All posts by Griff

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.
1865 Peace Negotiations

1865: W. I. Smith to Jacob Miller

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I have not yet identified the author of this letter whose signature appears to read, W. I. Smith. The content of the letter gives me no clues as to how he was related to or became a correspondent with Jacob Miller (1811-1890) and his wife Ruth (1827-1880) who received their mail at Liberty Post Office, in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where they were longtime residents.

The letter speaks of peace negotiations underway while armies remained in the field in both the Eastern and Western theaters.

Transcription

U. S. A. General Hospital
Point Lookout, Maryland
February 5, 1865

Mr. and Mrs. Miller,

There is much talk here upon the peace question. The newspapers contain little else but speculations upon peace. President Lincoln and Secretary Seward are down at Fortress Monroe where they are having an interview with the Vice President of the Rebels and one Rebel Senator and one judge. Mr. Blair has been twice to Richmond during the last month but nobody knows exactly what he went for. I hope the Rebels will come to their senses and secure peace by negotiation instead of fighting it out. If we have to fight it out, it will not take us long.

Sherman is on his war horse and in South Carolina. He is marching his army through South Carolina in three columns, spreading ruin and desolation through the state. When he entered on the present expedition, he said he should eat all he could as he passed through and appropriate all he could and the remainder he should destroy. I think it likely that he use South Carolina as hardly as possible, he looking upon them as chief traitors. I see in the paper received this morning that General Thomas will soon have 40,000 sent to march through the State of Mississippi which I think will not be a very tough job. From a source which is considered reliable, we have information that the Rebel General Taylor’s army (late Hood’s army) is disbanding as rapidly as possible, and hundreds are coming into our lines daily. A week or two ago, a few of our troops made a raid on some rebel saltworks in the State of Florida and destroyed them, capturing a few prisoners.

The pickets of both armies around Richmond have ceased all firing since the Rebel Commissioners came into our lines. When they came over to our lines, the troops on both sides yelled, cheered and shouted like mad. The breastworks were crowded with soldiers on both sides. I hope this time they will come a little nearer gaining their points. It would be rather curious if peace was to come by negotiations, before Richmond was taken, after being trying to take it for so long a time. But I would rather have peace without taking Richmond and that would save a great many lives. If nothing comes of this expedition of Stephens & Co., I shall not be very much surprised.

A number of blockade runners were brought to this point last week from Wilmington. They were mostly Englishmen—stout and hearty looking, with plenty of gold. One of them had 900 dollars in gold besides bank notes. Some prisoners were also brought here from Wilmington, captured about 12 miles from that place. They were well clad and had plenty of clothing with them. We had a whole lot come here last week—prisoners; must have been over a thousand. A great many of them were wounded, several of whom have died. We have seven wards in the circle filled with Rebels and Ward D out of the circle. We have four forts at this place and I think they have six guns each.

I have not received any word from the State Agent and I do not think I shall do anything more at present toward getting a discharge. I am very well in health and have plenty to eat. Rather incommoded for want of clothing but I shall get some of the other boys to draw me some when we draw again. Last month, I got a man to draw me a uniform coat, a pair of pantaloons, and a pair of shoes. The coat cost me $8.75, the pants $3.10, the shoes, $2.20. I went up to sign for some clothing but was told that I could not sign for any and it was too late to get anyone else to draw any for me. And I had to go and buy a pair of drawers and a shirt for four dollars. Eighteen dollars gone for clothing since I came down here. Tell Charlie to send me the balance of my money as I do not think we shall get any pay for the next months.

The Secretary of War, in reply to a resolution of the Senate, transmits a report of Assistant Adjutant General Townsend showing that we had on the first of January, 66 major generals and 267 brigadiers in the service. Making a total of 333 generals. Of these 200 brigadiers are in actual service and 45 major generals. Eight major generals and twelve brigadier generals are waiting orders. One major general and 14 brigadier generals are off duty in consequence of wounds or sickness. Two are prisoners of war, two are before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, three are on trial before court martials. The number of cannon taken at and around Fort Fisher was 162.

