THECHERISHEDLETTERS1862

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THE CHERISHED LETTERS

1862

I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you no how we are getting along. I am well and harty. But William is very sick he has got the Tiford & camp fever. I took him to the hospitale on the 7^th of this month & Uncle John and Cousin Thomas DUGGAN took him out & they took him to their house. He was out of his head from Wednesday night till Monday night & never slep a wink. I went to Mobile to see him last Monday & stade till this evening. When I left he was sleeping & resting better & the Doctor said that his simptoms was better. I hated to leave him but I was oblides to. I will go back tomorrow or next day if they will let me. We all have to be at our post at this time. We got orders here today to cook five days rashions so as to be ready to a minute's warning.

I think they have got scared too soon. My notion is we will not leave here soon though I dont no, we may leave tomorrow & it may be 6 months. I have not much more to write. Thomas I think you ort to come to see us. I would like to sea any of you. I keep looking for Father but he don't come. I expect to write a letter home every other day until William gets well if he ever does.

I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you no how we are getting along. I am well & harty but William is very sick withe the feaver he has ben sick about 15 days & he has ben very bad off but he is mending a little now. I have ben bad scared about him but I feel right smartly relieved now since he is mending. He was out of his right mind 8 days & nights & never slep any for 5 days and nights.

Thomas I would like to see you very much. I think you might afford to come to see us this winter though I no you will be very busy in fixing your farm. i learn that Jack had volentered. I think he ort to have staded at home, & if he would go any how I think he ort to have come & joined our company & then we all would have ben together.

Thomas I have not much more to write but we have ben looking for a fight here but I don't think there is much danger yet awhile. I must close. I think you might write a letter ever once in a while if you are not too busy. Wright soon.

I have the honor in reciprocating to your kind note which landed a few nights ago & found me well. I am still happy to inform you that my life is lengthened & in the boundry of good health. My comrades are generally well. Some of them have been attacted with the yellow Jonders; but are now in the mend mostly. We have not no duty in our Regiment since we got here, and I trust we will be fortunate enough not to.

LEMUEL, I had the most fatigueing trip from Camp Memminger that I ever experienced. My load was so great and the sand so deep and everything so powerfully wet. Leumel, we are now stationed 8 miles from Pensacola on a long neck of land known in Geography as a peninsula. I like this place fully as well as any we ever had. If it was not for the plagued black fleas. There is perfect hosts of them here. Some nights they parade and hold.....parades and run races and keep us scratching and twisting so that it is nearly impossible to ketch up in sleeping. There are two kinds of them here, the bighting and the large sort we use for fish bate. You may think this is a strange bate for fish, but it is so. We kick up the sand a few times & find any amount of them. The sand here is more like snow than most anything else I could compare. It makes a man have the sun grins to look at it. It dazels his eyes so. The fish are strange looking sorts also. The kind we ketch mostly are the Sheep Heads. They are in the shape of a perch, and striped like a checken snake, and have teeth like a sheep exactly and have very few bones in them. We all appear to be well pleased with our new situation.

We are in sight of the Yankees and can see them drill every day. The Yankees have a kind of Saluatation today in fireing off their guns. They kept it up so steady and so long we began to think they was opening up on our Pickets. We keep hearing every day is the last, that they intend for us to stay and surrender. We would have stayed at Mobile had the Patriotism of those Regts. been good that ....here. Some of them become so yankey spirited that they would desert constantly and they were afraid to let them stand guard. They were mostly Irish from La. The People are very proud of the exchange. They like the appearance of the 19th well. We have but little drilling to do here. The hardest is standing guard. The boys stand guard every other night. Our guard lines are lengthy to the distance of ten miles. We never aim for them to get the advantage by having one gap down. I hear a great deal of bad news now. Some very bad on our post, and some very favorable.

