HIST 1301: U.S. History Survey to the Civil War
Letters from Civil War Soldiers
Camp on the Rappahannock Va
Wednesday Dec 17th 1862
Dear Farther
I received Your letter of the 23rd of Nov. I was glad to hear
from You, and that You were all well. But Farther Since I received
Your letter there has been another great battle over the river I was
in it and came out unhurt in deed I have escaped Wonderfully.
Although there was but one Officer in our regiment Wounded
Oour Brigade was in the fight all day until 3 Oclock . I think it was
the greatest Battle of the war, there was two hundred thousand
troop on each Side, our loss is heavy, about twelve thousand in
Killed wounded and missing. Our line of Battle was 7 miles in
lenght. "Just to think of it."
Farther, I never want to get into another battle it is terrible
Persons falling all around me. if I ever trusted in God I did that
time the fight was on last Saturday the 13th" inst We went over the
river the 12th. The rebels have too Strong a point there to rout
them as they have all the hills and have breastworks thrown up, so
it is impossible to whip them behind their works consequently we
have fell back on this side of the river. The 107th" done its duty
like men it has great praise for its gallantry.
Farther, I Saw the Safe Harbor boys Pickel & Cline Young's
son Just a few days before the Battle. it is Said the reserves lost
greatly in the fight I have not seen them since. The Weather is now
getting very cold the army is Suffering on account of the cold We
layed out in the open fields and woods without tents or eny other
Shelter for nearly one week before the Battle on frost and snow
Whilst the Stay at home party were enjoyin their goodwarm beds. I
wish we had them down here with us for one week they would be
Satisfied.
Farther if my resignation would be exceped I would resign
right away but there has been some half dozen Sent in from our
regiment but they were all sent back but one. therefore it is no use
for me to try it. My hopes we will go into winter quarters about the
first of the Year. our Paymaster has never Shown his face Yet. it is
two bad on the first of January there will be six months pay due me
($600.63.) I think the next muster we will get it which is on the 1st
of January.
I am enjoying good health but I would Sooner be at home I
feel now that I have done my duty and would like to See Some
others do theirs.
I received a letter from Margaret with her likeness a week or two
ago. also one from William & Sarah. I have not received none
from Francis Since You wrote I will write to him again prehaps he
does not get my letters. I direct them as I did always.
Give my love to Susan Cornelius & all the rest and if I can
get home I assure You I will come. Hoping You all are well
I remain ever
your son
J. A. Harman, Lieut, Co. E. 107th" Regt, P Vols
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Camp near Chambersburg, Pa.
June 28th 1863.
My dear Sonny
I promised in my last letter to Aunt Ria that I would soon
answer your letter. We have been so constantly on the move since
then that I really have not been able to do it satisfactorily. When I
received your letter we had just begun to move. I had no idea that
it was the beginning of so grand a movement as it has resulted in
here we are now in the great and powerful State of Pennsylvania
marching forward in the direction of her Capitol. I do not know, of
course, what Gen. Lee is going to do, for like a good general he
will keep his intentions to himself and his Lieut. Generals. But it
appears to me very much as if he is going to strike a blow at
Harrisburg and if he can succeed in taking it, it will be a brilliant
triumph of our arms. The enemy have nothing but raw troops in
our front. I think we can whip these three or four to one. Then we
could march on towards Philadelphia and Gen. Hooker would have
to come to our front to save it and we would thus free Maryland
and maybe take Washington and Baltimore. Thus the summer is
going to be filled with great events and if Providence will favor our
efforts I hope mighty things for our country will be achieved. Our
Army never was in better health and spirits. Since we left
Fredericksburg we have marched about one hundred and sixty
miles. In our march from Culpepper to Ashby's Gap we had a
terrible march. The sun was very hot and then so many men
marching along together made it very dusty. Another thing too, in
the old settled country the farmers find great difficulty in getting
rails. Where we passed it was mountainous and stony and the
people would gather up large quantities and make stone walls
which answer the purpose of a fence and are very durable. When
our troops would be down in a valley, so that no wind could
refresh them, with the sun coming down heavily upon their heads,
the heat increased by the reflection from the walls, and the dust
stifling them so that they could not breathe in pure air, the gallant
fellows, many, very many, would turn red in the face from blood
rushing to their head and fall to the ground with sun stroke. When
we got to Ashby's Gap we stopped for two or three days and then
we had a very heavy rain and one or two days of cloudy and wet
weather. This revived them all like pouring water on wilted plants.