Yours respectfully, — W. I. Smith

Battle of Antietam

1862: Lewis Augustus Snook to John L. Koons

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The following letter was written by Lewis Augustus Snook (1836-1928), the son of Daniel Snook (1799-1886) and Ann Margaret Hill (1799-1848). It was Lewis’ older brother Josiah Snook (b. 1827) who took over his father’s farmstead (pictured above at the homestead) but at the time this letter was written in the fall of 1862, 63 year-old Daniel still lived with several of his children in the house, including 26 year-old Lewis and 32 year-old Mary. When the 1860 US Slave Schedules were tallied, Daniel Snook owned two slaves—two mulatto females, age 20 and 24.

Lewis’s letter describes passing over the battlefield at Sharpsburg four days after the battle. He observed that most of the Union solders had been buried but there were yet Confederate soldiers still awaiting burial.

This letter is from the personal collection of Greg Herr and was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.

Transcription

Utica Mills [Frederick county, Maryland]
October 26, 1862

Dear Sir,

I thought it was now time for me to write to you in answer to your letter of the 27th June but I know that I have not waited as long as you have or did. But I thought you would like to hear from your poor old pap and the rest of the family. We are all very well at present and hope you are the same.

You wrote in your last letter that you was in a bakery. I guess by this time you are perfect, but I must now tell you what is going on down here. Uncle Sam is everywhere we thought, but when the rebels come over to pay us a visit, there was not a blue coat to be seen. They [the rebels] was in Frederick about a week but they did us no damage but took about a hundred dollars worth of corn and oats and paid us off with their script. But the Federals soon moved them away when they got after them.

We could hear the cannon for five days continually. I was on the battle ground at Sharpsburg four days after the fight. I saw horses and rebs—plenty of them. The Union men was buried before I got there. There was great confusion here when the rebs came to town and I and Josiah did skedaddle with the rest to our sister state and took six of our horses along. But we came home again in a few days. Mary & Joe saw Frank Koons 1 in Frederick a few days after the fight. He had received a wound in the heel from a buck shot.

The draft in this county keeps the people in trouble. There is 259 out of this county which will take about the tenth man that is subject to the draft. We are all in as good a spirits as could be expected in war times— Darkeys and all of us. Oh, Dan Shaffer is not married yet. There is still hopes for you. Oh by the way, I just thought of one thing. Would you let me have them pants of yours made of some homemade goods that you wore some the last winter you was here. If you would sell them to me, I will pay you what is right unless you wish to keep them. Mary told me to ask you about them and if you think you will spare them, please write directly and let me know or I must buy a pair before long. But I will wait to hear from you. Let me know the least you can take for them and what kind of money—I guess green backs—and I can send it to you.

Do not neglect writing directly for Mary is wanting to hear from you bad. She often wants me to write to you but you are so slow to answer. Nothing more at this time. Our compliments to you, — Lewis A. Snook

This is a very rainy night. Write soon. Goodbye.

1 Frederick Frank Koons [Koontz] (1833-1915), a native of Frederick county, Maryland, who was a machinist in Ashland, Ohio. He enlisted as a private in June 1861 to serve in Co. G, 23rd Ohio Infantry. He was wounded at South Mountain on 14 September 1862. He later rose to 1st Sergeant of his company. He was married to Sarah Ellen Potter in August 1853.

President Abraham Lincoln

1864 Interview with Lincoln on Cotton Policy

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The following declaration was made years after the war by Brutus Junius Clay (1808-1878) who represented Kentucky in the 39th Congress from March 1863 to March 1865. He was the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture so naturally had reason to be concerned about the Cotton growing industry. In this statement, Clay “makes oath” that in January or February 1864, he went with Col. Robertson Topp (1807-1876), a Memphis lawyer, who made huge investments in real estate and agricultural ventures prior to the secession of Tennessee and naturally lost heavily as a result of the war. Clay claims that it was Col. Topp who convinced Lincoln to change his Administration’s policy on the sale of cotton early in 1864.

