The following letters were written by Wellington S. Cates (1836-1863), the son of Mark L. Cates (1797-1844) and Mary Palmer (1799-1861) of Washington county, Maine. Wellington was residing in St. Cloud, Minnesota when he enlisted in Co. D, 4th Minnesota Infantry. He did not survive the war, however. He was killed in the massive Union assault on the Confederate works at Vicksburg on 22 May 1863. There were 12 killed and 42 wounded in the 4th Minnesota during that assault which failed, though the regiment pressed right up to and on the enemy’s works.
Wellington wrote the letters to his sister, Sarah E. Cates (1834-1897). He often refers to his brothers, Calvin, Mark, and William Cates. Calvin served in Co. K, 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. Mark was married and living in Kingston, Meeker county, Minnesota at the time of the 1860 US Census. William (1841-1901) served in Co. H, 28th Maine Infantry, enlisting in October 1862.
There are 12 letters posted here that were written by Wellington; a 13th letter is included that was written by a comrade, William Henry Hall (1841-1932), announcing the death of Wellington. He was a native of Buckfield, Oxford county, Maine.
Letter 1
Ft. Abercrombie
January 4, 1862
Dear Sister,
I am once again seated to write you a few lines thinking you would like to hear how I am getting along. I am well and have been the most of the time this winter. I like a soldier’s life first rate. It is a lazy life. We are drilling now every day for we expect to go south in the spring and we want to be good soldiers.
This Fort Abercrombie is in Dakota Territory on the west bank of Red River three hundred miles northwest of St. Paul. It is a fine country up here. The prairie is very level. You can look for miles and not see as much as one bush.
I have written you two letters—one from Kingston and one from Ft. Snelling, and I have got no answer from either of them yet. I have not heard from home for a long time. I should think some of you might write once more.
We have meetings here every Sunday and I go as a general thing. Our captain is a preacher and I think a very fine man. There is two companies here at this post. I was down to Georgetown last week. Went down with a six mule team to carry provision for the soldiers. Captain Lewig [?] and fifty soldiers went down to protect the settlers for the Indians is quite troublesome down that way. But there is no Indians about here.
I had a letter from Mark a few days ago. His family was all well. They have got another boy and he weighed twelve lbs. when he was born. Well, Sarah, I can’t think of anything more to write this time. Don’t forget to answer this. Write all of the news. Give my love to all of my folks. From W. S. Cater
Write Abercrombie, Dakota, Territory
Letter 2
Fort Snelling
April 19, 1862
My Dear Sister,
I received your letter this morning & also one from William and a likeness from both of you. I need not tell you how glad I was to hear from you & also glad to hear you received my letter and present. You may judge for yourself about the Ambrotype. I was very much pleased with them. I have been up & had them put in cases. I shall take them wit me down to Dixie.
Well, Sarah, you may be some surprised to have a letter from me dated Fort Snelling. I arrived here eight days ago and will probably leave on Monday morning for St. Louis. I went into Kingsley as I came down. Mark and family was well. They have three boys now. Mark said he wrote to you and wanted you to send a make for his last boy. I should not have known William—he has changed so much since I left home. He is a fine looking fellow.
Sarah, I sent you my likeness in case. It put it in the office this morning. I hope you will get it. I wish Rufus & Adeline would send me that likeness together. I received a letter from Adeline some three weeks ago and will answer it soon. I don’t have a very good chance to write.
My health is very good at present & has been most of the time this winter. I like a soldier’s life very well. They are all in good spirits and willing to go south or anywhere we are called. You must not fret about me for I think I shall come out all right and come home when the war is all over. I can’t think of anything to write this time. I will try and do better next time.
Give my love to all the folks. You must write often. you have a better chance to write than i do. Well, I must now close. So goodbye Sarah. From Wellington
N. B. Write W. S. Cates, Ft. Snelling, 4th Regt. Co. D, Minnesota Vols., Care of Capt. Inman
Letter 3
Gen. Pope’s Division
Near Corinth, Mississippi
June 26, 1862
My dear sister Sarah,
I received your kind and interesting letter of the 10th instant adn was very glad to hear you was well but very sorry to think you should fret about me for I am getting along very well. I am enjoying good health. I have not been sick since I left Minnesota but there is a great many in our regiment that are very sick. There has been three soldiers died out of our company and four more not expected to live. It is very sickly here now. Our regiment are about half sick.
Sarah, I can’t think of much to write this time. I wrote you a letter three weeks ago and wrote all the news. I have not received that letter you sent to St. Louis. One letter is all I have received from my old home in Maine. I was very much pleased with your letter which I received yesterday.
We have not been in any battle yet and I do not think there is prospects of us having a battle very soon so you must not fret on that account. We made the rebels leave Corinth and I think they were badly frightened by the looks of things they left behind them. We followed them a ways as far as Booneville and have returned and shall stop here until further orders.
