These letters were written by 40 year-old John Thomas stark (1821-1893)—a native of Preble county, Ohio, who married Martha Ann Skidmore (1831-1863) of Lafayette, Indiana, in the late 1840s. John and Martha first lived in San Augustine county, Texas, but moved to Burkeville, Newton county, Texas about 1850 where he read law and ran a mercantile/post office in the town.
After Texas seceded from the Union, John enlisted in Co. H, 13th Texas Cavalry (Burnett’s) or 13th Mounted Volunteers. The regiment was raised in eastern Texas, during the winter of 1861-1862 with about 900 men. In the summer of 1862, it was dismounted and assigned to O. Young’s Brigade in the Trans-Mississippi Department. They fought in various conflicts in Louisiana and Arkansas including the Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry. It disbanded in the late spring of 1865.
Upon its formation, John Stark was elected the First Sergeant of Co. H. When Capt. William Blewett died in Little Rock two days after the 1st letter was written, John took over as Captain of the company and filled that role until 25 February 1865.
[Suggested reading: “Spartan Band” published by Thomas Reid.]
Letter 1
Camp Holmes, [near Austin,] Pulaski [Lonoke] County, Arkansas September 17th 1862
A post-war image of Capt. Stark
Dear Martha,
I had written a letter to send by Mr. [John T.] Smith but concluded that he would not start for several days and send it off by mail but I must write you a few lines more for fear you might think like I do sometimes when someone comes up from Newton County and does [not] bring me a letter. We are still in the same camp that I wrote from last but the name has been changed. ¹ I don’t recollect whether I wrote what regiments were in our Brigade or not but if I did, I may have been mistaken as there has been a good many changes. Ours is composed of first [Overton] Young’s, [John] Burnett’s, [William B.] Ochiltrees, Hubbard’s and [George] Flournoy’s, commanded by Col. Young as Senior Colonel. ² We are drilling pretty hard now. Reveille 5 o’clock, Surgeon’s call 5½, Breakfast 6½, Officer’s drill from 7 to 8, Company drill from 8 to 10, dinner 12, Battalion drill from 2 to 4, dress parade sunset, tattoo 8, taps 9½ o’clock.
18th—I began my letter last evening but it got so dark that I could not see to finish and Mr. Smith concluded to stay several days longer. I shall keep my letter open till he goes.
The men who went home have not returned yet and no word of them since Hancock left them. I am still the only officer with the company. We are getting along finely with our drill. The boys seem to begin to take an interest in learning. In fact, I think that they already excel in performance of the company evolutions. I meet with a great many acquaintances. Hamp Norwood came up and shook me by the hand the other day. I should never have known him. Col. [William B.] Ochiltree invited me over to see him. I went on Sunday evening last. While there, I had the honor of another introduction to [Brig.] General [Henry E.] McCulloch. ³ He is one of the plainest, most unassuming men I ever met, together with firmness visible in every feature of his striking countenance. He asked me many questions about our regiment & company and without appearing to do so, gave me a great deal of advice.
The officers of the different regiments now encamped around and near here were last week invited to attend the levee of Major Gen. [Theophilus H.] Holmes and I, of course, went up with the rest. The General is a man of very commanding appearance. He is about 6 feet 2 or 3 inches in height and large in proportion—about fifty years of age—a little stoop-shouldered as very tall men are apt to be. His iron grey hair and beard give him a venerable appearance. He is rather hard-featured and lines of deep thought, firmness, and decision plainly to be seen. He made us a long speech. Told us in plain words what he required of us and gave us plainly to understand that we must come up to the mark.
The Army of General [Samuel R.] Curtis, the Federal General, is said to be on White River, some 50 to 75 miles from us and we all hope one of these days to hear the word “forward march” to attack him and learn him the danger of lying too near to Texians. I feel no doubt now but that if we have the chance to meet the daring invader of our country, but that the Newton boys will give a good account of their part. Our only fear is that they may escape and we be deprived of the opportunity of giving him the drubbing he so richly deserves.
The last paper tells us that our Army under General Kirby Smith has possession of Cincinnati, that the enemy have sustained another overwhelming defeat in Virginia and are driven from the state [2nd Bull Run], [and] that Washington and Baltimore are ours by this time. Men here are offering to bet largely of peace being made before Christmas but I cannot believe it. We did not feel like giving up because they took our cities. On the contrary, we were only aroused to more vigorous prosecution of the war as this camp plainly shows.
But I must close for the present. Someone will be detailed soon to go home after clothing. I think Capt. [William] Blewett will go. Everyone is anxious to be the one. It is true that nothing would give me more pleasure than to see my darling once again but I cannot say that I am anxious to go now for I think that I can by waiting a little longer, get to stay longer when I come. I think you may look for me by Christmas. I shall try mighty hard to spend my Christmas at home and I think I can make it easy. Give my kindest regards to all enquiring friends and my best love to Franny and the children.
Ever truly yours, — John T. Stark
¹ The encampment was called Camp Hope before it was changed to Camp Holmes [and still later Camp Nelson]. It was located near Austin, Arkansas, about 25 miles northeast of Little Rock. The 13th Texas Cavalry arrived there on September 9th, having been dismounted and walked the last 200 miles through southern Arkansas. [Regiments were ordered to be dismounted because of the lack of forage.] The men of the 13th Texas Cavalry marched through the streets of Little Rock on September 6th 1862.
² Theophilus Holmes officially placed Brig. Gen. Henry E. McCulloch in command of the First Division on 28 September 1862. He assigned Col. O. Young to command the First Brigade which consisted of Young’s Texas infantry, Ochiltree’s Texas Infantry, Hubbard’s Texas Infantry, and Burnett’s Texas Infantry.
³ Brig. General Henry E. McCulloch had command of all the Confederate forces in northeast Texas. He was a brother of the more famous Ben McCulloch.
Letter 2
Addressed to Mrs. Martha A. Stark, Burkeville, Newton County, Texas Postmarked Little Rock, Arkansas
In Camp 7 Miles below Pine Bluff, Arkansas January 20th 1862 [1863]
Dear Martha,
I have received no letter from you now since the one dated 19th December. It does seem like a long time but it has been a busy time with us and I never want to see such another time. In the first place, we started from Little Rock to relieve Arkansas Post but like everything General Holmes does, we got there too late—or rather we got in about 20 miles of there and found we were too late. Then learning that the Feds were advancing up the river, we threw up a breastwork and prepared to receive them. I tell you, it made me feel bad to walk around the lines and think how many a poor fellow would bite the dust—or rather the swamp mud—but all my feelings on the subject were thrown away for the enemy from some cause backed out and we then left too and came back up the river 18 miles to our present camp.
But of all cold, frozen times that ever I saw, it was the coldest. It first rained, then sleeted, and then snowed. The snow was about ten inches deep and lay on the ground four or five days. All the time we were expecting to be attacked every hour. The cavalry was galloping backwards and forwards bringing in a few prisoners and news from the enemy. The artillery lumbering by and taking post fatigue parties by the hundreds at work on the breastwork and everything as lively as possible—Generals, Colonels, and the Governor of Arkansas [Harris Flanagin] riding up and down the lines. I shall never feel more certain that we were going to have a fight even if I hear the firing commence.
What will be the next move on the board, I have no idea. Some begin to speculate on the chances of going into winter quarters. Some say there will be peace soon. Everyone has his own idea on the subject. But of all muddy roads ever I saw, I think the one we traveled over yesterday was the muddiest. The snow has melted through. The combined influence of the sun and the rain and the road bein gright along the river all the time with hundreds of wagons, artillery wagons, and cavalry passing all the time, made it as bad as a river bottom road can get to be. I made about 10 miles yesterday carrying my arms, overcoat and blankets for the wagons were so heavy loaded we had to carry nearly all our baggage and slept in a corn crib without any supper and came to camp in time to cook my dinner.
We certainly have the poorest management that ever was seen all this time. We have been marching and countermarching up and down the river. The steamboats are passing us as if to tantalize our misery. If Holmes had put the troops on board the boats, they could have relieved the [Arkansas] Post and given the Yankees another lesson but instead of that, after we started, we lay one day at Little Rock, then came on at easy stages of about 12 miles a day to Pine Bluff. Then we lay up another day and then went on at the same easy gait until we met the news of the fall of the Post.
But I must close for the present. We will all fight our battles over again when we get home. Tell Mrs. Triplett that I saw Willy and Dan both a few days since and they were both in fine health. God bless you my darling wife and [may He] keep and take care of you till I return.
Private Louis Hottowitz and another member of the 17th Missouri or “The Western Turner Rifles” holding their Colt revolving rifles. (Bruce Hermann Collection)
These letters were written by German emigrant Friedrich William Charles Heldman (1840-1912) of the 3rd Missouri Infantry (90-day regiment) and then later the 17th Missouri Infantry (a.k.a. “The Western Turner Rifles”). Though he signed all of these letters “William,” he was carried on the company roster as “Charles.”
The 3rd Missouri Volunteers evolved from one of several unofficial pro-Unionist militia units formed semi-secretly in St. Louis in the early months of 1861 by Congressman Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and other Unionist activists. The organization that would become the 3rd Missouri was largely composed of ethnic Germans, who were generally opposed to slavery and strongly supportive of the Unionist cause. Although initially without any official standing, beginning on April 22, 1861, four militia regiments Blair helped organize were sworn into Federal service at the St. Louis Arsenal by Captain John Schofield acting on the authority of President Lincoln.
The 17th Missouri Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed at St. Louis in August 1861 by the St. Louis Turner Society, a German-American athletic and social organization. Under the leadership of Charles Stiefel and Frederick Leser, the St. Louis Turnverien placed its meeting hall in the hands of General Lyon, the Union military commander in St. Louis, and Col. Sigel, a former German officer. A new regiment known as the Western Turner Rifles was quickly recruited to serve for three years composed primarily of German-American officers and enlisted men from St. Louis who had previously served 90-day enlistments from May to August 1861 with the First, Second, Third and Fourth Missouri Regiments. These units fought under Brigadier General Lyon and Sigel at the capture of Ft. Jackson in St. Louis, the relief of St. Genevieve, Missouri and later in the summer at the battle of Wilson’s Creek.
A post war image of William Heldman and his wife
William was married in 1874 to Anna Therese Mathilde Summa (1850-1935). In the 1900 US Census, William was enumerated in Feeme Osage, St. Charles county, Missouri, with his wife and four children, earning his living as a vine fruit grower. William’s parents were Anton Karl Heldmann (1803-1851) and Bertha Falkmann (1820-1890) of Bexten, Lippe Dettmold, Germany. Sometime in the late 1840s, the Heldman family emigrated to the United States where William’s father died in 1851 and his mother remarried Eberhard Fuhr (1823-1900). William’s younger brother, Theodore, served in the same company with him during several months in 1862 but was discharged for disability due to chronic diarrhea.
Letter 1
St. Louis Arsenal 30 May 1861
My dear brother,
You have heard what has been going on since I have been gone away. You have heard of Camp Jackson. We have since that time been at the Three Mile House at St. Charles Road. Now we are gone back to the St. Louis Arsenal and I believe we will soon leave here. We never get to know till about a half day before we go. Then it is said be ready every hour. If we go now, we will go farther than common. Where we go, I cannot tell but I believe we will go to Cairo or some other place along the Mississippi River. They are going to take us all for three years or the time the war lasts but we have out free will about this, and there is but very few in our company that will go for three years. I am going to wait till my three months is out and then I will see how the times is.
Tell father and mother all I wrote to you. Tell them I could not write German or else I would have wrote to them. Adolph Muhm and Rudolph Daurman is better now. They can walk about again and they are with us most every day an hour or two but they can’t exercise yet.
Our company is changed its name. It is now called Company I. Our weapons we have got is a rifle musket with bayonet, but we are going to have rifles in a few days. There are some boys that are not as large as you are. The soldier’s life is too lazy. We have nothing to do the whole day but a few hours exercise. Charles Kesler is first cook and Paul Rubeling second cook. But there is very bad chance to write. We are in tents and there is but very little room. We are all well. there is not a very good place in the Arsenal. There is not good water here. We have to have guards all along the wall of the arsenal and at the gates of the arsenal. This is not a very good post. At the St. Charles Road, we had to stop every wagon that had a heavy load and examine it, whether it had any powder or any weapons. And at Rock Spring was about six hundred men to stop the railroad trains and examine them. All the soldiers they take now they will not taken them any shorter than three years.
Mother has wrote to Herman that father would be down here in a few days. Tell him to come to the Arsenal if we are here yet. I have heard you had but very little powder. Then you cannot go hunting now like you could when I was at home yet. We have got plenty here. Tell Louisa all I wrote to you and William too. This is [all] I can write to you now. Write to me as soon as you can, your brother, — William Heldman
Letter 2
St. Louis [Missouri] 13 August 1861
My dear brother,
You have heard all our bad luck we have had. You heard we have been taken prisoners at Neosho in Newton County. We were in a very bad fix there. The secessions wanted to kill us but General [Ben.] McCulloch of Texas with his men took us prisoners would not let them for he made a retreat with our Captain [Joseph Conrad] that they would treat us like we did their men we took prisoners. We made them swear to the United States every town we come to. We had the Court House full of secessions. We had a very hard march from Rolla to Springfield. It was a very bad road—hardly passable for cannons.
We first started from Rolla at nine o’clock in the night and got to Little Piney the next day at two o’clock in the evening. From there we started about night and about three o’clock in the night we got to Big Piney and we kept on marching almost day and night till Springfield. There we stopped one day and the we went on 85 miles to Neosho. There our company was left behind and Sigel went on to Carthage with about 800 men. There was a great many left in Mt. Vernon who could not walk any further and near Carthage.