Nearly all came up. We stopped there to guard this Gap and it was
well we did for the enemy's Cavalry assisted by a small force of
infantry drove our Cavalry several miles before them and we all
thought whipped them pretty badly. We had crossed the
Shenandoah River and had to recross it and go back three or four
miles to keep the Yankees from taking the Gap. Next day the
Yankees went back and Stuart's Cavalry went poking along at a
very slow pace as if they were in no great hurry to overtake them.
They now claim in the papers that they drove them back but we
who were there and saw them know better. Our Cavalry is very
little account and have very little to boast of. There are more than
half of them who are with their horses lamed or sore backed with
the wagons. I am glad to see that the newspapers are speaking very
severely about them and I hope it will improve them. They have
got so now that as soon as a fight begins they think that they have
nothing to do but to go to the rear and let the Infantry do the
fighting. Our boys ridicule them very much whenever they pass.
I am afraid that our men will suffer for shoes. These long
marches are very trying on men's feet and shoes. You would be
very much amused to see the men crossing a river. A regiment is
marched down to the banks and sometimes halted long enough to
allow them to pull of their pantaloons. If the water is over waist
deep they put bayonets on their guns and hang their cartridge
boxes on them - then right shoulder shift arms and wade across all
in fine spirits as if it was a frolic. The Yankees carry pontoon trains
along with them but our boys say that every man in General Lee's
Army carries his own pontoons. It is very funny to pass through
these Yankee towns to see the long sour faces the people put on.
The girls some of them wear little United States flags. Others more
indecent hold their noses and make faces. Our men go on and pay
no attention to them. They only laugh at them when they make
themselves ridiculous. Things are very cheap here in their stores
but they will not take our money and Gen. Lee has issued very
stringent orders about private property. He is very right for our
Army would soon become demoralized if they were allowed to do
as many of them would like to. Many of them think it very hard
that they should not be allowed to treat them as their soldiers
treated our people. But we must not imitate the Yankees in their
mean acts.
We are getting a large number of horses but this is being
done by proper authorities.
Gen. Lee is going to support his Army over here and this will
tax the people here and make them feel the war.
You must give my love to all and kiss daughter for me. Give
my love to Grand Ma, Aunt Ria and all at Aunt Louisa's. It is
getting so dark I can hardly see how to write.
Your very affectionate father
Franklin Gaillard
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Dec 6 1862
Dear Brother,
…The weather today is chilly…The contrabands are of all
shades from light yellow down to the blackest of black. Some can
read and write very well. Some are good singers and understand
the rules of music. Most of them are honest and industrious. Others
will not work unless compelled to.
I do not know of their stealing much. One was caught last
night stealing wood. That is the only instance that has come to my
notice.
If Mr. E. Kilbourn wants any more ditches dug tell him to
send for some contrabands. They will work for $25 a month which
is cheap for this kind of help. All they want to encourage them is
talk of freedom and then dirt will fly high and fast.
One good Yankee can do in one week what they will do in
two and do it better. Most of them think it is a disgrace to be called
“contraband.”
Lewis Bissell
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Bowling Green Aug. 24th, 1862
My Dear Wife,
…I have the promise of a negro that he will run off from his
master tomorrow night and come and attend me as servant. He if
thirty one years old, and will make me a faithful attendant.
Everybody can depend upon my preaching and practicing
abolition wherever I go.
I intimate at all times in the harshest manner the kings
English will permit, that the meanest man in the world is he that
lives off of another mans earnings. Satan himself would be
ashamed of stealing from the poor negro…
Samuel Merrill
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Fort Pike March 3d 1863
Capt. Wickham Hoffman
Sir
I have the honor to respectfully tender my resignation to the
office of 2d Lieutenant of Co H 2d Regt La Vols Native guards for
the following reasons:
When I joined the United States Army I did so with the sole
object of laboring for the good of the union supposing that all past
prejudice would be suspended for the good of our Country and that
all native born Americans would unite together to sacrifice their
blood for the cause as our fathers did in 1812&15 to save our
native soil from her threatened doom.
