Atlanta, Georgia | Spared & Shared 23

*I could not find an image of Lemuel but here is one of Capt. James Q. Baird who served in Co. G, 66th OVI (Ancestry)*

The following letter was written by Lemuel Wilmer Smith (1829-1922) who enlisted at the age of 32 as a private in the 66th Ohio Infantry on 17 October 1861. He mustered into Co. F on 26 December 1861 and worked his way up to Captain of the company a year later. He was mustered out of the regiment at Savannah, Georgia, on 29 December 1864.

An obituary for Lemuel informs us that he was born in May 1829 at Leesburg, Ohio and died in March 1922 at the age of 92 and 10 months. He moved with his parents to Union county, Ohio, in 1834 where he made his home until 1881 when he moved to Holliday, Illinois. When he was 20 years old he joined in the gold rush to California. When he returned, he walked across the Isthmus of Panama and barely escaped capture by Indians. He married Minerva Twiford in 1852. After her death in 1867, he remarried to Sarah Crawford. In the 1870 US Census, Lemuel was enumerated in York, Ohio, where he made a living as a dry goods merchant and served as the local postmaster. I should note that Lemuel’s spelling was very poor suggesting a limited education.

Lemuel wrote the letter to John N. Rathburn who served in Co. F of the regiment until promoted to Captain of Co. C on 3 March 1864. He was wounded on 9 June 1864 at Port Republic. [Many of the letters exchanged between John and his wife are housed in the US Army Heritage and Education Center at Carlisle Barracks]

Lemuel’s letter was written from Atlanta which the regiment occupied just prior to Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Transcription

Atlanta, Georgia
October 27th 1864

The day is passed, tis now almost ten p.m. but before retiring will proceed to narrate the adventures and events of the day and will from time to time write a little and if I can think of enough nonsense to fill this sheet of fools cap, may forward it to you. It is not necessary, however, to refer back longer than the evening before you started for Ohio, for of course you are posted up to the evening that Smith bought that large hog and one Captain lost his sword while on Dress Parade.

Well, the morning you left, you recollect it was raining. I was detailed as officer of the day so as a matter of course, it rained all day. However, in the evening it stopped raining for a short time but only to commence again in earnest, accompanied with thunder and lightning. Heaven’s artillery opened up on our peaceful city, the lightning striking a large frame house filled with arms and ammunition, causing an awful explosion which fairly shook the whole city, blowing the house into fragments, badly injuring a number of the guard that were there stationed. The house was taken fire and was consumed so today I have come to the conclusion that the Lord is not on our side. Nothing more unusual happened worthy of note so as it is now near bed time, I will say my prayers and retire to my virtuous couch (no wonder virtuous) but enough. I go to bed.

October 28 10 p.m. Don’t feel very bully tonight but before retiring must write a little just enough to keep my hand in. So here I go. Well, this morning the sun as usual arose in the east and I understand that the Chattahoochie continues to run down stream. Everything all hunkey. Got up this morning, washed, eat breakfast. took a stroll down town, didn’t hear any news, but found plenty of pork at the commissary—real old fashioned mess pork. Oh Lord, you ought to have saw me go for it. So have got pretty well greased up again. About 10 a.m., Lawrence Porter called in, do I jumps on to Doc’s pony, goes out to the commissary, gets two canteens full of whiskey, so of course didn’t leave very soon. Well, about three o’clock, here come Lieut. Wells, so we sent out and got three more canteens of infernal rotgut and so I leave you to judge what followed. I will say, however, that I didn’t go out on Dress Parade this evening. I suppose Wells and Porter got back to their quarters. For my part, I know that I am here and writing, but if you can read it, you will do better than I think. So shan’t write anymore tonight. That’s all.

October 29. Evening. From some cause or other, had an awful headache during the forenoon but alright this evening. The first thru train come down this evening. Plenty to eat now. Some of our train guard returned today. Tells me the Rebs got after you and [W. A.] Cavis on the road home. Well that’s good enough for you. You should of had better luck, however. I hope you will have no more trouble on your way home. All quiet here today. One of those big black spiders you have seen in this country but Sergt. Thompson on the back of the neck this morning which come very near killing him. His head, legs and body becoming very much swollen. He suffers awfully. I understand he is better this evening and Doc thinks he will get well. Everything here as usual. Considerable talk of moving. Good night.

Sunday morning, October 30th, 10 o’clock. Must tell you this morning that last night we had two hundred subs [substitutes] and drafted men come to our regiment. All quiet this morning. Can’t write any more now. Must get ready for inspection. Will write more this evening if I have time.

Again tis night and a beautiful night it is—warm and pleasant. Have got our subs distributed among the companies. 17 of them in my company. This will entitle me to a Second Lieutenant so I shall make application for commission for Billy immediately. I understand there is another lot of subs coming for our regiment so if we have good luck, we will soon be ready for another slaughter.

Puff went picket yesterday morning for three days. Your old company got 17 subs. All quiet here this evening. Have orders to send all surplus baggage to the rear and be ready to march at half hour’s notice. Don’t care a damn. Suppose there is a move on hand and perhaps somebody will get hurt. Got letter from my wife today dated October 18th. Find all well and glad of it. Also received today a few lines from your wife written by request of Mts. Constant, making enquiry as to the whereabouts of W[illiam] J. Constant. Don’t know anything about him. Last I heard of him, he was at hospital No. 1, Nashville, Tenn. Haven’t heard from him for some six weeks. Please see Mrs. Constant when convenient & give what information you can. Haen’t heard anything of Alfred Amrine. What’s become of his Little Frow? Hope he may turn sometime.

