1864: John F. Weeks to Edgar & Lydia (Weeks) Wright

I could not find an image of John but here’s one of Milton Emmett Cornell (1843-1926) who served in Co. E, 36th Illinois. This CDV was probably taken in 1864 at Aurora, Illinois, while Milton was on his Veteran’s furlough. He was later severely wounded in the Battle of Resaca on 14 May 1864 and an amputation earned him a discharge for disability. (Tim Smith Collection)

These letters were written by John F. Weeks (1838-1898), the son of Thomas T. Weeks (1799-1885) and Freelove Thorn Fowler (1805-1866) of Erie county, Ohio. In 1860, 23 year-old John was enumerated in the household of James B. Wiltsey of Point Pleasant, Warren county, Illinois, where he was employed as a farm hand.

On 20 August 1861, John enlisted at Young America, Illinois, as a private in Co. K, 36th Illinois Infantry—the “Fox River Regiment.” He was mustered out on 22 September 1864 as a sergeant after three years of service. His military record indicates he stood 5 feet 6 inches tall, had black hair and hazel eyes. When this letter was written in January 1864, most of the remaining members of the 36th Illinois had volunteered to reenlist in the service, induced by a 3-day furlough and a monetary “bonus.” Those who reenlisted were considered “Veterans.” We learn from the letter that after three years of hard duty, John could not bring himself to reenlist and so was temporarily attached to the 88th Illinois Infantry until the veterans returned from their furloughs.

John wrote the letters to his brother-in-law Edgar Wright (1824-1894), the wife of Lydia Mott Weeks (1822-1905) of Mount Kisco, Westchester county, New York. Edgar made a living in the wholesale grocery trade. Lydia was a half sister of John’s, her mother Mary (Hoag) Weeks dying in 1833.

Almost as a post script to the second letter, John added the words, “This envelope is Confederate property” suggesting to me that the envelope included with the letter is not the same one the letter was originally mailed in but most likely carried another of John’s letters. Clearly this envelope was manufactured in Ohio and includes the poem, “The World” which was written by W. H. Sheldon. Union soldiers often begged the folks back home to send them writing paper and envelopes as these articles were difficult to obtain in the Deep South. This particular envelop was probably sent to John for his use by his Ohio relatives.

Letter 1

Rienze, Mississippi
August 28, 1862

Dear Brother & Sister,

I have but little news and consequently can write but little though I’ll do as well as circumstances will permit. I am well and hearty as a soldier need be, and am guard today. Gen. [Gordon] Granger is now in command of the brigade while Gen. [Alexander S.] Asboth is home on furlough. He is looked for now every day. Our Colonel [Nicholas] Greusel is acting Brig. General. My captain’s name is John Q. Adams. [He] is now sick [and] has been unfit for duty for two months.

Day before yesterday a squad of secesh cavalry charged into the camp of the 7th Kansas but were made to skedaddle as they call it themselves, leaving 11 killed. Three of our boys were wounded, none killed. There is occasionally a picket shot at [us but] none have been killed. I would draw a plot and send it to you if I dared to. It might be made a serious [offense] if caught at it.

There appears to be general move of troops all along the line. Gen. Rosecrans is at Tuscumbia. I think it is probable we will move before long.

For a change of victuals, we buy potatoes and pay two dollars per bushel. I received a letter from Father and Sarah Ann a few days ago. Father says Mother is yet quite feeble. I’d like to get home and see them but there is no possible chance.

Uncle Sam is a very good paymaster, We were paid off a day or two ago. There will be two months more pay the first of next month. I went to the Shiloh battle ground a few days ago. It is larger than the Pea Ridge but the trees show the effect of no more or heavier cannonading that at Pea Ridge. My gun has a mark produced by a lead messenger.

The weather is still hot. No more at present. write soon.

Yours affectionately. — John F. Weeks, Co. K, 36th Ill. Regt. via Cairo

to Edgar and Lydia Wright

Gen. Asboth’s Division

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Letter 2

[Note: My compliments to Ann Melichar for providing me with an excellent first draft of this transcription.]

