Appomattox Campaign | Spared & Shared 23

*I could not find an image of Clinton but here is one of Sgt. Newton Goodbar of Co. C, 60th OVI*

The following letters were written by Clinton Emory Sharp (1846-1927), the son of Stephen Alfred Sharp (1807-1886) and Hester Ann Oldham (1819-1894) of Westerville, Franklin county, Ohio.

When he was 19 years old, Clinton enlisted on 20 February 1864 in Co. A, 60th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). He took a gunshot wound in the left arm on 17 June 1864 in the first assault on Petersburg but eventually returned to his regiment and was with them until he mustered out as a sergeant on 28 July 1865.

Readers should be aware that there were two regiments called the 60th OVI. The first regiment was organized at Gallipolis in February 1862 for a one year enlistment. The second regiment by that name was organized at Cleveland and Columbus in the spring of 1864 and sent to Virginia where they fought at Spotsylvania, Wilderness and Cold Harbor before spending eight months of trench warfare in the Siege of Petersburg. After the war, one member of the regiment by the name of George Koontz in Co. I, wrote, “As our regiment was in the entrenchments nearest to Petersburg, we were the first to enter the “blockade city,” which was done early in the morning of the 3d inst. The 1st Michigan sharpshooters led the way, and the 60th Ohio followed. We found the city on fire in several places, caused by the rebels burning public stores, bridges and tobacco warehouses. The city was soon alive with Uncle Sam’s “blue birds,” and I certainly never seen troops, under similar circumstances behave themselves better. Private property, what little was left, was respected; and you could see on all hands the Union soldiers giving their rations to this half-starved chivalry, who four years ago were so defiant, proud and haughty. Not only the “white trash” were reduced to taking hard tack from our boys, but dainty-fingered ladies—real bonafide ladies—condescended to nibble them in order to keep soul and body together.” [The Gallipolis Journal, 4 May 1865]

After the war, in 1868, Clinton married Martha A. Hutches and made his living as a farmer in Delaware county, Ohio.

Letter 1

Addressed to Mrs. Hesterann Sharp, Westerville, Franklin county, Ohio

Camp of the 60th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
In front of Petersburg, Virginia
February 22nd 1865

I received your letter about a week ago but as I had just written to Father, I delayed on yours till now. I am well and get along fine. Pearl is well and in fine spirits. You wanted to know how we keep warm this cold weather. It is not cold here. We run around in our shirt sleeves it is so warm here.

Hensel says he lost my watch but says he will pay me for it payday.

I got a letter from Andrew about two weeks ago. He sent it to Seminary Hospital. It was sent here to me but I guess there was nothing new to you in it. I had written to him before I got Father’s letter.

Things goes on about the same as when I wrote to you last. There was some shelling here this forenoon. They throwed twenty-five a minute.

Pearl’s box has not come through yet. How much did Uncle Lewis get for his farm?

We heard this morning that Charleston was taken by Sherman. We have got about thirty men in Company A of the old boys and seventeen recruits. Captain [Elitha D.] House is not with us. He is in Columbus. One of the boys got a letter from him the other day. He thinks that he will never be able to come back again. ¹

As I sit here writing to you, I can hear the Johnnies’ band playing over in Petersburg.

When you direct a letter, direct it in large, plain letters and it will come through in two or three days sooner like the one is in here. I don’t know as I have any more to write.

From your affectionate son, — C. E. Sharp

Write soon and all the news.

¹ Captain Elisha D. House was wounded on 27 October 1864 in action near Petersburg and discharged on 2 March 1865 on Surgeon’s certificate of disability. He was replaced by Samuel S. Blackford who had been the 1st Lieutenant.

Letter 2

Camp of the 60th O. V. I.
15 miles from Petersburg
Guarding the railroad that runs to Lynchburg
April 8, 1865

Dear Mother,

It is after another great victory of the Union Army of Virginia that I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines. All of the boys from Westerville came in to Petersburg all right except Lewis Swickard. He got wounded in the right arm near the elbow in a charge on last Sunday. ¹

Our brigade was the first in the town. We entered the town a little after day [break] on Monday the 3rd of April. There was not much in the town but tobacco which was plenty. When we first entered the town there was not very many white persons to be seen, but the Negroes was plenty.

We were provost guards in town for a couple of days and taken prisoners to City Point which came in by the thousands are still fetching them in and coming in of their own accord of which there is many. They seem to have hid around in the woods so as to get into our lines and get out of the clutches of Davis (which is not very long).

I must bring my letter to a close for it is beginning to rain. Write soon. From your dutiful son, — C. E. Sharp

P. S. I wish some of you would send me a paper with this battle in.

¹ Sgt. Lewis Swickard entered the service in February 1864 and was discharged on surgeon’s certificate on 3 June 1865.