Sigel found Jackson on a large prairie where he found him with about 5,000 men but they were not very good armed. Sigel attacked one or two o’clock in the evening [see Battle of Carthage]. We heard the cannons at Neosho and at three o’clock there came a man from Sigel and brought the orders for us to go back and we were all ready to go [when] there came about 1,500 secessionists from Arkansas and Texas commanded by General McCulloch.
We were all in the Court House where we had our place to stay. As soon as we seen them come, we knocked [out] all the windows and shut the doors, [and] got ready to shoot through the windows. The secessionists stopped and two men came up to the fence with a white handkerchief and asked our Captain to surrender and our Captain came in to us and told us. We told him we would sooner die. Our Captain told us we could not fight against so many and our Captain asked them if they would treat us just [if] we would surrender to them and they promised by their honor and so we give up. They kept us three days and then we had 85 miles to go without anything to eat. 1 We got back to St. Louis and we have been here a good while waiting for our money and our discharge but I think we will soon get it. As soon as we get it, we will come home. Herman will bring father the adz he wrote for. This is all I will write to you now for I hope we will soon be home.
Your dear brother, — William Heldman
1 In his after action report, Joseph Conrad, Capt. of Co. B, Third Regiment Missouri Vols., wrote that he surrendered his company of eighty men on 5 July 1861. “On the 8th we were released, we officers having before given our parole of honor not to serve any more against the Confederate States of America during the war, my men having before sworn to the same effect. We left Neosho on the evening of the 8th at 5:30 o’clock, with an escort of about 30 men, under the command of Captain Boone, for our security and protection, the people of Neosho and farmers of that vicinity having threatened to kill us in the streets. Captain Boone escorted us about 4 miles from the camp. After innumerable hardships and dangers, without food and water, our canteens having all been stolen from us by the Southern troops, we at last reached Springfield, my men all broken down, having traveled the distance of 85 miles in fifty hours, with hardly any food at all.”
Letter 3
Rolla [Missouri] [August] 21, 1861
My dear brother,
I have received your letter and was very glad about Herman’s writing and Mary’s too. We have traveled a great ways since I wrote to you the last time. We have been gone to Springfield and when we came there, Price was at Wilson’s Creek and we was going there the next day. We had march[ing] orders for the next morning at 3 o’clock, but there was a very bad thing going on. Frémont was taken away from us and was to go off that morning and the German regiments were out of courage and would have started a revolution but our officers told us that Frémont was only called off to Washington and would seen be back again and so they kept us in order and Frémont left us. 1
The next day we went to Wilson’s Creek but the enemy was gone and I think they have left the state. I have been all over the battlefield but it looks dreadful there. The ground is covered with dead horses and the trees are full of balls. The next day we started for Rolla where we are now in a camp near Rolla and I think we will soon go to St. Louis and if we stay there this winter, I will try to get home once, but I believe we will go down the Mississippi to Memphis.
Franz Hassendeubel, Colonel of the 17th Missouri Infantry
Tell Herman that I was very glad of his writing and I would write to him but I was not well off with writing German. Tell him that his Uncle was at home when I first left there. I don’t think he would leave home. Tell him that his friend Arnold Gott was at the same regiment I am. He is by the music band.
You have asked about my company. They are all very good men and not such rough steamboaters like our first company—[Peter Joseph] Osterhaus‘s Regiment. All hate us because our Colonel [Franz Hassendeubel] 2 tends to us better than any other in Missouri. We always get plenty of everything. We are all well-clothed and well off in everything except money, but as soon as we get to St. Louis, I believe we will get some. If we do, I will have my likeness taken and I will leave the rest at Gustus Meyer if I can. I have left some clothes at Herman’s Uncle. This is all I can write to you. Your true brother, — William Heldman
1 The 17th Missouri formed part of a brigade commanded by Colonel Peter Osterhaus, another former German officer with experience in the 1848 German revolution. Osterhaus, from Belleville, Illinois, was a friend of Sigel and Hassendeubel’s and encouraged German-Americans in Belleville to join the Missouri regiments. Osterhaus’ brigade was known as the German brigade because three fourths of the soldiers serving in the brigade’s 3rd, 12th and 17th Missouri Regiments were German -Americans. Osterhaus’ Brigade was attached to the Army of the West commanded by General Fremont whose headquarters was in St. Louis. Fremont was a special friend of the German-American community because of their shared support of the Free Soil Movement and opposition to the nativist Know Nothing Party. The German-Americans voted for Fremont when he ran for President in 1856 on an anti-slavery platform.
2The 17th Missouri Regiment’s commanding officer, Major Franz Hassendeubel was St. Louis City Engineer when the Civil War erupted. He had been instrumental in the Turner Society in St. Louis and along with Franz Sigel had been secretly training Turner Society members in anticipation of the outbreak of war. Hassendeubel had served in the U.S. Army as an artillery officer during the Mexican War. He had a distinguished military career serving under General Steven Kearney during the movement of U.S. forces from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to Santa Fe in August, 1846. He participated in the battle of Taos, New Mexico entering the city as head of U.S. forces and accepting the surrender of the Mexican garrison. As city Engineer, Hassendeubel helped to design and construct ten earthen forts and seven artillery batteries around St. Louis shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War.These fortifications protected the exposed western flank of the city stretching from Hyde Park on the north side, along Grand and Jefferson Boulevards to the Naval Hospital on the south side. Several other officers in the 17th had military experience. Lt. Col. Cramer and Major Poten were also Mexican War veterans who had served with distinction.
Letter 4
[St. Louis, Missouri] September 8, 1861
My dear father,
I want to tell you that I am not at the Frémont Guard because our German officers all went away and our Colonel Frémont brought from Germany was put out of office. All the Germans left the regiment and went to the Turner Rifle regiment and I am not sorry for it because this is the best regiment I know of. They are all Germans and the order were the best of any other regiment. As soon as a person signs, he gets a blanket and everything he wants. There are some of Cincinnati and some of Detroit. If anybody wishes to come from Augusta, tell him to come to the Turner Rifle regiment. The headquarters is at Winkelmeyer’s and Schiffer’s Brewery [in St. Louis]. I cannot write to you what company I am in. I will soon write again and then I can tell you all about it and then you can write to me. This is all I know about to write this time.
Your dear son, — William Heldman
Letter 5
St. Louis [Missouri] 15 September 1861
My dear brother,
I have not much to tell you but I will write to you that I am well yet and that I have great deal better company than before. Our captain is a very good man. He don’t count himself more than any of us. Tell Herman that Arnold Gott is here too by a music band. Tell him that Reipsleger wishes he could write to him. If Herman wishes to come to the Western Turner Rifle Regiment, we have all got our knapsacks and a blanket and two woolen shirts and two pair socks. We will get two blue suits of cloth and a black hat.
If you wish to write to me, write Charles Heldman, Co. A, 17th Regiment Missouri Volunteers, St. Louis, Mo. Write to me as quick as you can. Your dear brother, — William Heldman
Letter 6
St. Louis, Missouri September 20, 1861
My dear father,
I wish you would write to me once for I believe we will soon go away from here and this is the third time I write to you. Write to me how you are and if Herman is well again. I have heard that the Augusta Home Guard is all gone away from there. Is Theodore gone along too?
I believe we will go up Missouri too. We get everything we want. We get blue clothes and a black hat and short Enfield rifles. I am always well yet. This is all I know about now but I wish you would soon write to me.
Your dear son, — William Heldman
If you write to me, write Charles Heldman, Company A, 17th Missouri Western Turner Rifle Regiment
Letter 7
St. Louis, [Missouri] September 25, 1861
My dear father,
I will write a few words to you. I will tell you that we will leave St. Louis today or tomorrow. Where we are going, I do not know, but I believe we will go up to Missouri some place. This is all I know but I wish you would write to me. I have wrote four times now.
Your dear son, — William Heldman
If you write to me, write to Charles Heldman, 17th Missouri, Western Turner Rifle Regiment
Letter 8
Sedalia, Missouri October 5, 1861
My dear brother,
I have received your letter and I was very glad to receive your letter but with that money you wrote about. It is very bad for Captain Conrad. He is Major in Sigel’s Regiment and I have not seen him since I have been gone. We have left St. Louis and we are in a little town called Sedalia. We have to wait for a battle every day. Yesterday our pickets had a fight. We lost one man. How many the enemy lost, we do not know but we are not afraid now for we have a good many soldiers up here now. The enemy entirely surrendered. The only got one way about 40 miles to get out. We took three prisoners last night and they had hardly any clothes on and they said that the whole army was the same way.
Jefferson City is full of soldiers. When we came through Jefferson City, I went into the capitol but it looked very bad in there. There had been soldiers in there for a long time and everything was tore upside down. It is a very fine building made out of white rocks and inside it is full of fine works but now it is all spoiled.
How strong our army is now I cannot tell for there are not more than 12,000 men on one place. They are all over the country in every little town. In about two hours we can have 30,000 men on one place. This is all I can write to you this time. Write to me as soon as you can whether you are all well yet. Your true brother, — William Heldman
October 1861 Camp Fork Spring
My dear father,
I have received Theodore’s letter and I was very glad to hear that you were all well yet and mother wrote to me about my clothes. I left my carpet bag at Herman’s uncle and my blanket too for it was too much to take. We all got two blankets and a cloak and four woolen shirts and three pair of socks, two pairs of blue pantaloons, and two blue coats. Our rifles is five shooters made like Colt’s revolver with a saber bayonet.
We are now camped on a large prairie. Sigel is crossed the Osage and is about 60 miles before us. Price is closed in from all sides now. I have not wrote the date in the letter because I did not know when I could send this letter off next time. When you write to me, write who is captain of the Augusta Home Guard. I have received two letters from Theodore. This is all I know now.
From your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 9
Rolla [Missouri] December 19, 1861
My Dear Father,
I have received Theodore’s letter and I was very glad to hear that you were all well yet and that you had plenty work. We have stayed in the same camp we first came in when I wrote to you the last time. We have suffered a [good] deal since we have been in this camp. We have suffered of cold and sickness. In some regiments there [are] about two or three dying every week. I have been sick too for about a week and I am not quite well yet. I wish very much that I could be at home at Christmas but cannot be at home—that I know. I believe I will be far from here for I think we will soon leave here. Where we will go, I do not know but the most think we will go to Kentucky. But I do not know how we will go there. Some thinks we have to march to the Mississippi River and some thinks we will go to St. Louis on the railroad and then go down the river. But for certain, nobody knows.
We have not got any money yet and I do not know when we will get any money. I wish very much I could be at home at Christmas but I cannot. Therefore, I wish you all a very glad time then. If we have to march to Kentucky, we will see some hard times. We will have to strike up our tents on the cold, frozen ground and lay on the cold, wet ground all night. Since the time we have been in this camp, I have got tired of that life. On all the way from Sedalia, we have had very good times but now it is all over. Our Colonel is sick. He always cared for us a great deal.
This is all I can write this time. Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 10
[Rolla, Missouri] December 31, 1861
Dear Father,
I have received mother’s letter and I was very glad to hear that you are all well yet. The two dollars you put in the letter for me I have received them. I am very glad you have put them in for me although I have got paid. A few days before Christmas I got paid from the 8th of September to the first of November. I received $22 and 30 cents and today we got mustered for our next pay. We will get paid from the first of November to the first of January. We will get paid in a few days and then I would like to get my money home for it will be a great deal of trouble to carry it along with me.
I am well and have been well ever since I wrote the last time.
Our regiment has not got very many sick and the other German regiments have not many sick men, but the American regiments have two or three dead every day. We have had two dead since we been in the camp. One of Company K and one of Company B and one Lieutenant of Company H shot himself with his revolver in the head and he lived nine days afterward. He shot himself because his company did not want him anymore. He did not understand his business.
I have had a Christmas like I never had one before. I was out on picket guard two miles from the camp and it was a very cold night. Mother wrote whether I had warm clothes. We have warm clothes enough—as many as we can put on. But if it gets right cold, we cannot get warm. If I could get away from the soldiers now, I would go right off for it is nothing but humbug with the whole war. This is all I can write this time. Your true son, — William Heldman
The 31st of September [December] 1861
Letter 11
[Rolla, Missouri] January 10, 1862
Dear brother,
I have received your letter and I was very glad to hear that you are all well yet and I was very glad to hear that the secessionists got their property taken from them. I am very glad to hear that Johnson’s negroes ran away from him. The Turner Society of Detroit in the State of Michigan send down to us for Christmas three large tin boxes of cordial and a large box of sausage and a great many cigars. There is a great many Turners of Detroit. They are my best friends I have got. They are very fine boys.
We have got a general [Samuel R. Curtis] we do not like him. He is a man that don’t know anything about soldiers. He never was in the field yet. He always was in Jefferson Barracks. He has give us an order that we would soon have to march and all have to carry our clothes and this cannot be done, and this is a sign that [he] don’t know anything about soldiers. General Sigel only has command over his brigade. They ought to give him the command over the troops at Rolla. He deserves it and all the soldiers like him and if he resigns, they will have a great deal of trouble with his brigade. It is said that we would get a march and a very hard one.
We will have a great many dying along the road. Our regiment is not got hardly any sick ones but the American regiments are about half sick. But this comes because they eat everything the farmers bring to the camp. They bring pie and cakes and honey and all kinds of things and the pie is not half baked and this makes them sick. I will send fifteen dollars and next time I will send more. We have not got our second pay but I think we will get it in a few days. Father can use the money I send till I come back. This is all. Your true brother, — William Heldman
Letter 12
[Waynesville, Missouri] January 20, 1862
Dear Father,
You have heard that we have left Rolla. We started from here the 15th January and we are now camped at Waynesville. We have been here for three days and we are waiting for more men and then we will go farther toward Springfield. We have had hard times on our march. We had to lay on fence rails to keep from getting wet. A great many of our men went back the first day. I am always well and healthy.