Addressed to Edgar Wright, Mount Kisco, Westchester county, New York

Strawberry Plains, Tennessee
January 12th 1864

Dear Brother & Sister, 

Singularities still exist and being one of Mother Nature’s heirs, I of course inherit a portion of her wild freaks. So to write whether responded to or not is a something seldom acceded to, though the request and inducements prompting me to write are supreme. Although in Dixie, we are shivering over our camp fires. The ground is covered with snow and our pup tents are not quite as comfortable as the old home kitchen. We are about twenty-five miles east of Knoxville in [the] Holsten river flats. 

We have been in this camp about three weeks. Rumor says we are going to the front in a few days or back to Chattanooga. Our front is at New Market, twenty-five miles nearly southeast near Bulls Gap. Deserters are coming in in squads of a hundred. A few days ago a couple men was sent to our lines to ascertain what reception deserters met with. They returned and brought with them next day a regiment of Tennesseans.

I hope you enjoyed the New Years better than I did, but my dinner I presume relished as well as did yours. Judge for yourself; I had a hoe cake that I baked on a shingle. Our rations are scant. We get but little government provision. It seems I am one among the very lucky. I was with my regiment in the charge of Mission[ary] Ridge and escaped uninjured. It was a little the nicest thing I have seen during my years in the service, but many a poor fellow looks at it in a different light.

My Regiment—the 36th Illinois—has enlisted as veterans and have gone home. I have been detailed for duty in the 88th Illinois, Co. K, of the same brigade as before. I concluded I could not afford three years’ service for a veteranship, or any other ship, for the sake of 30 days furlough and dollars are no inducement to me [even] if I had none. 

Yours as Ever, — John F. Weeks, Co. K, 88th Illinois Regiment

Via Chattanooga

This envelope is Confederate property. 

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1862: Didier Gevrez to Theodore Gevrez

I could not find an image of Didier but here is an early-war tintype of Pvt. Thomas Read, Co. E, 36th OVI who was killed at Cedar Creek, Virginia, on 19 October 1864. (Charles W. Darden III Collection)

These letters were written by Didier Gevrez (1844-1890) of Co. A, 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). [Didier’s surname is spelled Georez on the company roster.] Didier enlisted in the company on 11 August 1862. In December 1863, he would be joined by his half-brother Lafayette (1845-1878) in the same company. Both survived the war and mustered out with the regiment in the summer of 1865.

Didier’s three letters give us only a snippet of the history of the 36th OVI from the fall of 1862, following the battles at South Mountain and Antietam in which the 36th were engaged. In the latter battle, the regiment was part of the brigade that stormed and finally succeeded in crossing Burnside’s Bridge over Antietam Creek after the bloody repulses of the morning. After crossing, they advanced on Sharpsburg and helped check the Rebel advance of A. P. Hill’s men.

Didier was the son of Theodore Gevrez (1810-1891), of French heritage, who married Jane Smithson in Marietta, Ohio, in 1833. After the war, Didier returned to Ohio and become a farmer. He later moved to Kansas, settling in Johnson county.

[Note: These letters are from the collection of Jim Doncaster and are published by express consent.]

Letter 1

Clarksburg, Va.
October 18th 1862

Dear Father,

I will write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. I received a letter from [brother] Lafayette the 16th. I was glad to hear that you was all well.

We went into camp on the Antietam the day after the battle, the 19th September. Stayed there till the 8th of October. Then we marched to Hagerstown 18 miles. Then 12 miles to Clear Springs. Then 14 miles to Hancock on the railroad. Got on the cars Friday night the 10th October. It rained all night and the next day. It was very dry before. We stayed on the cars at Hancock three nights. Then we run to Cumberland. [Stayed] there two nights, then to Clarksburg.