As I suppose you are posted with the times, I shall forbid stating anything about what I have heard the last week or two. We drew good guns before we left Mobile instead or in lieu of the ones we already had. The ones we have now are the United States Musket. We would some rather of had the Minnie Rifle or the Endfield. You stated in your last that you wanted to know whether I received any money for clerking or not. I can tell you that I do. At first I only got $11.00 per month. But now $18.50 and relieved from all the other duty. I would much rather do that than be exposed to all sorts of weather, etc.

Lemuel, I enjoy myself finely,. I am in fine spirits and growing in strength and flesh every day. I was weighed yesterday on the scales and pulled down 1761/2 pounds. I would like to have been with you very much in your trips to the quiltings. When you get into your sprees with the good ladies give them my hearts desire. Lemuel, I must stop as it is getting after tattoo. Write soon.

I take this opportunity to wright you a few lines to let you know that we are all alive at this time, tho not well. Your Mother is verry unwell at this time with bad cold & sore throat. She can't hardly swallear any thing. She is vearry near wore out. We had six of Captain MORGANs men that had been sick & two other men that was with them. We had them about a week. They left yesterday, besides some other company at times. When she gets well, I expect to have her get off of this rode. I can't hold out & feed so menney people.

I don't know where we will go yet. I want to make some crop myself. John McCOLLUM left here the 15th of this month without letting us know anything about quiting. He has volunteard in Allridges Company. Sense I never seen him after he left, I have rented my Bottom to William GRAVES. I want to tend the barn field & orchard myself. We got the letter you rote after the Battle. We heard from by Henry WARNIC. He staid with us two or three days when he come on.

He is still mending some. This is Sunday morning the 27th. The docotr is hear at this time. He says he thinks the pallet of her mouth is down. He says he can releave her in a short time. I am in hopes he can, if so she will soon be better.

I heare this morning that Alexander HOOD got home last knight. I want to go down & see him. Bartley MONTGOMERY got home last knight; left Bunk at Elyton. D. A. 's family is well. Him & Wm. FOWST hands is going to work together this year. Selon JONES got home yesterday. He looks verry bad.

Thomas Wayman has rote a letter to you & Samuel to go with this. I want you to wright every good chance you have, & I will try to do the same. If you kneed anything, wright and let me know. We still have a heap of rain. Some people think the rust will ruin our wheat I don't think it is in mine to hurt yet. If it wasnt for my crop I would go over to the WALKER place to live. I don't know at this time what I will do. I will wright in my next letter as Thomas wrote I will stop for the presant. I hope when you get these few lines, they will find you in good health. Nothing more, but I remain your most affectionate father. God bless you, fairwell. L. L. H.

I Avail myself of the present opportunity of writing you a few lines. We are all able to be up except Ma. She has been confined to her bed for some two days. I think her illness originated from fateague. They have had a great deal of company for 2 or 3 weeks, it was people running from the Yankees. Ma was taken with a chill which lasted her about three hours; with severe headache and sore throat. The side of her neck is swelled right smartly, it hurts her to swallow. She complains of being sore all over, she is no better today. I am satisfied it was occasioned by cooking and overdoing her self. I feal in hopes though that she will get better in a few days.

I have been verry unwell for some two weeks but I go it every day. The Yankees have been in Morgan and Marshall countyes. They have been at Somerville, Warrenton and Guntersville so we here and I exspect they are there yet. Yesterdy morning they came verry near, one ________men, a Lutenant at hazelets on the mountain this side Tennesse River. The Yankees have been at Huntsville for some two weeks. They have been scouring up and down Tennessee river valley ever since they came to Huntsville. We have no mail from Huntsville nor hardly any from any whare else. I should have wrote sooner had there been any regularity in the mail. In fact I did write a letter to send to you by William Deaver but the Yankees got in above here so close he with some others went round by Mobile so I did not get to send it at all. I exspect to send this by Mr. L. Cowden. He was wounded in the battle at Shilo and has come home on furlow.

