Apr 2004 - A Letter Home
Following is a letter from Truman Kidney [Orsamus, John, James, Peter, Robert, John/Jan] to his mother and stepfather, Betsy Kidney Eaton and Orris Eaton. Truman served in Company D, 34th Infantry, Illinois Volunteers - "The Rock River Rifles".
Camp near Savannah, Ga
December 18th, 1864
Kind parents I now seat myself with pen in hand to try and answer your kind letter which came to hand last evening. I was glad to hear that you were all well for, then, I am all right too. We are all well, I believe. I have not been all around this morning but I have not heard any body complain, only them that had eat to much breakfast.
I suppose O K [probably brother Orlando] had told you all the news and that will save me the trouble. I am glad that them recruiters were not with us on this raid for I am afraid we could not found them transportation. We started from Kingston which is on the Chattanooga and Atlanta railroad the 12th of last month and marched to Atlanta and tore up and burned the railroad as we went along. We reached Atlanta the 14th and staid there two days. I drawed clothing and burned the town and the morning of the 16th started for salt water. We reached Milledgeville, the Capitol of Georgia, the 23rd and staid there one day, burned the state house and the Depot and the long railroad bridge and then started on our way rejoicing. We took a scope about 40 miles wide, burning all of the cotton and all unoccupied houses, barns, and killed all the hogs and poultry and takeing all the horsses and sheep and cattle and bacon in the smoke houses and corn meal, sweet potatoes, and corn and fodder, leaving the country desolate. It looked hard to see the women and children come out of their ransacked houses and beg of the boys to leave them one mouthfull of provissions, but the boys would tell them that they had no business to be secesh. You cannot blame the boys as they had to live off from the country. I tell you it was funn to make the hogs take the oath of allegiance to the government. We would have from one to a half a dozen every night and five or six bushels of sweet potatoes. I think I growed poor; I only weight 177 pounds in my shirt sleeves. Well, father, I have told you how the thing went off and I will have to take up something else. We reached this place the 13th of this month and I think we will stay here until the place is taken. I don't think it will be long for we have got communications open and we are a going to draw full rations to-night and we have got the place surrounded. The gunboats hold the mouth of the river and the coast. The reb force is estimated at twelve or fifteen thousand and I think that we will take them all prisoners. We are about five miles from salt water that's what the matter.
Well, father, we heard old Abe was elected before we left Kingston; old Sherman did not start untill he heard that. You must excuse this blot on the paper. You must not think of us comeing home this winter. We have just begun to raid. I expect we will start for Charleston or Mobile or Willmington or Richmond or Europe. It dont make any difference. Where the rebs go, old Billy Sherman will follow. I would like to be home and visit with Aunt Larua and all the rest.
I suppose Frank [brother Francis] is comeing out in the latest style but suppose he can afford it with a new molasses mill.
Mother, I have never received that housewife [thread and needle case with pockets] and, coming down here, I dont think I will. Never mind, it will be all right. I want you should take that money and spend it for we dont know as we will ever be home and if we should we have plenty to bury us decent and that is all we want. I think Maria [sister Lydia Marie] needs it and she is all the sister we have got and what kind of brithers would we be if we should see her in want and not give her any when we have plenty and even if she had plenty it would be all the same and Lisher [brother Elishsa] him some. I want you should tell me if you hear from Ben [brother Benjamin] for we heard that they had been in a fight and I am anxious to hear from him. I was in hopes that he would get home without another fight but it seemes not. I have been in the service ten months the 23rd of this month and I have not been behind on a day's march yet. So I must close so good by. Spencer Conn send his respects to you. Write soon and all the news. From your son Truman to his Father and Mother Orris and Betsy Eaton.
Truman Kidney was wounded at the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, on March 19, 1865, the first day of a major Confederate offensive. He died of those wounds at the Soldier's Home in Springfield, IL on April 11, 1865, four months after this letter was written. Truman was 19 years old.