Historian Gabor Boritt argued: “The good Whig Lincoln saw commerce as a glue that bound the Union together. Throughout the war he showed much more leniency toward trade across hostile lines than did Congress, not to mention the military. Immediately after the firing on Sumter.” According to Boritt, “As Lincoln shifted the tactics of his peace work in 1863, cotton came to play an increasing role in his thinking. He tried to be careful, recognizing inherent dangers in his policy, fearing an atmosphere where ‘profit controls all,’ even the army. Nonetheless by early 1864 he prepared a careful program with the aid of Chase, and others, that invited Southern planters, for three years unable to freely market their cotton, to take the oath of allegiance and sell their product to government agents for twenty-five percent of its market value. They were to receive the rest of their purchase price after the war, provided they had remained loyal to the United States.” [Source: Gabor Boritt, Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream, pp. 243-244]

The document resides in Burrow Library in Memphis.

Transcription

[Brutus Junius] Clay, a citizen of Kentucky, makes oath that whilst he was a member Congress in January or February 1864, he went with Col. Robertson Topp of Tennessee to introduce Col. Topp to the President. Col. Topp’s object was to get from the President permission for the owners of ten or fifteen boats then lying up the Red River to come out of that river and engage in trade without being liable to seizure or confiscation. Also to be permitted to load those boats with cotton and bring that out to market.

These propositions from Col. Topp lead to a lengthy and intensely interesting conversation between the President and Col Topp, occupying two hours or more. The President detailed at length the reasons and views entertained by himself and cabinet, especially with regard to the policy then pursued in reference to cotton. Col. Topp in reply stated that the war had cut off the usual article of export—cotton, [and] that gold was being exported in the place of cotton. That if that character of trade, shipping specie to pay for imports was permitted [ ] for a considerable time, its effect would be seen in disastrous [ ], financially and commercially. He stated that if cotton was let in, each bale of cotton would be a sterling bill of exchange for its [ ] value in Liverpool, and to that extent, serve to prevent the export of specie, and in addition, serve the great manufacturing establishments which would be compelled to import cotton or cease operations.

After Col. Topp finished with his views, which seemed to strike the President with great force, I remember that the President after he had walked the floor for some ten or fifteen minutes absorbed in contemplation, turned around and addressed Col. Topp, saying, “The views you have presented are striking and forcible. They are very different from those entertained by a majority of my cabinet. I am not prepared to say they are not the right views. On the contrary, they strike me as correct.

I had thought we were done with there cotton questions in our cabinet consultations. You make me change my determination. I will bring them up again.”

I remember as we were about leaving, Mr. Lincoln asked Col. Topp if he was acquainted with Chase. Upon being informed that he was, he said to him, “Do me the favor to call and see him in the morning and present to him the views you have presented tonight. Chase understands these matters.”

I remember of being informed by Col. Topp that he had called on Mr. Chase as requested, and that he reported Mr. Chase as having said how concerned in all that Col. Topp urged, and that if he had the power, he would give him authority to bring out every boat in the [ ] states.

After this the policy of giving out permits and searching out purchasing agents was adopted. I have always thought they resulted from the forcible views presented by Col. Topp. Col. O. H. Burbridge of Kentucky was present at that conversation and one or two others whose names I have forgotten.

Uncategorized

1862: Charles Jessup to William Castle

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The following letter was written on 5 March 1862 from an encampment on Meridian Hill in Washington D. C. The soldier’s name appears to be Charles Jessup but I have not been able to identify his regiment. He must have only just arrived in Washington having passed through Pittsburg and across Pennsylvania to Baltimore before arriving in Washington. He was, therefore, likely to be from a “western” state like Ohio, Illinois, Indiana or Michigan. My hunch would be the latter.

Transcription

Washington [D. C.]
March 5, [1862]

William Castle,

It is with much pleasure that I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well. I should like to see you and all of the rest of the folks that I used to be with around there. Although I am now far from you all, I haven’t forgotten about you all that I used to see when I was there. Do you remember the meeting they had at the log school house the night before I started for the rapids. Ask Enoly is she has forgotten that she has. Tell her to put on her thinking cap. The rest of the folks that I used to know when I was there—tell them that I would like to see them and be there to go to the [ ] with them and you.

