Civil war letters, 1861 to 1865

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Civil War Letters

Letter I

Camp Randall, Madison, Wis., January 19, 1862. Dear Mother: —

WE arrived here twelve o'clock F'riday night, went to a hotel and got something to eat and stopped there until morning, when we went to the Capitol and were mustered into the United States service, and drew our uniforms, and now we are full fledged volunteer soldiers of Uncle Sam, and most of the Boys think now that tliey could whip the whole Southern Army, if they only had a chance.

I saw Guy MyeTs here; his regiment has gone to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; he was sick in the hospital and was left behind. Guy was a little surprised to see Sam and me. Sam and myself are both well, and feel as big as the rest of the boys in our new uniforms.

I guess I will close this time, so will say Good Bye. S"ay, mother, as this is my first letter as a Soldier Boy put it away and keep it until I come home. Direct your letters to Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin, care of Captain McGowen. I do not know the letter of our Company yet; we will be in the 17th Regiment. Well Good Bye. Write soon.

Affectionately, your boy,

LETTER II. Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 3, 1862

Dear Mother: —

OUR regiment left St. Louis March 26 on the steamer Imperial and went down the Mississippi to Cairo, Illinois, then up the Ohio to the Tennessee, and from there up the river to what they call here Pittsburg Landing. Cannot see much of a landing, only one log house. However we are back from the Landing about three miles and fixing our camp. There are four other regiments in our brigade, the ICth Wisconsin, 4th Kentucky and the 20th Missouri, besides ours. General McArthur commands the brigade and General Grant commands the whole army. Say, mother, it begins to look more like business than it did while, we were in camp up North and sometimes I wish I was up North now instead of here, but here 1; am and heie I will stay, , I. suppose. Say, mother, I don't like old Captain McGowen at all; he is a' cross old bear. I don't believe he has as much grit as Philly has and you know you can't set him on a mouse. You know how he barks at them and runs around. Well, that is our captain's style exactly and every time you meet him you have got to stand up straight and as stiff as a poker and salute him. It is not so with the other officers of the company. They are just as common and free as any of us and they are the ones that will stay with us I will bet when we get in a brush, if we ever do, and I guess we will. We can hear, once in a while, the pickets firing and occasionally a cannon shot. The report is that there is a large rebel army at Corinth, Mississippi, and ihat is only about 20 miles from here. Well, mother, I guess I'll stop this time. I am well. The rest of the boys that went 'from our neighborhood are well. Sam is all right. He and I bunk together. Good bye. Love to all the family. This letter is for all.

Your affectionate son.

LETTER III. Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 13, 1862

Dear Mother: —

SINCE I last wrote you we have been in a tight place, but got out of it all right. I cannot tell you a great deal about the battle except what happened near us. The sun never rose brighter than it did that Sunday morning, April 6th. We had got up an'd had roll call and some of the companies had had breakfast when we heard heavy firing on our left. Our brigade fell into line and had loaded their guns when the pickets were driven in, but they did not attack our part of the line for perhaps twoi hours, when they came on in a rush, but we were partly prepared for them and we held them off for a short time when the troops on our left fell back and we did the same. We fell back probably one half mile and formed another line and held them until about 10:00 o'clock when we fell back again a short distance and that is the way it went all day until about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, when we had been driven to within one half mile of the river. That was a bad position for the army. .Just think of a deep river behind us and a victorious army in front of us. There were three things to do, surrender, swim the river or fight to the death. However, at that time, there was for some unknown cause, a lull in the fighting for the first time .since early morning and the time was put to good use on our side. All the artillery that could be got in position was placed on the high ground around the Landing, probably 50 or 60 pieces, with all the army that could be got in shape for support and then waited for the enemy. It was 6 o'clock or maybe a little after when they were seen advancing and coming from their right and left and firing as they advanced. They were about as far from us as our place is from the Colonel's. Then it was that our artillery thundered out its welcome and the infantry poured in its fire and at the same time they came so near to the river that two gun boats that were there opened their broadsides and for about half an hour that awful fire was kept up, then the Rebs fell back and the battle was over for that day at least and we had checked them. We had not swam the river, nor surrendered and were not all dead. We got reinforcements from Buell's army that night and the next morning Buell's fresh troops took the advance and we were in reserve. We did not have as much hard fighting as the first day but drove them steadily until about 2 o'clock, when they began to retreat and we had gained all the ground we had lost the day before, but oh! mother, the less. We lost about 25. Our captain is gone somewhere, but I guess in some field hospital. He was not seen after we formed our first line of battle, but our other company officers are the stuff. Our 1st Lieutenant is a brick and as brave as a lion. John and Henry Thomas were both killed and Jack Case wounded. These are all that you know. Sam and I are both all right and well. Sam is on the skirmish line today and my turn comes tomorrow.