But after five or six months experience I am convinced that
the same prejudice still exist and prevents that cordial harmony
among officers which is indispensable for the success of the army.
Consequently I respectfully tender this resignation subject to your
approval hoping that the blessings of god will Ever smile upon the
flag of my country.
Respectfully your obedient servant
R.H. Isabelle 2d Lieutenant Co H 2d La Vola
Native Guards
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June 2, 1864
Dear Father,
I suppose you have been looking for a letter from me.
Since we landed at Bell Plain there has been no opportunity
for sending mail out from the army. If we have marched ten miles,
we have marched twelve times that distance.
We had one skirmish—none of us were hit. But the worst
finally came and that was yesterday. We marched seven or eight
miles and got there around 2 p.m.
The enemy had thrown up rifle pits in our front. The artillery
opened on them with shells but that did not make them leave so the
order came to charge on them.
Our regiment was drawn up in three lines of battle—one
behind the other. Our company was in the front line. We went on
the double quick—Col Kellogg in front.
But here it seems as if I must stop.
The men began to fall and oh! The storm of leaden rain that
was poured into us cannot be described. The roar of musketry was
terrible but not so awful as the cries of the wounded.
Co. A has lost more than any other company in the regiment.
Sixteen were killed and about eighty, perhaps more, wounded…If
there is ever any rejoicing in the world, it will be when this war is
over.
One who has never been under fire has no idea of war.
Lewis Bissell
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Charleston Friday Aft. March 3rd 65
My Dearest,
…My heart is very sad, yet I repeat with trust, God will keep
them, [his wife and children] knowing my powerlessness, shielding
with more gentleness those whom I have given into His care, than
if my feeble protection could be theirs. Happy would one be if
amid crumbling cities, smoking ruins, devastated fields, deserted
homes, sable clad widows, fatherless babes, he could look up and
discern compassion in Heaven. Today the clouds appropriately
shut out the sun, the blue, the stars, but it is even more difficult
when the sky is flooded with sunshine to perceive anything but
mockery and the woes of an expiring world.
Perhaps ‘Perfect through suffering’ is the great truth, but the
school ‘keeps’ long, and the lessons are hard to learn, and the
hours creep so wearily till the time for the door opening comes.
The three years will end and then the Six hundred thousand,
or rather the war worn remnant of those who left their homes in the
Fall of 62, will burst from confinement perfected—maybe—
through suffering.
I ought to be better for God only knows how I have suffered,
you never can, I hope, I trust, I tremblingly believe I am.
A person connected with the army ought not to be depressed
when he witnesses the joy of the poor oppressed Blacks, but
thankful rather that broken shackles prove his life not to have been
altogether in vain.
While we were singing John Brown and the Year of Jubile
this morning a great crowd of tattered women, gathered from the
streets into the hall waving their hands shouting, throwing arms
around each other, kneeling and praying God bress you and take
you Massa and all dat you love to heaven whar you will shine like
a star in glory—we owe it all to you bress God.
For you I would do anything everything, without you life
would be nothing but a pang.
Forever thine
Samuel Merrill
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May the 12 1861
My Dear sister
I seat myself this morning to let you know that I am well and
we were ordered yesterday evening to be in reddyness to march to
Harpersferry on Tusday for the purpose to be in reddyness to take
harpersferry we came here on fryday we hav ban injoying our
selves verry well sence we hav ben here most all of the company is
gon home to bid there friends good bye & sum of the company
dont mind hit atall & there is not miny ever expects to see Staunton
after Tusday & as for my fare I never expect to see you nor here of
you any more & I hav ben on guard last too nights and I am so
sleepey that I can't wright
So that is all I hav to say at this time
So I will wright next Sunday if I can & So that is all at
present excuse bad wrighting and spelling So Good By for now
and for ever
William H. Dunlap
James McPherson article: “A War That Never Goes Away,”
American Heritage online
Link: http://www.americanheritage.com/content/war-nevergoes-away