogdensburgh. In April 1863 he was promoted to Corporal, just before he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Chancellorsville. After he was paroled, he returned to his regiment and was with them until receiving a gun shot wound in his left hand on 19 June 1864 during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and sent to a hospital for the remainder of his service.
John was the son of Sylvester Stevens (1812-1898) and Eleanor Downing (1818-1888) of Hermon, Saint Lawrence county, New York.
60th N. Y. Regiment State Vol. Camp Goodrich March 13th 1862
Dear Uncle Henry,
I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and I hope that these few lines will find you the same. We have moved from where we was. We have moved back to towards Washington. Took the railroad from Baltimore almost to Washington. The whole regiment is on the railroad now. We have got in a very nice place here now. We can see plenty of slaves here of mail and female. It is a pretty country here. We can see some large farms here, some nice houses here. We can hear them fighting every day here. We can hear the cannons here most every day now.
We live in barracks right on the railroad. We can see all the cars pass here now. Within six days we have seen twenty regiments pass along this road here. Some days we see six regiments pass along here going south. The soldiers have all of them have left Baltimore now. There was three large steamboats came from New York last week to Baltimore to carry the soldiers to Fortress Monroe Monday. There was sixty thousand crossed the Potomac since Tuesday. They was eighty thousand crossed the same river.
We can hear the cannons here today. We are close to the Rebels now. We are [ ] guarding this road now [so] we shan’t go in any fight now for they have got us on this road. We shan’t never have the chance as we have live. It is very sickly here. We have lost our 1st Lieutenant here now to die with the typhoid fever. We have lost six out of our company now. But Uncle Henry, the weather is getting warm here now. The frogs peep here like fun. They are plowing and sowing peas here now. It is spring here now. The weather is like your April weather there…
Uncle Henry, do you think Chub has took his [ ] yet. Do you think he has [ ] the walls yet? …I forgot to tell one thing. I got your letter that you wrote the first of the month. It was a good one. I have wrote two to mother since I got that from you but don’t get no answer from it yet. You write me first rate letters. Mary must write the same. I like to get letters from you for you write good letters, and long ones too. That is the reason I like to hear from you the best of any one that writes to me. You must excuse bad writing and bad spelling. You must write to [me] soon as you get this from me. Tell Aunt Mary I will write to her next time. Soodbye for this time. This from John Stevens
Spared & Shared 23 