I have seen the large mountains that are in Pennsylvania. I have seen where they dug through rocks from one to two hundred feet. I have rode from a quarter of a mile to a mile and a quarter under ground. I have seen some pretty nice cities since I left there and some that weren’t so nice. Pittsburg was the worst looking place that I saw since I left there and Baltimore was the nicest place I did see.

I should like to live in Baltimore. I was in the fort in Baltimore when I was there. I tell you that the large guns looked pretty saucy to point at a man. Our men had to keep the town guarded for fear of the rebels breaking onto them. We stopped in Baltimore one day so I had a good chance to see the city. Miles Filey and myself went downtown while I was here and the lieutenant of our company and we had a pretty nice view of the city.

We are on Meridian Hill. We have a pretty good sight for to look out on the Potomac river and see what’s on there. The Sixth is within the half a mile of us. I am down to the Sixth now. I do like this part of the country very well.

As I find my sheet pretty near full, I will bring my letter to a close. You must excuse my bad writing for I haven’t no place to write but to take my pen and paper on my lap and write. So goodbye to you, — Charles H. Jessup

15th Ohio Infantry

1861: Melvin B. Lane to Sarah Craven

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I could not find an image of Melvin but here is one of John W. Edie who served as a private in Co. A, 15th OVI (Photo Sleuth)

The following letter was written by Pvt. Melvin B. Lane (1843-1865) of Co. C, 15th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). Melvin enlisted on 30 August 1861 and was taken prisoner on 19 September 1863 during the Battle of Chickamauga. He died while a Prisoner of War at Danville, Virginia, on 5 March 1865.

In 1891, Melvin’s mother, Catharine Ronick—a native of Germany, filed a pension claim for her son’s service in the 15th OVI.

In the Battle of Chickamauga where Melvin was taken prisoner, the regiment was attached to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division of the 20th Army Corps. Under the command of Lt. Colonel Frank Askew, the regiment engaged in the advance made by its Brigade on the afternoon of September 19th from the Rossville Road near the Kelly House. Melvin was likely taken prisoner in this advanced position or in the night attack upon the regiment by Cleburns’s and Cheatham’s Divisions.

Transcription

Camp George Wood
Hart county, Kentucky
December 15th 1861

My friend,

I take my pen in hand to let you know how I am getting along in the army. I am well now. I hain’t been to the doctor but once since I been in the army. Then I had a cold.

We are near Green river. Munfordville is in about a quarter mile from the camp. There is a bridge here that cost about ten thousand dollars. It took two years to build. It’s a hundred and fifteen feet high and a thousand feet long. It is the railroad. It was blowed up by the secesh and they burnt another one about eight miles up at Baker Creek but it is all well again. We left Camp Nevin on the 7th of December. We are about twenty-two miles from there.

I heard that Mary and David was sick. I’d like [to] hear from them—how they are gettin’ along. Tell them I am well now and I like the camping well. I want you to tell me what Edward Craven’s captain’s name is and what camp he is in. Where is Harriet working now? I heard from Maysfield not a great while ago. The said they was all well then. I want you to let me know how they are gettin’ along—that is, if you hear from them.

There are a few hills here but I have seen bigger hills and here Old Buckner’s breastwork is just across the river from here but he has left them now and gone to Bowling Green about 40 miles from here. His farm is not a great way from here. 1 We do get corn from there. It looked kind of hard to see what the secesh have done. The people have commenced to build houses and had to leave them. All the bridges is burnt along the railroad. I have not seen no fun yet. The boys feel quite funny tonight. I don’t know how soon we will cross the Green river but when we cross the river, I expect some fun if Old Buckner holds his ground but I think that he’ll go on to Tennessee when we cross the river.

No more now. I want you to write soon. Melvin Lane to Sary Craven

Camp George Wood, Hart cunty, Kentucky. Care of Captain Miller, 15th Regiment

1 Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner’s family estate, known as Glen Lily, was about 8 miles east of Munfordville.

