This letter was written by John Thomas Arbaugh (1836-1905) of Plymouth, Marshall county, Indiana, who enlisted in 27 August 1861 to serve in Co. F, 29th Indiana Infantry. He mustered out of the regiment as a veteran on 2 December 1865 at Marietta, Georgia, having risen in rank to sergeant during the war.
John was the son of Jacob Arbaugh (1806-1872) and Elizabeth Lawrey (1813-1880).
John wrote this letter in November 1861 from Kentucky where the regiment drilled until marching on Bowling Green in March 1862 and then marching on to Nashville. Their first major engagement was the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.
The letter was addressed to Mr. Matthew Myler, Cottage Hill, St. Joseph county, Indiana.
[Note: My thanks to Stacy Cookenour for providing me with a transcription of this letter.]
Transcription
Camp Nevins November 8th, 1861
Mr. Myler Dear Sir,
It is with pleasure I take my pen in hand to drop a few lines to you to let you know that I am well and hope this will find you enjoying the same. I have had very good health since I left you with the exception of a cold once and while. It is very warm here in the day and cool at night and we have to be careful or we will take cold every night.
I have wrote two letters to Calvin and have never got any answer. I [don’t] know whether he got them or not. I would like for you to write me a letter and let me know how you all [are]. I have wrote so many letters, [and] get no answers, that I almost get discouraged and think that I will not write anymore. When you write to any of [us], be careful how you direct them. Some of the letters that are sent are directed to Nolanville and then we don’t get them. When you write, direct to Camp Nevins, KY, 29th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, care of F[rank] A. Hardman and then we will get them. David Frame is writing to you and I thought I would write a few lines and send it in the same letter to let you know that I was well. I wish you would see Calvin and then let me know if he got them letters that I wrote. I would be very glad if you would write me a letter.
No more, yours very respectfully, from John T. Arbaugh
I could not find an image of Harvey but here’s Charles T. Rentfrow of Co. F, 29th Indiana Infantry
These letters were written by John “Harvey” Grable (1844-1864) of Co. E, 29th Indiana Volunteers. Harvey was the son of Samuel Grable (1801-1892) and Hannah Conrad (1807-1876) of Bethlehem township, Cass County, Indiana—some five miles from Logansport. Harvey enlisted in the 29th Indiana Regiment on 13 October 1861. He died at Chattanooga on 1 July 1864 from wounds received in the Battle of Lookout Mountain. He was buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery (Plot E#11651).
Harvey’s first letter was written from Kentucky where the 29th Indiana Regiment was encamped just prior to marching on Bowling Green. From there the regiment moved with General McCook’s division to Tennessee where it participated in the second day’s fight at Shiloh—its first major battle. The 29th Indiana was under fire for some five hours and lost heavily. In his second letter, written to his sister a week after the battle, Harvey informed his sister that it was a misconception “that the Rebel’s can’t fight. They can fight just as well as we can.”
Harvey addressed the letters to his younger sister, Mary F. Grable (1847-1915).
Letter 1
Note:Though unsigned there is strong evidence to conclude this letter was written by Harvey. The strongest evidence is that the author claims to have been marching in company with David Early (1843-1926)—another member of Co. E, a close friend, and one who was known to the folks back home. David Early was from Bethlehem, Cass county, Indiana, which is also where Harvey Grable was from. [Note: The Grable & Christie Letters appear to have been together as a single collection at one time; see: The Civil War Gazette]. Additionally the handwriting of the second letter matches the first.
Union troops marching on muddy roads near Green River, Kentucky
[Camp Wood, Kentucky] January 11th 1862
In camp and haint on any horse. I got along first rate, only I had a little trouble in Louisville. I had to get a pass there. I started [at] seven o’clock on Friday morning. There was a fire in town that morning. I got to camp on half fair. They have got big tents now—15 [men] in a tent. It is a nice place where they are now. It is very hilly here. I got to Green River Saturday, 8 o’clock p.m. It is about a mile and a half from camp.
Dave Early and I stayed at the depot that night. We slept in an ambulance that was standing there. It was the coldest it has been this winter. It [water] froze so it would bear [weight]. It is rainy here now. It is mud knee deep.