Write to me as soon as possible whether you have received the letter I send to you with that money. I will not be able to write as much as before. Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 13
[Lebanon, Missouri] February 3, 1862
Dear Brother,
I have received your letter and I was very glad to hear that you are all well yet, and I am very glad to hear that my money came over, and I have kept five dollars. They have done me a great deal of good. We have not received our second pay yet.
We are camped at Lebanon. We have got a very good camp but the water is very scarce and we have to go on picket every two days and that is very hard on us, but now there is more troops here and we have got better times now. All we want is General Sigel, a good fighter, and Curtis to go home and if Sigel does not come back to use we will not go to fight with Curtis. He looks like an old husher and is as stiff as a buck. I wish the whole business was over for I see plain it’s all humbug.
I am very glad to hear that they have caught Doctor Johnson. I only wish that [I] would have caught him. I would have turned my bayonet around in him. Our company has got guns like I [never] seen any before. They are revolving rifles with a saber bayonet and it is a five shooter, fired like a Colt’s revolver. These guns is worth 60 dollars. They shoot very good. We have shot at a mark a great many times and I have shot into the center on three hundred yards.
Write to me once whether you are still making music yet and if you are turning yet. Is Rudolph Muller been in the fight at Fulton too?
I have seen a great many curious things at Rolla. I have been in a large cave about three miles long. We had three candles with us and burnt them all up by the time we got out again. The cave is full of drop stone. They are hanging about two feet in some places and are very rough. It is a very curious stuff—a kind of sand rock. The cave is 90 feet wide at the inlet and 20 feet high, and at the far end it is five feet wide and four feet high and there is a large spring in it. The water runs through the bottom of the cave.
At Waynesville is a large spring. It [ ] about 15 feet square. This hole is full of water and it forms a river called Spring river. The river is about 40 yards wide and about 4 feet deep and is full of fish. This is all I know.
Your true brother, — William Heldman
Letter 14
Osage Springs, Arkansas March 1, 1862
Dear Father,
I have not wrote for a long time but I could not write. Our wagon was left in Lebanon and we have marched to Marshfield toward south of Springfield and from there we started the next day toward Springfield. About ten miles from Springfield we had a fight with Price’s pickets. We fired two cannons. They ran away.
The next day we marched to Springfield. When we came there, the enemy was gone. They were there with some of their sick men. That night our cavalry took 15 wagons which could not get away so fast. At two o’clock we started in pursuit of Price. We had a hard time then. We had to march very hard. We marched ten miles without stopping and without cooking, but we could not catch Price. General [Jefferson C.] Davis took another road and got to chase Price’s rear guard and he fired two cannon shells at the men and killed 7 men and wounded many and they galloped away.
The next day we marched too Cassville. About 10 miles behind Cassville, our cavalry had a fight. They took 60 prisoners and killed a good many. Our cavalry was always close behind Price and our flying batteries troubled him a great deal. We has 12 from our cavalry called flying batteries. We marched from Cassville and marched to the Arkansas line. Near the line is very high mountains and the valley is so small—just wide enough for the road.
The next day we had a fight at [Little] Sugar Creek and that was the last was seen of him. We lost 15 men killed and 5 wounded. 1 Here we camped one day and then marched to Osage Springs where we are now camped. We have been without provisions several days and we killed hogs—anything we could get. We have ground wheat on a coffee mill but Sigel told us to take everything we could get. We were out scouting every day and took flour, cornmeal, where we could get it. I may not be able to write for a long time for there is no chance to send the letters off.
Your true son, — William Heldman
1 The Historical. Marker at Little Sugar Creek (Dunagin’s Farm) states: “Here on February 17, 1862, Brig. Gen. Rains with the Fourth Arkansas Regiment and the Third Louisiana, ambushed the advance of the Federal army under Brig. Gen. Curtis killing 20 of his men and some 60 horses in his advancing cavalry. The Confederate loss was only three or four. This was the “bloodiest” skirmish between the troops of Curtis and Price thus far.”
Letter 15
Helena, Arkansas July 18, 1862
Dear Father,
You have not heard of us for a long time for we have been traveling around in the wilderness of Arkansas. We had to fight with miserable robber [guerrilla] bands most every day. General Steele’s troops had a fight with them. They killed 130 of them. How many they wounded I do not know for they took them all along. Our men lost 17 killed and 42 wounded. The secesh took one of our men prisoner and they took him and tied his arms behind him around a tree and then they cut his arms off in the shoulder and give him 7 shots in the lower part of his body. Who would save the life of any such a miserable being?
We have suffered with hunger a great deal since we left Batesville. We have traveled 35 miles on a flatboat down the White River—only our company. We had two small cannons on board and had cotton bales all around the side of the flat boat and [they] fired on us about 30 times that day but they could not hurt us for the cotton would not let the balls get through and we would throw canisters and bomb shells in among [them] and have our fun in seeing them run into the cane brakes. These are the canes they make the pipestems from. They are so thick that a man can’t hardly get through for 7 or more miles all along the banks of the White River.
There is a great deal of sickness in our army but I have always been well yet and I hope I will stay so. I will send twenty dollars to you in this letter. I have seen Henry Smith. He is in the 12th Regiment Missouri Volunteers. We are now camped at Helena at the bank of the Mississippi River. This is all I know now.
Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 16
[Helena, Arkansas] July 22, 1862
Dear brother,
I have received your letter and mother’s too and I was very glad to hear that you are all well yet. Captain Wilhelm brought me one of the 17th of June and I received one of the 8th of July. You have wrote to me that all. the negroes were running off but if I want to see negroes running off, you ought to be here. They don’t run off by hundreds but they come to us by thousands and Curtis gives them all their free passes. If it had not been for the negroes, we would have had suffer with hunger a great deal more. But they showed us where their masters had hid their bacon and we would go and take it along. We have once marched a whole day without any water. From Batesville to Helena we have not found a single spring. All the water we had was nothing but half rotten slough water.
The country is a low level swampy country covered with canes and dark woods. I have seen Burr Oak trees as thick as I have never seen any before. This would be a great country to go hunting. I have often seen more than 20 deer in one gang when I was on picket in the canes. And there is some bears about there too.
You have wrote to me about our clothes and our eating. We have often suffered with hunger. A bad soldier would complain about this, but our clothes are not so bad. I had a pair of right new shoes in my knapsack. A great many of our regiment have to lose about four months pay and I have to lose about a month and a half pay, we have wore out so many clothes in the brush—and our overcoats are nearly wore out too.
Your true brother, — William Heldman
Letter 17
Helena, Arkansas August 8, 1862
Dear brother,
I have received your letter and I was very glad to hear that you were all well yet. I will send $40 to you in this letter. Mother wrote to me to have my likeness taken. There is a man here that takes likenesses but he makes poor work and charges five dollars. He only has heavy cases and they are too heavy to send then anyplace. But if she wishes to have it that way, I will try to get it. I have received 45 dollars this time and I kept five dollars for my own use. I had to keep this on account of my comrades for I have to drink with them sometimes to keep good friends. They took off some of our clothing money this time.
USS Essex on Mississippi River in 1862[LOC]
We are still at Helena and almost the whole upper fleet is anchored here. I have been on one of the gunboats named the Essex. These are curious built boats. They are built slanting all around like the roof of a house and covered with thick iron plates. There is eight mortar boats, Two of them shoot shells 13 inches in diameter. There is five rams here too. I had a notion to stay on one of the gunboats for they had not hands enough and whoever liked to go on one of these boats could go.
Our army is very healthy now. If we would only stay here till the middle of September, it would be all right. But I believe we will soon go to Little Rock for there is a great many Union men in that place and they have got all these men in the penitentiary and are mistreating them like dogs. If we ever get there, we will teach them manners. There will be no quarter for any Arkansas woods devils. This is all I know now.
Your true brother, — William Heldman
Letter 18
Helena, Arkansas August 16, 1862
Dear Father,
I have received a letter of Rudolph Muller today. He wrote to me that Theodore and Herman were going to join the volunteers. If they go, tell them to come to our company or at least to our regiment for they will have more friends in our regiment than in any other one. But it will be very hard for Theodore. We have sometimes very hard times but if he does join the volunteers, he must come to our regiment if it is time yet. But what are all the other heroes of Augusta a going to do? Are they going to stay at home or join the State militia? I have not much news to write to you but that I am always well yet. We get plenty of ice every day now. I have sent a letter to you with two men of the Benton Hussars. One of them is Mitler. Tell Rudolph Muller I will write to him shortly.
Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 19
Helena, Arkansas September 1, 1862
Dear Father,
I have received your letter mother wrote to me and Marie’s too and I was very glad to hear that you were all well yet. Theodore is here now too. He has wrote to you right after he came here. He likes it here very much. We have got orders to get ready to march and I believe we will soon go away from here now but I believe we will not come to St. Louis. I believe we will go back our old road. Our regiment is not full yet but it is nearly as strong as any other regiment. There is not much sickness in our regiment but there is some regiments nearly all sick. I have not been sick since we have been here. Theodore is always well too. Theodore laughed very much about Herman because he talked so brave and then went back home.
Theodore left his picture at George Brenner’s uncle. We generally pass our time by walking about the woods and along the river. Theodore can stand our service very well. He can eat more than I can. We don’t play cards in our company for money. Theodore has not been on guard yet. We have to go on guard every two days. I have no more to write to you. Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 20
[Helena, Arkansas] September 10, 1862
Dear Father,
I have received mother’s letters—both in one day—and I was very glad to hear that you were all well yet. Theodore is not here yet but I believe he will soon get here, I have heard all the news about the fighting in Virginia. We get plenty newspapers here when a boat comes down. It looks very bad there for us but I still have some hope yet. We have not had any fighting to do here. We were down to Napoleon once on an expedition and the guerrillas fired at our boat and they nearly killed our preacher, but they did not hurt anybody.
There is not much sickness in our regiment. We have not had a single man dead in our regiment since we been here, but in some regiments die a great many. The Benton Hussars—some companies—lost 8 or 10 men since we been here. I have not much news to write to you. I am always well yet. John Shumaker belongs to the Pioneer company. He did not like it in our company. He was always trading with pie, cigars, and apples or anything he could get and would not do his duty. If I buy apples, I have 5 cents for two. Watermelons [are] a dollar for one, and everything for three double price. Send me for a half dollar post stamps. I can not get any here. Put them in the next letter you write to me if you can get them.
Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 21
St. Genevieve [Missouri] November 15, 1862
Dear Father,
I must write to you that we are going away from here again. We are now at the river again. Theodore is gone to St. Louis again. He is sick. He was better when he left than he was when he wrote to you the last time. I told him to try his best to get home and not come back again. It is most too hard for him to be a soldier. I have voted this time too. The most of our regiment voted for [Samuel] Knox just to get [Frank] Blair away. 1
I believe we will go to Vicksburg this time. We will have a very cold trip this time down the river.
I wish I could have come home once before we left again. I could have got four days furlough when we first came to Pilot Knob. That was because we had to be mustered for pay in the first of November. I have no time to write to you very much. I have to go in duty.
Your true son, — William Heldman
1 William is referring to the general election in Missouri in which Samuel Knox of the “Union” Party ticket and Lewis Bogy of the Democratic Party ticket ran against incumbent Republican Frank Blair for the U. S. House of Representatives.
Letter 22
Camp Steele, Mississippi December 4, 1862
Dear Father,
I have received mother’s letter and I was very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I have received a letter of Theodore too and heard that he would get his discharge and I am very glad of it. I would write to him but I think he is at home by this time.
We are camped in the State of Mississippi right across from Helena but we cannot get to Helena. We have got a very bad place here. They shoot at our pickets most every night but they did not hurt any of our regiment yet. Our men are too watchful. They are acquainted with such things. The 29th Wisconsin Regiment has lost several men on picket.
I would go to Helena and have my picture taken but I cannot get there. I am tired of the war too but still I would not like to give up before the negro and all [are] free. The South might go to hell then. I always hope on the hope on the 1st of January it will change. 1 The gunboats have all left here now. They are all gone down the river and I think we will soon follow them. I wish I could be with you at Christmas but it cannot be. I have no more to write to you.
Your true son, — William Heldman
1 William’s mentioning the 1st of January as a moment of change is undoubtedly a reference to the hope that President Lincoln would issue his proclamation for the emancipation of slaves in those states that were in open rebellion. It was widely rumored in advance that he would take this action as a war measure.
Letter 23
Camp Steele [Mississippi] December [ ] 1862
Dear Father,
I will write to you once more before we leave here for we will leave here in a few days. We will go down the river. How far I do not know. It is very warm down here yet but a great deal of rain and it is very muddy. There is not much sickness in our army now. I have always been well yet. [ ] has been a little sick but he is well again now.
I have not been over at Helena yet. We have to go on guard every two days. Theodore is at home by this time, I think. Adolph Muhm is down here too. Our company is nearly full now. I believe we are going down to the mouth of the Yazoo River. There was an expedition down 12 miles below. They went over to the railroad and destroyed 18 miles of it. There was a regiment of cavalry of Grant’s army here. They came from four hundred miles from here. I wish you all a happy Christmas.
Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 24
[Mouth of Arkansas river] January 15, 1863
Dear brother,
I have received your letter you wrote that you had not received any letter of me. I have wrote two letters to you from Camp Steele. We are now at the mouth of the Arkansas river. We have had two battles since we left Camp Steele. The first near Vicksburg and the second one at Arkansas Post. We took about 600 prisoners on that place and a good many cannons. Our regiment was in the hottest fire all day. I used 80 cartridges in about two hours but we did not lose many men. Our company did not lose any this last time though we were in a hotter fire than at Vicksburg. Our regiment lost 3 killed and about 10 wounded.
The bombardment at that place [Arkansas Post] was awful. The whole fort was tore to pieces. The men on it were nearly all dead or wounded. There were 125 artillery men in it and only 20 were left when they surrendered.
At Vicksburg we had to go back without gaining anything. Our company lost five men there—one killed and four wounded. Two of our recruits were wounded. You do not know them but the others you know. [Julius] Zinzer is dead and [Fred] Klingel and [William] Rascher are wounded. This place [Vicksburg] is very hard to take. We are just now going down to try again. I have not wrote to you for a long time but I had no chance. You can surely believe the best is that I am always well. I hope we will have better luck this time. If the Yazoo River gets a little higher so our gunboats can go to work at them, they will find out better.
This is all I can write to you. Tell my best respects to all my friends. Your true brother, — William Heldman
Letter 25
Helena [Arkansas] February 13, 1863
Dear Father,
Theodore’s letter from the 4th of January I have received and I am glad to hear that he is well again. We are now on an expedition at Helena from Vicksburg. We have had a great deal of work since we were at that place. The ram Queen of the West has run the blockade. There were about 100 shots fired at her but no damage done. She destroyed three boats below Vicksburg. I have not much time to write to you. We are always running on the river. I am always well yet.
Vicksburg is very hard to take. It is very hilly all around and full of forts on the hills. They can shoot to the mouth of our canal but there are so many mortars and gunboats there to turn the hill upside down. I have read that they are going to arm negroes now and I am very glad of it. They may fight for their own freedom.
I have no more to write. We will leave here in half an hour. Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 26
Camp near Vicksburg March 6, 1863
Dear Father,
Two of your letters I have received and I am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too. There is not so much sickness here now. Those that are sick, is is—most of them—their own fault. Thee is no sickness in the German regiments. This only depends on the way they live. The Germans all have their regular cooks. The Yankees cook everyone for himself. That is the reason they don’t eat one half of the time and when they get at it, they will eat too much and not half cooked at that.
Our regiment has not returned yet. They are still on the gunboats on the Yazoo Pass Expedition. There are deserters coming from Vicksburg most every day. They are all Germans. I have talked to one for a long time. He told me that they had to suffer a great deal of hunger. They get only three-quarters of a pound of bacon a week, half a pound of cornbread a day. They don’t know how coffee looks any more. Sugar they have plenty of it and molasses too. Salt is very scarce. They cannot get anything across the river anymore now. There is two gunboats from Farragut’s fleet up here now. They keep running up and down between here and Port Hudson.
Have you not yet received my letter with money I have sent from Helena? I have seen Adolph Muhm a few weeks ago. He was not quite well. He had just received a letter from Uncle John.
The troops all gone from here on different expeditions. I think we will soon attack Vicksburg now. There is a great many mortars here now. I have seen four mortars with 18 inch calibre. I hope that we can take Vicksburg if we get at it first. I have no more to write to you. Tell my best compliment to my friends. Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 27
[Yazoo] Pass March 7, 1863
Dear Father,
I will write to you and send my money [illegible] I had to buy a pair of boots. They cost me eight dollars and they only paid us for two months and they owed us for six. We are now in Yazoo Pass. Our regiment is all divided on gunboats except our company. We are now coming back from Coldwater River for Helena and from there to Vicksburg. It took us five days to go down to Coldwater and a day and a half to come up.
I have not received a letter from you for a long time but it is not your fault. We are not in one place for two days now. We have been on boats now for nearly two months. Yazoo Pass overflows the whole country for many miles. We have had some fun in hunting wild hogs. The cane brakes are full of them. I have killed one that weighed about 300 pounds. George Benner is always well yet. He would like to know what is the matter he don’t get no letter from home. I am always well yet.
Your true son, — William Heldman
Letter 28
Camp near Vicksburg April 28, 1863
Dear Father,
Your letter I have received an I am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too. We will soon have a hard battle here now. There are many many gunboats and transports that have passed the blockade. They took [. ] to run the boats through the blockade. They gave three months furloughs and a hundred dollars to who [ever] would run through on a boat. George and I went to the headquarters and reported ourselves but we [when] came to take, there were no boats running through any more. All the troops are marching down below this place now to be crossed over to the mouth of the Big Black River and up that river to get to the rear of Vicksburg and cut off the railroad and then the Rebels are lost. Whenever we march out into the country now on any expedition, we have to take every negro we can find no matter old or young [and] not leave a single one on no place. We have to burn up all the [ ] find, drive off all the cattle, horses, and mules, and take all of the [ ] we can find and use it all up.
I will send my money in this letter. Theodore needs not [ ] to me about being an officer any more. I will not be one and he knows well enough why. Our captain wanted to make me a corporal at Arkansas Post but I will never be a corporal for a drunken officer if I can help it.
Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 29
Battleground near Vicksburg May 27, 1863
Dear Father,
I have received mother’s letter of the 12th and am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too. We are now near Vicksburg, still fighting all the time, but they cannot drive us back anymore. We have had hard times. We have been in Jackson and tore up all the railroads, burnt all the bridges, machine shops, factories, and all that was for the enemy’s use. We have lost 4 killed and two wounded since we left Grand Gulf. Our captain [Theodore Weller] is dead too. The first fight we had was at Mikel’s Creek. The next near Raymond. The next at Jackson. The next at Big Black River. At that place we came too late. They lost nearly all their cannons at that place. We took between 50 and 60 cannons.
Now we are here at Vicksburg. We are all around them. Our brigade is on the right wing. We have fortified ourselves all around town. The upper batteries are all ours. If they really would try to break through, they would lose all their men. The man that came down with Theodore to Helena is dead too. [John] Barth is his name.
I have no time to write any more. Next time you shall hear more. Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 30
Near Vicksburg June 20, 1863
Dear Father,
Your letter of the 9th I have received and I am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too. We are still in our old place near the river above the city on the right wing. I believe they will soon surrender now. Deserters come over most every night. They all belong to Tennessee regiments. They say they get something to eat once a day. We have got them penned up this time. They can never get out of that place if we won’t let them. Let them attack us in the rear. They will burn their nose if they do. We have got men enough to keep them off. The country is so hilly and rough so that fifty thousand men can keep of a hundred thousand rebels.
It would have been very hard for us to get to where we are if they would have had any of their field artillery left [that] they had out at Black River. They brought 60 cannons from Vicksburg out there. After the battle of Black River Bridge, they had 3 left. The rest we took away from them. They were all scattered and everyone ran for his life to Vicksburg and here we now are.
When we first came here, we had to fight pretty hard. Now we have not much to do. The first day me and [Theodore] Wiegreffe kept a heavy battery from shooting half a day. We crawled up to it in about a hundred yards ad did not let them load their cannons. But the rest of our company would not come there—not a single one of them. The whole company likes us very much for that. The second day I went to the same place and fired about 200 shots. The next night they moved the battery away from that place. Our cannons are all at work today but they do not answer a single shot on this side. The ground is trembling under our feet so hard is the cannonading. Right now one of their large forts is on fire inside right before us on the hill. The powder magazine blowed up just now. Our cannons throw in about 500 shells an hour al around the line. Lieutenant [Henry] Neun command our company now. We have a great coward now but it does not matter. We can help ourselves if it is needed. Our sergeants are not worth anything. They perfectly lose their head when they get in a fight. I have laughed at them often times. I am very sorry to hear that the guerrillas are so strong again in Missouri. I wish we could work among them awhile.
Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 31
Camp Sherman August 23, 1863
Dear Father,
I have received your letter. I am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I have been sick for a long time. I have left the hospital a few days ago and I am not well yet. If I had been out of the hospital when the first of our regiment got furloughs, I would have been the first one on account for good conduct in battle. The other one of our company [Theodore Wiegreffe] that was with me on the same place before Vicksburg got a furlough the first time. Our Colonel promised me a furlough when the others get back on the 12th of September. I have spent for two months money while I was in the hospital this time. We did not have anything at all that was fit for a sick man to eat. I am now some better since I am out of the hospital. I am glad that I have got better now. I had very hard times in the hospital. I got sick a day before the surrender of Vicksburg. One day before that I was out a scouting the whole day after spies and I got sick in the woods and could not get back to camp before night.
Have you not received my letter I wrote to you from the hospital? I cannot write anymore now. Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 32
[18 miles from Tuscumbia] October 23, 1863
Dear Father,
I will write a few lines to you that I am with my regiment again all well. We have a very hard place now. We are on the railroad leading from Memphis to Chattanooga. We are about 18 miles from Tuscumbia. They do not let us sleep here day and night. We have had several fights with them. I cannot write much to you for we are under marching orders. I came to my regiment again on the 23rd but it was all right on the river. I was on the sand bar for two days.
This is all I can write to you. I am well. Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 33
Bridgeport, Alabama November 20, 1863
Dear Father,
I have received your letter of the 13th and am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am tolerable well. We have had hard times since I left you. First we had to fight every day and now we have marched about 200 miles without one days rest and not enough to eat. We are now at Bridgeport on the Tennessee River. They are making a railroad bridge here across the river. We will move across the river today. I don’t think we will stay here long. I believe we will go right ahead. We have got the right wing of the army. I cannot write much to you for we have to be ready to march every minute.
Yours truly, — W. Heldman
Letter 34
Bridgeport, Alabama December 9, 1863
Dear Father,
Your letter I have received and am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too.
We are now at Bridgeport again. We have had a hard battle but we have given Bragg hell this time. It was a hard thing to take Lookout Mountain. We took a good many prisoners there. At Ringgold we had the hardest fight. Our division lost a good many men. One ball cut the edge of my boot sole off. We have not had one days rest since my furlough is out. I just got time today to write this letter or else I would have wrote sooner. I believe we will soon march again. We have suffered a great deal with hunger and cold. While we were at Ringgold, it froze about an inch thick ice and we had no tents and only one blanket with us. We have only two men of our company wounded this time. You can read all about the battle in the newspaper better than I can write it to you.
I will send 40 dollars in this letter. This is all I can write to you this time. Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 35
Woodville, Alabama January 8, 1864
Dear Father,
I have received yours today and am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too.
We are now at Woodville, Alabama, on the Memphis and Charleston railroad. I think we will stay here this winter. We are making winter quarters. Mother enquired about General Hooker. He is a very friendly man. He got us to pull some cannons up a hill. He spoke to us very friendly and ten minutes after that we were in the fight on Lookout Mountain about four o’clock in the afternoon. We were above the clouds there. We had to wait till about 12 o’clock in the night, then the rebels retreated. The next day about noon we started for Mission Ridge. We took a whole brigade prisoners without much fighting on our wing but on the left and center they had to fight so much harder.
The next day we came where we first reached Chickamauga Creek. The next morning we started for Ringgold before daylight, our regiment in advance. About 10 o’clock we got to the rebel camp—right before town on a large creek. When they seen us, they fled to the mountains behind town. There they made a stand. As soon as we reached the creek, we had to wade right through till under our arms. We marched right up to them wet as we were. There we had a very hard fight. We were even driven back a little piece and there our company commander was killed. I got half my boot sole tore off. It hurt me so I thought my foot was hurt. But we soon made the rebels retreat.
George Benner was in none of the fights. He is always cook yet. I have received a letter of Rudolph Damman for a negro but that negro is not here and I do not know where to find him. I think he is at Vicksburg or Port Hudson. Please send me some postage stamps in your next letter. Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 36
Woodville, [Alabama] February 9, 1864
Dear Father,
I have received your letter and I am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too.
We are still in our old camp at Woodville. We have just returned from an expedition to Lebanon, Alabama, on the other side of the Tennessee River. We had a little fight with some cavalry but they were soon driven away. We have got a pontoon bridge across the river. There are a great many people of Alabama enlisting in our army. We get about a hundred recruits every day. I cannot get my picture taken here. I have nothing new to write to you. There are none of our regiment enlisting again.
Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 37
Woodville, [Alabama] March 2, 1864
Dear Father,
I have received your letter and I am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too.
We are still in our old camp and I do not think we will leave this place for a good while. We belong to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps commanded by General Logan. We get newspapers here every day by railroad. It do not think they will draft Theodore for he has been discharged on account of disability.
I will send you some money in this letter. We have not much to do here now—only make an expedition now and then. There is nothing new going on here lately. Last week we found three torpedoes on the railroad while we were on patrol. They were fixed with a spring so that if the locomotive would strike them, they would explode. But we found them just in time.
Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 38
Woodville, Alabama April 1, 1864
Dear Father,
I have received yours and am very glad to hear that you are all well yet. I am well too.
We have received marching orders and I think we will soon leave this place for farther to the front. There is no much news been going on here. About two weeks ago two men of the 32nd Missouri Regiment were killed about four miles from our picket. They were taken by three guerrillas and then they were tied to a tree on a high bluff and were then shot and then thrown down the bluff and one of them was not dead after all and he crawled to our pickets and told the story. The whole regiment then started out in pursuit and they caught two of the murderers who are in prison now.
There is a negro here with the sutler of the Third Regiment who has been working at Schaafs about 7 or 8 years ago. He can still speak German very well. When he was sold South, he was sold to Grand Gulf, Mississippi. When we passed through that place, his master went to the Rebel army and he went along with us and now he is free.
This is all I can write to you. Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 39
Woodville, Alabama April 30, 1864
Dear Father,
I have received your letter and I am very glad to hear that you are well yet. I am well too.