8th New York Cavalry

1863: John J. Davis to Friend Bidwell

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The following letter was written by Pvt. John J. Davis (1839-1864) who enlisted at Utica on 27 August 1862 when he was 23 years old to serve three years in Co. D, 8th New York Cavalry. He went missing in action near Culpeper, Virginia, on 11 October 1863, and died on 28 March 1864 while a paroled prisoner of war at the US Hospital at Annapolis, Maryland.

Headstone of John J. Davis, “He died for his Country” is inscribed across the top.

John was the son of John and Jane Davis of Remson, Oneida county, New York. In the 1860 US Census, John was enumerated in the household of Edward Langdon, identified as a 21 year-old farm laborer. His place of birth was given as Wales.

In his letter, John mentions having recently participated in the Battle of Brandy Station on 9 June 1863—regarded by many as the first battle of the “Gettysburg Campaign”—and the largest cavalry action of the war. Nearly 1500 casualties resulted from the clash of cavalry in an all-day battle in eastern Culpeper county. For his part, John claims to have killed four Rebs in “hand-to-hand fighting with saber and revolver,” though he himself sustained a deep (to the bone”) saber wound to his thigh. “I will not quit duty for that,” however, he assured his correspondent.

[Note. This letter is from the personal collection of Greg Herr and was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Transcription

Catlett Station, Virginia
June 15, 1863

Dear Friend Bidwell,

Your kind and welcome letter of the 3rd inst. was duly received. Since I wrote to you before, I have been almost in jaws of death. But through the blessing of our Lord, I am yet alive. I thought of sending you some of our [ ] with the enemy at Beverly’s Ford on the 9th inst. But the next day the whole Division was inspected by Gen. Pleasanton so that took my time that day and three following days our regiment was sent out scouting and yesterday again we had regimental inspection. Therefore, you see it was impossible for me to do it. But it is likely that you have seen some account of it by this time.

I think that before many weeks you will hear of another great Bull Run fight. The Rebs are gathering there fast and so is our troops. They go by there Corps after Corps and our regiment are saddled expecting every moment for orders.

I do not like the idea of falling back from the Rappahannock but it may be for the best. But wherever we fight, I will not give an inch more than the other day. I killed then four Rebs in hand to hand fighting with saber and revolver but received a small saber cut in my left thigh. I will not quit duty for that although it is to the bone.

I went to see friend James on the morning of the day we started for the fight. He had his discharging papers and was going to start for York State the next Monday. This was Saturday. He was going to stay with his brother in York City a week or two. He had then received your letter and paper and the one the girls sent. I have not had your paper yet. But there is some kind friend there that sends me a paper quite often but gives no name and if you know who it is, I should like to be informed.

J[ames] Hilton came here to us yesterday. He is well. He was not with us in that battle. There was quite a number of them that staid in camp at Brooks Station. He wishes you to tell Graham & Sanders that he wrote to both of them but never had an answer and is anxious to have a few lines from them. 1

I send you now two dollars to get me the Rural and please get the back months if you can. Now I must close in hopes that you will excuse this short letter on account of my circumstances. Please give my best respects to all my enquiring friends & you please accept the same.

Yours truly, — J. J. D.

P. S. When you write again, please put the Co. — J. J. D.

John J. Davis, Co. D, 8th New York Cavalry, Washington, D. C.

1 James Hilton enlisted at Utica on 23 August 1862 in Co. C, 8th New York Cavalry. He went missing in action at Tuntestown on 6 July 1863 and deserted at Boonsboro, Maryland, on 5 July 1863.

42nd Ohio Infantry

1863: Thomas Corwin Parsons to Wilder Curtis Parsons

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The following letter was written by 22 year-old Thomas Corwin Parsons (1842-1913) who enlisted as a sergeant in Co. A, 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI) in September 1861 and was promoted to Orderly Sergeant in July 1862. He mustered out of the service on 30 September 1864.

