1861: James Ogburn Norton to his Family

June 21, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

The following letters were written by Dr. James Ogburn Norton (1825-1862), a native of Iredell county, North Carolina, who came migrated to Bedford county, Tennessee, with his parents when he was a child. His parents were William Norton (1801-1888) and Marsha Ann Beall (1804-1873. James was married to Eliza Priscilla Davidson (1833-1884) in 1854 and by the time of the Civil War, the couple had four children. In the 1860 US Census, James was enumerated with his wife and children in Hawkerville, Franklin county, Tennessee, which is located on the eastern boundary of Middle Tennessee on the southern border of the state. This area of Tennessee was strongly secessionist before the war—even threatening to to secede from Tennessee and join Alabama if Tennessee did not leave the Union.

James entered the Confederate service as a 1st Lieutenant in early November 1861. He was mustered into the Capt. Elijah H. Ikard’s Company of the Tennessee Volunteers. They were eventually designated as Co. F of the 32nd Tennessee Infantry. Lt. Norton was among the 528 members of the 32nd Tennessee that were taken prisoner on 16 February 1862. They would eventually be imprisoned at Camp Chase, Ohio, where they suffered through hard times. Though he tried to reassure his wife that he would be alright, Lt. Norton was one of the first officers to die at Camp Chase. His date of death is given as 4 March 1862. See also letter dated 24 February 1862 from Norton to his wife.

Norton’s muster rolls indicate that he died on 4 March 1862 while in captivity at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. A biographical tribute to Lt. James O. Norton appears on the Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery website.

Letter 1

Alto [Franklin county, Tennessee]
November 13th 1861

Dear Mother,

I write you a few lines to let you hear from us. Eliza has been very sick again. She took cold I suppose by the door blowing open at night and had two chills. She is better again. She was doing very well till then & is sitting up again till I began to fix to start which put her to bed. I will go again this evening but the probability is that we will finally all come home if we cannot get arms. There is some fifty or sixty men from our regiment out trying to get guns. My time was out last night & I will stop at Father’s tonight from nine till four o’clock if I can arrange it so if we stay & G. N. want to join us, tell him to write to me often if I stay.

Direct your letters to Mitchellville Station, Tennessee. Care of Capt. [Elijah H.] Ikard. My love to all. Kiss dear little Sallie for me. The baby keeps quite well. Yours as ever in haste, — James O. Nelson

I forgot to write by mail as went off very early & did not return in time.

Letter 2

Chattanooga [Tennessee]
November 15, 1861

Dear Wife,

I wrote you a small note last night (on the cars) which you may not get. When I arrived at Nashville, I learned that our regiment had marching orders so I spent the day in Nashville & as much of the time as i could at Dr. Abernathy’s. They were all well. We left Nashville last night at half past 8 o’clock, arrived at Chattanooga this evening, put up our tents & eat supper & commenced writing. Mrs. Abernathy gave me a snack which I divided with Capt. [Elijah H.] Ikard and that has done me till supper tonight. Some of our men took on raw bacon in a hurry. We have had no sleep for two nights but I do not feel much tired tonight.

We had two extra trains to bring us here which took two days and one night. There are two companies of our regiment left at Linn Bridge & two companies are left at Running Water Bridge & six companies are here. There are some two regiments here besides ours—or one is out on a scout. These regiments have been here but a few days. They have taken about fourteen prisoners (Union men) which have to take the Oath of Allegiance or remain prisoners of war.

The people are very much pleased or those in favor of the South. The ladies, men and children wave their hats [and] handkerchiefs at us all the way here since we left Stephenson & seemed very much pleased. We have the man that burnt the bridge a prisoner (so they say). There are five bridges burnt & that is the cause of us all being sent East Tennessee. We are 54 miles closer to home than we were at Camp Trousdale.

I want you to try to be satisfied and not allow yourself to fret at little things. There will be trouble enough. Do the best we can. I know you cannot bear the things I can, but I want you to do the best you can to take care of yourself and not allow yourself to grieve on my account. I am in good health and hope to remain so. If I get sick, I will let you know or come home. I will come anyhow as soon as I can. Capt. Ikard want to come very badly & will as soon as he can leave. Write soon and let me hear from you. I hope to hear that you are doing well and reconciled to your fate.

The drum is beating for roll call and I must close. I will write again in a few days. God bless you and the children. from your devoted husband, — James O. Norton

Direct your letter to Lieut. J. O. N., Chattanooga, Tenn., Care of Capt. Ikard, Regular Tennessee Volunteers

63rd Virginia Infantry

1862: John Buchanan Harris to Susannah Harris & Nancy L. Buchanan

June 20, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

I could not find an image of John but here is an unidentified Virginia infantryman
(Denis Grasska Collection)

The following letter was written by John Buchanan Harris (1838-Aft1880) who entered the service as a corporal in Co. F, 63rd Virginia Infantry on 6 May 1862 at Glade Spring, Washington county, Virginia. He was reported sick at home in late July 1863 and was stripped of his rank in November. He apparently never returned to the regiment.

John was a farmer near Abingdon, Washington county, Virginia, prior to his enlistment. After the war, at the time of the 1870 US Census, John was enumerated in the household of his Aunt Nancy Buchanan, working as a farmer near Abington, Washington county, Virginia. In the 1880 US Census, he was still enumerated at the same location but the census taker recorded that John was sick and suffered from “epileptic fits.”

It would appear that John, a sister named Susannah two years his senior, and a brother named Samuel, two years his junior, were taken in and raised by his Aunt Nancy Buchanan which was common whenever the parents died before their children grew to be adults. Nancy Buchanan was probably the younger spinster sister of Samuel Buchanan and Jane Glenn Edmondson of Washington county, Virginia.