Henry WARNICK got home yesterday. He mends slow. We have the worst time for farming I ever saw. So much rain, I have not got all of my ground broken up one way yet.; some both ways, but not one grain planted. Pa has planted his barn field he rented the bottom to Wm. GRAVES, just about the time he went to plow in his bottom field John McCOLLUM verry suddenly became unwell, went home and joined Aldredge's company and off he goes to the war just where he aught to be. I was fearful all the time that he would not stick; so I reckon Pa will try to tend the barn field himself but he is not able to plow much and ought not to plow any if he could help it. People are genreally the worst behinds that I ever saw. There has been another company made here since you left. ----------was elected Capt.; S. T. Saint John first leutenant, George Hufstuttler third. The second I have forgot his name. They with Aldredge's company left Blount last Tuesday for Auburn, Ala. I think is the place, a short distance this side Montgomery.

Well, Levert, I suppose you got to hear the big guns as soon as you got to Corrinth, though we heard you was not well enough to participate in the fight and we heard sence you was still pretty unwell. I tell you, Levert, you will have to use all the prudence possible if you ever stand it. I hope however, that you are better by this time. I wish I could be with you awhile at least. I want you to write as soon as you get this if you are able; we are always anxious to hear; from what I can hear, I think there will be a still bigger battle fought somewhere about the Tennessee River, though we hear so many things we never know when to believe any thing that we do hear.

As I want to write to some of the other boys i will close for the present, so no more now.

I seat myself this evening to let you no how William JACKSON & myself is getting along. We are all well and doing verry well. The soldiers are generally well here. Jane, I have not got much news to write to you. We will leave here in a day or two. We have got 4 days rashions cooked now ready to start any time. I have no idea

where we are going but some where toward the yankees. We are moveing on them by degreese. I understand that the Yankeys are giveing back.

We are right in a yankey country. There has ben several companeys made up here that is in Lincoln's army. The sitizens here don't treat us so well as they did in Georgia & Ala.

Jane, I would like to see you & the children verry much, but there is no chance for me to come home any time soon, but I have been gone from home so much I have got used to it. I don't think of home half as much as I did at first. I understand that Thomas has gone in the company with Christopher. I was glad to here it; for I was affrade the conscript would get him, though I don't think Thomas ort to have been sent for I don't think he will stand it. When I think about you & think that you have to stay by yourself it makes me sorrow, but I reckon you will move to Father's or to Thomas Father.

I think you ort to though. There is thousands in the same fix and some of them worse. Jane you must write to me & let me no how you are getting along & give me the news generally. I will wirte to yo more than I have done here to fore. We have had no chance to write.

I had forgot to write about Samuel Hendricks. He has got to his company but Samuel looks verry bad. I don't think he will stand it long here in camps. My notion is he will be discharged. I no he ort to be.

It is with pleasure this evening that I answer your very kind letter sent by J.D. I was very glad to heare from you that you and the children were all better. I hope by this time you all are sound and well. You cannot imagine how bad I want to see you all. It seems like I have been from home a month. But I must tell you something about the times here. I tell you we have all been mad since we came here. Col. Hunley in his report to the war department reported me, J.D. & some 20 others in other companies in this Battalion.

But the most of us have been changed back, I told Capt. Ingram if he did not get me back I would go home at the risk of my life. I tell you Jane, I never was so mad in my life. It was a general complaint but the boys are getting some what calm. My mess are all in Capt. Ingram’s Co. together, except H. Chany. He is in Capt. Horton’s Co. I and my mess will stick together, let come what will, I think though all will be quiet in a few days. Our mess are all satisfied, I believe. I expect Wm. Steel will take Chany’s place in our mess. I have been very harty since I have been here. I have been well all the time & you had better believe that I made those potatoes get away that you sent to me by J.D. They were so good & nice.

Jane, I cannot describe how bad I want to see you and my little children, Pa & Ma, D.A. & family and in fact all in the neighborhood, but I must tell you I expect if I keep my health it will be months first.