Guess I have written enough this time and if I should happen to get a Rebel bullet some time I will bid you all farewell.

Your affectionate son.

Direct your letter to Pittsburg Landing. Tenn. Vol. Inft.

LETTER IV. Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., May 14, 1862

Dear Mother: —

I WILL write you again today, although I have nothing of interest to write about. We are all well and able to eat our rations, especially S"am and myself. We can eat all we can get hold of and more, too, if we could get it. Well, we are marching toward Corinth, Miss., but at a snail's pace. We go about a mile, and then form our line and stack arms and go to building breastworks. After we are all through and have a strong line built and the timber cut down in front of them for 40 or 50 rods we pull up and move again for a mile or so and do the same thing over again and have done so since we started toward Corinth. We have built six or seven such lines of works and I do not think we are more than 15 miles from the Landing. However, one thing is certain, if the enemy attacks us we will surely be ready for them. There was quite a lively brush yesterday but not on our part of the line. Our Captain has turned up. He was in one of the field hospitals and he has been awful sick, so he says. He goes with two canes. He run so fast that it made him lame. Hope he does not get over it soon and I am not the only one who hopes so either. The orderly sergeant has just been in and told us to be ready to move in an hour so that means to pack knapsacks and to get ready and we obey orders down here. There is no saying, let John or Jim or Pete or some other one go, but all grab a root and get a hump on yourself.

Well, mother, I will bid you good bye again, hoping that this will find you all well.

I am affectionately.

Your affectionate son.

LETTER V. Corinth, Miss., June 5, 1862 Dear Parents

THE last letter I wrote you we were in Tennessee. Corinth was evacuated by the Johnnies on the night of May 29th and we marched in and now are in possession of their camps and the village of Corinth, but it was a victory, if one can call it so, without spoils, except broken wagons, gun carriages and spiked cannon and a few thousand stand of small arms.

I am not much of a military man, but it seems to me that the rebel army ought to have been driven out and half of them captured instead of being allowed to go the way they did. Our army had been reinforced since the battle of Shiloh with all Buell's army and a couple of divisions besides, and I think we have an army of one hundred thousand men and Halleck is in command. If General Grant had been in command instead of General

Halleck I will bet there would have been something doing and the rebs would not have got away so easy, but so long as General Halleck is in command I don't think we will get much hurt by rebel bullets, for I think the way we burrowed our way from Pittsburg Landing here that he is as much afraid of rebel bullets as we are. At the same time I think the boys would have liked to have had another chance at them with the army we had, if Halleck was in command, for Grant was second in command, then we had such generals as Buell, Sherman, Thomas and McClernard as corps commanders.

I did not get time to finish this letter the day I began it. We have moved six miles and are now camped about one mile from Corinth. We are not doing anything but cleaning up the camp and drilling, so do not know anything about how long we will remain here, probably until General Halleck is sent somewhere else and General Grant is in command again. There is a good deal of sickness among the troops and it is on account of bad water. We have to go to the Tuscumbia river after water and that is several miles away. The water is hauled in wagons. Each company has a barrel and the team (6 mules) goi twice a day and when we get the water it is not fit to drink. We have lost three men of our company by sickness but only one that "pa" knew and he was Pat Costello. George Porter and Ike Verbeck are sick now. You know them. Mother, you thought when I came away from home that I was so young that I could not stand the hardships. Well, the boys stand it better than the old men. Not one of the boys in our company has been sick as yet. Well, I will close this time. I am well, so are all the boys that went from our place. Give my love to all the family. Good bye. •

Your affectionate son.

Direct to Corinth, Miss.