Transcription

Giles County, Virginia
Camp Narrows
July 29, 1862

Dear Sister,

I this evening take this pleasure to let you know that the boys came up yesterday and I got my paper and envelopes and ink. I can’t say that I am well this time but I hope these lines will find you well. I am not bad. I can go anywhere. The boys say that I am taking the yellow jaundice and I think I am myself.

I received your letter. I was glad to hear from you all. I thought it was a long time coming. I got some of the cake that Mrs. Hutton sent by John. It was good to kill. It is too good. I wish we had one every week like that one.

I hear from John Hutton that Samuel has gone back to his company. I am glad that he has got well again. I think it is time that he had a furlough to go home. Everybody else has been home and I think it is time he had one. The boys says to tell you that they are tolerable sore today after that long walk they had yesterday. Maybe you will see some of their folks and you can tell them.

You said that my oats was not much but grandfather was going to cut them. You may [tell] him that he must cut enough to pay [for] his trouble if he can and if there is any left, you and Aunt Nancy may have them for I know there is not any worth any attention.

It is nearly time we will draw our money. I will close this. Excuse my bad writing for I have to write on a knapsack. Tell all the girls I send my love to them all. Still remain your brother, — John B. Harris

To Susannah Harris

Dear Aunt,

I hope you are well if I am not. I told that I would write about Calvin ¹ every time I wrote and I forgot it but I will not forget him this time. He took the mumps and was knocking around here and there was a man started to Dublin and forgot some papers and there was a man said he wished he had somebody to get on a horse and go and take them to him and he [Calvin] was standing by and he said he would go—and away he went to Dublin and got so sick he had to be sent to the hospital at the Montgomery White Sulphur and I have not heard of him since. I suppose he will come up before long. I took his knapsack and will take care of it. He left it lying in his tent and the boys that was in there laid on it and broke a bottle of ink in it and ruined everything he had. I took them and dried and rolled them up and put them in my tent.

Me and Calvin is not mad at each other. We are as friendly as we ever was. I will take his socks and send him and take care of them. I have a letter from his home. I opened it to see if there was anything the matter. They are all well. I will close this time. Write soon, all of you, and when I get well, I will write a better one. Still remain your nephew, — John B. Harris

To Nancy L. Buchanan

¹ I think Calvin is probably Pvt. Calvin J. B. Wise of Co. F, 63rd Virginia Infantry. He enlisted on 1 June 1862 at Glade Spring and on muster rolls he is most often reported as sick. He died of pneumonia on 11 April 1863 at General Hospital No. 21 in Richmond.

104th Ohio Infantry, 184th Ohio Infantry, Jefferson Davis

1865: Mary Elizabeth Taylor to brothers Bub & Will Taylor

June 20, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

I can’t be 100% certain of the identity of these correspondents though I feel confident they were members of the household of Levi Kirk Taylor (1811-1901) and Emily Rosseter (1814-1896) of Randolph, Portage county, Ohio. I suspect that the unsigned letter was actually penned by Mary Elizabeth Taylor (1844-1874) who would have been 21 years old and unmarried at the time this letter was written in May 1865. She died young at the age of 30 and seems to have been an invalid. Alternatively it would have been written by her older sister, Louisa Jane Taylor (1841-1914) who was already married to Isaiah Samuel France (1842-1894) who served earlier in the war in Co. I, 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI).

The letter was addressed to “Will” and “Bub” who were the author’s brothers. Clearly Will was Corp. William Kirk Taylor (1839-1905) who served in Co. I, 104th OVI and seems to have been transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps in 1863. I can’t be certain who “Bub” was and can’t even conjecture based on census records.

Transcription

Randolph [Portage county, Ohio]
Monday eve. May 15th 1864 [should be 1865]

My esteemed brothers, Bub & Will,

Your letter of the 9th inst. is just received. Was glad to hear that Erastus ¹ is getting better but sorry to hear he would not be able to start home for so long but we are still living in hopes. Will, I am sorry that “Old Father Time” should deal out to so you so scrimped a portion of time that you could only write one half a small sheet of letter paper. You don’t write half particulars enough. What are the names of the inmates of the house in which brother Bub is? Has the regiment left yet?

We’ve got Old Jeff Davis. He was found in his wife’s petticoat—Oh ho! He is coming up to Washington. Wonder if Johnson will make him Vice President, eh? Father says Old Jeff turned into a wizard after all, &c. &c. &c. ²

*Northern cartoonists mercilessly depicted Jefferson in full women’s clothes after his capture. Library of Congress*

Prent[ice] ³ & Wilber has just come. They are taking a couple of loads of household goods to Mecca for Ben Mason & are going to put up at Taylor House tonight.

Our folks attended Myron Collins’ funeral yesterday which was largely attended. ⁴ Poor Mrs. Collins feels dreadful bad so they say. She fainted at the graveyard.

The neighbors are making up a collection to get Mrs. Beans (widow of Henry Beans) a dress and other things which she needs. She is in reduced circumstances. Has a family of six little boys and one small girl. Mr. Bean’s funeral sermon is to be preached at Randolph one week from next Sunday. I wanted to have gone to the funeral but was not able. ⁵

Bub, you and I will have to be put in the “Invalid Corps.” I am getting better slowly and I hope I will be well enough to walk to the dinner table without crutches when you get here if we have that chicken pie. I have got tired enough of sitting still but there is one consolation and that is if you come home, I will have nothing to do but visit. I wanted to practice some on the melodian before you got home but tis little I can do towards it. Hence I have a good excuse for not playing for you, ain’t I?