Thomas the son of Roswell Pease Parsons (1808-1893) and Rhoda Eggleston (1808-1901) of Chardon, Geauga county, Ohio. He wrote the letter to his younger brother, Wilder Curtis Parsons (1846-1929) and refers to an older brother named Milo Roswell Parson (1840-1932) who also served his country in Co. G, 2nd Ohio Heavy Artillery during the Civil War.

Thomas’s letter was datelined from Brashear City (modern day Morgan City) in S. Mary Parish, Louisiana. Though he anticipated they would march to Texas, the regiment would soon after participate on the Western Louisiana Campaign. The 42nd Ohio’s first commander was Colonel James A. Garfield (the 20th President of the United States).

To read other letters by members of the 42nd OVI thatI’ve transcribed and published on Spared & Shared, see:

Jasper S. Ross, Co. A, 42nd Ohio (11 Letters)
Frederick Erasmus Underwood, Co. A, 42nd Ohio (2 Letters)
William H. Jacqueys, Co. E, 42nd Ohio (6 Letters)
Owen Johnson Hopkins, Co. K, 42nd Ohio (1 Letter)

Transcription

Brashear City, Louisiana
September 16th 1863
Dept. of the Gulf

Dear Welden,

I must beg your pardon for not writing to you sooner but I do assure you that if we had not been on the move, I should have written to you before. My stock of paper is nearly out so I must fill out my sheet double lined. I suppose you must be aware before this of our move from Vicksburg. We had a fine time while in the vicinity of New Orleans. New Orleans is the largest city I was ever in but it is not so fine in many respects as Cincinnati. This city is about the size of Chardon but has a fine, large depot. Southern cities are noted so far as I have had experience for the size and fineness of their depots. The cars come from New Orleans every day but don’t carry any papers or any mail—only once in a great while.

I think you have done well in making the bargain with Messrs. Wilkins & Kelly. But you will need to improve all your time next winter at school or you will have to stop clerking and go to school. Lay up your money. I got a letter from Milo last night. He was at Lexington, Kentucky. He was well and in good spirits. I also got a letter from Melbourne & one from an old friend (a captain) in the 3rd Miss. Colored Vols. 1 I also got three Democrats sent to P___ ____. From appearances I think we shall soon start for Texas and if we do go & should march, you must not expect me to write to you much till I get through—if I should be so lucky as to get through—for it will be a long, tedious march. You see we left our thins, knapsacks and all, at New Orleans, so I shall soon be out of writing material. But if we should be paid off, I can get a supply. But if you don’t hear from me, don’t think I have forgotten you. I will tell you a long story when I get through with the trip.

I hear a fine brass band playing. It reminds me of home and old times. Oh, Wilder, I shall be a happy boy to get home at the end of my three years. It’s a long time to be away, isn’t it? But I can stand it. But I must stop and write to Lucius, or he will surely be mad and for good reason.

Direct to Co. A, 42nd Ohio Vol. Infantry, 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Army Corps, via New Orleans. To follow regt.

Yours truly, — T. C. Parsons, O.S.

To W. C. Parsons, Chardon, Ohio

1 Possibly Orlando C. Risdon who had been a 1st Lieutenant in the 42nd OVI. He was commissioned in the 3rd Mississippi Colored Troops in 1863 and later promoted to Colonel of that regiment that was redesignated the 53rd Regt. USCT.

55th Massachusetts (Colored)

1863: Charles Newton to Mathias Embry

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The following letter was written by 21 year-old Pvt. Charles Newton, a barely literate Black soldier in Co. C, 55th Massachusetts Infantry. According to muster rolls, Charles was a 5′ 8″ tall farmer from Knox county, Indiana, when he enlisted at Readville, Massachusetts on 20 June 1863. He was sick at left at Newborn, North Carolina, when the regiment left on 30 July 1863. He was on duty at Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia, in the fall of 1863, but was sick at Folly Island near Charleston in mid-February 1864. He was discharged for physical disability on 5 October 1864 but being unable to move due to his chronic diarrhea condition, he died on Folly Island on 13 October 1864.

