52nd Ohio Infantry | Spared & Shared 23

The following letter was written by James Wallace (1845-Bef1898), the son of Hamilton Wallace, Sr. (b. 1807) and Kate Haney (b. 1808), of Salem township, Jefferson County, Ohio. James enlisted in Co. G, 52nd Ohio Infantry on 18 August 1862, along with his brothers, Hamilton W. Wallace, Jr. and James Wallace. He served until he was mustered out as a veteran on 30 December 1865.

In his letter, James describes the illness of his older brother, George Washington (“Wash”) Wallace who died from disease in a hospital at Nashville, Tennessee. George was not married. As mentioned in the letter, George’s remains were sent home in a zinc coffin sold to the family by the a Nashville undertaker named Cornelius who contracted with the U. S. government during the Civil War. George was buried in a private cemetery named Wallace, Potts, Keiser Cemetery, also known as Fairfield Cemetery (there is no grave marker).

At the time James wrote this letter, the 52nd Ohio Volunteers had seen at action at Richmond, Kentucky, at Perryville, Kentucky. They were encamped at Brentwood (near Nashville), Tennessee, in March 1863 and remained there until June when they returned to Murfreesboro.

This letter is archived in the Pension file of George Washington Wallace at the National Archives and was provided to me by Brian Rhinehart for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared.

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

Nashville, Tennessee
March 17th 1863

Dear friends,

I once more take my pen in hand to let you know that we are well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. We started “Wash” home, I think it was the 12th and I had no money to telegraph and I don’t know whether the contractor Cornelius telegraphed or not, and Rothacker & Holmes and the company was out at Franklin and none of the boys that was left in camp had any money so I sent a letter as soon as I could get it started. We got him put in a zinc coffin. A metallic coffin cost about 25 or 30 dollars more than a zinc. We will send his Descriptive List as soon as possible and then you can get his money. There is an agent in Steubenville for to collect all such money. He was not discharged and you will get his 75 dollars bounty and will get about 140 or 145 dollars bounty and all [illegible]. Cornelius sent the bill to you. I guess [illegible]

About that piece of land for me and Hamilton will get four months pay if we paid now [illegible] don’t pay us till the 1st of May we will get six months pay but I think we will be paid off as soon as they get them paid off in front. Keep in good heart for Billy Ford will not push you for I talked to him the day that we left Richmond [Ohio]. The darkest time is always before day. I want you to write me a letter as soon as you get this one and tell me whether you got “Wash” and all about it. Isabelle writes me long letters.

Wash was as well taken care of as he could have been if he had been at home. Hamilton or I was with him every night and there were two good nurses with him, and there were no one in the room that was not able to take care of themselves and they all seemed that it done them good to do anything for him and he had what ever he wanted to eat or drink. If he had been at home, I don’t think that he would have lived long for he was consumptive before he came out. It was to be and we must all die sooner or later.

Charley Roberts is well and hearty. We will send two overcoats and shirts home as soon as get a chance. Tell Isaiah and Uncle [illegible] and Wm. Ellis that I will write as soon as I can, and Aunt Harriet too. We have as good officers as they are in the service. [Capt.] Rothacker can’t be beat,

Nothing more but remain your sons, — James & Hamilton Wallace,

Write as soon as you get this letter. It is pretty nice weather. Write and let us know how the wheat looks and things in general. I am in good health.

Isabella, you are learning to write fast. Keep at it. You will learn as fast as anybody. Frank Scott and Edd Wilson better look out for they will be punished.

The following letter was written by Basil H. Maxwell (1837-1916) of Steubenville, Jefferson county, Ohio, who enlisted on 13 August 1862 as a private in Co. E, 52nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI) He served three years, mustering out on 3 June 1865.

*Recruiting bonus advertisement for enlistment in the 52nd OVI*

Basil was the son of William and Sophia (Dural) Maxwell. He did not marry until 1872 when he took Emily Catherine Urquhart (1847-1899) as his wife.

The 52nd Ohio was commanded by Col. Daniel McCook. They began their training at Columbus but completed it at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati. They were mustered into service on 23 August 1862, the day before this letter was penned. Two days later they were marched to Cincinnati and crossed the Ohio River to Covington, Kentucky, where the command boarded railroad cars for Lexington, Kentucky. They were there assigned to the 36th Brigade, 11th Division, Army of Ohio. Their first engagement was in the Battle of Perryville on 8 October 1862.

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

[Camp Dennison, Ohio]
August 24, 1862

Dear Friend,

I again take the privilege of addressing you a few lines to let you know how I like the look of things by this time. Well as it regards camping, I like it very well. But when it comes to stand guard, I don’t think it is so nice as sitting in the parlor beside of a nice little woman like I have seen not long ago. I think I can tell about the time the moon gets up now without an almanac.

Well, Mattie, this is Sunday and it is awful to think how men that has been born and raised in a civilized nation will carry on ,swear and dance, and do everything that is unbecoming for a civil man to be guilty of. Well this [is] a gay place and gay people here. The women are no ways backward. They just walk past the guard as though they had a right to. But you know that the women are as independent as a hog on ice.

If you was here and could see this camp (which you could), I know you would say it was the grandest thing you ever saw. It is a beautiful place most assuredly. Well, there was a man got on a drunk and went to a little town below the camp and got a gun and broke in a drug store through the window and played thunder. Col. [Daniel] McCook ordered the guard to take him so they went down, brought him up, and the Colonel said that he would have to walk around the pump for five days with a guard around him and I tell you, the Colonel made things go just as he says.

We are uniformed and equip[ped] and we have as much harness on us as would harness two horses. If we ever get back, we will be good to peddle table cloths or pack salt. Well, I sent you a few lines by Hastings and I suppose you got them. I wish you could just see Miller and I. You would laugh I know for my pants are big enough for Old Jimmy Anderson and the legs are wide enough for wool sacks. The balance of our suit does very well. We have tolerable good grub but no variety.

Well, I want you to write to me as soon as you can and give me every particular and tell me what has been going on since we left and what is the prospect for volunteers. So nothing more at this time but remain as ever your true friend, — B. H. Maxwell

to Mattie M. [ ]

Don’t let any person read this letter if you please.