Rosella was to have begun our school today but they are going to move the school house about ten feet further south. Elma ⁶ and Dode went out to school this morning but was disappointed & came back home. Father has been to Ravenna today. Took up load of oats. You must hurry up, Bub & Will, or the regiment will get home first & that won’t answer at all. We would have begun to look for you & Erastus home about next week had it not been for your last letter. You will not have time to stay at home long if you don’t start before two weeks. Perhaps you could bring Erastus up to Nelson’s if he was unable to come alone. Some of our folks would meet him there. Mother says for you not to start too soon with Erastus & not let him come alone, &c. &c. Write all particulars, &c. Goodbye.

Respected forwarded by Wm. H. France, 1st Sergt. Co. H is all O.K. Not gone yet.

¹ Erastus Roseter Taylor (1845-1915) was the son of Levi Kirk Taylor (1811-1901) and Emily Rosseter (1814-1896) of Randolph, Portage county, Ohio. Erastus enlisted as a private on 2 February 1865 in Co. H, 184th Ohio Infantry. He was mustered out of the service on 18 May 1865 at Bridgeport, Alabama.

² “The story of Jefferson Davis’s capture in a dress took on a life of its own, as one Northern cartoonist after another used his imagination to depict the event. Printmakers published more than 20 different lithographs of merciless caricatures depicting Davis in a frilly bonnet and voluminous skirt, clutching a knife and bags of gold as he fled Union troopers. These cartoons were accompanied with mocking captions, many of them delighting in sexual puns and innuendoes, and many putting shameful words in Davis’s mouth. Over the generations, fact and myth have comingled concerning the details of Davis’s final capture. Had he borrowed his wife’s dress to evade the Union cavalry? How much of the unflattering post capture cartoons, news reports, and song lyrics sprang from the deep bitterness Northerners held for the man who symbolized the Confederacy?” [American Heritage, “Was Jefferson Davis Captured in a Dress?“]

³ Prentice A. Taylor (1838-1920) was the son of Levi Kirk Taylor (1811-1901) and Emily Rosseter (1814-1896) of Randolph, Portage county, Ohio. He served 3 months in Co. H, 162nd Ohio (National Guard) Infantry and mustered out on 4 September 1864 at Camp Chase.

⁴ Sgt. Myron Collins served in Co. H, 184th OVI. He died at Nashville, Tennessee on 25 April 1865. He was buried at the Nashville National Cemetery. In the 1860 US Census, Myron was the son of Austin Collins (1804-1880) and Delight Merriman (1807-1881) of Randolph, Portage county, Ohio. He was married to Lydia B. Berling (1832-1913) in November 1858. They had a little two year-old girl named Sadie at the time of his death. Lydia later remarried a second time to Henry Madison Woodruff (1828-1898).

⁵ Henry Beans (1829-1865) served as a private in Co. H, 184th OVI for seven and a half months before he died of chronic diarrhea on 24 April 1865 in General Hospital No. 15 at Nashville, Tennessee. Henry left a wife, Achsah (Abbott) Beans (1832-1908) and seven children, the oldest born in 1852. She received $8 per month as a pension for the loss of her husband.

⁶ Elma Livira Taylor (1855-1890) was the daughter of Levi Kirk Taylor (1811-1901) and Emily Rosseter (1814-1896) of Randolph, Portage county, Ohio.

2nd Maine Infantry

1862: Member of 2nd Maine Infantry to his Sister

June 19, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

Sadly I am unable to determine the identity of the young man in the 2nd Maine Infantry who wrote this partial letter—at least not without devoting a lot more time than I have available. Though he informs us he is with the 2nd Maine Infantry, he does not state his company nor does he mention the names of any comrades. Just knowing the company would have narrowed down the possible authors by a factor of ten. The content tells us that he is in a favored position in his company though apparently not an officer. My hunch is that he was the company clerk.

Since the end of the letter is missing, there is no signature. There is also no envelope with an address on it to help us determine even where the soldier was from, though I presume it was Maine. We know only that he had a brother named Andrew —probably younger—who seems to have enlisted, and a sister still at home. He has a father who is once again “in business” but does not mention a mother. We also know that the family had neighbors by the name of Chase who had recently lost two young children.

In his letter, the author writes of the tramp from Hall’s Hill to Fairfax Court House in mid-March just before they embarked on ships to join McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign.

Whoever he was, he seems clearly invested in the cause, informing his sister that given his “nature and ambition,” he could never “remain in quiet life while others were doing the fighting for me & reaping all of the honors. God forbid that I shall ever be guilty of that. We shall soon be engaged & if I knew I was to be among those who were to fall, & by receiving a discharge tonight could go to my quiet home, I would spurn with contempt the offer & rush forward manfully & die like a hero rather than live a coward.” He would have plenty of opportunities ahead to prove his mettle as the 2nd Maine Infantry would be called upon to face the enemy through the Seven Days Battles, Groveton, 2nd Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. He may have even been among the three years’s men that would later get transferred to the 20th Maine and fight under Col. Chamberlain’s command at Little Round Top.

It would be good to know his fate.