We are still at our old camp, but we have marching orders to be ready any time to march. Every regiment only gets two wagons. I do not know where we are going. Out time will be out in three months and a half now. I have wrote a letter to Mary a few days ago.
There are four gunboats up here on the Tennessee River. They have been built up here at Bridgeport. They are building three more up here now. From below the boats cannot get up here. They cannot pass the rapids at Florence. They are thirty miles long. The guerrillas do not trouble us much now. I have not much news to write to you. We can get newspapers here every day at ten cents apiece. Everything has got very high price here. And if we get anything, send by Sanitary Commission. Our division commissary will take it and sell it. It is a pity for everything that is sent down here, the soldiers to not get anything without buying it.
Yours truly, — William Heldman
Letter 40
Camp near Kingston, Georgia May 21, 1864
Dear Father,
While I have time, I will take a chance to write to you that I am well yet, We have had a very hard battle of Resaca Station. We were in it very hard this time. We have been fighting all the way down to Kingston. This is the first days rest we got since we left Woodville. Our regiment has lost five men. This time our company had one killed. You have already heard about our Colonel [John Fredrick Cramer] being dead. I think they will not write in the newspapers how he died for he killed himself in a drunken fit. He was always drunk. He first snapped his revolver at our Major [Francis Romer] three times and then he shot himself. 1
The railroad is already in running order clear down to Kingston. We have enough to eat yet. I have received a letter of Herman Rust. I cannot write anymore this time. I will write more next time if we get any more rest.
Yours truly, — William Heldman
1 The description of Cramer’s mental breakdown and suicide was captured beautifully in an article by Frank Jastrzembski that was published in April 2021 on the blog, Emerging Civil War.
Letter 41
Camp near Acworth, Georgia June 7, 1864
Dear Father,
I have received your letter. I am sorry to hear bad news from home that mother has sore eyes. I am well yet. We are resting today. We have had another hard battle. It lasted from the 27th of May till the 4th of June. We have lost three of our company. Vogt and Stecker are both dead. They were first severely wounded and they afterwards died. William Haupt is slightly wounded. We have had some hard fighting to do but the rebels cannot stand against us. Our Army Corps was first in the extreme right near Dallas and we threw up some rifle pits after night. The next day the rebels made a charge on us but we drove them back with terrible loss. The ground was fairly covered with their dead and wounded.
It is getting very warm here already. This is a very poor country here. There is nothing but hills and rocks. The fields are all full of wheat and corn but a very poor crop.
The next battle we will have I think will be near Atlanta. We are very bad off with new here. We don’t hear much here and our provisions are short too.
I could not find an image of James but here is one of Robinson Barr Murphy who also served in the 127th Illinois Infantry. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor in the Battle of Atlanta (Julian Burley Collection)
These letters were written by James R. Maxwell (1844-1930) who enlisted in Co. D, 127th Illinois Infantry in August 1862. At the time of his enlistment, he was described as a 5 foot 10 inch tall, black-haired, grey-eyed, 20 year-old farmer from Highland, Grundy county, Illinois. James survived the war, mustering out on 31 May 1865 at Washington D. C.
James was the son of John Smith Maxwell (1813-1899) and his first wife Lucy Babcock (1815-1861), natives of New London, Connecticut, who came to Illinois in 1858. James’ father was a principal of an academy in New Jersey and also a pastor by occupation. The couple had at least seven children besides James, including Mary E. Maxwell (1841-1913) who married Benjamin F. Purinton (1832-1913), and Angeline (“Lina”) Maxwell, born in 1845—both recipients of these letters. Levina (“Viny”) Maxwell (b. 1856) was the youngest James’ full siblings.
James was married in 1866 to Emily Sophronia Reser (1846-1936). The couple are buried in Cortland, DeKalb county, Illinois.
Letter 1
On Board the Spread Eagle January 5, 1863
Dear Sister Mary,
I received your kind letter and was glad to hear from you. I am not very well at present as I caught a bad cold and it settled on my lung, and I cough so nights that it almost kills me. But I hope I will get over soon.
Now a little about our expedition to Vicksburg. It was a failure. We had to retreat back. We are on our way—we do not know where. We are about half the way between Vicksburg and Memphis on our way up the river. I will not write any particulars for you can find out more in the papers than I can write. All I know is our regiment was in a fight. We had two wounded in our company. There was one killed and 8 wounded in our regiment. It is not very pleasant to hear the bullets whistling within an inch of your head. It makes a fellow think of home, you had better believe. I hope I will never see another battle for I want the war to end as quick as possible. I don’t care how they end it—only so it ends.
I am sorry to hear that you and the baby are not well. Tell Benjamin he must take good care of you and the baby. If he don’t, when I come home, I will learn him. Tell him never to go back to Highland to live for Ally says Aunt Katy is as much different than she as can be for when father is not around, she scolds her all the time, but when father is there, she is all sunshine & sugar. I would like to be at home. I don’t think she would abuse my little brother and sisters [even] if she is Dutch. She is no better than anybody else. Alice says Aunt Katy thinks she has no manners. She says she knows so much more than her young ones. I think Alice is about right. All she thinks of Ally says is stuff her young ones and her [paper crease].
Tell Benjamin that I would like to be there a thrashing with him. I think I like thrashing better than soldiering and I am not afraid to say so for any one don’t know anything about soldiering until they try it. They may think they know. I advise any never to enlist. I will not write anymore about soldiering for you must think that I am sick of it.
Has Lina got any of my clothes? If she has, tell her to take good care of them for I may need them sometime. I cannot write any more at present. Be sure and write often and never mind me for I don’t get a chance to send a letter more than once in two weeks or a month. When you write again, send me a paper—the latest you can get for I would like to know what is going on in the States. Tell G. to write to me. Give my love to all enquiring friends and keep a good share for yourself. I shan’t ask Benjamin to write for I think he has the privilege of writing. Tell him so for me and think he will write. Kiss Veny for me. Try and send me her picture. I would give a good deal for it. Send me yours too. From your loving brother, — Jimmy
Letter 2
Camp Young’s Point [Louisiana] February 15, 1863
Dear Sister Mary & Lina
I received your kind letters and was very glad to hear from you. It has been so long since I received a letter that I began to think that you had concluded not to write any more. I am about well and feel somewhat old-fashioned once more and think I shall be able to stand the storm if it don’t last too long. There is not much new to write at present. There is to be no movement in our part of the Army at present.
“I expect when the next fight that comes here, it will be the hardest battle ever fought in the world. General Grant says he will take Vicksburg if he has to take it by spoonsful.”
James Maxwell, Co. D, 127th Illinois
We are camped just opposite Vicksburg where we see right in the city and see the Rebel’s large guns. Once in a while they fire a shell at our pickets but never have done any harm to anyone yet. The last time our company was on picket, the enemy threw several shells at them, but all you have to do is to lay flat down when you see them a coming and they will not be apt to hit a fellow. You better believe they make a noise that is not very agreeable to hear, but I had rather hear them than the bullets of the Rebels. If you want to know how they sound, imagine a lot of bees a humming past your head and you have it exactly.
When we were at Vicksburg, our company was sent out as skirmishers and when we was taken our place, the man close by me was shot and wounded just below the ribs on the left side—the ball just burying itself and coming out lodged in his watch—tore it all to pieces—a narrow escape for him. He is all well now. He said he did not care a damn for the wound if it had not broke his watch. We were ordered to lay down behind a small log and the bullets came so close that I could feel them blow my hair—they came so close, I hugged the ground about as close as I could. I thought the rebels were very careless with them bullets, but when a six-pounder struck a tree and came rolling close to where I lay, I thought it was the most careless thing they could do. But such is war.
Tell Benjamin that he, poor devil, may be thankful that he is not in the war under Uncle Samuel. Tell him that I am very much obliged to him for the offer of his chamber for me to live in, but tell him I would prefer to live in his ‘tother end, if he has no objections. Tell Veny I would like to be where I could kiss her. I will give you five dollars when I get my pay for yours and Veny’s [picture]—so you had better take up with my offer for I want to see you as bad as all that. I expect to see Liny coming along every day. As for Alice, I think she is a little to blame for some things, although I don’t blame her any.
About Ed Wait—he was shot in the inside of his leg, just below the knee—the ball passing down through the leg between the bones and lodging, wounding him severely. He was wounded at the Battle of Arkansas Post. 1 I will not write anything about that as probably you have heard all about it. Only I will say that our regiment was the first on the breastworks. I expect when the next fight that comes here, it will be the hardest battle ever fought in the world. General Grant says he will take Vicksburg if he has to take it by spoonsful.
There was a [Union] gunboat run down past the city the other morning. They fired 30 or 40 of their heaviest guns at her, but done her no damage. Tell Granville if he don’t write that I shall never forgive him. He need not feel above writing to a soldier twelve hundred miles from home, for when I get home, I will remember him. Tell Benjamin I think he might put in a few lines once in a while. I suppose he feels the great responsibility resting on him as a father.
I will not write any more at present. Be sure and write as soon as you get this. From your loving brother, James R. Maxwell.
1 Edwin R. Wait of Highland, Illinois, was discharged for disability from Co. D, 127th Illinois Infantry on 12 June 1863.
Letter 3
March 24, 1863
Dear Sister Lina—
I will try and answer your letter to the best of my poor ability. I have been writing home to Father and the children. Somehow, I never think to mention his better half, but it’s just as well for it is all in the family. I suppose she thinks as much of her family as anyone. I suppose by what you say about her that there will be a new addition as Eddy says in the family, a little half-breed (Don’t never let father see this letter), quite encouraging I should think, to him. I should have liked to have been home when you was all down there. I think I could appreciate a good time as well as most anyone. Did you have as good time at Kinglsey’s as we had last summer? I don’t believe you did. You wanted I should send you some money. I will when I get some. Father must think you can go without clothes, but you shall have some money if I can get it for you.
As for my coming home, I never expect to see home again, but if I do, I may have lost a leg or an arm, but I will hope that all will be well. I would like to go to school this summer for I can see my ignorance more and more everyday. I will not write anymore at present.
Write soon…From your loving brother, Jimmy to Lina
Letter 4
August 11, 1863
Dear Liny,
James’ father, John Smith Maxwell
I will try and answer your kind letter as I have plenty of time to do so this afternoon. I thought I would write a letter about some affairs. As for the folks at home, they write about as seldom to me as they do to you and father—he hardly ever writes. I don’t know how it is unless he is so occupied with his wife that he don’t have time to write. I suppose that is the case. I hear in a letter that Moffit got from home of the death of the baby. I did not hear any of the particulars. You have probably heard of it before this time.
As for Mary W. writing to me, that is played out. She has not written for four or five months and I have heard that she and Bill Stitt is a going to be married. I am glad of it. She is not the right kind for me. When I get married, I will have somebody that ain’t quite so spunky.
Well, I will not write anymore such nonsense for you may think I am foolish and that is needless. I think some of coming home and yes, when the war ends, but not now. Keep Granville looking well and be a good girl is my prayer.
Be sure and write soon. From your loving brother, — J. R. Maxwell
Letter 5
Camp Sherman, Mississippi September 11th 1863
Dear Sister Mary,
I just received your kind letter and hasten to answer it. I am enjoying good health now and hope this will find you all well. The weather is very warm here for the time of the year. The thermometer stands as high as a hundred degrees but we have got so use to it that it don’t seem as warm as it really is.
There is no news of any importance at the present time. Our Army Corps is all the troops that is here. Some think that we will stay all winter but we cannot tell anything about it. For my part, I hope we will stay for we have been pretty busy for the last year.
I think you must all have a good time living together—happy as you please. As for your humble servant, he is nothing but a private in the U. S. Army—no more thought of than a dog. But the time will come when a private will stand as high as an officer. When this war ends, there will be more than one black eye. It makes me mad to think how a poor soldier is treated in the army, but I will not say any more about it for I will be home sometime and then I can tell you what it is to be a soldier.
Tell Granville not to get married until I come home to be to his wedding. I guess he can wait if he tried hard. Tell him to try anyhow. Tell Sarah & Brown that they must not be too proud of their baby for I expect it is a small affair. As for yours, I suppose there is nothing like it. Send me the pictures and then I can tell something about it. I hope you will send them next time for you have promised so many times and have not sent them that I am afraid you will forget it entirely. As for mine, I will send it to Veny looking as it does, and tell her that I think of her every day. I think of all the children, father, and feel as though I would like to see home once more. But it is not so to be. Do the boys’ crops look well this year?
Tell Veny that when the war come to a close, that I will come home and see her for she is my girl. I will send a half a dollar and you can get her something to remind me by. Write soon as you get this. I must close. From your loving brother, — Jimmy Maxwell
A late-war tintype of Jasper Stansbury Ross wearing civilian clothes.
These eleven letters were written by Jasper Stansbury Ross (1841-1923), who first served as First Sergeant of Co. A, 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). Ross served in this capacity until mid-1862 when he was offered a commission as 2nd Lieutenant of the company. He later (May 1863) rose in rank to be its Captain and Adjutant for the regiment. He mustered out of the regiment on 30 September 1864 after three years service.
Jasper was the youngest child of Samuel Iverson Ross (1810-1890) and Margaret Stansbury (1812-1843) of Carroll county, Ohio. After the war (1867), Jasper returned to Ohio to teach at his alma mater—the coeducational Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (later Hiram College), then married Mary Louise Buss (1849-1929), and became a clergyman of the Disciples’ or Christian Church.
At the time Jasper attended the Western Reserve, just prior to the Civil War, James A Garfield was serving as the Institute’s second President. Readers will recall that Garfield left his position to assume command of the 42nd OVI in which Jasper served.
