Sherman’s Bummers | Spared & Shared 23

*Henry R. Dunham*, *in private’s uniform*

The following letters were written by Henry Randall Dunham (1838-1877), the son of John Levi Dunham (1811-1861) and Laura Melvina Cheney (1812-1894) of LaPorte, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania. Henry was “a rising young lawyer” when he enlisted in Co. K, 141st Pennsylvania Infantry and was promoted soon after to 1st Lieutenant for his efforts in raising the company. However, ill health resulted in his resigning his commission after 4 months service in late December 1862 and returning home to LaPorte. In January 1865, Henry returned to the service in late December 1864, receiving a commission by order of the President, as 2nd Lieutenant of Co. F of the Thirteenth Regiment, United States Colored Troops. Though he was only a 2nd Lieutenant, his muster rolls indicate that he drew pay for commanding Co. H from 15 February to 15 June 1865. After hostilities ended, he was assigned duty as the Acting Commissary of Subsistence at Fort Macon, North Carolina, and was mustered in as 1st Lieutenant of Co. E in late July 1865. He mustered out of the service on 10 December 1865 at Roanoke Island, returned home, and was for a time in the employ of Welles, Ackley & Company, a mercantile establishment in Dushore, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania. He afterward went to Kansas, returned to his home in Laporte where he died September 5, 1877, at the age of thirty-nine years.

Henry’s brother, Benjamin M. Dunham (1840-1863), served with him in the 141st Pennsylvania but was killed at the battle of Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863.

[Note: These letters are from the personal collection of Keith Fleckner and were offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Letter 1

*Sherman’s Bummers foraging in advance of his army.*

In Camp Near Goldsboro, N. C.
March 24th 1865

Dear Mother,

I will write a few lines to you although I have no idea when I can get a chance to mail it.

We started from North East Station on the 16th inst. We have marched every day since—more or less—until today, and we may be on the march again in an hour for all that I know. No, come to think of it, we didn’t march any yesterday, but I was on picket all day so I forgot that. But there was a good reason why we didn’t march yesterday—the road was crowded full of men and wagons all day. The 14th and 20th Corps passed us and were all day steady marching by us on the same road that we will have to go. The 15th and 17 Corps are still in our rear, or else have gone on another road and not far off.

All the Rebels I have seen were yesterday marching by us with Slocum’s men as prisoners. The 14th and 20th Corps had a fight with the Rebs on the 19th and 20th of this month. Sherman as usual whipped them. We are [now] laying behind breast works facing towards where the 14th and the 20th Corps have gone. Some of the foragers of our division have had skirmishes with the rebel cavalry but there has been no one hurt so far as I know.

Sherman’s Army is the damnedest army I ever saw. (We are for the present in Sherman’s Army—don’t know how long we shall stay there). Sherman has two men detailed from each company or 20 from each regiment who act as foragers. They forage for the army. They are infantry but mount themselves on the first thing they can find. Some have horses, some mules, some have saddles, so[me] ride bare back, some ride on side saddles—in fact, anything at all (as Gaurel [?] says). They go ahead of the army from 5 to 15 miles and are a regular set of dare devils. They are called “bummers” all through the army. They came to our picket line and wanted to go out. [When they] asked if there were any rebs near, we told them that there was. “Well, we’ll stir them up and out!” [Then] they dashed as fast as they could get their horses or mules along, each one trying to get ahead, barking, whooping, and yelling like a pack of Indians. They go in squads of from 3 to 20 men, pitch into the rebs if they can find them, [and] whip them if they can. If they can’t, they fight them until some of the troops come up to their support. One hundred of them one day drove a whole brigade of rebs.

It is stated in some of the N.C. papers that Lee wrote to Beauregard that he must stop Sherman. Beauregard wrote back that he couldn’t stop Sherman’s foragers, let alone his army. They say that those bummers will go through hell for a pint of meal. The rebs are afraid of them as they are of the devil and I don’t wonder at it. I never thought men could be such dare devils as they are. They ransack everything far and near, burn, kill, slay, and drag out everything that opposes them. They say that they’ve left a streak through S. C. 60 miles wide—that there isn’t a house, barn, or even a smoke house [left standing]. They made a clean sweep of it—burned everything. I believe that that is the right way to serve the rebs everywhere.

I suppose the army will go to Goldsboro and stay for two or 3 weeks. I should not wonder if we should be left to garrison Goldsboro, but don’t know anything about it.