Transcription

Alexandria [Virginia]
Headquarters 2nd Regt. Maine Volunteers
March 16th 1862

Dear Sister,

It is Sunday eve and I just received your very, very kind and interesting letter of the 7th inst. and I assure you I was much pleased to hear from you and learn that you and all my folks were well, but very sorry to hear that old neighbor Mr. Chase had been so unfortunate as to lose two of his beloved children. Poor Mrs. Chase must feel very badly. Still we should console ourselves by calling to mind that it is His will whom we all reverence that caused & has right to cause all such things. You see by that he has died while at his beloved home while I, who is in & been in & among all danger am still living & well. Still, ere you get this, I may be prostrated on some Southern plain. But if so, I am bound that my parents shall have enough to console them—namely, that I fall doing a soldier’s duty.

I have written two letters to Father which I suppose you have read ere this. So you will see that I do my best to keep you posted of my whereabouts. We left Hall’s Hill Monday, marched 10 miles through deep mud to Fairfax. The particulars I cannot detail but we stopped there until Saturday & the enemy having fled before us & evacuated Manassas, there of course was no chance for a fight there. So yesterday we marched from Fairfax to this place—a distance of 15 miles. The road was fair although muddy & it rained very hard all of the time. We [were] loaded very heavy but I stood it finely.

When we got to the place where we were to stop we were completely soaked with water and most of the men had to lie down on the wet & cold ground and there sleep during the night. But my position being such that I camp with my officers which makes better for me although I have stood all any man has had to. My captain and another’s captain, 4 lieutenants & I went into town and were fortunate enough to get a room with a fire in it. We dried ourselves and slept sound during the night. In the morning we returned to camp & pitched our tents & are now enjoying myself as well as could be expected.

There are 100,000 troops in this town & we are to leave very soon in steamers for Fortress Monroe, [and] from there further South. We shall most likely have some hard fighting to do and I am ready and willing to do my part of it. We shall embark from this place. We may go tomorrow & may not for a day or two. I am in hopes if we go to Fort Monroe I shall see father. I got a letter from him yesterday. He seems to be enjoying himself finely. I am glad he is again in business.

I have not heard from Andrew since he left home. You say you wish I went with those boys about there or where I would have had I remained at home. Oh Sis! I would be much pleased to enjoy your society & the rest of my friends there but you must remember that it would be utterly impossible for one of my nature & ambition to attend school or remain in quiet life while others were doing the fighting for me & reaping all of the honors. God forbid that I shall ever be guilty of that. We shall soon be engaged & if I knew I was to be among those who were to fall, & by receiving a discharge tonight could go to my quiet home, I would spurn with contempt the offer & rush forward manfully & die like a hero rather than live a coward. I feel proud of Andrew for a man who is not willing to risk his life for this country is not deserving [to live init]. Although many of my friends are not in the army, but those who have not a good excuse have reduced themselves in my estimation very much. I do not wish to be hard, for there are many who could not leave their homes, but that….

[remainder of letter missing]

34th Pennsylvania Infantry, 5th Pennsylvania Reserves, Capitol Building

1861: George Mickle Brown to his Parents

June 19, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

*This picture is presumably George M. Brown and his father; there was no caption with it but it was found on his Find-A-Grave*.

The following letter was written by George Mickle Brown (1843-1927), the son of Clayton Brown (1813-1887) and Sarah Jane Hildreth (1819-1878). In mid-July 1861, George enlisted in Co. A, 34th Pennsylvania Infantry, also known as the 5th Pennsylvania Reserves. Company A, or The Jersey Shore Rifles, were recruited from Lycoming county, Pennsylvania and commanded by Capt. H. C. Ulman. He was wounded at Mechanicsville on 26 June 1862 in the Seven Days Battles before Richmond and was later transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps in November 1863.

The letter was datelined from the Georgetown Hospital on 11 August 1861 shortly after the regiment’s arrival in the District of Columbia.

Transcription

Georgetown Hospital District of Columbia
August 11, 1861

Dear Parents,

Having got our tents pitched and nothing else to do, I take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well and would like to hear of your enjoying the same blessing. We are all well that left Cedar Run together and like soldiering better than I expected first. I saw a good many at Harrisburg that I was acquainted with in the Wellsboro company. They are one day ahead of us and we heard they were somewhere in this vicinity. The artillery left Camp Curtin last Thursday. They had some 30 odd cannons and all had horses.

The troops are concentrating here very fast. We are about 5 miles from Washington. We started for here Friday about noon and got to Baltimore about 3 o’clock yesterday morning and staid there until daylight and then started for Washington and got there about 11 o’clock yesterday. While there, Daniel Foster and myself got a chance to go and see our National Capitol. We went through a large portion of the capitol and was up on top where we could see the whole city and miles around. We could see Georgetown, Alexandria, Arlington Heights, and no doubt where a 100 thousand troops were encamped in circle of miles around the city. It was the most magnificent scenes I ever saw. And the capitol and grounds around are the best laid out and the best ornamented of anything I ever saw. The capitol building and sights to be seen therein—the statues of Washington and others—would make any patriotic young man volunteer in our country’s service.

We marched out here last night. It is about 5 miles from Washington and on the road to Manassas Junction. How long we will stay here is not known but it’s rumored that the rebels have a large force within 20 miles of here and an attack is soon expected.

The country here is very uneven. The hills are not high but there is the least level land of any country I was ever in. Back from the city, it is not settled and cleared up near as much as it is around the cities in upper Pennsylvania and the crops are not near as good through Maryland as they are up in our country. From the looks of this place I should judge the people were not very enterprising. The timber is pretty much oak woods and other hard timber. I have seen no hemlocks but plenty of cedar.

