48th Ohio Infantry | Spared & Shared 23

The following letter was written by George Byers (1817-1862) who enlisted on 19 September 1861 at the age of 44 as a private in Co. B, 48th Ohio Volunteers Infantry. He died of disease at Memphis, Tennessee, on 20 August 1862.

The 48th was recruited from southwestern Ohio in the fall of 1861, organized at Camp Dennison in October, and subsequently dispatched to Paducah, where it was attached to General Sherman’s Division. At the Battle of Shiloh, the regiment found itself at the epicenter of the Confederate surprise attack, a mere 30 days after being issued their rifles. The 48th successfully repulsed several Confederate assaults, and it is posited that one of its soldiers was instrumental in the death of General Johnston. Despite being ultimately forced from their position by Confederate forces, the 48th, with other regiments, executed a crucial counteroffensive late in the day that impeded the Confederate advance. On April 7, the regiment reengaged the Confederates, significantly aiding Union forces in driving them from the battlefield. The 48th sustained grievous losses during the Battle of Shiloh, losing approximately one third of its active soldiers.

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

Camp No. 7, Before Corinth, Mississippi
May 26th 1862

Mr. James Wintermute, dear sir,

Your letter with a power of attorney came to hand yesterday. I also got your other letter but [was] too sick to write. I have been very sick within the last ten days but am able to be about some again but am mending very slow. George is sick. I had nothing from him for three weeks till yesterday I had a letter from him. He is in Camp Dennison Hospital. Thinks he will get home in a week or ten days.

I took [Henry J.] Lee to the river ten days ago. He was very sick. I have not heard from him since. It makes [me] feel very bad. I am left alone and broken down so that if I could get off, I am afraid I would not stand the trip. [Sanford] Bundidge is quite unwell and not fit for duty. The rest of the Boys are well.

With regard to that money whether I can get it or not and if I should get it, how to send it as there is no Express line from here. But I will do the very best I can for you. But I am a little afraid of losing it. When we will be paid off, I don’t know. I was away when the last payment was made and got no money myself.

Company B of the 48th [OVI] is a mere thing now. Not more than twenty fit for duty. Our officers are all gone and we have no one to see to our interests. We have had a hard time of it since the Battle [of Shiloh]. Have lived in the woods for six weeks with no water to drink much better than soap suds. Have had to fight our way as far as we have went and build breastworks at nearly all the camps. Now we are in a short distance of Corinth with a range of breastworks some fifteen miles long and looking for a battle momentarily. The pickets are firing at each other from morning till night and our officers still won’t let us at them. And the soldiers are very impatient and don’t know what it means. But the order to us is to ask no questions but obey all orders. Well, maybe it is all for the best but I would like to know.

Your papers sent came to hand and I am glad to see them. But as to sending Southern papers to you is out of the question. We can’t get them—only when we find them. I hope George is home now and will tell you about it. Captain [Joseph W.] Lindsey has got home. This war is a terrible thing and worst of it is that every man that can [will] swindle us out of our money and rations.

I must close. Don’t forget to pray for us for nothing the mercy of His good grace can save us. My love to all. — George Byers

*I could not find an image of Guilderoy but here is one of Moses Rogers (at right) of the 48th OVI, probably with a comrade from the same unit.* *(Ancestry. com)*

This letter was written by Guilderoy L. Patton (1840-1862), the son of Frederick Patton (1816-1875) and Elizabeth Rolfo (1812-1870) of Sterling, Brown county, Ohio. Guilderoy was 21 years old when he enlisted on 14 October 1861 to serve as a private in Co. C, 48th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). According to muster rolls, he died of typhoid fever at Camp Dennison on 2 March 1862, never having left the State of Ohio. Due to a shortage of recruits, they were not mustered into the service until mid-February 1862, after which they were sent to Paducah for duty. Guilderoy died just about five weeks before the regiment saw their first action at the Battle of Shiloh.

Transcription

*Patriotic letterhead—Ohio, “Union and the Constitution”*

Camp Dennison, Ohio
November 12th 1861

Frederick Patton. Dear father,

I have just finished a letter to mother and now I will undertake to write youy a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and I hope these few lines—if they reach you—will find you enjoying the same blessing. We are now camped out in our tents on the bare ground, Last night was the first we slept in them. It goes first rate. They had to dear down the shanties to build us our winter quarters. The carpenters are at work at them now. It is now, without a doubt, that we will winter [here]—at least we will go into winter quarters. Whether to remain all winter, we can’t tell but it looks as if we would from present appearance. The papers say that we have over 600 men in our regiment but we have but about 426 all told.

We are going to have good quarters. They will be 100 feet long, 30 feet wide (I believe I wrote in a letter 20 feet wide. It was a mistake) and to have 3 stoves, one to cook on and two other warming stoves. It will have 100 bunks, one for each man to sleep in. They are fixed just like those on a steamboat, exactly one above the other. In fact, the whole concern looks like the cabin on a boat, only there is no doors to go into the bunks.

There was one of our company by the name of Pratt (he is a brother to the one that sold or got trees of French Hill) who got his jaw broke last night. He attempted to break across the guard line when the guard struck him with a stone and broke his jaw. He is now in the hospital from the effects of it. They could not do anything with the guard as they was ordered to knock the first man down who attempted to cross the line.

Well we have plenty to eat you can judge for when I came here I weighed 142 pounds. Now I weigh 156 in my shirt sleeves. That is a large gain in so short a time but there is others that have gained in weight more yet again. I think I can get to come about the 1st of December but I would like you to be at home when I come then.

When you get this letter, I want you to write one right back when you will be at home so I will know when to come. Lem Hair is well. I believe I have told you all the news but one thing, we drew our knapsacks yesterday and I am writing this letter on mine. No more at present but remain your son till death, — Guilderoy L. Patton

to Frederick Patton

Direct to 48th Regiment, Co. C, Care of Captain J. W. Frazee, Camp Dennison, Ohio