Col. Major Hunley said this evening we would leave here next Saturday morning at 8 O’clock for Knoxville, TN. I expect furloughs will be very hard to get.

Charley stands it fine. The horses were all valued today. I believe Charley was valued to $200. We have a nice place to camp. We are at a camp ground. We stay under the arber. We have fine water and plenty of it. I was sorry to here of my mules jumping in peoples corn. You dun just right when you put them up. I don’t want them to pester anybodys stuff. If you can’t get $220 or $225, just keep them. Jane feed them shoats well and try to make your meat out of them and that old sow. I know you will take the best care you can of what little we have got. I will draw no money here. They say we will get it at Knoxville. There are about five companies here.

Tell Pa I can make out without him trying to bring provisions to me so far. As for my fodder I know Pa will do all he can and Jane I want you to pay him for his labour and trouble. We never can know how much he and Ma have done for us. I want them repaid. · Friday Morning, 19th: all well this morning. Our neighbor boys are all right this morning. I have as much baggage as Charley aught to carry. I expect you had better write as soon as you get this unless you want for me to wait again, but if you write as soon as you get this, direct your letter to Knoxville, TN.

I do not know how long we will stay there. I do not know whether we will go by where L.L. is or not. I hope we will have to go that way. I have not heard from him since he left home.

With reverence and respect I attempt to write you a few lines. I am in common health at this time although I am somewhat fateagued by our long march. We got to this place last eavening we was nine days on the road from camp near Gadsden. We had a verry dusty time in marching. Well, I tell you Brother L. L. is in two miles of our camp. We had not been here more than two hours before he got the news and here he came. You cannot imagine how much good it done me to see him. I went over to his camp this morning. It is 2 miles from here. The 41st Ala. Regt. Left this morning to go north, I suppose to Kentucky. There are several thousand over there yet. L. L. said he exspected they would all leave there in a few days maby tomorrow, so I do not know whether I will get to see him any more or not before he leaves. L. L. says he is as well as common he looked about the same. I seen the Algood boys and W. Roberson & W. Hargraves also. There was none of our Blount boys there exscept the convalescents. I saw Isaac Self over there. He was well as common. They think the 19th Ala Regt. Is in Kentucky. They exspect to have to foot it all the way from here to Kentucky. I tell you it makes feel sorry for them no one but a soldier knows what we all have to go threw. We have had tolerable plenty to eat some times our horses do not fair so verry well. Charley stands it as well as any of them. Cousin S. M. is still verry bad off at Tyners station 12 miles from Chatanooga. L. L. said he passed by there 8 or nine days ago but the car never stopped and so he did not get to see S.M. atal. We will draw our tents this eavening or tomorrow and they say we will draw our bounty money in a few days. I do not know how long we will stay here. I don’t think we will stay more than a week or two. When we leave heare, I exspect we will go to Kentucky. Pa, I want you to try to manage for Jane the best you can what ever you think is best do it and I know Jane will be satisfied with what you think is best. Just manage my things like they were your own. Sell my hens the verry best you can and if Jane thinks best, you can sell one cow, but if you think the milk cows can be wintered I think it would be best for Jane to keep them. Pa and Ma, I am trying to do the verry best I can for myself, and I want you to remember me when it goes well with you. As I want to write a few lines to Jane, I will close this.