*Col. Seneca G. Simmons, 5th Pennsylvania Reserves*—*“A first rate officer.”*

We have got a pretty good company and good officers. Our colonel [Seneca G. Simmons] is a very nice, plain, and a first rate officer. Yesterday when we came to Washington they wanted him to march us right out here after riding all night. “No sir,” says he. “My men shall rest and get something to eat before they stir from here,” and so they did. He served the Mexican War and is called one of the best military men in the field and every man in the regiment likes him. We have a plenty to eat, drink, and wear. The water is better here than we expected and we hope the time will soon come around when this inhuman rebellion shall cease and we can return to our loved homes in triumph.

Charley Dodge ¹ sends his best respects to all who may inquire & may God bless my dear parents, brothers, and sisters who are remembered by your obedient son & brother, — G. M. Brown

Direct your letter to Washington, D. C., Care of Captain H. C. Ulman, Co. A, 5 Regiment P. V. R. C.

P. S. I would have answered your letter sooner but we were under marching orders & I thought I would wait until we got to camp again. My love to all.

¹ Charles B. Dodge survived the war but lost a leg. Discharged 17 March 1863.

1st Maine Heavy Artillery, Nurse

1861: Albert Hayes to George D. Demeritt

June 19, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

This letter was written by Albert Hayes (1839-1906), the son of James Hayes (1801-1871) and Juliana Berry (1808-1874) of Dover, Piscataquis county, Maine. Albert was enumerated in his father’s household at the time of the 1860 US Census and his employment was recorded as “blacksmith.” Albert would enter the service of his country in the Civil War but we learn from this letter that prior to his enlistment he had taken a situation as a nurse in a Portland military (unnamed) hospital where soldiers were being treated for typical camp diseases.

Military records indicate that 24 year-old Albert enlisted on 17 December 1863 as a private in Co. E, 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. He was wounded in the fighting at Cold Harbor on 4 June 1864 and again at Petersburg where the regiment—used as infantrymen—charged across an open field toward entrenched Confederate soldiers on 18 Jun 1864, resulting in the greatest single loss of life in a Union regiment in the war, with seven officers and 108 men killed, and another 25 officers and 464 men wounded. These casualties constituted 67% of the strength of the 900-man force. Somehow Albert survived the war and was discharged on 16 June 1865.

[Note: for a great documentary short film on the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery’s assault on the Confederate position at Petersburg, see “Forlorn Hope” on HistoryFix.]

Albert died in Stockton, California in 1906. More biographical material can be found on Find-A-Grave.

Albert wrote the letter to his friend, George D. Demeritt (1840-1881), the son of Daniel Chesley Demeritt (1800-1862) and Elizabeth G. Longfellow (1799-1853) of Dover, Piscataquis county, Maine. George later became a physician, married and settled in Sangerville, Maine.

Transcription

*Addressed to Mr. George D. Demeritt, West Dover, Maine*

Portland [Maine]
July 5, 1861

My dear friend,

I received your letter of the first this morning. I was very glad to hear from you and that you are well &c. I thought as I had a few minutes I would write a few lines to you.

I am staffing the hospital in the capacity of a nurse. There are from forty to fifty patients here. All the soldiers—the most of them—are sick with measles, a few with fevers, and seven with the clap [gonorrhea]. It is pretty hard work as you very well know. My wards are on the third and fourth floors. There are two of us in my wards and we have about twenty-seven on an average to take care of.

The 4th of July Program at City Hall in Portland in 1861. Unfortunately the “Young Lady of this City” who read the Declaration of Independence isn’t identified. (Portland Daily Advertiser, 4 July 1861)

Lorenzo Russell is here sick with the measles. I have just read a part of your letter to him. He has been pretty sick but is getting better. I asked him what I should say for him. He told me to say just what I was a mind to. We have been talking it over about Cory and Lizzie, &c.

There was a celebration here yesterday. I went out in the afternoon. I have lots of cousins here in town—there are three girls and three boys. They are in for a good time generally. One of the girls read the Declaration of Independence yesterday before a crowded hall. I have big times when I go up there which is as often as I can, I assure you.

I should like to [be in ] Dover tonight. I guess I wouldn’t sleep much more than I shall here with the sick boys. If you can make anything out of this, you are a better scholar than I am. I am much obliged to you for looking after my affairs when I am gone. Write as you find out how things are going. I sent Ada my picture. I thought I would seeing I had promised her I would. Find out what she thinks of it and let me know.

I can’t write anymore now for I have got to write another letter tonight. So goodbye. From your friend, — Albert Hayes

to G. D. Demeritt

78th Ohio Infantry

1861: David H. Hillman to his Siblings

June 18, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

This letter was written by David H. Hillman (1843-1891), the son of Robert T. Hillman and Mary Shalke of New Lisbon, Columbiana county, Ohio. David enlisted in Co. I, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). David served as a private in the regiment from 4 December 1861 until 12 January 1865.

David addressed the letter to his brother, most likely his older brother John H. Hillman (b. 1836) who was employed as as teacher until entering the war in August 1862 as a private in Co. K, 104th OVI. He also added a note to his older sister Rachel, b. 1842.