I am well and hearty, but tired and foot sore. But I guess I can stand marching now. We can’t move as fast as we could before we joined Sherman on account of the trains and roads. The roads all or nearly all have to be corduroyed and that takes a good deal of time. We suppose it to be 8 miles to Goldsboro. It may be a little further but can’t be over 10 or 12. I have not had a letter in a long time. Would like to hear from home and especially how Ed gets along with the draft. Write soon, give my love to all.

Direct as before to Washington D. C. Nothing more. They know where we are better than you do. — H. R. Dunham

Letter 2

Raleigh, N.C.
April 15th 1865

Dear Mother:

We are as you see by the heading of this letter at the Capital of North Carolina. Joe E. Johnston is running for the devil only knows where and old Kilpatrick is after him “with a sharp stick.” Our Corps (the 10th) ¹got here yesterday afternoon about 4.30 o’clock. It has rained like great guns ever since about 3 o’clock this morning. It begins to look now as though it would clear up.

Sherman has six corps here now—the 10th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 20th, and 23rd. We had orders to march this morning at 8 a.m. but they were countermanded. We don’t know how long we shall stay here. There is a rumor this morning that Joe E. Johnston has surrendered to Sheridan, and that is probable the reason why we did not march this morning. The rumor is, “That General Sherman has a dispatch from Sheridan that Johnston has surrendered his whole army to him (Sheridan) between Hillsborough and Danville, Va. That there is no fight left in Johnston.” The works about this place which he left without an effort to defend amply proves. If this is true—that Johnston has surrendered (and if he has not already, he must before long)—the war is over. Old Grant is the boy. Hurrah for Grant, Sheridan, and all the generals that Grant has selected. He always takes the right man.

I am well and hearty. I shall direct this letter to Laporte and if you are not there, it will be forwarded to you. I must write to Uncle Jeff and ought to write to Ed. Write soon. Direct as before. Give my love to all the folks. Yours truly — H. R. Dunham

How do the Copperheads feel over the news [that] Lee’s whole army surrendered to Grant on the 9th inst., and Johnston (supposed to have) surrendered his whole army on the 14th? How about “never conquering the South” &c.? How’s Gold? The damned Copperheads—we’ll mash their heads when we get home. See if we don’t.

April 17th. Joe E. Johnston surrendered his whole army to General Wm. T. Sherman formally at 8 a.m. He surrendered in fact two or three days ago, but it was completed at 8 a.m. of today. I could not get this letter off before. I suppose I can now. I am well and hearty. It’s most too warm for comfort here now. Write soon and all the news. What do you do for a cow? Yours, — H. R. D.

¹ The 30th USCT was part of the 25th Corps until March 1865 when it was reassigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Department of North Carolina. It remained a part of the Department of North Carolina until December 1865 when it was mustered out of service.

*I could not find an image of Charles, but here is one of Thomas G. Stevenson who also served as an officer in the 21st Michigan.*

This letter was written by Charles S. Brown (1846-1904) of Co. K, 21st Michigan Infantry. He enlisted on 28 March 1864 and mustered out of the regiment on 8 June 1, 1865. He was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant on 1 September 1864 and made the adjutant of the regiment.

In 1850, the Brown family lived in Homer, Will county, Illinois. His parents were Rev. David Ebenezer Brown (1796-1873) and Harriet Jones (1806-1892). His sister, Esther (“Etta”) was born in 1839. By 1860, the Brown family had relocated to Flint, Genessee county, Michigan. The 1860 census enumerates Charles father as an Episcopal Clergyman. Charles was enumerated as 14 year-old student.

This letter is no longer in private hands. It is one of several letters written by Lt. Brown that were donated to the Duke University Library. See Charles S. Brown papers, 1864-65. It was transcribed and posted on Spared & Shared at the request of Ruth Stanton.

Transcription

Headquarters 21st Michigan Voluntary Infantry
Near Haywood, North Carolina
April 18, 1865

Mother and Etta,

As I have not heard or written in some time and a mail leaves in the a.m. (the 1st on this march), I thought I might interest you some. We have had an awful time from Goldsboro up marching like thunder & hard work for two days. Had to be sort of train guards & help them along. The morning of the 14th we got up at 1 a.m. & started for Raleigh which we entered about 9 a.m. after marching so that the horses almost trotted. We beat everybody into town & our 1st Brigade had the pleasure of hoisting the Stars & Stripes first over the surrendered city as old Gov. Vance surrendered not only the city, but the whole state. Bully for Vance.

We heard the announcement of Lee’s surrender [when we were] at Smithfield and it was given to the whole division at the same time. You can imagine the noise made by 15 regiments giving three times three & a tiger. Well that was just “old pison” & the hats went up some. Also at Goldsboro, N. C., while on review, the fall of Richmond, &c. &c. gave us a chance to waste breath. By jove, I never thought men had such lungs. [It] beat the yell with which we charged at Bentonville all to nothing.