I cannot fold this letter without dropping a few lines to you in answer to your verry kind and welcome letter you sent by Mr. E. Washburns. I was glad to heare you and the children were all well. If I cannot get to see you it does me good to just here that you are all well. It seems like it has been a long time since I left home but this is nothing but a breakfast spell to what I exspect it will be before I get an opportunity of going home. I think in about 8 or 10 days we will leave here for Kentucky. The enemy are giving back and we will have to follow them up. I tell you Jane if you do not get many letters from me, don’t think hard for a soldier does not have as much time and chances to write as you would suppose but you may be assured I will write as often as I can. I wrote to you from camp near Gadsden just before I left there and I will write again before I leave here. Tell Brother D.A. and family I have not forgot them yet and that I will write to them before six days if nothing happens. Tell him to write to me wheneaver he thinks a letter will reach me. I don’t exspect we will be stationed long at any one place. Jane, you can see what I have wrote to Pa about managing our stock and other things. Take his advice and do the best you can as for sowing wheat pa knows that is best. Try and hire some one to plow and swap work with Pa in sowing wheat. You will have to rent land to sow on. Hire your wood hauled and cut up. I do not want you to exspose yourself in cold wet weather. The neighbor boys are all well at this time. They are writing letters this eavening as well as me, that is some of them at least. Tell Franklin, Mary and Martha I have not forgot them yet and give sweet little Sissa a ciss for me as I have to write on a log and it is getting late, I will close.

Once more in the shade of an Oak tree I take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I have not been well for two or three days. It is cold that ails me. I have kept up all the time and I am still able for duty and I think I will be strait in a day or two. I have stood it better than I exspected I would. J. D. and the rest of the neighbor boys are all tolerable well. I received a letter from Brother D. A. last Saturday. I was glad to get a letter from him but sorry to hear of you being unwell. Jane, I fear you work too hard and exspose yourself too much. You had better take care of yourself. Oh, that I could be with you and little children, if it were but a few days it would give me great satisfaction indeed. You cannot imagine how bad I want to see you all but I cannot tell now when I will get an opportunity to go home. There has been no furloughing since we left camp near Gadsden. If we stay heare two or three weeks yet I will try to get a furlough to go home but that is all uncertain I think though we will stay heare some time yet. When we leave here it is uncertain where we will go to. It is quite likely we will go to Kentucky. There is no Yankey army close about heare as I know of though a right smart of unionites is in east Tennessee yet. I could sea difference in the people as soon as we passed through Georgia. In Georgia the people looked all right they would give us buttermilk all along through Georgia, yet I think the peple in Tennessee are coming right. They are making up companies about heare and conscripting them also.

I sea a heap of stout young men in this country. I think old Abes free negro proclamation will do us good in this country. Old Abe has proclaimed that he will free all slaves belonging to the Rebels the first of January next. It seems from accounts that the yankeys are giving back and I do hope the time is not far distant when they will agree to put an end to this unholy war, when the wearied soldiers can go home and live with loved ones while life endures. That is what I desire above all things that this life can afford. Tell Aunt Maryann that I heard from Samuel a few days ago. His jaw is still enlarged and matter ooses through his gums. Teeth still loose so A. Huffstutler told me. He was right from Tyner's station where Samuel is staying.

There are a great many troops about heare and there has been a good many left here since we came heare. Breckenridge is here with part of his command. I believe I have wrote all that would interest you and as I have to write on my saddle bags and them on the ground I will close my badly written letter, so no more at present. Only give my sincere love and respects to Pa & Ma, Brother D. A. and family and to all inquiring friends.

that I am well as common. I got to camp yesterday eavening I stood my trip verry well my clothing you sent is all here my boots are full large in the instep though they do verry well. I can ware two pare of socks with them which will be necessary very often. Our Battalion has been in two or three fites about 100 of our boys fought 3000 yankeys five hours and then by being reinforced they run them six miles. The most of our boys are out now so I have not sean any of my mess yet except R. Hudson. He looks harty the other neighbor boys they say are well and harty. None of our company got shot but Wm. Steel he got shot in the thy; they say he is doing verry well. I think our boys will come in this morning they are out on picket.

Calvalry had a fight they killed about 300 yankeys including one Colonel, one Lieut. Colonel and wounded a great many. Our Battalion has been attached to the first Ala Regiment regular Cavalry. There has been a good many deserted our Batallion lately some ten or twelve of them were brought in yesterday eavening. I am sorry they have done so.