The 78th Ohio Infantry was organized from October 1861 to January 1862, to serve for three years. It left by rail for Cincinnati on Feb. 11, and then by steamer for Fort Donelson on the Tennessee river. At daylight on the morning of the second day at Shiloh it went into the battle on the right and was under fire throughout the day, but with slight loss — 1 man killed and 9 wounded. In August it was in the brisk engagement near Bolivar, but in this affair the loss was slight. For several months it was engaged in movements preliminary to the Vicksburg campaign; participated in the battle of Raymond, losing in killed and wounded, about 80 men; was also engaged in the battle of Champion’s Hill, where it lost 116 men killed and wounded. At Vicksburg it participated in the general charge on May 22, with slight loss, and later was sent to Bovina, where it remained until after the surrender. In January 1864, it reenlisted as a veteran regiment and after its furlough home joined Gen. Sherman’s army at Acworth, Ga. It participated in the battle of Kennesaw mountain and at Atlanta on July 22 it lost 203 in killed and wounded. Of 13 flag and color-bearers of the regiment in the latter engagement, all were either killed or wounded. The regiment participated in the subsequent movements of the Army of the Tennessee till the fall of Atlanta and later was with Sherman’s forces on the march to the sea. It marched up through the Carolinas, then to Washington, and was mustered out on July 11, 1865.

Letter 1

*The patriotic imagery of Col. Ellsworth was a frequent subject for soldier’s envelopes in 1861*

Camp Gilbert
December 25, 1861
Christmas Day

Yes, my brother, it is Christmas Day in camp and I hardly know how to describe things to you. I will first speak of my letter. I received yours of the 18th last night and I was in just about as good a humor as I generally get into, Well, the reason was because it came from home I suppose. I had begun to think you was not going to write until you got a good ready, but it is all right now. I was very glad to hear that you are all well. You didn’t say anything about Axe’s folks, but I suppose they are well.

I am still well as usual and feel about the same as usual. We had more coffee than we needed and the boys took it down and traded it off for groceries such as chickens, butter, &c. &c.

*Mortimer D. Leggett (left) and his Aide de Camp later in the war when Leggett had risen to a General.*

The Colonel (Leggett) came up this morning to our fire and said, “Boys, I ordered two turkeys to the sutlers for you. I was on the top of our wood pile—which is a big one—when I cried with a mighty voice, “No boys, ‘three cheers’ for the Colonel” while the welkin rang with a mighty sound. The Colonel bowed, smiled like a modest man, and retired.

I hope you are having a good time at home. I want you to eat lots of sweet cakes for me or you may lay them over on Joe’s pile for I expect he likes them as well as ever. Tell Bert that I don’t reckon he will have a very good time a skating today as there is no ice but tell him and Joe to go to school and learn all they can.

Let me know in your next what father is going to do this winter. Tell all about everything. I want you to tell me how all the boys in the neighborhood are. Give my respects to Nic, Dave, Bill, Joe, George, and tell me where Abe Bricker is and what he is doing. Tell Craig Null that he can look out for a letter before long. It is a hard matter to write to everybody for stamps cost money and as mine is short, I must save my stamps till I get further away from home. But I will write home regularly. But other folks must wait for I cannot call them friends. This makes the third letter I have written home. I sent my picture in the last one. I want you to answer my letters whenever you get them. Send me news always. You will find a note addressed privately to yourself and one to Rachel on the other page. But I must stop.

Good wishes. Answer as soon as you can and remain your brother, — David H. Hillman

To my dear sister [Rachel],

I received your accompanying note to George. I was glad to hear from you. I hope you will look over all mistakes. Tell Mary H &c. I am going to write a letter to her sometime today. I had heard that Amanda Gedders was married. The news came in one of the other boy’s letters. But the news of Alec Snodgrass’s death surprised us all. But I must stop. Write me again. I am in a hurry as I want my letter to go to town at eleven o’clock. Talk to all the girls for me.

From your brother, truly, — Dave Hillman

Letter 2

Bolivar, Tennessee
August 27th 1862

Dear Sister,

It is sabbath afternoon & I will write you a few lines to let you know I am well. I received your letter of the 24th last night. Was glad to hear that you were all well. It has been a good while since I wrote home but I will tell you why. We have had another brush with the enemy. Yesterday, one week ago, the enemy attacked us 8,000 strong. It was all cavalry. There was one colonel of the 11th Illinois Cavalry killed. He had $1500 in his pocket & a gold watch, all of which the rebels took. They threw his body in a farm yard and the hogs eat his face off. Some negroes dug a hole in the field & were just burying him when our cavalry made a charge & took his body and brought to town. ¹

*Lt. Col. Harvey Hogg of the 2nd Illinois Cavalry was killed in a gallant sabre charge.*

The loss on our side was 10 killed, 30 wounded, and 60 prisoners. I did not learn their loss but it is supposed to be higher than ours. After we drove them from here, they proceeded up the railroad to Toombs Station, cut the telegraph, and tore up the railroad, had another hard fight, and took 200 more prisoners. They were driven off the field leaving 108 dead. They surrounded the town & we are now in a state of siege.

We have fortified the town strongly. We have got 6 or 7 forts besides endless chains of rifle pits. The enemy were commanded by Forrest, Armstrong, & Jackson. Col. Forrest was killed. We are looking for another fight every day & if they don’t attack us again, we will have to follow them up then for hard marching.

I would like to know where George is. I have had no word from home since he left home. I suppose he will be in Kentucky before long. When you write to him, tell him I am hurt that he does not write to me, or if he does, I don’t get his letters. When you write, please drop in a stamp occasionally. You said that Mary Ann has written me several letters. I have not got a letter from her since the Shiloh fight.

You spoke of sending me my overcoat. Why, it is so hot down here in the daytime that a fellow can’t keep himself cool in the shade and at night it is very cool but I don’t want it. Tell Pop to go to Todd’s and see if he is coming back & if he don’t come, give him my stockings and tell him to send them by Sergeant Falconer.

I have not much news to write. When you write, tell me all the news as I write to you for all. Tell Mother and Father, Bert, Joe, Kate, Mary and Hiram and all to write. My love to all the folks at home & respects to all the neighbors.