Dear sister, I wish you would write as often as possible for you don’t know how it pleases me to get a letter from home. If I leave here, I will write and let you know where I am, Excuse my bad spelling for I have a very hard chance to write. Don’t forget to write often. I will say goodbye. From your most affectionate brother, — Wellington
N. B. Give my love to all of my folks and tell them all to write. Goodbye.
Letter 4
Jacinto, Mississippi
August 25, 1862
My dear sister,
I received your kind and interesting letter of the 11th and was very glad to hear from you. It is very strange that you do not get my letters for I see you have not received my last. I was much surprised to hear that Calvin had volunteered. I am very sorry that Rufus and Cal should be separated for it would benefit much pleasanter for them to be together. I think they will [find it is] no fun to be a soldier. I do hope they will get in a healthy climate. It has been very sickly here. A great many of our regiment has died. There has been nine men died from our company and a great many sick. I must confess that I am not very well now myself but think I shall be better soon.
You wished to know what I do with my money. I sent fifty dollars from St, Louis by Express to Minnesota. Mark for safe keeping. And I have 25 with me now. Get another payment the first of September. Then I shall have 50 dollars. Sarah, I am quite saving. I do not spend my money foolishly. Sarah, I can’t think of much more to write this time so goodbye.
From your absent brother, — W. S. Cates
P. S. My best respects to all of the folks. Goodbye, — W. S. C.
Letter 5
In Camp near Jacinto. Mississippi
September 13, 1862
Dear Sister,
I am now seated to answer your kind letter which I received last evening. I need not tell you of my joy on receiving your very welcome letter. I was sorry to hear of William going to the war. I was in hopes he would stay to home with you for I know you need him with you. It is a very bad place for a boy in the army for he is with all kind of men—good and bad.
I received a letter from you ten days ago and answered it and also one from John & Hannah and I have not much news to write this time.
You wanted to know if I heard from Mark. Yes, I have heard that the Kingston folks were all alive. I haven’t received any letter from Mark since the Indian troubles broke out and I have written to him several times. I think he has forgotten us all. I don’t know what will become of us. We have war all around and on all sides.
There has been some two or three hundred soldiers sent from Ft. Snelling up to Kingston & Forest City so I think there will be no more trouble there so you must not fret about Mark for I thin khe is safe. I am expecting a letter from him daily.
We are now camped near Jacinto. We marched out to Iuka and [had a] great fight with Old Price & drove him & [his] forces from Iuka & took possession ourselves. Our troops occupy the town. Our Brigade was ordered back here. We are expecting another battle with Price daily. I wrote you all of the particulars of our late battle in my last letter.
You [should] direct your letter to W. S. Cates, Co. D, 4th Regiment Minnesota Vols., Gen. Buford’s Brigade, Army of Mississippi.
P. S. Sarah, you must not fret about us boys for we may all live to get home yet. If you want some money, you write to Mark and he will send it to you for me. I have sent 50 dollars to Mark from St. Louis and if you need money and I think you do, I want you to say so & you shall have it. So goodbye from your brother.
Letter 6
Corinth, Mississippi
October 12th 1862
Dear Sister,
I am now seated to answer your kind letter which I received this morning. I was very glad to hear from you. The last time I wrote to you I was at Jacinto.
We have had a very bloody time here to Corinth since I last wrote to you. Old Price made an attack on our forces here and got badly licked. We fought him one day and a half & the Rebels all left & [we] chased hem four days. We took some prisoners. We had a very hard battle. The Rebels’ loss is two or three thousand killed & wounded. Our loss is not so great—I think about nine hundred killed & wounded. The field was covered with dead and wounded men. We had one man killed out of our company. I have been in three battles & have not got as much as a scratch yet so you see we do not all get killed—that is, in battle.
Sarah, you say you want me to lend you some money. I am very glad you let me know it for I shall send you ten dollars today & if you need more, I will [send] it out of my next payment. I have four month’s pay coming to me now. I have sent fifty dollars to Minnesota.
I am sorry you are obliged to leave home. You say you have a good friend that is going with you. I am very glad you have someone. I will send you money any time you want it.
Sarah I have not got time to write much today for we are a going to march in a few moments. So goodbye from your brother, — W. S. Cates
Letter 7
Oxford, Mississippi
December 9, 1862
Dear Sister,
It is with pleasure I acknowledge the reception of your kind letter which I received two days ago. I was very glad to hear from you. I am now stopping in Oxford, Mississippi. We have seen some very hard marching since we left Corinth. We left that place about one month ago. We have been in Tennessee part of the time. It is one hundred miles from here to Corinth. We expected a fight with Price’s forces at Holly Springs but we were disappointed. He found that we was a coming and he made up his mind the best thing he could do was to leave & has done so. We have followed him as far as this place. I don’t know as we shall go any further at present. I hope we shall stop here a while for we all need rest.