There is a statement in Charles’ service record that claims he was “free” before 19 April 1861. Indeed, Charles was enumerated in his parents’ household in Busseron township, Knox county, Indiana in 1850 and 1860. He was the son of Jesse and Priscilla (Brock) Newton, who married in Knox county in April 1829. Jesse was a native of Tennessee and Priscilla of Illinois. By 1870, Jesse and Priscilla had relocated to Ypsilanti, Washtenaw county, Michigan.

The 55th was the “sister regiment” of the renowned 54th Massachusetts. Both regiments were raised in the spring of 1863 and both regiments would play a key role in the fighting in South Carolina. Due to the Commonwealth’s relatively small black population, both the 54th Massachusetts and, subsequently, the 55th Massachusetts, were made up of free men of color recruited from other states, including Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. The State of Ohio provided 222 recruits to the 55th Massachusetts, more than any other northern state.

In her 1995 article ‘History of 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry’, Civil War historian Katherine Dhalle stated: “The war that had taken so many lives had also seen fit to form many survivors into the leaders of a new, reunited country. Despite frustrations, disappointments, obstacles, and restrictions, the men of the 55th bore their military office well. Instead of retreating in the face of adversity, whether it be the enemy, their fellow officers, or their own government, they continued in their quest to promote freedom and preserve the Union at all costs. For this they deserve our unending respect and admiration. As well, the brave men of the regiment, both black and white, who fought side by side, and lived through the inequities of a discriminatory government, deserve to be remembered as the heroes they are. Nothing less would be acceptable.” [Wikipedia]

See also—1864: John Posey to Mathias Embry on Spared & Shared 13.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Harrison Pearl and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Some members of the 55th Massachusetts

Transcription

Mr. Mathias Embry, Knox county, Vincennes, Indiana. Postmarked Boston, Massachusetts

July 14th 1863

Dear Friend,

I take my pen in hand to inform you I am well. I hope that [these] few lines may find you all well. I have been. I want you to answer my letter. This is the eighth letter.

John is very sick. I have been very sick [too] and so has Dock now. We is better. Dock had the measles and John has them now. I have not received no answer. This is 8th letter. — Charles Newton

61st Ohio Infantry, Camp Dennison

1862: John F. Hoy to Friend Swigart

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This letter was written by 19 year-old Pvt. John F. Hoy (1843-1914) of Co. E, 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). When he enlisted, John expected to be mustered into the 52nd OVI—as stated in this letter—but because the regiment was not yet full in mid-April, they were transferred to the 61st OVI to fill out that regiment. As such, unlike most Ohio regiments, the 61st OVI had members from nearly every county in the state. Nine of their companies were German speaking immigrants and two companies were Irish Catholics.

The Regiment fought at 2nd Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain, the Atlanta Campaign, March to the Sea, the March through the Carolinas, and at Bentonville, North Carolina. The 61st served the entire war as part of Gen. Oliver O. Howard’s 11th Corp. They began their service with the Army of the Potomac; then were transferred to Gen. Sherman’s western armies in September of 1863.

John was the son of Judge John Hoy (1797-1873) and Elizabeth Traxler (1803-1866) of Franklin, Summit county, Ohio. He participated in the battles of Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, from Chattanooga to Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the march into North Carolina where he was taken prisoner on 11 March 1865 at Fayetteville. He was held in captivity for 23 days.

Transcription

Camp Dennison, Ohio
April 13th, 1862

Friend Swigart,

By ginger, I promised to write to you when I left home and when I promised I had intended to write sooner but I had so many things to call my attention to that I had forgotten all about it until today.

We arrived here safely on the 28th day of March and found an awful confusion, or it seemed so to me at any rate, but I have become used to it now so that I don’t mind it all. This Camp Dennison is an awful place. There are about five or six hundred men in this regiment at present. They intend to attach the 61st Regiment to this and fill it up and take us off. I think that the 61st will be here the beginning of this week. I think when they come that our days will be few here in Camp Dennison for I believe that when they come in here that the regiment will organize and we will leave here. Where our destination will be, I know not—probably in Tennessee.

