Sheldon C. Morrison (1837-1864) wrote the following letters while serving in Co. F, 10th West Virginia Infantry in 1863-64. He was the son of James Wesley Morrison (1806-1886) and Nancy Logan Grimes (1813-1899) of Braxton county, West Virginia. Muster rolls indicate that he enlisted as a corporal and was promoted to sergeant in September 1862. He was taken prisoner in Braxton county, Virginia, on 6 October 1862 and confined at Richmond, Virginia, until 23 October 1862 when he was paroled at Aikens Landing. Muster rolls also indicate he returned from missing in action (since 24 July) on 5 September 1864 but was killed in action two weeks later at Opequan Creek near Winchester, Virginia—“a musket ball fracturing skull.”
Sheldon’s enlistment records inform us that he was mustered into the service on 3 May 1862 at which time he was described as 23 years old, a farmer with grey eyes and fair hair, who stood nearly 5 foot 8 inches tall.
Sheldon was married to Ann E. Harford (b. 1844) on 18 July 1861 in Braxton county, Virginia. Their daughter, Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Sheldon Morrison, was born on 23 June 1862—a few weeks after Sheldon entered the service. Letter 4 is Sheldon’s last letter to his wife, written the day before the Battle of Third Winchester (Opequan) in which he was killed. Letter 5 was written by Sheldon’s brother, Wellington Fletcher Morrison (1845-1940) who also served in Co. F, 10th West Virginia Infantry, and was with his brother when he died in his arms.
Letter 1
Camp Beverly, West Va.
December 10, 1863
Dear and beloved wife,
Once more I am permitted to take my pen in hand to inform you that I am still alive and in the very best of health at present, hoping when these few lines comes to hand, the will find you enjoying the same blessing of God. It has been some time since I got a letter from you but expect to get one this evening.
Well, in the first place, let me say in commencement that our regiment is gone ot to Greenbrier on a scout at this time—all but Co. F and Co. C. Those two companies was on a scout at the time they started and when we came in, we would not go. The balance are gone 15 days scout and our two companies are guarding the town of Beverly. The 28th Ohio went also on the raid.
Well the next thing you want to know something about our scout and where we was and what we done. Well we took 6 days rations but was gone but 5 days. Well we [ ] through the mountains towards the head of Greenbrier River. The first day we got on to the head of one of the prongs of Cheat River and camped in a pine thicket. But before I go any further, let [me] tell you what we was going after. There had two companies of General Imboden’s men went into some of our back country to steal horses and we found it out and went to watch for them and we went in the mountains. Well now I will proceed.
The second day we started bright and early. We traveled all day and yet saw no farm yet nor nary one the day before and the like of dear and bear you never heard of in your life. We killed no bear but killed plenty of deer and done fine. We went a way that no man ever was in the world. But the second night we got on a road where there was about one hundred acres of land cleared and three families living on it there. We put up that night at those houses. Next morning we started again taking with us 12 rebels’ horses and one rebel soldier that we found at those houses which was on the divide between Greenbrier and Cheat in one corner of Pocahontas County. We started down the waters of Cheat and we divided and one squad would go down one prong and one another. That day we lay on the road and was to meet next morning. Well me and Lieut. [Henry] Bender and Sergeant [Norman B.] Squires went with a squad of 15 men of us all together and we lay all day on the road until about 4 o’clock in the evening when we went back about a half a mile to get our suppers and Lieutenant stayed there with two of the boys—Fletcher and one of the Berry boys—and if the rebs came, they were to fire on them and we was to run to their relief.
While we was making coffee, the boys fired and Lord God if ever I run in my life, I run then. Lieutenant and the other boys with him had let six men pass them which was the advance guard of the rebs. The boys halted them and they turned to fight and the boys killed their captain the first fire and then the rebs broke to run but by this time me and Sergt. Squires came in front of them and we halted them. They surrendered to us and the other boys came up and we took all but 4 men that was along. We brought in 7 prisoners and killed one and wounded one and Sergt. Squires got shot twice in one leg but will get over it. We brought him in with us but the man that shot him, I shot in one second afterwards so he is in hell unless he was prepared for some better place.
I am still at Beverly and will stay here this winter I expect. So I will bring my letter to a close. Write soon. Goodbye. — S. C. Morrison
Home to his wife.
Letter 2
Petersville, Maryland
July 4, 1864
Dear wife,
Once more I take my pen in hand to inform you I am well and in fine spirits. It has been a long time since I have had a letter from you—something over a month—and it may be a long time before I will get one for we are still moving and if you write, your letters can’t get up with me. Our regiment left Beverly while I was in Braxton and when I overtook it, it was in Leetown, Va. I wrote you a letter from there. On the next morning after I wrote, we commenced fighting and have been under fire most ever since. We have had hard times for awhile but we have got the rebs run out and we are resting a few days. I can’t say where we will go to when we start again.
There has been some of our regiment killed but none of our company. Lewis A. Dawson shot himself through he hand the first day of the fight but he done it himself. There has not been a man hurt in our company in battle yet. Our Lieutenant Colonel [Moses S. Hall] was wounded in the left arm. 1 His arm was broke between the elbow and hand by a Minié ball & one of our lieutenants that was an A. A. General was mortally wounded by a shell and our Colonel was knocked off his horse and his horse killed.
Most all of us has been in hot places. I had a ball to pass so close to my head that it knocked me deaf in one of my ears for two days but I am still sound as a dollar yet. When I will get to come home, I can’t tell. I may get to come home after a while and may not get to come before my time is out. If not, all right of course, but you won’t think so of course. But you will have to do the best you can for yourself. You see fine times to what I do, I know, but when I get out I am going to stay out awhile if you will believe me.