Bob Christie is well. He was so he couldn’t talk for to or three weeks. That day that Job Pownall left he got so that he could talk. He looks bad. I hain’t been up to see Tom Campbell yet but they say he is running around.
Write as soon as you get this. The boys are all well.
Direct your letter to the 29th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Company E in care of Capt. M[ilton]. M. Boggs
[Acknowledgement: Thanks to Ann Melichar for giving me an excellent first draft of this transcription.]
Letter 2
Addressed to Miss Mary F. Grable, Cass county, Indiana
April the 15th, 1862 Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee
Dear Sister,
I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and I hope that these few lines will find you the same. I received your letter last Monday a week and I was very glad to hear from you. I would [have] answered your letter sooner but we started to march that day and we marched for seven days right along and the last day we was ordered on a forced march and we slung our knapsacks and they didn’t come off till yesterday. We marched 125 miles week before last. We marched all night on Sunday night and Monday, then went right in battle. We marched to Savannah to the Tennessee River and then came up the river on the steamboat ten miles and then went in the battlefield.
They fought all day a Sunday and a Monday we reinforced them and about four o’clock in the afternoon, we run them. A Sunday they made our men retreat for about one mile. They kept us on a stand Monday till about 4 o’clock and then we made them retreat for about 25 miles.
But people mainly tell me that the Rebels can’t fight. They can fight just as well as we can. It is an awful sight to go over the battle[field] right after a battle to see the dead men and wounded men. The battlefield is eight miles square and it would average a man for every 20 feet square. The reason the Rebels had so many men [is] they had eight-day soldiers for this battle. They give them 60 dollars for eight days. Old Beauregard told them that if they gained this battle, he would raise their wages to 15 dollars a month for if they didn’t gain this battle, they was done. They was twelve of our company wounded. I wasn’t hurt.
We drawed our pay yesterday. I drawed 52 dollars. I started home 40 dollars this morning with a man that is here to see the battleground. His name is Teynarden. He will take it as far as Indianapolis and then will send it by express to Logansport. Tell Daddy to go to town right away and get it. Look at the express office for it. Tell him to keep it until I come home if he ain’t got much use for it.
You wanted to know whether I had drawed my clothes. I can draw clothes when I want them. I hain’t got any more at present to write you. Write as soon as you get this.
These letters were written by David M. Frame (1822-1909), the son of Jesse Frame (1780-1859) and Nancy Abshire (1796-1865) of Warren township, St. Joseph county, Indiana. David wrote the letter to his sister Charlotte Frame (1815-1897) and her husband, Matthew C. Myler of Cottage Hill, St. Joseph county, Indiana.
David’s first wife, Mariah Keltner (1826-1860) died in Berrien county, Michigan. The following year, David enlisted in Co. F, 29th Indiana Infantry which was organized at Laporte and was mustered in on Aug. 27, 1861. It left the state on Oct. 9, and joined Gen. Rousseau’s command at Camp Nevin, Ky. from which place it moved with the army to the vicinity of Munfordville. It took part in a movement upon Bowling Green in Feb., 1862, and moved with McCook’s division to the Tennessee, participating in the second day’s battle of Shiloh, where it was under fire for 5 hours and lost heavily.
Despite his advanced years, David remained with the regiment until mustered out on 26 September 1864 after three years service.
[Acknowledgement: My thanks to Ann Melichar for providing me with a transcript of Letter 1.]
Letter 1
Camp Nevins November 8th, 1861
Dear Brother & Sister,
It is with pleasure that I sit down to write to you a few lines. I am not well at present but hope these few lines will find you all well. I have been sick ever since I have been in this state, but I hope I will get better in a few days—or at least well enough to do something after a while. Well, enough of this.
Well now, I would like to hear from you as soon as [you] get this. You must excuse [me] for now writing sooner. I don’t know whether you have looked for anything from me or not, but I have now wrote all of you but have received no answers yet at this time.
Now I will try and tell you something of this country and of our camp. The face of this country is beautiful and the soil looks good but is of a clay nature and it would bear cultivation [but] the [people] here [are] lazy or indolent—I don’t know which. They don’t cultivate half the land they do cultivate. Their corn fields is so weedy that you scarcely get through them and they have more land cleared than they pretend to cultivate. There it is, in waste. I think if [I] owned a farm here, I could live easier here than [I] could in St. Jo. The climate don’t suit me. Nights is cold as March here now, but the sun is as hot as summer which makes it unhealthy, I think.