Well, guess I shan’t write anymore tonight for I don’t want to get my sheet of fools cap full before I think you have got about home. Bye bye.

October the last 1864. Mustered today for two months pay. Sub drill at two. Dress parade 4 p.m. Day somewhat warmer than usual and a little cloudy. Nothing unusual happened during the day. All quiet. Orders to have all baggage sent to the rear. Each officer will have transportation for one valise & three blankets. Book desks, and all other surplus baggage to be sent back to Chattanooga and to be ready to march at am hour’s notice. That’s what the matter. Don’t know who is to relieve us here or haven’t much idea where we are going. Don’t care much. No mail today.

Letter came for you yesterday. Puff has it. The paymaster sent for our old rolls two days ago but I guess it’s all a damned lie about us going to be paid off soon. Thompson is getting well again. Puff got in off of picket today. Keller is drunk as B___h this evening. Milk sick. I promoted Griffin today and made corporals of Dines and Mat[thias] Smith, to date from tomorrow. Stanley got another of those perfumed letters today from Indiana (Keep dark). Brewster was here today. He is getting fuller and broader all the time. I made out my monthly returns for camp and garrison equippage today. Shall go to work on muster and regimental rolls tomorrow is we don’t leave.

But I see I will have to stop scribbling or get more fools cap. Guess won’t write anymore. Hope long before this shall reach you that you shall have arrived safely at home. Call and see my folks and if anybody asks you when I am coming home, tell them you don’t know. Be sure and don’t write.

Yours &c. — Lem. Smith

[to] J. N. R.

*Lt. William Rice Wilson, Co. B, 125th Illinois Infantry*

This 1864 letter was written by William Rice Wilson (1836-1918) not long after he had resigned his commission (10 Sept. 1864) as 1st Lieutenant of Co. B, 125th Illinois Regiment. The regiment was organized and mustered into service at Danville in September 1862. At the time he entered the service, William was described as a 25 year-old, dark-haired farmer with hazel eyes and just shy of 6 feet in stature. He was married to Catherine Deck (1841-1887) and had a farm in Newell township, Vermillion county, Illinois.

William was the son of John Eilson (1811-1845) and Elizabeth Rice (1812-1901) of Belmont county, Ohio. William moved to Vermilion county in 1856. He married Catherine in January 1860 and after her death in 1887, he married Phoebe Ann Elliott (1849-1939). William’s first child, John Deck Wilson (1860-1891) was born prior to his entering the service. His next two sons were born after he returned home from the service. He named them William Tecumseh Sherman Wilson (1865-1938) and Ulysses Simpson Grant Wilson (1868-1949).

Transcription

Home
Sunday night, October 25th 1864
Vermillion County, Illinois

H. Jane Elliott

My dear cousin, yours of October 9th has just come to hand, but did not find me in the same latitude as your other letters have done. I came home the same night your letter was written & since then I have been trying to enjoy the comforts of home.

You no doubt will be surprised to receive a letter from me since I have come home, but your last was too good a letter to not be answered so I thought you should not be disappointed. Since I last wrote you it has been my good luck to visit the great city of Atlanta—the long noted den of Rebeldom. For me to attempt to give you anything like a correct account of the present appearance of the place would be more than I could do correctly. I would just say that I was surprised at seeing so small a place, and since our army took possession of the place, they have literally demolished a good portion of the place.

The soldiers have appropriated some of the fine houses of the Southern chivalry to their own comfort and convenience while many yet remain tenantless & show the effects of war to a very great extent. There are but few citizens remaining in the city, having gone north or south as suited their fancy. I think that most of the first class have gone south, being the best able to stand the scourge they are receiving.

The male portion are mostly all in the army either of choice or by compulsion. I saw hundreds of families moving north as a general thing. They were the objects of pity. Some of them had seen better days no doubt, but now they seemed heartbroken while but few seemed to pity them or share their grief. Hundreds of them have moved from Nashville to points south & have been at last overtaken by the “Yankee Vandals” of the North (as they call us) and compelled by necessity to deal with us at last. Some of them are penitent—some are not. But I hope they day will soon come when they will be compelled to live in obedience to the laws of the land.

As I told you in some of my letters that I was going to quit the service if possible, I have the good news to announce that I again breathe the air of Illinois as a citizen. I tendered my resignation on the 16th of August and on the 10th of September my resignation was accepted. Some two weeks elapsed after the acceptance before I knew it. As soon as I found out that I was out of the service, I concluded to go to Atlanta & get ready to come North. I found my regiment near Atlanta in good health—those that were left. I had the pleasure of staying with them only a few days when they were ordered to Chattanooga and then to Huntsville, Alabama, to operate against “Old Forrest.”

I have just received a letter from one of the boys stating that they were at Chattanooga, Tennessee, on the 16th of this inst. in good health.

You spoke about Amos, our cousin. I guess he has been with the regiment most of the time. He has enjoyed good health & escaped unhurt. As to the handsome picture you received in my last, I must confess it is more than I ever thought, but I am glad to know my cousin loves the soldiers I think they desire to be. I must close for the present.

I hope to see you at home on November 12th. I want to spend my birthday, viz: 13th, up at the Grove. Hoping this may find you well, I am as ever your true cousin, — W. R. Wilson

Write soon. Address. State line City, Indiana.