I have searched the internet for other Civil War letters by Lt. Jasper S. Ross but have only found references to a couple of pieces written by Ross that were included in a 1912 publication entitled, “Continuation of historical sketches of the campaigns of the 42nd OVI from Vicksburg to the close of the war,” housed at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus. Ross’ two pieces pertained to the Battle of Champion’s Hill and the Battle at Black River Bridge, both penned during the Vicksburg Campaign.
[Header image is some of the boys of Co. A, 42nd OVI. Courtesy of Hiram College Archives]
The 42nd OVI departed Camp Chase in mid-December 1861 and proceeded to Catlettsburg, Kentucky, arriving there on December 17. They quickly advanced with McLaughlin’s Squadron of Ohio cavalry and with the 14th Kentucky to Green Creek, Kentucky. On December 31, 1861, the entire Union force moved towards Paintville, Kentucky, occupying this community on January 8, 1862. On the following day, Colonel James A. Garfield led 1,100 infantrymen, including the entire 42nd, and six hundred cavalrymen in pursuit of retreating enemy forces. On that evening, the Northerners briefly engaged the enemy, driving the Southerners from Abbott’s Hill. On January 10, 1862, the Union command continued the pursuit and engaged the Confederates at Middle Creek, three miles from Prestonburg, Kentucky. Despite being outnumbered more than two-to-one, Garfield ordered his men to attack the center and the Confederate right, prompting the enemy to withdraw from the field after a prolonged fight. On the following day, the Northerners occupied Prestonburg, before returning to Paintville. On February 1, 1862, the 42nd OVI boarded boats and sailed up the Big Sandy River to Pikeville, Kentucky, where his letter was written.
Letter 1
Camp Brownlow, Ketucky Sunday afternoon, February 9th [1862]
Brother Enoch,
Although I have not received any answer to my last letter, yet I attribute it to irregularity of the mail; as I presume there are several letters lying at Camp Buell now from [home].
As I told Pap in my hurried letter, we left Camp Buell on last Sunday night about 7.30 o’clock. We came to this place (Piketon) which you will see on the map I sent you. On the next day after we started about noon. Our camp is called Brownlow in honor of Parson Brownlow who so fearlessly continued to edit his Union sheet, The Knoxville Whig, while his enemies threatened the demotion of his press and the destruction of his life.
But now, Enoch, there just stopped in our tent a bright little boy who said his mother wanted me to come and take supper with her. And as he came all the way from the village out to camp to invite me, I guess I must go. There is a Commissary Sergeant boarding there who I presume (as he is quite a strong friend of mine) requested her to send for me. I will tell you more about it when I come back.
I went along with the boy and found it to be the home of the County Clerk. He himself was there and I was cordially received by them both, upon being introduced by the Sergeant of whom I before spoke. They had a happy little family of four bright little girls and the boy of whom I spoke. It was as I presumed, with regard to the invitation. The Sergeant had her to send for me. We had a very fine supper—canned peaches, canned peach pie, honey, milk, coffee, &c. which things are not often to be had by a soldier. I had an invitation to call again.
But I return to the old subject. Our camp is some forty miles farther up the river than Camp Buell. The country is much pleasanter here than down by Paintville.
This morning there was about two and a half inches of snow on the ground which made it look altogether like some of Ohio’s winter mornings. The country is very hilly. I went upon the top of a high hill the other day on the other side of the river. Pretty near the top there runs out a very large rock. This rock is about 300 feet above the river. I walked out and looked down and around the country. I never thought that I had the steadiness of nerve to look down from such a height yet I did it and found it a pleasant sight. While out there I plucked some leaves from some Laurel which had taken root and grown on the edge of the rock. I enclose a leaf for Mary Ellen.
As to which way we will move from here, I cannot say. There is a hint that we are to go to Bowling Green. I mentioned in my last letter something concerning the resignation of one of our Lieutenants. The circumstances are these which I had not time to write to Pap. He will see them here. Our First Lieutenant for some reason or other tendered his resignation, which Col. Garfield willingly recommended Gen. Buell to receive. This resignation will take effect on the 15th of this month. I have no doubt at all that the resignation is received. So in the resignation, our Second Lieutenant… [rest of letter missing]
Letter 2
Camp Brownlow near Piketon [Kentucky] Thursday, February 20th 1862
Dear Parents,
As I, thus far, have found no opportunity of sending the letter I write to [brother] Enoch, I have concluded to write you a few lines and enclose in the same envelope.
The weather is quite wet here now, rain having fallen for the last few days almost uninterruptedly. The ground here is not quite so bad for mud as that around Paintville (Camp Buell), yet tis quite disagreeable moving around here now. The river has been so low that boats could not come up to the point so that none of the 42nd but companies A & F and a small detachment from several other companies have gotten up the river yet. The 40th Ohio and 22nd Kentucky are here though so that we are quite a little army.
As to what our future duties will be, I am unable to say. Humphrey Marshal is reported to be about four miles beyond Pound Gap (in the Cumberland Mountains), making the distance about forty miles from here. We can take provisions no farther by steam so that we will be obliged to haul our provisions by wagon, which is a very difficult work. But we may be called to Bowling Green and thus leave this valley altogether; and we may be ordered to stay here, neither advancing nor going back. Of the three, I think it most likely we will go to Bowling Green although I have no particular reason for saying so.
We expect without doubt that there will be a boat up here today. Then I expect—as most of us do—to receive several letters, and shall feel like charging you folks at home with slackness in writing if I do not receive two or three right from home. But I guess I must close as I wrote about all of interest. Write me as soon as convenient. I will send this first opportunity.
I remain as ever, your son, — J. S. Ross
Letter 3
Camp Brownlow [near Piketon, Kentucky] Tuesday, February 25, 1862
Dear Parents,
I received your letter of the 6th this afternoon. The announcement of the death of our dear brother John was preceded a few days by a letter from Waynesburg from Aunt Elizabeth. It is as you remark, an additional warning to us that all must die. Indeed, I have wondered if it were not as rich a golden blessing to some of us, to hear that he was no more, was among the least of my expectations; and when the tidings came, I thought, “Is this the last an exemplary Christian, but a zealous worker in the cause of Christ and a true laborer in his vineyard. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.” It is a truly sad and unpleasant thought to think, as I must, that our evening talks, our Sabath walks, and our everyday familiar and pleasant associations are now gone by—at least in the sojourn of the mortal. But if ’tis ever my joyous lot to reach that happy home—that home in Heaven for which I sigh—I shall surely see in the mansions of the free and blessed, our brother John.
I have been well since I last wrote. I hope you have the same source of pleasure and cause of gratitude. The mail today brought me besides your letter, a letter from Louisa and one from Jno. Graham. Also two Carroll County Unions and a Herald or Dealer. The Dealer and one of the Union‘s was sent by John Graham. The other Union by the editors, I believe.
I presume as you say nothing about it, that Flora has recovered her usual health, also Spencer. I hear nothing in any way whatever from Mollie but tell her I do not wish to unless she can write with pleasure.
I received a letter from John Margins a few days ago. He tells me Amos had been sick some, but was getting well. Tell his folks he was well. I will close requesting you to write as soon as convenient. I sent you and [brother] Enoch a letter a few days ago.
I remain as ever, your loving son, — J. S. Ross
On March 14, 1862, the 42nd OVI with other regiments seized Pound Gap, Kentucky. The Union force spent the next few days skirmishing with Confederate guerrillas, before marching for Louisville, Kentucky.
Letter 4
Camp —- Six miles from Cumberland Ford April 29th, Tuesday evening 8.30 o’clock [1862]
My Dear Parents,
According to promise I seat me (although at a very late hour) to write you another letter. Twice before I have written to you before going into an engagement. I am again at that duty. We have six miles to the ford and fifteen from there to the Gap. We will start tomorrow and I think will take out wagons to the Ford and then let them follow us with provisions. This, however, I am not certain of. But I think I may safely say the first day of the engagement (if there be more than one) will be on day after tomorrow. If they stand firmly to their works (which is somewhat doubtful), they will give us a warm reception and a long, hard fight. Yet we look for triumph.
I am well and have been well during the march. I have come through one serious engagement before safely. Thanks to the Giver of all good! But He is not bound by this to take me through another. Yet His mercies are great and His loving kindnesses good. I hope and trust that He in His wisdom may give unto me what is best. I do not approach an engagement with anything of low cowardice I hope. But the gathering of so many human souls to their long rest makes me wish I were a truer, nobler, purer man.
But it is getting quite late. If it is mine to do so, I will write to you soon after the battle. My love to all.
Ever your loving son, — Jasper
Enoch Dear brother,
I meant to have written to you before this. I blame myself for not doing so, But I must not sit up to do it tonight. So look it over and write soon. Your brother, — Jasper
Direct to Cumberland Ford Via Lexington, Kentucky
In May 1862, the 42nd OVI boarded railroad cars and traveled to Lexington, Kentucky. The regiment then joined Brigadier-General George W. Morgan’s command and marched to Cumberland Ford, where officials brigaded the organization with the 16th OVI and the 14th and 22nd Kentucky. On May 15, 1862, the brigade crossed the Cumberland River and entered camp at the junction of the roads leading to Cumberland Gap and to Rogers’ Gap. On June 5, 1862, General Morgan led his troops against Confederate troops at Rogers’ Gap. The 42nd OVI participated in several skirmishes upon reaching this location.
Letter 5
Camp Bones May 29th 1862 Friday Morning 10.5 o’clock
Dear Brother Enoch,
I have thrown off my neck-tie (the same one you handed me from Pap’s show-case) and unbuttoned my shirt collar, and opened my shirt bosom in order to feel a little cooler, and set me down to write you a letter, which I do with pleasure. But notwithstanding the heat, I am sending forth the cooling volumes of tobacco smoke, and the gentle breeze that is moving carries it right over my shoulder out of the tent. The morning is bright and very warm, just such a day as we often see in wheat harvest at home.
Since I wrote to Pap and mother on last Sunday, we have moved our tent up onto the hillside further than it was and cut a level place for it. From the company tents up to our tent is a very steep bank, in which we have cut steps, and at the foot of this bank is a stream. There is a woods all around us except right in front, as you go down the bank and a little space to the left.
I am well and enjoying my soldier calling. We have four hours drill each day. I drill the company—two of them, and sometimes the whole four.
I was up on a hill about a mile and a half from here a few days ao from which, with a spy-glass, you can see the Gap. I saw the tents, their breastworks, and even the embrasures in which their guns rest—that is, their cannon.
I received a letter from Mary Ellen on last Tuesday night and you may tell her that I will answer it soon. Well! Enoch, I suppose from several accounts I have had of your lyceums that they are really good ones, well attended, and well conducted. I should like very much to pass an evening in th hall to see the performance, see how deep it is, see how much talent the society has got. Have you discussed any yet? I suppose hardly. You have not practiced writing essays and declaiming quite long enough yet. But Sir, Labor Omnia Vincet—Labor conquers all things. This Latin maxim is a noble and a true one. Live by it, Enoch, and think of it everyday. Play heartily and with a good free spirit. Never think of your studies when you play for your hours of play are sacred to heath. Be gay. Be jovial. But when you come to study, do it with a zeal and an earnestness. Remember Sir, that when you have seen a few more years, you will be Mr. Ross [and] the world will call you a young man. I mean in the extended sense of the word for no difference how ignorant or degraded one is at the age of eighteen or nineteen, he is called a young man.
Now Enoch, it is for you to say whether you will be a young man that the best of the other young men around you will be glad to see, glad to be seen with you, glad at times to have your advice, your opinion. It is for you to say whether they next four or five years shall make you a young man that old men will be glad to see if you absent for a time, or they are; a young man that they will willingly talk with an hour, and not try to get away from all the time; a young man that those who have gained something of an education ay not turn away from as ignorant and of no account, but a young man honored wherever he is known. And being known for this every year, and his influence increasing. This kind of a young man you may be. And oh! how I do want you to be such. But I must speak of another thing.
I have just passed over the four or five years on which you are now starting. I know something that it may do you good to know. Along between the age of fourteen and eighteen and nineteen, and later still, some young men think in order to keep up their respect in the circle in which they associate, they must be dashing, they must not appear to care for anything, they must take a dram occasionally, they must get off a full oath once in awhile, the must show their spunk and offer to fight (perhaps some noble young fellow who will not condescend until he is forced to) or they will sit in their circle and now and then tell a low, fowl, blackguard story. Now Enoch, the young man who thinks he is gaining or holding friends by this conduct is deceivedl he is sadly, deplorably deceived.
He is losing hold on every good and worthy friend he has every time he engages in one of these things. The honorable folks of a community think less of him everytime they see him or hear him do anything of the sort. And he thinks less of himself. Now watch over your conduct, act nobly, speak nobly, think nobly. Now think of this Enoch and while you grow strong mentally, grow also in many, upright spirit.
Now I must close for this time. You will excuse me giving you advise but I thought a few words from your soldier brother might help you some—not that you have failed in anything but for fear you might.
Evenig 8 o’clock
Well! Enoch, dinner and supper are over and two hours drill. The evening has come and the bugle has sounded tattoo, and the boys in the tents below are singing some tune together.
I rather expect a letter from you tonight when the mail comes which will be about one hour from now. I am detailed as Lieut. of the picket guard tomorrow, to be out twenty-four hours. Well! I will close and send this tomorrow. Give my love to all. Kiss Etna and Flora, Write soon and regularly.
Your brother as ever, — Jasper
P. S. There is some expectation of our being attacked tonight. If we are not attacked, I will not add anything more. If we are, I hope I may tell you something about it.