Now for our camp next. We have now here about forty thousand of infantry and about five or six thousand of calvary and there’s six batteries of six guns each and they range from six to twelve pounders. They throw shell or shot—either, and we expect ten thousand more troops in this week. Yet if they come, our stay here is short for we will march immediately. It is said that Buckner—the Sesech General—is fortifying Bowling Green and it is also reported he has impressed and bought all the wagons that he can find which, if it is the case, looks like he was agoing to run for Tennessee, or Columbus on the Ohio river where their main forces is in this state. But if he gives us battle, he will be taken and all his troops with him. But I don’t believe he will fight at all for he knows our plans—or he acts like he did—and I believe that is the reason of his getting all the wagons that he can for I believe he is agoing to Tennessee, and then we will give him chase I think, from what I can learn from citizens that we won’t have any fighting in this state.
Our Provost Marshal still captures a few deserters. Yesterday our Marshal captured fifteen deserters with their horses and equipage and brought them to headquarters. They had them tied nicely. I don’t know what they will do with them yet.
I’m getting tired and must lie down soon and you must excuse me this time and I will write more next time. So goodbye. But I still remain yours as ever. —David M. Frame
to Matthew & Charlotte Myler
Letter 2
Addressed to Mr. Matthew Myler, Cottage Hill, St. Joseph county, Indiana
Camp Wood [Munfordville, Kentucky] December 30th 1861
Dear Brother & Sister,
It is with pleasure that I take this time of writing to you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present. I hope that these few lines will find you all enjoying the same state of health. You must excuse me for not writing sooner. The reason why I have not wrote sooner is because I though I would be at home about Christmas but I could not get a furlough or a discharge. Now I have got to stay until the war is over or I am otherwise let go home. You need not look for [me] until the war is over but I don’t think the war will last over two or three months longer. I think we all will be at home by the first—March at furthest—but I may be mistaken yet. But it looks now like it would be over soon.
I was out on picket last night and we had very pleasant time of it. We have very pleasant weather here now. The sun shines like May Day. We have no snow here in this country but we have had some snow about a month ago. It was only two inches deep but we have plenty of mud now.
Now I suppose you would like to know where we are and what we are doing at present. We are now on the banks of Green River at village by the name of Munfordville in Hart County, Kentucky, but we are under marching orders and we don’t know how soon we will march further south on toward Bowling Green where the Secesh is entrenched and where is the only chance for them to do anything in this state. But their force will not amount to much by the time our forces get there for our forces is so much stronger than the rebels is that it won’t take us long to rout the out of their entrenchments. By the best accounts we can get, the rebels has not over twenty-five thousand and we have over one hundred thousand strong. And we have some of the largest sized cannon and we have lots of them and the rebels has but few of them—but they are good ones. But what can a few men do with so many more than their own number.
Now I will tell you something of the battle that fought on the opposite bank of Green River where we are encamped. It was fought on the seventeenth of this month. There was over 25 hundred of the rebels and there was only three hundred of our forces and our loss was in killed and wounded forty-one, and the rebels loss was over two hundred and fifty in killed and wounded. They lost one colonel and five captains and several lieutenants. The Twenty-ninth did not quite get within sight of the battle before it was over. It lasted only about half an hour. We would of been in time but we had Green River to cross before we could get there.
Now I believe I have wrote about all at present that is worth writing. But I remain yours as ever.
Goodbye, — David M. Frame
P. S. Now when you write, direct your letter to me in care of Captain F[rank] A. Hardman, Company F, of Indiana Volunteers, Camp Wood, Ky.
David Burroughs Allen also served in Co. A, 29th Indiana
This letter was written by Pvt. Thomas J. Baker (1838-18xx) of Laporte, Indiana, who enlisted in Co. A, 29th Indiana Infantry on 2 September 1861 and was discharged for disability on 30 May 1863. He later resided in Fremont, Indiana, and files for a disability pension in 1870.
Thomas wrote the letter to his sister, Phebe J. (Baker) Miller whose location is unknown.