LETTER VI. Corinth, Miss., October 15, 1862

Dear Parents: —

YOUR letter received some time ago but could not answer any sooner. About that time we were having trouble with the enemy. It seems they wanted this place more than we did. On the morning of October 2nd our brigade with some other troops started on a march. Of course we did not know where until about ten o'clock, when we were formed in line of battle and skirmishers sent out. We were then maybe four or five miles northwest of Corinth in what they call here the Chewalla road. About noon we could hear firing and in a little while the skirmishers were driven back and the rebel skirmishers ran right onto us in the thick woods. We gave them a couple of volleys and they in turn ran back in a hurry and of course ours followed them, but we fell back probably a mile and that was what we did the balance of the day and at night we were behind our outer line of breastworks. The next mornine they attacked us again with a strong skirmish line and an occasional shot from their artillery until about three o'clock, when they made their attack in force and drove us back. I do not think that we had any more troops than two or three brigades in line and at dark we were inside of our breastworks at Corinth. During the night our troops were moving and taking their positions in line and getting ready for the morrow. At daylight, October 4th, the rebels opened a battery and began shelling our lines. Our batteries did not reply until about sunrise and then, well, you can imagine the rest, for about an hour or so, if you think you can.

The rebels during the night had brought a battery up to within three or four hundred yards from Fort Robinet and when the cannonading had stopped, our men went out from the fort and hauled the guns inside of our lines by hand. The rebels had to leave them as their horses were about all killed. About eleven o'clock they made a charge on our lines, coming right up to them, but it was of no use; they had to retreat again and about two o'clock all was quiet along the whole line. This attack had been on the right of our line. Our position was the left center. Fort Robinet was about the center of the line. About four, or perhaps a little before, we could plainly see them forming their lines directly in front of the fort, three of four hundred vards away in the edge of the timber, and not a shot was fired. Soon they came, four lines deep, then our artillery opened, the infantry poured in their fire and they actually planted their flag on the fort, but for a few minutes only. A brigade of our troops came on the double quick on the charge. A hand to hand struggle made the enemy retreat and the Battle of Corinth is over. We followed them five days, took some prisoners, cannons, wagons, etc., and now are back in our camps again. One killed and three missing of our company was all we lost. I do not know how many the regiment lost. I heard our first lieutenant say 16 killed in the regiment, 56 wounded and 12 missing. I am well and so is Sam. Maybe because Sam and I are alive and well you think when the bullets fly we run. Well you can make up your mind if we are well we will be found where the regiment is, if it is the hottest place in the line or running away.

I think I have written quite a letter, so will close. My love to all.

Your affectionate son.

LETTER VII. Abbeville, Miss., Dec. 5, 1862

Dear Parents: —

YOU see we are on the move again. We left Grand Junction Tenn., Nov. 15th and got here Dec. 1, after some little dispute with the enemy, but our arguments were the strongest and so we are here. We came along all right except a little skirmishing until we came to Tallahatchie river, a few miles south of Holly Springs, where the Rebs were strongly posted on the south side of the river and they said halt and we obey orders down here, especially when there is a river between them and us. The artillery on both sides did some firing and a little picket firing at long range. They stopped us several days when part of the troops after dark marched several miles up the river and threw a pontoon bridge across the river and crossing early in the morning w-ithout firing a shot and came down on their right flank and the game was up. They were completely outgeneraled. We are camped about 2 miles east of Abbeville. This is a nice looking country, plenty of cotton not yet picked, sweet potatoes not dug, and chickens not killed and we help ourselves to them, that is, sweet potatoes and chickens when we can get the chance. You can be sure of one thing, we will not be idle as much as we have been. General Grant is in command of the army again and that means something doing. Well, I guess this is all I can think of this time. Oh, yes, you wanted to know how long it took a letter to come here. The last letter I got from you was dated Nov. 16th and I 1,-ot it Nov. 29th. We are well and feeling a great deal better than during the summer while at Corinth. It may be because the weather is colder and the water is a good deal better. Anyway we feel better while on the march than laying in camp. Hoping this will find you all well, I am,

Your affectionate son.