On June 18, 1862, Morgan ordered his command to Cumberland Gap when Confederates withdrew. The 42nd OVI then entered camp near Yellow Creek and spent the next six weeks participating in various expeditions. The regiment skirmished with enemy soldiers at Baptist’s Gap and at Tazewell during this time and, on August 5, 1862, confronted the advance units of Confederate General Kirby Smith’s army, which had launched an invasion of Kentucky. On August 6, Smith’s army forced the 42nd OVI’s brigade to withdraw from Tazewell to Cumberland Gap. The Southerners greatly outnumbered the Northerners, prompting the Union force to withdraw from the gap. The 42nd OVI then marched through the Kentucky communities of Manchester and Proctor, before crossing the Ohio River into the regiment’s home state at Greenupsburg, Kentucky.
In Ohio, the 42nd OVI encamped at Portland for two weeks. Ten, on October 21, 1862, the regiment advanced to Gallipolis, Ohio. The organization crossed the Ohio River and traveled up the Kanawha River to Charlestown, Virginia (modern-day West Virginia). The following letter was written 40 miles up the Kanawha River.
Letter 6
Camp near Scary Creek 40 miles up the Kanawa Wednesday night, 9 o’clock October 29, 1862
My dear parents,
Although it is bed time and i am somewhat weary, yet I seat myself to write you as has been my custom previous to, or in the prospect of an engagement.
I am in good health although I cannot say that such is the general condition of the troops here—our regiment at least. There are a good many cases of chills and fever, not confining the men to bed, or bunk rather, but permitting them to go around chilly most of the time and feverish at others. We have marched forty miles up the Kanawa, and the rebels are reported ten miles farther up, strongly fortified. We move tomorrow morning at 7 o’clock, and I presume another week will either see our battle fought or the retreat of the rebels.
Whichever it may be, I hope that I may be true to my country, my home, and my God. As I once before remarked to you, when I think of battle I wish I were a better, nobler man. But “His mercy endureth forever” and giving myself into His hands, “who doeth all things well,” I pray that I may act out the true soldier.
I shall not write to you again until after something decisive is wrought out. Unless that should be longer that I now think. Write soon, often, and long letters. My love to Enoch, Etna, and Flora.
Believe me as ever your affectionate son, — Jasper
P. S. I received a letter from Enoch on last Sunday. Accept my thanks, my dear old fellow, and write again, as if I had answered for I would but as you see, I shall not have an opportunity for a few days. Your brother, — Jasper
On November 10, 1862, the 42nd OVI returned to Ohio, moving to Cincinnati, where officials sent the regiment down the Ohio River and down the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee, reaching this final location on November 28. At Memphis, the regiment joined the Ninth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps.
On December 20, 1862, the 42nd OVI boarded ships with the remainder of General William T. Sherman’s command, disembarking at Johnston’s Plantation on the Yazoo River. One week later, Sherman’s command assaulted the Confederate defenses at Chickasaw Bluffs (Walnut hills) north of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The 42nd OVI engaged the enemy on December 27, 28, and 29, 1862, but the Northerners failed to seize the city. The Union command withdrew to Milliken’s Bend, Louisiana, where the following letter was written.
Letter 7
[Partial Letter describing the Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs or Walnut Hills, 26-29 December 1862]
[Milliken’s Bend, Louisiana] [3 January 1863]
…pretty well. Along towards 2 o’clock companies were advanced carefully to find out their position. Finally the 42nd [OVI] was placed in column by companies in a slough or ravine along our left.
These sloughs or ravines are called bayous here. They are deep gullies or channels, generally very muddy and almost always with deep pools of water here and there. This is called a bayou.
On Sunday [28 December 1862] at 2 o’clock P. M., our brigade [DeCourcy’s Brigade] lay in about the following position [see sketch].
Sketch by Lt. Jasper S. Ross of the approach taken on 28 December 1863 by DeCourcy’s Brigade into the woods between the two bayous. The Chickasaw Bluffs defended by Rebel Batteries and Infantry are beyond the “2nd Bayou” at right.
The Forty-second Ohio was ordered to double quick up over the bank of the bayou into the woods. In doing so, Company A—the leading company—had three men shot, not mortally however, and one of them but slightly. We then set up a yell and went forward on the run. The rebels left the woods and passed beyond the second bayou. 1 We had scarcely got into the woods, however, when the Rebels opened with their artillery from the batteries in their fortifications. They fired very well. Their shells came into the woods almost every time and exploded about the right places. They produced some sad sights. Some had legs blown almost off haging by a bit of flesh. I saw one of this kind while our regiment was coming into line in the woods. One shell exploded in a company of the 54th Indiana, killing and wounding 10 or 12.
Gen. George Washington Morgan led the 3rd Division at Sherman XIII Corps at Chickasaw Bluffs. Sherman felt that Morgan had let him down by not carrying the bluffs in the assault of 29 December 1862.
Pretty soon our battery 2 came up and took position in the woods between the two bayous and between our six cannon and their six or eight, the scene was awfully magnificent. Just before our artillery opened, the Rebels started from their entrenchments to drive us from the woods, but they did not continue their advance after the opening of the artillery.
Towards evening the infantry fire ceased. I could see covered wagons driving along the road on the inside of their entrenchments. Men also could be seen occasionally on the works a passing openings in them. Horsemen rode up the hill along the road leading to Vicksburg and other horsemen returned. Our artillery fired at wagons and men when they saw them, and their cannon occasionally replied.
Sunset approached, the shadows of evening gathered around, and welcome silence threw her mantle over the night. The 42nd [OVI] stacked arms where they stood, behind the artillery. The other regiments of our brigade [54th Indiana, 22nd Kentucky, and 16th OVI] were nearby. Then followed the making of coffee—the broiling of pork, and the eating of supper.
After this the other regiments assisted some of ours [to] throw up a fortification for the battery. While our brigade and division was advancing at this point, the two Gen. Smiths were advancing their divisions on the right, and Gen. Steele on our left. Gen. Steele was about as far advanced as our brigade but the two divisions on our right not quite so far. The night was beautiful, the moon shining bright, and I can say for myself that I slept well. But before I begin on another day, I will try to sketch the position of the two armies [see sketch].
Sketch by Lt. Jasper S. Ross of the “general position” of Morgan’s Division with respect to other divisions of Sherman’s XIII Corps at Chickasaw Bluffs, Mississippi.
The above is the general position; as to the other divisions, I of course know but little.
We could hear musketry and artillery all along the line. But up to Sunday evening, nothing of great interest occurred in the other divisions. Indeed, I think, nothing of as much interest as in Gen. [G. W.] Morgan’s Division.
Now, I will try to show you the ground of tomorrow’s work. It is a sketch given me by a young man of our company who drew me a sketch before, which I sent home. It shows the enemy’s line of rifle entrenchments and their five batteries along the hillsides. The bayou at the bottom of the sketch is the same as that marked “2nd Bayou” in the foregoing sketch. So that this sketch shows the ground that lay between us and the enemy on Sunday night [28 December].
Sketch by unidentified member of 42nd OVI showing the terrain over which the DeCourcy’s and Blair’s Brigades fought on 29 December 1863. The five Rebel batteries are seen in the hills beyond the cornfield. The rugged bayou with fallen timber is in the foreground through which the 42nd OVI passed.
On Monday morning [29 December] we were up early and had breakfast over by a short time after daylight. The enemy threw shell and shot at us during the morning and our artillery returned the fire, at one time blowing up one of their ammunition carriages. We could see them fire by the smoke of the cannon, jump behind a tree or bank, hear them screach along and explode.
The time slipped by until it was one o’clock in the afternoon. Our brigade was called to arms. The 54th Indiana and 16th Ohio were drawn up on the “road” in the left of the sketch and the 22nd Kentucky and 42nd Ohio just in rear of the fallen timber behind the pontoon bridge. Two batteries of artillery were in line in our rear. It had been arranged and understood that when these two batteries fired, our whole line of four divisions was to charge upon the enemy’s works. We did not know this was the signal at the time but learned so afterwards. We knew well enough, though, what we were in line for.
A few minutes after coming to the edge of the “bayou” ready to cross the “bridge,” we lay down and the two batteries of artillery gave an almost simultaneous volley. Then came the order, “Forward!” The 22nd Kentucky crossed the bridge first and then we crossed it. But before this, and about the time the 22nd came out of the woods to cross, the rebel artillery opened and by the time we got across, let me tell you that fallen timber was a warm place. The whole five [Rebel] batteries [before us] poured their shell into it and the rebel infantry fired from the canebrake and underbrush to the right. Our own artillery, too, was throwing shells right over our heads at the enemy.
While the 22nd Kentucky and the 42nd Ohio were climbing over the trees and through the brush, the 54th Indiana and 16th Ohio came out along the “road” in “double quick” and passed over the bayou and up into the “cornfield” and deployed into line of battle. Also some three or four regiments of Frank P. Blair’s Brigade (Steele’s Division) came out from the left of the sketch, passed over the bayou, and also up into the cornfield (Blair’s regiments were from Iowa and Missouri).
The 22nd Kentucky and 42nd Ohio kept on through the fallen timber. The 22nd passed the “bayou” and came up under the bank of the bayou. The 42nd did the same, forming line across the road around the edge of the cornfield. While we were doing this, the 54th Indiana and 16th Ohio and Blair’s Brigade had advanced towards the enemy’s entrenchments and during this time, the enemy’s artillery and infantry in the entrenchments had been mowing them down so that by the time our regiment came to the “road” ready to march up into the “cornfield,” our advance regiments were broken up and the whole body of troops that had gained the “cornfield” were coming back in complete confusion. Our regiment was ordered to halt and cover the retreat.
Men wounded in every manner came down from the field and passed to the rear or were helped there. In the course of fifteen minutes, all who were able to come away from the (corn) “field,” did so, and the 42nd fell back in something of confusion (as the enemy’s artillery was still firing), yet in as good order as could have been expected. Such was the charge that cost some three hundred and fifty lives, wounded near as many more, and gave the enemy five hundred prisoners.
I believe that I can now say that I have seen war in one of its sternest, most unpleasant phases. And I think it may truly be said that a Nation’s greatest calamity and most unhappy duty is that of engaging in war. If ours was not a just war for truth and the good of mankind, I would never strike another blow. But if the scene is a sad one to those who have just been thrown together for a year or so, in the performance of soldier duties, what must be the wringing bereavement of those who knew the fallen by the endearing name of brother, father, son, husband?
But patriotism is a Christian virtue, and God loves it. Let us cherish it honestly and lean upon His arm.
Lt. Col. Don A. Pardee led the 42nd OVI on the disastrous assault of Chickasaw Bluffs on 29 December 1862. Pardee was wounded when a musket ball struck him in the boot but continued to urge his boys forward. (Ohio Historical Society)
There is no one here to write to you and tell you whether I did my duty or not. So I will say for myself that in every time of danger, I was with the regiment; almost always by the side of the Colonel [Don A. Pardee] who was always at the head of his regiment when it was expected he should be. And, I think I may say that through the help of God, I did my duty.
And now I ask that when again in the family circle or around the family board, you address the kind Father of all good, I ask that you thank Him for my safety, for His help unto me in my duties, for His merciful—very merciful—kindness unto me as a soldier and an officer. Pray that I may be a better man and live a nobler, Christian life.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all the troops occupied about the same position as before the charge. No second attack was made. On Thursday night [January 1, 1863], we marched back to the Yazoo, got on board the boats, and on yesterday (Friday) morning, steamed down the Yazoo and about twenty miles up the Mississippi where we are now lying along the Louisiana shore. It is now about eleven-thirty o’clock Saturday night and I must close soon. I understood today that Gen. McClernand had arrived to supersede Sherman. I hope it is so. The troops here have lost confidence in Sherman.
I received a good letter from Enoch tonight dated December 22nd. I was happy to know that you were all well. I also received one from Reuben Redman.
Write punctually and long letters. I might have written more concerning the incidents of the expedition, but I rather presume I have told you most of the interesting features. I have no personal incidents to tell you. Although bullets many times came close to me and shells occasionally, yet it was the same with most of the others, and does not belong to me alone.
Sunday will soon be here. I wish you a happy social meeting and would like to meet with you. Ever your affectionate son and brother, — Jasper
P. S. I cannot tell why you do not send me the count papers. Direct to Morgan’s Division, Down the Mississippi
1 The rebels encountered in the woods on Annie Lake’s Plantation between the two bayous were members of the 29th Louisiana. DeCourcy’s Brigade was slowed in their advance by artillery fire from the 1st Mississippi Light Artillery.
2 The artillery attached to DeCourcy’s Brigade included Battery G, 1st Michigan Light Artillery under Capt. Charles Lanphere and the 1st Wisconsin Light Artillery under Capt. Jacob Foster.
On January 4, 1863, the 42nd OVI sailed up the White River to the Arkansas River, where the men disembarked at Arkansas Post and attacked Fort Hindman which is described in the following letter.
Letter 8
On Board the Steamer Empress near Fort Hindman, 25 miles up the Arkansas Friday afternoon, January 15th 1863
On Board the Steamer Empress near Fort Hindman, 25 miles up the Arkansas Friday afternoon, January 15th 1863
Dear Brother,
With the confusion, noise and shaking that is always found on board a steamer loaded with troops, I take my seat (having lighted a cigar, a few of which I am fortunate enough to have). Shall I not tell you first of the disagreeableness of the weather? Yes, I will. Well, on Wednesday night it began raining and rained so hard that a perfect sheet of water ran through my tent, carry off chips as a river floats a steamer. But I had been industrious enough the night before to build me a bunk by laying a couple of boards upon two cross-pieces which were laid upon stakes driven in the ground, so that the angry current rushed its dampness under me in vain. But about daylight, it began to come through above, but before it wet my covering through, I got up. It rained nearly all day yesterday, an as the troops did not have shelter sufficient for all, they suffered a great deal of discomfort, and I have no doubt many a poor fellow will find his death disease from the last two days exposure.