Transcription
Camp Floyd, Kentucky November the 3rd, 1862
Dear Sister,
Once more I take the opportunity of writing a few lines to inform you how I am getting along. I am well at the present time and most of my comrades are well. George and Hugh Hanselman are well and the health of the army is good.
I will tell you how they use us poor devils here in the army. We have marched about seven hundred miles since the 20th of August. Marched from Battle Creek to Nashville, from Nashville to Louisville, from Louisville to Frankfort—the Capitol of Kentucky, from Frankfort to Perryville, from Perryville to Crab Orchard, from Crab Orchard to Saloma, [and] from Saloma to Bowling Green where we are at the present time. We are on our march for Nashville but how soon we will get there, I do not know. Not much prospects of a battle soon. The Rebs are about one hundred miles from us at the present time.
The Battle of Perryville was a hotly contested field. They were the best looking Rebels I ever seen to suit my fancy. It would have been a horrible sight if those swollen and mortified, mangled forms had been fighting for the preservation of the Union. I have wrote all the war news of any consequence and will tell you of the different circumstances of our friends.
The boys of the 74th are well as far as I know of. John Stout told me that you had not received any letters from myself or William as Leif has wrote 3, Bill has wrote two, and I have wrote three. Not any of us has received any answer from you so I thought I would write once more. I had calculated to never write again but he said he knew you had not received any letters from me and I thought I would write once more to see if I could get an answer to see if you had forgotten me or not. If I receive an answer from this, I shall think if you care nothing for me, you have not forgot me.
While in Alabama, I was very sick. Was thought to be beyond the reach of medical aid. But I recovered and I am as healthy as ever I was in my life. I was lost to this world, or deprived of my reason for 8 days. My folks are well—that is, my wife and her folks. Leif is well and her family. William is in a hospital but not dangerously sick. He has not been with his regiment since the six day battle. He has the piles badly. He is trying to get his discharge. The doctor told him he could not stand the service and he had better get his discharge.
I have wrote all the news that I can think of and will close my letter. If you write, direct to Co. A, Indiana 29th Regt. via Louisville, Ky. Give my respects to all my enquiring friends. Receive my best wishes.
From Thomas J. Baker to Phebe J. Miller
This letter is wrote for an answer of you. Consider me unworthy to be called a brother. Do not let me labor under mistakes, Leif.
William and myself has all wrote to you with the same effect—no answer. I only try this time by the intelligence given by John Stout that you had not received any letters from me and I thought it wrong to not inform you the reasons I have not wrote. The reasons are this—I could receive no answer.
Capt. Manius Buchanan, 118th Indiana Volunteers, taken later in the war.
This letter was written by 25 year-old Manius Buchanan (1835-1914) who enlisted on 28 August 1861 at LaPorte, Indiana, to serve in Co. B, 29th Indiana Volunteers. He was discharged for disability on 5 September 1862. He later reenlisted on 10 July 1863 as captain of Co. F, 118th Indiana Infantry and remained with his company until 24 January 1865.
Manius was the son of David Buchanan (1800-1874) and Lydia Tribbey (1802-1885) of Monroe, Holmes county, Ohio (in 1850), and Fairfield, DeKalb county, Indiana (in 1860).
Manius wrote the letter to his cousin, Emma W. Childs (b. 1843), whom he married on 4 August 1864. He later married Anna Bell (1840-1923) and moved to Oregon where he farmed and found some work as a surveyor.
Letter 1
Camp Nevin, Kentucky [9 miles below Elizabethtown] October 16, 1861
Cousin Em,
I received your last everal days ago but between marching and other duties, I have not had time to answer it until the present time. I am always glad to receive letters from old friends but they [are] particularly welcome at this time. John R. [Buchanan] and Calvin [Marshall] have not come up yet. I have not heard from them since we left them. Absalom Row is sick today. I do not know what is the matter. The rest are all well. I have never enjoyed better health than since I enlisted. I have gained just fifteen pounds in weight.
John [M.] Stonebraker is getting wilder every day and enjoys himself hugely. I believe nothing can change “yours.” He is always the same—harem scarem—good for nothing except grace.
This army encamped in the very heart of a secession neighborhood, but now it is transformed in a Union one.