The weather is very pleasant & war, here. It is as warm as summer. I am now seated on the ground under a tree & the boys are cooking our supper. We are all well and good spirits & all very anxious for the war to close for I [assure] you, a soldier has a pretty hard time of it.
You must excuse my bad writing for I am in a great hurry. I received a letter from William a few days ago. He was then to New York. I think he is not very well pleased with a soldier’s life. I hope he will have his health. I must now close, so goodbye. From Wellington
P. S. Give my respects to all. I will write again soon, so good night. — W. S. Cates
Letter 8
White’s Station, Tennessee
January 22, 1863
My dear sister,
It is with pleasure I acknowledged the receipt of your kind & much esteemed letter of the 6th instant which I received two days ago—it being the first letter I had received from you since you left home. I was very glad to hear from you but sorry that you got disappointed. It was quite of an undertaking for you two girls to start off alone among strangers & I do hope you will get a chance in a shop in the spring. You say that a girl that works out in not thought much of. Were you or anyone that knew anything would not the least of girls that works. I know that some folks do. I wish I had plenty of money so I could help you, If I had, you shiould not hire to do house work for nobody.
I received a letter from Adaline Davis a few days ago. She writes a very good letter. The folks were all well when she wrote.
It has been five weeks since I received a letter from William. I think he is getting tired of a soldier’s life. I know that I have seen all the war that I care about seeing. I hope he will not have to go into battle.
I am on picket guard today and have got a very poor chance to write. We have a good deal of guard duty to do this winter. We are on guard every other day. We are in camp on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. We have to guard the road. We camp nine miles from Memphis. We are having very pleasant weather here this winter—much warmer than I am used of seeing in the winter. My health is very good. The soldiers are all in good health here now.
Sarah, I wish this war would come to a close for I tell you, a soldier has a hard time of it. We have received a small payment of two months pay and have got five months more pay due us. i think Uncle Sam is getting pretty poor when he cannot pay us poor soldiers. What do you think about it?
I am a going to send you a five dollar bill for a New Year’s present & any time you need money, let me know it & if I have it, I will send it to you. I must now close by saying goodbye. From your brother, – W. S. Cates
P. S. Please give my love and respects to Mary J. & tell her I would like to receive a letter from her very much & will answer. So good night.
Letter 9
White’s Station, Tennessee
January 27, 1863
Dear Sister,
I take the present opportunity to answer your kind letter of the 13th December which I received three days ago. I also received one dated 6 January and answered it before. I was very much pleased to hear from you. I wrote to you the 22nd of January and sent you a five dollar bill for a New Year’s present. I was some surprised when I received your first letter dated Hallowell for I thought you had given up going. I hope you will like the people where you are stopping & you must not work too hard. If the work is so hard, I think you had not better stop long where you are. I am very sorry to think that you are obliged to work for a living. I think a good deal about you & if I had the money to help you more, you should not work for anyone.
I am on picket guard again today so you see I am well. I never had better health than I am having this winter & when this reaches you, I hope you will be enjoying the same great blessing.
Sarah, I have not much news to write this time for I wrote a few days ago.
Dear sister, you wished for me to tell you how I feel in regard to religion. I think it is a blessed thing to be a Christian & I wish that I could say to you that I was one. I know it would be a dreadful thing to die unprepared. I am like a great many others—think I will put it off until a more convenient time. Dear sister, it is a very hard place in the army. It is the hardest place I ever see. I hope that William will not learn any bad tricks. I think he is trying to be a Christian by his last letter. He tells me that he finds it a pretty hard place in the army.
I have not heard from Calvin nor Rufus since they left home. We are expecting to leave here soon and I expect we are a going to Vicksburg. That seems to be the talk. If we go there, I expect some to see William. I understand thatGen. Banks’ expedition landed in the Mississippi river below Vicksburg. I cannot think of anything more this time. So I will close by saying goodbye from your brother, — Wellington
Please direct to W. S. Cates, Co. D, 4th Regt. Minn. Vols., Gen. Quinby’s Division, ARmy of West Tennessee
My respects to Mary J., Goodbye, — W. S. C.
Letter 10
Tallahatchie River, Mississippi
March 28th 1863
Dear Sister,
I am now seated to answer your kind letter which I received yesterday morning. I need not tell you of my great joy on the receipt of your letter. I also received one from William & one from Mark. I got them all by one mail. William was a hospital near New Orleans. He says he has got quite smart again and will join his regiment soon. Mark and family are well. They have got another baby. It is a girl. I think they are doing prett well in the baby line.