I have nothing more to write of importance. I believe I could say a great deal but it would be of no use to you. I would be glad to be at home awhile with you but if I was to come home, I hate to leave and therefore I think it just as well where I am for a while yet still. Let me know how you are getting along. Direct your letter to Harpers Ferry, Va., and to follow the regiment. When we take up camp, I will let you know where I am. So no more. I remain ever yours, — S. C. Morrison
1 Moses S. Hall was made the Lieutenant Colonel of the 10th West Virginia Infantry in May 1862. In every capacity in which he served, whether as line or field officer he distinguished himself for a loyal, intelligent, courageous and faithful discharge of duty. In every action in which his command was engaged, he won honorable mention. He was twice wounded near Duffield’s Station; whilst engaged in resisting Early’s advance to enable General Sigel’s wagon train to cross the Potomac at Shepherdstown, he was struck by a Minié ball which broke the small bone of the forearm; and at Cedar Creek, on the 19th of October, he was again struck by a Minié ball which wold have passed through the liver had its course not been deflected by the yielding of a rib causing it to follow the rib in its course and emerge from the opposite side, thus being guided in its course and prevented from entering the cavity of the body.
Letter 3
Cumberland, Maryland
August 7th 1864
Dear Brother,
Once more I take up my pen to let you hear from me. I am in tolerable health at the present time. I am away from my regiment at this time. This is Sunday and on this day two weeks ago I fought all day and fought hard and on Monday morning following I was captured—myself and Newlon Squires. We was the only two that was captured in our company. Thirteen out of our regiment was captured. We had our fight at Winchester. We only had some 15 or 20,000 and the rebs had 30,000 and we fought them all day. It was the 4th Sunday I was in the raid and fought every Sunday and after retreating all night in the direction of Martinsburg, I was captured by the rebs just as the break of day on Monday morning, myself and Newlon Squires.
In the evening of the fight on Sunday, I was struck in the breast with a ball but did no damage. It was so near spent that it done no more than knock the breath out of me for some little time but the Lieutenant wouyld have me go back and sent Squires along for he was sick, and on retreating, our regiment flanked round us and we got too far off from our forces and their cavalry caught us. They took us back to Winchester and kept us there four days and on the 4th day, or rather in the night for it was just dusk, we just concluded we would go out or be killed for they was starving us where we was. They had us in a garden in Winchester. There was 40o and 40 of our men in the same place and I told Squires to follow me and we would go out of that place or kill one of their guards. There was a stone fence round us and hedges and I took my pen knife and cut off some of the lime and then laid off some of the rocks and just as it was getting dark, I clum out and one of the guards was [with]in one rod [< 6 yards] of us at the time.
We was 8 days getting to this place but got here at last. We found some of our regiment that got cut off in the fight. Our regiment is at Harpers Ferry and I will go to it soon. We lost some of our company but none that you know anything about I guess unless it was John Conley. If you see James M., tell him his pap and Hanson and Silas is all well. As far as I know, Hanson and his pap was not in the fight. Silas was and is with me here at this time and send his love to James and family.
Give my love to all enquiring friends and tell them I will write to them when I have time. I am without money and can’t get any paper. The rebs took my money and a good Hunting cased watch from me. So I will let you know more about who was wounded in my next letter. Robert, let Ann hear from me when you get this. I wrote to her but she may not get the letter and I wrote her one while I was in prison and she might get it. So I will close. I saw all my old Braxton rebs and Harvey Math. Write, — S. C. Morrison
Letter 4
Camp near Summit Point
September 18, 1864
Dear Wife,
Once more I am permitted to drop you a few lines to let you know I am still alive and well. I might have wrote sooner but I could not get paper. I have got back to the company and got some 6 or 7 letters from you. I was glad to hear from you for I had not heard from you for so long. I am glad to hear you are still in good health. You must do the best you can for yourself. I can’t say when I will be at home. We still have some fighting in front but it is supposed that the rebs is leaving the Valley and if they are, we will go back to West Virginia.
General Grant is with us today. For what, I know not. I suppose he is just round inspecting the army. I would like to be at home at this time and then I could tell you all about my hardships better than I can write. You wrote to me about that likeness. You need not say anything about that for I did not mean that anyone would see the letter but you and it only made me mad for a minute and was not in a good humor when I wrote the likenesses is both destroyed now. But you need not mind that. Do the best you can for yourself and when I am discharged I will go immediately where this war will not bother us any more.
So you must give my love to all that enquirer after me. Let me hear from you. You may think it lonesome where you are but how do you think it is where I am? So no more. Direct as before. — S. C. Morrison
Letter 5
Camp near Strasburg, Virginia
September 21, 1864
Mrs. Amm E. Morrison, dear sister,
With feigned heart I seat myself to try to write you a few lines. I will have to inform you that my dear brother and your dear husband was killed on the 19th of the month [in the Battle of 3rd Winchester]. He was struck on the top of the head with a musket ball. He called to his comrades to take him off the field. There was two or three of the boys went to him and gave him water and asked him if he had any word to send to his wife or mother and made no answer—only said to take him back. Some of the boys called to me and I went to him but he was too near gone to speak. He lived about 15 minutes and passed away.
I got some of the boys to help me and we took him back to a place called Morgan’s Mills on the bank of the Opequan River. We dug a grave and some some plank and laid one in the bottom of the grave and set one on each side of him, one at his head, and one at his feet, and one over the top. We wrapped a shelter tent and two oil blankets around him and got a board and cut his name on it and set at his head. Under the existing circumstances he was buried the best that could be done. It is hard to bear but live in hopes to meet him in a better world than this.
As I haven’t time to write much, I will close and will write again when I can get a chance. I remain your brother till death, — Wellington F. Morrison
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