LETTER VIII. Memphis, Tenn., January 10, 1863

Dear Parents: —

YOU will see that we have been on the march again. We broke camp at Abbeville, Miss., a few days after I wrote you and marched 8 miles south of Oxford, Miss., when we were halted and turned back toward Holly Springs. The rebel cavalry had got on the railroad in our rear and had torn up the track and captured Holly S'prings and a lot of our hard tack, beans, etc., and they (beans and hardtack) are a very necessary article with us. When we got there the Johnnies had gone north in the direction of Grand Junction, Tenn., and there was an immense amount of rations stored there and we immediately started for that place, 42 miles away. We started about three in the morning and at sun down stacked our arms in Grand Junction. We beat the Rebs, they having had to take a round about course, thereby saving a vast amount of rations. We remained there several days, the whole army having come back from Oxford. We then came to this place and are camped in the outskirts of the city. I suppose it must have been General Grant's intention to capture Vicksburg when he started south through Mississippi, but the rebels were tooi busy on his line of communication, or, as the boys say, on his cracker line. We hear it reported that we are going down the river on the boats and try a campaign against Vicksburg in another direction.

This is about all I can write this time. We are well. It is quite cold here. There are about two or three inches of snow on the ground; fell yesterday and last night, but will probably not last long. Direct your letters here and if we have moved they will follow us. My love to all the family. Good bye.

Your affectionate son.

LETTER IX. Melliken's Bend, La., Feb. 7, 1863

Dear Parents: —

YOU see we have been on the move again. We left Memphis the 18th of January, took the steamboats and came to this place. We were four days on the river. We are camped on the west side of the river opposite the mouth of the Yazoo and at the present time employed in repairing an old levee. The water in the river is very high and running through the breaks in the levee and we are trying to fix them up. The country is as level as a floor and when the water breaks through the levee it floods the whole country. We have had to move eamp twice since we came here on account of the water.

Well, mother, what do you think? We have not seen Sam or his uncle since we left Memphis. It is now three weeks that he has been gone. If he has deserted I think it is all on account of that old uncle of his. Sam would never have done that if he had not been influenced by him. If his folks ask you anything about him you will have to tell them, or they may have heard from him. The last I saw of him was when we broke camp at Memphis. He and his uncle got leave from the captain to go ahead as they said they wanted to get their pictures taken and that was the last seen of them. We were on the boat a day and a half before we started and they had plenty of time. I am sorry that Sam should do such a thing and I know his uncle was the cause of it. If I knew I would be killed in the next battle we are in I would not do that. Did I ever tell you that our captain resigned and went home. The first Lieutenant is in command of the company now and he is as fine and brave an Irish lad as ever buckled on a sword or faced an enemy. The only trouble with him is that he likes a little "eye water" now and then, but they can't get much of that down here.

Our gunboats go down the river a little way and engage the rebel batteries at Vicksburg nearly every day. It is not over ten or twelve miles, I should think, by the sound of the guns.

Well, I guess this is enough for this time. I am well and feeling fine, never felt better in my life. When you write send me a few stamps. Love to all the family and friends.

Yours affectionately,

LETTER X. Carthage, La., April 30, 1863

Dear Parents: —

I RECEIVED your letter about ten days ago but we had moved camp twice since that time and by the looks of things I do not think we will be here long. We are below Vicksburg, probably 25 or 30 miles. We left Lake Providence the 23rd, and came back to Mellikens Bend. Left all our tents and came here. Have been here two days. Can't tell why, but I guess our quiet camp life is at an end for the present at least. The bugle has just sounded fall in and that means stop writing.

May 2nd — Well, we did not go far; moved camp about four miles, but there is going to be something done soon. There were several gunboats and transports run past the batteries at Vicksburg some time ago and now we can hear the gunboats shelling the batteries at Grand Gulf and we are about half way between the two places. Grand Gulf Is about forty miles below Vicksburg on the same side of the river. We are about two miles from the river. There has been a good many troops marching past our camp today, all going south or in the direction of Grand Gulf and we are liable to be on the go any minute. Sam has not put in an appearance yet. Our first Lieutenant has received his commission as Captain and the second Lieutenant is now first and the orderly sergeant, second lieutenant. All good fellows. Our captain has just been around and said, "Boys, be ready to march tomorrow morning in heavy marching order with four days rations." That means to draw rations this afternoon so I guess I will stop writing now. One of the boys asked the captain where we were going and he said swim the river for all he knew and I guess that was very near the truth. Cannot tell when you will hear from me again, but will write as soon as we are in a place where I can. Love to all. Good bye. Your affectionate son.