Ever remain your brother, — D. H. Hillman

¹ I believe Hillman may be inaccurate in his facts describing this incident. While the 11the Illinois Cavalry were engaged, so too were the 2nd Illinois Cavalry and I believe it was Lieut. Colonel Harvey Hogg of Bloomington, Illinois, who fell “in a bold and gallant sabre charge.” Hogg’s body was retrieved from the battlefield and brought home but I’m thinking the story of Lt. Col. Hogg’s face being eaten off by hogs appears ludicrous.

50th North Carolina Infantry, Camp Mangum

1862: Thomas Ruffin Blalock to Susan (Whitefield) Blalock

June 18, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

*I could not find an image of Thomas but here is one of Pvt. Francis Marion Long of Co. G, 50th North Carolina, who also died of disease during the war. (Greg Mast Collection)*

The following letter was written by Thomas Ruffin Blalock (1836-1863), of Person county, North Carolina. He wrote the letter to his “dear companion” of six years, Susan (Whitefield) Blalock, the mother of his three children, Albert, George and James.

The letter was datelined from Camp Mangum near Raleigh, North Carolina, where the 50th North Carolina was being drilled and equipped for military service. Thomas had accepted a bounty to enlist as a private in Co. A of that regiment in early March 1862. The regiment served in Virginia from June to December 1862, primarily around Drewry’s Bluff. They returned to North Carolina in January 1863 and remained there until late in 1864, serving in the eastern part of the state. Thomas, however, became seriously ill in May 1863 from pneumonia and he died on the 26th of May.

Transcription

Camp Mangum, ¹ North Carolina
April 19th 1862

Dear Companion,

It is with great pleasure that I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well as to health but I am pestered in mind very much for I have wrote to you but have not received a single line from you and I am pestered about it. But I hope that I will hear from you in a few days. I would be glad to see you and I hope I will get to come home in a few days for we will get our bounty today or on Monday and then I will try to come home and see you.

I want to know whether William has to leave or not. If he does, tell him to come to this company and if you can get anybody to do the work till I get there, you can employ them till I get there and then I can make better arrangements for something to eat is going to be an object of importance next year.

I will try to tell you something about our fare. We are faring very well at this time. We have plenty of beef, pork, rice, sugar, and wheat, and corn meal and other [ ]. Our water is very good, Handy enough. We are still at this place and I don’t know when we will leave here. I believe the boys is tolerable well satisfied at this place. The boys are all well except two or three and they are not anyway dangerous at present.

Give my love and respects to all of our folks and friends and keep a large portion for yourself. You must write as often as you can and direct your letters to Camp Mangum in care of Capt. [John Campbell] Van Hook. ²

These lines leave me well and I do earnestly hope they may find you enjoying the same great blessing. No more at present—only I remain your dear husband until death, — Thomas Blalock

To his wife, Susan Blalock

¹ Camp Mangum was located just outside of Raleight, North Carolina. Thousands of North Carolinians passed through this camp between 1861 and 1863 where they were drilled and equipped for military service. [See Camp, Combat, and Campaign: North Carolina’s Confederate Experience, by Peter R. Thomas, Jr.]

² John Campbell Van Hook was the captain of Co. A, 50th North Carolina Infantry. He was born in North Carolina on July 10, 1831, where he farmed prior to enlisting at age 31. He served as the captain in command of a militia company in the Van Hook district of Person County. The company met for drill at Paynes Tavern before the War Between the States began. Van Hook had previously served as first lieutenant in the 44th Regiment, North Carolina Militia. The 50th North Carolina Regiment was organized on April 15, 1862, at Camp Mangum, near Raleigh, and Captain Van Hook was put in charge of Company A. He brought with him the largest volunteer company from Person County. Van Hook was promoted to major on December 1, 1862, and to lieutenant colonel on November 10, 1863.

57th North Carolina Infantry

1863: Philip Josiah Overcash to his Family

June 16, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

The following letter was written by Philip Josiah Overcash of Rowan county, North Carolina, who at age 30 enlisted as a private in Co. B, 57th North Carolina on 4 July 1862. Co. B, 57th North Carolina Infantry. In May of 1863 he was reported hospitalized in Richmond and then transferred to the hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia. While enroute to Lynchburg, he seems to have been taken a prisoner of war on 24 May 1863 by Union troops raiding the rear of Lee’s army. He was immediately paroled and sent to Farmville suffering from acute nephritis.

Finally, in August 1863, he was furloughed for 60 days and in April 1864 he was absent from the regiment. My assumption is that he never returned to the regiment as he was reported sick at home in Rowan county in September 1864.

Philip’s letter is directed primarily to his wife Margaret I. (Blover) Overcash, but he also adds a few lines to his son Eli Overcash (1857-1924) who was six years old at the time.

Transcription

*Addressed to Mrs. Margaret Overcash, Laurel Branch P. O., Rowan County, North Carolina*

Farmville, Virginia
July 24th 1863

Dear and affectionate wife and loving children, and affectionate Mother and sisters,

I state to you that I received your kind and welcome letter yesterday, 23d, dated July the 17th (No 21) and I was truly glad to hear from you once more and to hear that you were all tolerable well—only Seth, you said, still has the bowel complaint yet, but he didn’t seem to mind it. And I hope it is only a little brush and that he will get better of it again.

I now state to you that would have answered your letter yesterday but I was too sick to sit up to write. My breast and back hurt me too bad and my bowels were running off very bad and pained me very much. But I feel a great deal better this morning but am barely able to sit up long enough to answer your letter. And I have no appetite to eat much. And I hope if I don’t take a backset, that I may soon get better again.