Our Division left Memphis the first of March. We went aboard of transports & went down the Mississippi River about two hundred miles & landed on the Arkansas side of the river & stopped there a day or two and we was ordered back to Helena & went aboard of smaller boats & come down the Yazoo Pass into Cold Water River and down the Cold Water into Tallahatchie River. And down the Tallahatchie to here. We have got some rebels to clean out before we can go any farther. The rebels are below here about ten miles at the mouth of the Tallahatchie. They have blockaded the river and have got the batteries planted on the shores & we have them to clean out before we can go any farther. I expect we are on our way to Vicksburg.
It is very warm here. The trees are all leafed out & the woods look green. The peach trees has been in bloom a month or more. I picked some peach blossoms from a tree in Arkansas. I am a going to send them to you in this letter.
It is getting sickly here. A great many of the boys are getting sick. My health is good and has been the most of the time. I have not heard from Calvin nor Rufus yet. I cannot see why they don’t write to me. I would write to them but I don’t know where to direct a letter to them.
I am real glad to hear that you have got a better place to live. If I should live to get home again, I want you and William to go to Minnesota with me & we will all settle on a farm and go a farming. I think I would like living in Minnesota. I cannot think of anything more to write this [time]. I will write again soon. I shall write as often as I can and you must do the same.
From your affectionate brother, — W. S. Cates
P. S. Direct to Co. D, 4th Regt. [Minn.], Quimby’s Division, Army of Tennessee
Letter 11
Tallahatchie, Mississippi
April 4, 1863
Dear sister,
As I had a few spare moments today, I thought I would improve them by writing you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. In the first place, I will tell you about my health which is good at present and I hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same great blessing.
It is very warm here today & it is getting very sickly here. A great many of our boys are sick. The country is very flat about here and badly overflowed with water & it cannot help being very unhealthy.
I received a letter from you about a week ago & answered it the same day. I wrote you all of the news so I haven’t much to write this time. We are still camping on the Tallahatchie RIver & have not taken the rebel’s fort yet. We have been expecting to attack them every day for more than a week but have not done it yet. I wish that I had it in my power to stop this war for I tell you, I am getting sick of the way it is carried on. I cannot see much prospects of it ending.
You must excuse the shortness of this letter for a I was on picket guard last night and I am pretty sleepy today. Please write as often as you can. I will do the same. From your affectionate brother, — W. S. Cates
To Sarah
P. S. The directions will be the same as before. So goodbye, — W. S. Cates
Letter 12
Big Black River, Mississippi
May 8, 1863
Dear Sister,
It is with pleasure I take this opportunity to answer your kind letter which I received yesterday. It had been some time since I had heard from you and you know I was very glad to hear from you.
We have been having pretty hard times of late. We have crossed the Mississippi River and are now on Black River and about 20 miles from Vicksburg. We have found plenty of rebels on this side of the river and there was a battle fought near Port Gibson about ten miles from here and the rebels got the greatest whipping they ever got. Our Division did not get along quite soon enough to have a hand in the fight. We marched over the battlefield as we came along & I tell you, there was plenty of dead men laying all over the field. It is a horrid sight to behold. The rebels have retreated back towards Vicksburg & we have been chasing them up. We have taken about two thousand prisoners.
Now I’ll tell you about my health which is good. I never enjoyed better health than I do now. I hope it will continue to be so while I am in the army. I cannot think of much to write today so you will please excuse this short letter & I will do a better one next time.
So you think it is most time that you and I were thinking about getting married. I think we are almost old enough anyway. You wished to know if I had anyone in view. No, I have not. So I have answered your question & want you to tell me have you anyone in view? I hope you will make a wise choice when you do get married. Oh! I wish you would get a nice little girl for a wife if you can find [me] one. I think a good deal of the eastern girls. I am very sorry that Calvin didn’t get a better woman for a wife. I think he could done a great deal better than he did.
I must now close. So goodbye from your affectionate brother, — Wellington S. Cates
Letter 13
Rear of Vicksburg, Mississippi
May 24th, 1863
Miss Sarah E. Cates,
It is with great plain that I have to announce to you the death of your brother Wellington. He was killed while nobly doing his duty in a charge on a rebel fort on the eve of the 22nd at 5 o’clock.
It was his wish if he met with any disaster that I should write you. After a daily acquaintance with him of nearly 3 years, he seemed to me more like brother than anything else. He was kind, affectionate, a true and noble soldier and a good man. May God comfort you all in your sad bereavement. From, — William H. Hall
P. S. Wellington had a few miniatures and a pocket bible which I shall take care of and send to Maine. I will write no more for it is needless for me to tell you how we charged the rebel works and was repulsed. We lost one third of the 4th Minnesota Regt. and 8,000 in all. I will say Wellington has been in six battles since we crossed the Mississippi.
Spared & Shared 23 