Letter XI

Vicksburg, Miss, May 27. ISfiS.

Dear Parents: —

WE left our camp near Carthage, La., the next day after I wrote to you and marched down below Grand Gulf, crossed the river on boats that had run past the batteries at Vicksburg and Grand Gulf, took a small place called Port Gibson and then turned back up the river in the direction of Grand Gulf, which place had been evacuated as soon as Grant's troops bad crossed the river. We remained there until the 8th when we started north in the direction of Vicksburg. We struck the railroad between "Vicksburg and Jackson on the 13th and turned east the next afternoon; came up to the Rebel works at Jackson and before dark had whipped Johnson and were in the capitol city of Mississippi. We stayed there until the next afternoon, then started in the direction of Vicksburg, marched all night and about 1 o'clock in the afternoon came up to Pemberton's army at Champion Hills and before four o'clock had whipped him, besides taking thirty pieces of artillery and about four thousand prisoners, crossed the Black River the next day and marched straight for Vicksburg; came up to the Rebel works about ten o'clock in the forenoon of the 19th and about two o'clock made a charge, but had run against a snag and were driven back. Made another charge the 22nd with no better success, and now I guess we will have to starve them out. Our loss was two killed and eight wounded in our company. Boadman Paddock and Dan McLean were killed and Frank Luscombe was wounded and has had his leg taken off just above the knee. The rest of the boys you do not know. I came out all right. Maybe you think because I was not killed or wounded I skipped out. Well you just ask the Captain. He is coming home. He got a ball through the calf of his leg and he promised me he would come and see you as soon as he was well enough. I do not think we are more than half a mile from the Rebel works and our rifle pits are still nearer. The gun boats, field batteries and the men in the rifle pits are firing all the time and we can hear the whistle of the Minie ball and bursting of shell all the time. There is not a minute in the day or night but what we are in danger more or less. Where our regiment lies we are somewhat protected, as we are in a ravine, but we do not seem to think of the danger until it is passed. We are to have inspection of arms in an hour or so and I will close.

Your affectionate son.

LETTER XII. Camp near Vicksburg, Miss., June 20. 1863

Dear Parents: —

YOUR letter received. Glad to hear from you. We are still in the same position as when I last wrote you, except our rifle pits are nearer the enemy's position. We advance a little nearer almost every night. In some places our rifle pits and theirs are not more than six or eight rods apart, and in the day time we dare not show our heads above the ground; neither do the Johnnies. We have bags of sand on top our pits, with a little space between the sacks of about two inches, just large enough to put the muzzle of our guns through, and we watch, and if a Johnny shows his head, he gets a salute, P. D. Q., and the same with us, and you better believe we are mighty careful and they are just as careful about showing their heads as we are. But at night we sometimes have a picnic. After dark we frequently hear the following dialogue: "Hello, Yank." "Well, Johnny, what do you want?" "When is Grant going to march into Vicksburg?" "When you get your last mule and dog eat up. How long will it take you to do that?" "Can't tell, we have lots of them yet."' "Say, Yank, we will meet you half way and let us have a friendly chat." "All right, you won't shoot, will you?" "No, but we will bring our guns with us." "All right — we will do the same." "All right, come on." "All right, march."

There are usually six or eight of us together, and two or three will meet them half way between the rifle pits, and sometimes talk for two hours. They are just as sociable and friendly as if we were brothers. They always want some coffee and we give them some, if we have it, and we generally have some, and when we part they will never shoot until they say, "Hello, Yank! You in your hole yet?" We answer, "Yes." "All right then." Maybe they blaze away a dozen shots or more and we do the same. What do you think of that?

Frank and Mike Clark were both slightly wounded a few days ago in the rifle pits. Mike got a furrow plowed on the side of his head, nearly three inches long, just enough to make it bleed nicely, and Frank got a good mark across his breast, about four inches, but no bones were broken. They were both mighty close calls — closer than I want a Rebel bullet to come to me. I think I have written enough this time. I am feeling well, except when I hear the bullets whistle. Then the cold chills creep up my back, and as we hear them all the time, I must be chilly all the time. I will close for this time. Love to all. Yours affectionately.