I am glad to hear that you have your wheat all hauled up and in the barn and have your oats all cut and that you think you will make enough to do you if you didn’t have to give the 10th of all you made, which I can’t think you will have to do now.

You said that L. F. R. and F. L. & T. O. & A. M, and that H. W. O. & P. L. O. & J. A. R. were still at home yet and that H. W. O. was at our house today and that he was very poorly yet. And you wished if I only was at home too. So do I, for most all my neighbors boys are at home today with you. But I still hope that the day is not far distant when I may get to come home to see you all once more. And I am glad to hear that the corn looks so nice and that Elon was going to lay it by this week which I know will be a hard task for her but hope she may be blessed with good health to get the plowing done.

Now you want me to tell you which field you should sow in wheat. Well, I think you ought to sow the field you have in corn and turn the stubble in the field next to Uncle Henry and sow it and try and sow the old field in oats again this fall. And I am glad to hear that the tax was no more than it was this year.

Now my dear Eli, I was glad to hear from you once more and to hear how fast you are learning and that you got that pretty paper and had 2 in your book and [ ] to keep it there till I come home to see you and Seth which you hope would be before long and I hope so too. And I want you to be a good boy. So farewell, Eli, till I hear from you again. I must now bring my letter to a close by asking you to write soon and give me all the news you can.

So farewell till I hear from you again. Written by P. J. O. to his affectionate wife, M. I. O. and loving children, and affectionate mother and sisters. May God bless us all is my prayer.

25th North Carolina Infantry, Battle of Newbern

1862: Charles Lafayette Osborne to Mariah (Merrill) Osborne

June 16, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

*Charles Lafayette Osborne in later years*

The following letter was written by Charles Lafayette Osborne (1834-1920) of Transylvania county, North Carolina. He enlisted at the age of 27 on 8 September 1861 as a private in Co. E, 25th North Carolina Infantry. He was promoted as ordnance sergeant in May 1862 and appointed 2nd Lieutenant on 23 July 1862 and 1st Lieutenant one week later. The 25th North Carolina served in Gen. Ransom’s Brigade of Gen. Longstreet’s Corps. The regiment fought at Antietam and near the famous stone wall on Maryes Heights at Fredericksburg. Charles was present and accounted for until 10 February 1865 when he was transferred to the 65th North Carolina (6th N. C. Cavalry) because of his inability to “stand infantry service in the summer season.”

Charles was the son of Jeremiah Osborne (1802-1890) and Mary Rebecca Fletcher (1807-1887). He was married to Mollie Killian (1841-1924) in August 1863.

Charles wrote the letter to his sister-in-law, Mariah (Merrill) Osborne (1831-1914)—the widow of Joseph McDowell Osborn (1832-1859).

[Note: I have spelled Charles’ surname “Osborne” because that’s the way it appears on his headstone but it might also be found in records as “Osborn.”]

Transcription

Addressed to Mrs. Mariah Osborn, Little River, Transylvania county, North Carolina,
by hand

Pamlico Station, Lenoir county, N. C.
Camp Ransom
April 6th 1862

Sister Mariah,

Having some leisure hours, I take the pleasure of penning you a few lines hoping they will safely each you and find you enjoying good health, and getting on prosperously in this time of pressure. I have hither to been neglectful in writing to you together with other friends, but it has not been by any design or ill will on my part, but nearly neglect.

If I know my heart, I feel interested in your prosperity, love you as a sister, because you was married to one of my best brothers and has ever treated me with respect. I hope if there is any disrespectable feelings existed between you and any of us that they may be quickly obliterated and erased from memory’s page, and crushed into oblivion to appear no more. This is no time nor place to harbor malice, nor any others, but on the other hand, we should unite our efforts and double our diligence in trying to advance our great redeemer’s kingdom and to prepare for eternity.

To give you a detail of our travels and the many trials connected with a soldier’s life would consume more time than I have to apply in writing, and would also task your patience to read it. But let it suffice to say that a soldier’s life when understood is laborious, confining, and not at all to be desired, but for the sake of defending an invaded country against a hoard of notorious vandals.

Our regiment has not yet had the chance of testing courage on the battlefield and I see no greater probability now for it than that which has formerly existed. We have frequently been ordered to different parts of the state (and even out of their state) where a fight was pending, but always get there too late to see any bloodshed, but we cannot tell what another day may bring forth, under such critical times.

Our regiment has recently been united with some others in forming a brigade under the command of General Ransom. We find a great many soldiers here, some infantry, some cavalry, and some artillery, and with their drums, bugles, and brass bands together with the constant chattering of mischievous soldiers, would present quite a terrifying aspect—especially to those who have never witnessed such a scene.

We are now stationed close to the Neuse River about thirty miles from Newbern, though we have troops along the road to Goldsboro. Our pickets go daily near Newbern and occasionally pick up a Yankee or a disloyal citizen. This is a fine country and susceptible of producing almost any sort of grain. The bottoms are extensive and rich and possessed by good farms. Water is tolerably good and the weather is moderate.

Provisions are scarce and high. Salt is hardly to be purchased at any price. It is quite evident that poor people will soon begin to suffer.

Most of our regiment have enlisted for the war and are getting several recruits. The fight at Newbern is not yet definitively reported. It is rumored that our side lost near few hundred and the Yankees about fifteen hundred but I suppose without accuracy.

How does Person enjoy himself since his second choice of married life? I suppose well. I must close. Let us here how you are doing. Letters directed to Goldsboro will come to us. Give respects to all my friends. Fraternally, — C. L. Osborn