We have it from pretty good authority that we will leave here in less than one week. There is any amount of swearing here in the barracks at present. There were about twenty or thirty of the boys went down to Miford (a place about two miles from here) this forenoon to meeting and they were to be back at twelve o’clock but instead of that they just came (2 o’clock) and dinner was over before they got back and some of them didn’t get any. They didn’t lose a great deal by not getting their dinner, but still they swear considerable about it.

For dinner we had dry bread, coffee and beans. Sometimes we have meat, bread and coffee. The boarding went rather hard with this child at first but I have become pretty well used to a soldier’s rations by this time so that I can get along very well. The beds are not of the softest kind but I can sleep as soundly on them now as I can in any other bed. We drew a blanket and a quilt the same evening we got here. We have the soft side of a board for a bed. I lay my blanket down and lay down and cover myself with my quilt and take my overcoat for a pillow and then I am all right. I did not sleep very much the first night or two but I can lay down now, fall asleep, and not get awake until morning. The mights must all be out at 9 o’clock in the evening and at 5 in the morning the drum will beat and then we must all be up for roll call, and if we are not up for roll call, they will put us in extra duty.

There is so much noise here that I must quit for this time, promising to do better next time. Yours in rags, — J. F. Hoy

Write soon and address J. F. Hoy, Camp Dennison, Ohio, 52nd Regt. O. V. USA, Care of Lieut. Leiter

27th Illinois Infantry

1861: William R. Wood to his friend Molly

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The following letter was written by Pvt. William R. Wood (1840-1878) of Co. F. 27th Illinois Infantry. The regiment was organized in August 1861 and at Jacksonville, Illinois, until being ordered to Cairo on September 1, 1861. They had an encampment there until March 1862 but participated on expeditions to Belmont, Missouri, on 6-7 November 1861 (just after this letter was written) and into Kentucky in mid-January 1862, eventually occupying Columbus, Kentucky.

William was from Brighton, Macoupin county, Illinois. When he enlisted, he was described as a 5′ 10.5″ tall blacksmith with brown hair and hazel eyes. In the 1860 US Census, William was apprenticed to and living with Edward Bliss Stratton and his family. After serving in the regiment for more than a year, William was detached to the 10th Wisconsin Battery on 10 December 1862. He died in 1878 at the age of 39.

Six soldiers from the 27th Illinois Volunteer Infantry posing in camp. The 27th Illinois particularly distinguished itself at Stones River in the bitter fighting near the Wilkinson Pike on December 31, 1862. See “The Killing End of the Business: The 27th Illinois at Belmont” by Dan Masters.

Transcription

[Cairo, Illinois]
November 4, 1861

Well Molly, I have written to you several times and received no answer. I shall write once more. I thought that I would not write no more until I received a letter from you but concluded to write again. Molly, if you don’t think enough of me to write to me, then I will stop writing to you and here is my last letter till I receive a letter from you. But I must tell you the truth. I have become a very bad man—almost the worst in the world. Why is it? It is because I am surrounded with so much evil and that I have not received but little if any encouragement from home and from those that took to be my best and most affectionate Christian friends.

I was going to church today but for his preaching. I could not go for he was the next thing to the Catholics and I am not a Catholic.

I will now tell you something about the news of the day and the camp first. Will commence with a riot on our camp first. Some of the officers [were] trying to throw the Colonel out of his office but I think that can’t quite [do] it for they cannot find causes sufficient enough to do it. Some of the officers in most of the companies are under arrest for their movement and [our] company is the only one that is whole and full and clear of blemishes. It is thought that we will be the favorite of the regiment. It is thought that this regiment will go to attack Columbus soon. I hope so. But it is probable that we will come back again if we go and winter in this place.

Well, I must tell you about my little bunk in which I and my comrade stays. We have a nice place to stay. I boarded it up nicely and made a shelf in one end of it and a little cupboard in one corner and we have a writing desk in the other end and at night we make up a nice little bed of straw or hay, lay down our sheet of coffee sack and then take our two government blankets and put them over us and sleep very nice till morning

Well, I must bring my letter to a close but I will tell you that I papered my little bunk with the papers such as I could find but not quite enough to finish it all at present. I still remain your friend, — William R. Wood