The following letter was written by William (“Will”) Darwin Beckwith (1841-1922), the son of Daniel Beckwith (1791-1851) and Sylvia Soules of Schuyler Falls, New York. Receiving an $800 bounty from his town for volunteering, Will enlisted on 31 August 1864 with Merritt Pierce at Troy as a private in Co. L, 1st New York Engineers to serve 1 year. At the time of his enlistment, he was described as a blue-eyed, black-haired farmer who stood approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was appointed artificer on 1 May 1865. He mustered out of the regiment on 30 June 1865 at Richmond, Virginia.

After the war, Will married Josephine M. Norris (1847-1910) in 1867 and in 1871 moved with his family to Wisconsin. Shortly afterwards they moved on to Kansas. In 1901, the family moved to Fresno, California.

Will wrote the letter to his friend, Safford (“Saff”) Silas Taylor (1840-1895), the son of Silas Maxon Taylor (1799-1880) and Rebecca Perry (1801-1844) of Schuyler Falls, New York. Safford enlisted on 19 December 1863 at Schuyler Falls: mustered in as a private, 1st New York Engineers, Co. I on 19 December 1863 to serve 3 years. He was appointed artificer on 1 July 1864 and was mustered out of the regiment on 19 July 1865 at Hilton Head, South Carolina. He died in Schuyler Falls on 23 Jan 1895.

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

Transcription

Manchester [Virginia]
May 2, 1865

Friend Saff[ord Taylor],

Your most obedient servant has seated himself this fine afternoon (after a pleasant walk through Manchester) for the purpose of answering your last, which I received Sunday. Right glad I was to hear from you for it has been a long time that I have not had an opportunity to get letters for we have been on the march almost every day since the 24th of March. Finally, we brought up in Richmond a few day[s] ago feeling somewhat worn out but in good spirits. I will give you a short history of our journey.

March the 24th we started with our pontoon train from Broadway Landing direction northeast, bound for the Chickahominy River which we reached the second day about noon and laid a bridge over it before dinner for Sheridan to cross over with his cavalry. But we learned that night that he had crossed the day previous three miles below us so we dismantled our bridge and started back following Sheridan to the extreme left, south of Petersburg. We built a bridge over Hatcher’s Run with logs about fifty rods from where they were fighting [but] they could not see us—we were in the woods. We worked most all night on it.

The next morning the Rebs had to leave [as] our troops [were] in hot pursuit and Co. L with, our pontoon train (consisting of forty wagons, eight mules to a wagon), bringing up the rear. You may guess there was some excitement along the road. We would march all day—sometimes all night—no one thinking of being tired as long as we were after Lee. Our troops drove the Rebs through Farmville about April 7th noon & they burned the bridge after them. They were just over a hill making preparations to shell the village which is nearly as large as Plattsburgh. We came on with our train a little after dark and throwed a bridge over to let the artillery cross and the Potomac Army. Their pontoon train got stuck in the mud but came on the next morning and relieved us.

On we went through the mud and rain towards Lynchburg. Lee was captured at Clover Hill, ¹ some eighteen or twenty miles from Lynchburg. I have been within a mile of where he was captured.

April the 10th we started back, bound for Richmond. Our mules were so tried and worn out we could not march but 10 miles a day. The roads were getting worse every day. Sixteen of our mules fell in the traces [and] we were obliged to shoot them. At Burkeville, some 82 miles from Petersburg, we put our train on board the cars [and] went to Petersburg, spent one night there, then on to Richmond. Our flag now gleams in the morning beams from many a spire in Richmond. We have got through marching on. Next, we will go home from Richmond.

We are now quartered on the south side of the river a little below Manchester. Just across the river stands Libby Prison and Castle Thunder. We have a fine view of them from our camp. I have been into Libby. It is a hard looking place. I have not room to describe it. I have been all over the city. The upper part is splendid. The business part is nearly all burned down.

*The two pontoon bridges laid across the James River between Richmond and Manchester in April 1865 (Library of Congress)*

We have two pontoon bridges over the river. We have got thirty new recruits for our company—a pretty large company. A part of the company started last Thursday on another expedition, not knowing where. The rest of the company and Co. M and H are to build a bridge here. We are at work getting timber there now. Merritt [Pierce] is all right. He says you owe him a letter. [Napoleon] Flanders has gone on that expedition.

No appearance of war here. I think the fighting is over. We will have a good time yet playing with the girls when we get home. That time I think is not far distant. We will probably meet before we are discharged. Yours, if you can read it. — Will

¹ Originally the village of Appomattox Court House was known as Clover Hill. It was a small settlement with a few houses around the tavern, a stopping-off point on the main Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road. When the county of Appomattox was formed in 1845, Clover Hill was chosen as the county seat and renamed Appomattox Court House. The next year the county courthouse was built. Slowly the settlement grew into a village of homes, stores, and lawyers’ offices. Among the original structures still standing from 1865 are the Clover Hill Tavern, Meeks Store, Woodson Law Office, Peers House, Mariah Wright House, and Jones Law Office. (National Historic Park)