Oh! by the way, I don’t remember as I ever gave you a very lucid account of that fight or of the one on the 16th. The one on the 16th we were not much engaged—was mostly the 20th Corps and the 2nd Div., 14th Army Corp. They made the johnnies climb that day. The 2nd Div. only lost about 100. We then took the advance & started for Goldsboro on the 18th and the 2nd Division had a stiff skirmish with them on the a.m. of the 19th. We took the advance and the 1st Brigade. Our advance and Gen. [William P.] Carlin (our Div. Commander) told the “Bummers” if they ran on to the Rebs too strong for them, to report. In about 2 hrs. they were checked & reported the enemy in force & intrenched. Some thought there might be at least 2,000 of them there but [Bvt. Major General] Jeff Davis laughed at the largeness of the estimate & ordered Gen. Carlin to charge with a Brigade. The 1st then “went for them” and took their 1st line. We were ordered up to join on their right & did so. We were not protected by any works as they were. Our skirmishes were advanced in the woods and reported a second line of rather formidable appearance. We were ordered to charge immediately which we did. The Rebels held their line until we were within 3 rods of the works when they opened fire from all sides and gave us an awful volley. We went for them with a yell and got within 5 paces of their works and if we did not pour some lead into them, I am mistaken. We finally were ordered to fall back which was done until the 1st brigade gained their works.

We halted and began to fortify, still in ignorance of our real position & totally without support for about 3/4 of an hour. The skirmishes were driven back & the Rebs came for us. We lay behind our incomplete works & gave them fits. We checked them & held them to it until they turned the left of the 1st Brigade & of course that forced to retreat. They fell back a regiment at a time as they were compelled to & of course our Brigade had to “follow suit.” It was the best thing we ever did for falling back we met a line of Rebs marching straight for our rear and in 15 minutes more we would have been between two lines of the buggers.

We fell back on our support (the 20th A. C.) which had come up by this time & the artillery went for them. There were 8 full batteries going for them as best they knew how & they would average 2 shots a minute to the gun. As the Rebs charged on the batteries, they began to fill up the guns with boxes of cartridges which was too much for Mr Reb.

The 2nd Division in the meantime had fortified to the right of our Division & on them the Rebs charged only 7 times in the course of 2 1/2 hours. The 14th Michigan charged once and got the Reb works when the Rebs came back and took our (the 14th Michigan) works, so Mr. 14th Michigan had to charge back to get their own works. The Rebs sent word for the 14th to surrender (while in that fix) [but] the 14th told them to “go to hell” and charged through and took about 1/2 of them prisoners. We lay under fire for 3 days till the 15th Army Corps and the 17th Army Corps took them in the rear and they had to get out, leaving all of our wounded prisoners & most of their badly wounded. We then went on to Goldsboro & lay until the 10th of April.

We have just heard of the death of Lincoln. May the Lord have mercy upon the country we pass through & the Rebs we catch if we go any further upon this campaign. I never saw a more exasperated set of men than the Army. Honestly the Army had rather experienced another Bull Run affair than to have had that happen. Few men will stop from committing any outrage or crime they may choose to. Sherman and Johnston are meeting now. I hope they won’t come to terms by jove. I would like to see Wm. T [Sherman] turn his army loose over what is left of South Carolina, by jove. I would not give much an acre for it after a corps or two had gone over it. This is the worst news we have ever heard yet. I hope Andrew Johnson will put down the screws tight. By thunder, the army will sustain him if it hangs every man and burns every house in the whole South.

I must close this as I have some work to do. Consider me as ever, — Your affectionate son and brother, — Charlie

We have been out foraging to Haywood & beyond. I found some of the prettiest girls there I have seen in the South. I would like to garrison the place and would have some fun with the four Misses Bryant, and others. I found a good set of chess men which I will try and send home.

We had some fun in Raleigh, although we only stayed one day. I had the pleasure of being ordered to find out who wanted guards &c. in our section and to post them & I tell you, I did. I found out it was fun to hear their questions and some I did scare almost to death. The very name of “Sherman’s Bummers” would cause all of them to turn pale and I made some, I tell you. But “such is life” and now I hope we will soon be out of field duty, which is all very nice but rather annoying when they call you to stand within 5 paces of a 32-pound cannon & a line of Rebs. There is where the fun comes in. I tell you, it is tough to see your comrades piled up about you as we had there. We only lost 81 in all out of 250 who went in and 5 officers out of 14.

Consider me as yours affectionately, — C. S. Brown