We got off the cars Thursday, 16th, and went into camp. I got twenty-nine dollars at Hancock and I will send it home to you when I get the rest. I think that we will get paid off soon now and I will send it all together. When I was on the cars coming through the folks was plowing and sowing wheat in Maryland. It’s a good wheat country. It was too dry for corn this year here. On some farms I seen two and three thousand bushels of wheat.

You have heard of the battles we had at South Mountain and Antietam. I have seen some papers—the Frank Leslie and Harper’s Weekly. They had a fair view of the Battle of Antietam where we charged across the bridge and up the hill and towards Sharpsburg. I got a Cincinnati paper the day we got here. It had a letter that General Cox wrote. He commanded the Division then. He left a week ago last Sunday for Kanawha. I have not heard from there lately. We don’t hear much—only when we get papers. Some of them gets papers from Marietta every week here.

I don’t know how long we will stay here or how soon we may leave. When I get my money, I will write again. I have been cutting hair ten cents a head. Yesterday I but 13. I am called out to cut hair again so I will close till next time. There is five sutlers here. Guitteau and son is here. They sell things very high, all of them. There is lots of little boys fetch in pies and sell them at ten cents each, butter fifteen cents, eggs 12 1/2.

Yours, — Didier Gevrez

Co. A, 36th OVI
Clarksburg, Virginia

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Letter 2

Clarksburg, Virginia
October 20th 1862

Dear Father,

I will write you a few lines this morning. I sent you fifteen dollars and an order for twenty-nine dollars by Theodore. The twenty-nine was to be left at Marietta so you could get it but the pay roll was not made out right. That pay roll was made out when we was at Munson Hill the 4th of September. I got my twenty-nine dollars at Hancock the 12th of October and half a month’s pay the 12th. The pay master is paying off the regiment now. The boys get six months pay. Captain J[ohn A.] Palmer is going home and I will send my money by him. He is going to take the money for his company. I will send you thirty dollars this time and one dollar of the new kind of money they have for change.

We had a little frost this morning and there was two companies of volunteers come in this morning for the 11th Regiment OVI. They came from Camp Dennison. One of them told me that the camp was full of drafted men and they were being sent off to fill up old regiments.

No more at this time. I am going to Clarksburg this afternoon. It is a mile from here.

Yours respectfully, — Didier Gevrez

Co. A, 36th Regt. OVI

George Barker, Levi Putnam, Frank Duval and some more just came into camp.

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Letter 3

Camp on the Kanawha
32 Miles above Charlestown

Dear Father,

I will write you a few lines this evening. We was two days marching from Summerville here, 33 miles. I was up to see the 92nd Regiment. They are camped at Gauley Bridge, 3 miles above here. They are all well and I eat dinner with Capt. Dudley and Jude Chamberlain. Jude is the sutler of the 92nd. They keep one company to work round the camp at a time. They had Unn Robison in the guard house for getting tight. He found a pint of whiskey while he was at work cleaning off the ground where there was an old tent and some other things. The 21st Regiment is camped above the 92nd and the 4th Virginia. Joe McGuire is in the 4th Virginia. I seen him. He is big as anybody. I expect we will go down the river some place to winter. I think the fighting is about over this winter.

Charlestown, Virginia
November 19th 1862

I will write you a few more lines. We are camped on the Kanawha at Charlestown. We left Clarksburg 25th of October. Went to Summerville, 101 miles. Got there the 2nd of November and left the 11th and got here yesterday, 65 miles from Summerville.

The 36th Regiment has been round. Capt. Palmer got here the same night we got into camp. He fetched Peter Hockenbery and William Rodes. They are handcuffed and in the guard house. Thomas Jackson came too. He told me that you talked of coming out here when we get into camp where we will stay awhile. I think we will go into winter quarters pretty soon. Then I will write to you and let you know.

I seen some of the Kanawha salt works. They are making salt by wholesale at some of the wells and some was burnt by the rebels. The wells are from Camp Piat 10 miles to Charlestown all along the river as thick as the oil wells on Duck Creek. No more at this time.

Your respected son, — Didier Gevrez

Co. A, 36th Regt. OVI

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