But I have not done yet. About 3 o’clock P. M. yesterday we came aboard the steamer Empress. This got us away from the mud of camp (which was near six inches deep) but the greater part of all the regiments are placed on the upper decks of the steamers. Here they could not shelter themselves from the rain so well as in camp. Oh! I tell you, it is a sorry time for soldiers under such circumstances. But to add to this suffering, it began snowing in the night and snowed to the depth of some four inches. The snow has not gone off yet. Certainly patriotism must be true that lives and burns amid these privations. I do not refer to myself but to the troops. I have a good room and bed to sleep in on the boat, as also all the officers.
We were to move down the river at 11 o’clock this morning, but are not yet under way.
This Fort Hindman is the same as the Arkansas Post I spoke of in my letter day before yesterday. One week ago this morning our fleet moved up White River (look at the map). We ascended as far as the cut across (a channel between the White and Arkansas rivers). Through this channel we steamed across into the Arkansas River and up to within five or six miles of Fort Hindman (named after the rebel General Hindman).
On Saturday evening our gunboats began the attack. The enemy replied briskly. They had some twenty pieces of artillery—seven regiments of infantry and strong works. The heavy thundering of the artillery shook the old barn in which I was sleeping on a pile of picked cotton.
Sunday morning opened with a bright and hopeful sun. Our brigade was back about one mile and a half from the enemy’s works. We were held in reserve and lay in an old cornfield. While we lay there, I thought of the happy Sabbath day at home, or friend meeting friend in social converse. But this pleasure was not ours. We expected every hour, and [at] the appearance of every aide-de-camp, to be ordered to the front of the fight. By 3 o’clock in the afternoon, our forces had got all around the works and our artillery had dismounted all but two or three of the enemy’s cannon. Then came the order for De Courcy’s Brigade to move to the front. A thrill of excitement ran through the bosom of every man, I think I may truly say, for I believe it was the general impression that we were to be the brigade to charge the fortifications. And this was true as General Morgan afterwards said.
“Lively and rapid was the fire of the musketry and heavily did the artillery thunder forth its malignant bolts. Steadily we advanced. But when we were about to come under the enemy’s fire, amidst the smoke and above the walls of the fort, arose—-a white flag!”
According to order we marched toward the front with countenances gradually settling down into a look of sternness and a more determined tread. Steadily our column wound along the bank of the river, the gold sun of the beautiful Sabbath evening throwing its crimson glory o’er our banners and dancing and glistening along the bayonets. Lively and rapid was the fire of the musketry and heavily did the artillery thunder forth its malignant bolts. Steadily we advanced. But when we were about to come under the enemy’s fire, amidst the smoke and above the walls of the fort, arose—-a white flag. Although I did not see it before it went down, yet I heard them holler the “white flag” and off went my cap with the thousands of others and Oh! how we cheered! The enemy had surrendered!
It was a glad hour for the 42nd. It would almost certainly have been first in the charge. Those who had been firing rushed into the works but those who had been held back marched in by regiments. I got leave of absence from my regiment and went in immediately. Here and there lay men dead and wounded, guns scattered everywhere, and cannon with the muzzles knocked off, wheels off the carriages, or otherwise disabled.
By the time I got in, our men were all over the fort. I looked around some time and looked at some of the principal prisoners, and talked a little to a rebel captain and then came out. That night our regiment guarded about one thousand prisoners. We took about five or six thousand.
It is now twilight and I can hardly see the lines. Perhaps I shall write by candle light.
It is now about 7.30 o’clock and I am writing by candlelight. Well, Enoch, on Monday we took the swords, pistols, knives, and so forth from our prisoners. We had quite a stack of them. These things, however, were to be turned over to the Q. M. (Quartermaster) but before this turning over, I with a a number of others got a few trophies. I got a revolver, a knife, a new scabbard for my sword, and a pair of spurs. I have a few other trophies which I got at other times. I hope I may have an opportunity to send them home soon.
But Enoch, what pleases me as much as anything else, I got a fine cream-colored horse from among the cavalry horses captured. While I act as Adjutant, I am entitled to a horse. So on Monday I went to Colonel Sheldon (our former Colonel, now commanding a brigade) and told him I would like to trade my sorrel for a better horse. As the captured horses had been turned over to his brigade to guard, he told me to go and take my choice from the lot. I chose the one I mentioned. He is a little smaller than Bill, near limbed, fiery, and a splendid riding horse. I like him very much.
At Memphis, while I was on picket, two darkies brought in a couple of secesh horses with saddles. When I turned them over to the Provost Marshal he gave me the best saddle and bridle so I am now riding a “secesh” rig. You must not think the horse is mine. His is only furnished to me while I act as Adjutant.
I cannot say what will be our next move. The defeat at Vicksburg was a sad one, wasn’t it? But Rosecrans’ victory makes things look brighter. We are paying a big price if we gain the ultimate victory, and if we finally fail, surely the sacrifice great and sad.
I think, Enoch, that the professing Christians of the North do not pray earnestly enough for our cause. Perhaps this is something you never thought of before. I believe it to be true. You do not profess Christianity (you should begin to think seriously of this though) yet, surely, it would be proper for you, when you lay down at night and when you wake with heaven’s blessings in the morning, to ask God to bless our country and our army. God is not a stock, nor a stone, nor an impenetrable body of sternness, but a kind and willing and able Father who can be asked for blessings as you would ask your father at home for the comforts of life.
Well, Enoch, I have written sufficient for this time. I would like if you write about as long a letter. And again, I must say I have never received any county papers since we were at Cumberland Gap. Now I don’t think it ought to be so, You might send me one now and then.
I presume my books and “traps” generally are all right. Tell me how they are. Give my love to Pap and mother. Tell them I received a letter from them yesterday and received it with eagerness. I shall be glad to get a few words in capital letters from Etna. Help her along all you can. Be patient with her, more so than I used to be with you. Whenever you think she could read a little letter in small words written in capitals, tell me and I will write to her. Tell her and Flora that I want them to be good, romping, laughing girls.
But I must close. Ever your affectionate brother, — Jasper
P. S. Direct to Co. A, 42nd Ohio, Gen. Morgan’s Corps, Army of the Mississippi
Direct very plainly as letters are sometimes lost by not being plainly backed. Put all the above directions on the envelope.
On January 24, 1863, the 42nd OVI arrived at Young’s Point, Louisiana, where they spent a few days helping to dig a canal that would allow Union gunboats to bypass Confederate artillery fire from Vicksburg. In this letter, Ross refers to the canal as the “famous cut.”
Letter 9
Young’s Point, Louisiana Saturday, January 31st 1863
Dear Parents,
I thought I would employ a part of the afternoon of my birthday in writing you a short letter.
Today I am 22. Gettung up in years, ain’t I? I suppose you will not notice the day as my birthday, will you? You will most likely think of it some two or three days afterwards. On the day that I was twenty-one, I was in camp near Paintsville, in Eastern Kentucky, and I was just wondering whether I would still be in the army on the twenty-third anniversary of my birthday. I hope not. I hope we may overcome our Southern enemy before then, and our government be moving on after the old order of things.
The famous cut across has not yet developed into a channel for gunboats and transports but we hope it may soon.
The feeling between the troops of the North and South is not so vicious as it was in our former unsuccessful campaign. The pickets of the two forces are said to holler to each other across the [Mississippi] river. I do not know this to be a fact, but it is very likely true. In our former campaign, pickets saluted each other with bullets, and in walking near the front of our lines we were obliged to keep under cover. Here some of our men go down to the bank of the river opposite Vicksburg and view the city without being fired at or disturbed. Perhaps this is owing to their fears that if we are fired on, we shall shell the city.
We heard a few days ago of a second victory won by Rosecrans. I hope it is true and even better than reported. The papers also report preparations for another advance on Richmond. We have reports through rebel sources that Banks has taken Port Hudson below Vicksburg.
We have had fine weather for three or four days back, but today opened cloudy with light sprinkles of rain, now and then. We expect Spring weather in two or three weeks from now. Old citizens say they generally made their gardens here in January.
I got a letter from John Grossman day before yesterday. He says Enoch and Etna get along well and learn fast, which I was glad to hear. Well Pap, how does business go? I suppose that this day is cold enough with you to require a humming fire in the old store coal stove. And being Saturday, I presume a number of the old men are gathered in to buy some some few necessaries and chat away the evening. I hope you are succeeding as well as the times would warrant. Is Enoch as forgetful a clerk as I used to be?
But what I designed for a short letter is growing so as to soon, if I keep on, deserve the title big. Write as soon and often and as long letters as is at all convenient.
My love to Enoch, Etna, and Flora. Your affectionate son, — Jasper
Saturday afternoon. I today received a good friendly letter from John Graham and Beckie. — J. S. R.
Letter 10
Camp near Richmond, Louisiana April 6th 1861 [should be 1863]
Dear Father,
I herewith forward you one hundred and fifty dollars, which you will use yourself if you have need for it; if not, put it out at reasonable interest in some hands that you consider safe. I am well and hope you all are. We are now eleven miles back from the river and are on the way (I presume) to some point on the river below Vicksburg.
My love to all the family, your son, — J. S. Ross
In late April 1863, the 42nd OVI embarked upon General Ulysses S. Grant’s final assault upon Vicksburg. The 42nd OVI crossed the Mississippi River with most of Grant’s command at Bruinsburg, Mississippi. On April 30, May 1, and May 2, 1863, they participated in the Union assault upon Port Gibson, Mississippi. On the battle’s second day, the 42nd OVI launched three assaults against the Confederates but failed to drive the enemy from the field. On May 2, the Northerners occupied the town and continued their advance on Vicksburg. The 42nd OVI participated in the Battles of Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge, suffering few casualties. From late May to late June 1863, the regiment served in the Union’s siege lines around Vicksburg, launching periodic assaults against the Confederate defenses. On June 27, 1863, the 42nd OVI left the siege and marched to the Big Black River to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the beleaguered Confederates at Vicksburg.
Letter 11
In rear of Vicksburg, Mississippi Sunday afternoon, June 14th 1863
Dear Father and Mother,
A bright, warm afternoon and as I generally make it a rule to have a little more leisure o Sundays than any other day, I have set me down to devote a portion of that leisure to the good folks at the old homestead.
I am well and happy. My duties in the office have been quite arduous and constant for the past week owing to the great amount of back work which accumulated during the 40 days campaign, in which I was without desk or tent. But with the assistance of the Sergeant Major, I have brought it all up, and I am quite glad.
We have not yet taken the “Hill City.” The enemy hold out well and we hope to hold on well. There is leisure artillery and infantry firing almost constantly. It is considerable heavier now that ordinarily. The batteries on the hill, about 200 yards in front of me are firing at about the rate of three rounds per minute, and with the explosion of the shells, there is pretty near a constant discharge and explosion. The infantry firing is heavier than usual. I should think I hear sixty rounds per minute, if not more. I will try to give you some idea of the way matters move along here in the siege.
Sketch of Siege Lines in the rear of Vicksburg, 14 June 1863
Although there is nothing accurate about this sketch, yet it gives you a pretty good idea of the general position of the forces. Perhaps you do not see the advantage we have. It is this. You see the squares along the rebel lines marked F; they are rebel forts. You see that our rifle trenches are close to them; about an average of 200 yards or less. Our infantry in these trenches can shoot right through the port holes in the forts and kill the men who attempt to fire and load the cannons in the forts. But our batteries are back on the hills at long rifle range, and it is only once in awhile they can hit any of our artillerymen. Our forts (also marked F) are rough, hastily thrown up, and are only three-ended. Some short little rifle pits along the line are right close up to the enemy works. I have guessed at them and marked them on the sketch.
We have men in the rifle pits night and day; about one man every three feet. They shoot through little holes in the banks of the rifle pits—so do the rebels. At night the musketry firing ceases except where we are advancing our line of trenches or planting artillery. Then the rebels fire at the workmen and our troops protect them by returning the fire. But the enemy seldom fire their artillery unless they deem it exceedingly necessary, except also from a fort a good piece back on a hill (I marked it). From this they occasionally throw some very large shells.
In the ravines close behind our batteries lay the reserve troops, or a good part of them. There are other troops lying in other ravines still farther. The 42nd [OVI] is in the first ravine behind the batteries. I guessed at its place and marked it as near as I could.
We have received large reinforcements and I hope we may get the whole “trap.” We have all kinds of rumors everyday about deserters coming to our lines and the stories they tell. Also about our capturing couriers from Johnston to Pemberton and others from Pemberton to Johnston, and about the dispatches they carried. But the trouble is, we never know what to believe. But about war, I will conclude.
I believe I received a letter from Sarah Anne which I did not answer. But it is so with nearly all my correspondents except at home. It is a week today since I got any word from home. But I presume it is the fault of the mail or it may be you did not write me.
I saw Marion the other day. He gave me a visit. I also went to the 80th Ohio and saw Joe Reed, Sam Porter, James Reed, and Fred Buell. But I only stayed a few minutes. I almost forgot to mention that I saw Ben Sonders and Bob Gill.
Tell Etna to write me another letter and give her and Flora my love. Also Enoch.
Ever your son, — Jasper
Direct to 42nd Ohio, Osterhaus’ Division, McClernand’s Corps, In rear of Vicksburg
Spared & Shared 22 