October 17th. I could not write any more yesterday. I will finish today. I have just learned that John is writing some too. With the very best chance to gain information, I cannot ascertain our own strength. A soldier sees little and knows less. Neither is the regimental officers better informed than the privates. I suppose we are about 15,000; I suppose there is some artillery [though] I have not seen it nor have I seen anyone who has been nor [ ky]. There is cavalry but no one knows how much.
I succeeded in gaining a great secret, true, I know that when we first came into camp an attack was expected daily but it seems our enemies have only their own safety at heart. They blowed up a bridge a few days ago about twenty miles south of this across Green river which cost $180,000, all to prevent our advance. I think they will find we are not so easily stopped. An advance, no doubt, will be made as soon as our army equipments are in readiness.
Since in camp, we get to see no stoves for they are not allowed inside our pickets. Our skirmishing has nearly ceased. There has been no shooting for two days. As I and another stood guard last night, we saw a stranger skulking around the stable, but he went off no better than he came. I go on picket tomorrow. I hope for fire.
The rumor prevails here and is generally believed that we are soon to have peace. God forbid we should have peace except by the entire submission of the traitors. How would these mighty armies feel going home having accomplished nothing. Our officers cannot take us home until every Rebel submits. The Rebels are as usual doing all the damage they possibly can to property as they retreat. We build up as we advance. We have built up and passed two bridges. 250 men are at work on one near our camp, and then come the one across Green river which we will have to rebuild at present.
I intend to write to father in a few days. Then you may expect something else. We may leave this place. Absalom Row was very sick last night but is better today. Do not tell of his sickness. Direct to Louisville, Kentucky, Care of Capt. [Horatio G. P.] Oblinger, Co. B, 29th Reg. Indiana Vols.
Write soon and give me some news. Ever your friend, — M. Buchanan
Excuse me. I cannot pay postage here.
to Em W. Childs
[Editor’s Note: Though the first part of the following letter is missing, I believe it was written not long after the Battle of Shiloh in which the 29th Indiana Infantry participated on the 2nd day. It would have been their first major battle.]
Letter 2
[First part of letter missing, probably mid-April 1862]
…I will now answer your letter to Jacob. I do not think it very good taste in you to be bragging of sweet living while your soldier friends are performing wearisome marches, living on hard crackers and fat pork, sleeping on the damp ground without tents, suffering every conceivable deprivation; we were two weeks without tents and rainy weather at [the] very time you were writing. Jake will hardly stand to have his picture taken for you for some time to come.
I think there is now some prospect of our getting home before very long—I mean within three months. I care not how soon now I would enter another battle as I did this entirely reckless of danger, but I do hope never to be called upon to witness another such a scene of wholesale bloodshed and slaughter.
When our first wounded boy (wounded in the ankle) hobbled away, we all laughed. Do not wonder that was what we were there for. The soldier that walked just in front of me in the rear rank received a ball and fell. I stepped over him and never saw him again. But I must not stop to describe battle scenes. They are not fit subjects to write about.
I find a plenty of old acquaintances here from both Holmes and DeKalb Co.’s. Tell Wanda [that] Washington Kran paid me a visit today; also her relative Lieut. Brady yesterday. I must close. Write and direct as before.
Your friend, — M. Buchanan
Private
“When I look back and see or feel again the passing of the cannon ball that took off my cap in its passage and struck a tree just beyond, tearing right through it, then I think how near we were being separated forever.”
I have received three letters from you since I last wrote. I will not stop to give you my excuses now, only I have been sick. I think the time is fast approaching when we will not have to wait on the slow pen to talk, but when heart may speak to heart and eye to eye, and meet a ready response; and O! how I long for it—especially since the battle. When I look back and see or feel again the passing of the cannon ball that took off my cap in its passage and struck a tree just beyond, tearing right through it, then I think how near we were being separated forever.
I had no fear of safety and it was as I expected it to be—too reckless of life, but I wish to live to get back home again if only to feel the pressure of your hand on my brow and love’s kiss on my cheek. You spoke of something between I and mother [ ] and I will tell you all.
We are expecting another battle near here but you must not think after what I have said that I will enter it reluctantly—not in the least. I will go in more careless than before; do not fear for me. I am coming home untouched.
I have not time to write more ay present. I will write soon again.
Your soldier boy, — Manius Buchanan, Sergt. 29th I. V.
Spared & Shared 22 