I did not get to sea Brother L.L. though I saw a man, a Mr. Siveley, who said he saw him a day or two ago said he was well, so I give him the letters Pa sent by me to L.L. Mr. Siveley said he would sea L. L. or have a chance to send it to him in a few days. They are camped near Murfresborough and we are camped on Stewards Creek 10 miles from Murfresborugh on the Nashville Pike there are a great many troops about Murfesborough. I think it verry uncertain whether there will be a general engagement about Nashville or not. There is one or two in our Battalion badly wounded. There is some artilery fighting nearly every day and some infantry.

There is snow on the gound heare yet that fell last Friday. The weather is fare now and tolerable cool our company has not got but one or two tents yet. Provisions appear to be tolerable plenty about.

When you write direct your letters to Murfresborough, Tenn. And to the first Ala Regiment Cavalry (instead of Battalion). I must close by giving you and little children my best love and respects hoping that you are all well and doing well, give my love and respects to all inquiring friends. I want you all to write often. Jane do the best you can both for this life and that to come and I will try to do the same so fare well.

As Christopher is going to start home in the morning I will send you a few lines by him. I am still unwell. I improve very slow though I am able to be up nearly all the time. Jane, I tried to get a furlow but there is no chance for a private to get a furlow now nor an officer neither only on business. Jane, I want you to send me my geans coat one pair of gloves my old sorrel hat and a pair new boots by Christopher. I have plenty of other clothing at present. Boots here are selling at 25 to 30 dollars a pair, hats from 10 to 15 dollars. Things are higher here than any place I have been at yet.

Jane, I have not received the first letter from you since I came to this place. I think you surely have written before this time. I want to get a letter from you very bad. I received a letter from brother D. A. last Saturday, was two weeks ago and I want to get another from him very bad. I have wrote to him since I got his. I also wrote one to Ma and Pa and three or four to you. I am looking for two or three letters every mail.

hope and pray that we may yet be permitted to live to see the time when we can live together and enjoy each others company as we have in gone by days and have our little children around us. Tell Ma and Pa I want to see them very bad and that I would like to read a letter from them. Tell Pa that if preacher Graves gets in the notion to take $300.00 for his place to buy it for me.

Jane, I’ll send $33 dollars to you by Christopher and this letter also, and as we have orders to leave here you need not write until I write to you again. They say we are ordered to Newport distant about 60 miles from here. There are a good many troops about here yet. As for war news I hear so many things I do not know how to write anything satisfactory. I hear General Brag is retreating from Bewel back to Cumberland Gap though they say Brag’s army whiped Bewel’s that was in Kentucky Bewel reenforced and Brag give back so I hear.

Jane I do hope and trust you and children and all my friends are well and doing well. Don’t expose your self but hire anything done that you are not able to do. Richard Hudson is still very unwell give my love and respect to Ma and Pa. Brother D. A. and family and to all inquiring friends and receive a full share for yourself. When you write I want to know how much little Sissa has grown and how all the children are doing. I reckon little Martha has forgot to call her Pa to the table by this time but I have not forgot her.

Jane I want some wheat and oats sowed if there is any chance. Be sure and send me a long letter by Christopher when he comes back give me all the news, how you are getting along and etc. I must close so farewell.

I one time more catch at an opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am still alive though not verry well, this being the first day that I have had any rest since last Thursday morning (Christmas Day). We went out on picket Christmas day and directly on came the yankeys so we had to go to fighting and from that day until last knight we were out knight and day. Knight before last I never slept one wink and on that knight when I was on post standing picket there came five or six Yankeys. When they got in about 75 or 100 yards I halted them. They formed a line of battle and halted. I demanded who comes there three times but no answer so I shot at them and they whealed and away they went. I tell you Jane, I was in a close place that knight, but I stood at my post until my time was out, but that was nothing to what I had already gone threw. I have been in three skirmish fights where the balls flew like hail all around. One time John Bowerman’s mare got away and I stopped to pick up my hat and took him up behind me so we got away behind our command and as we run some 2 or 3 hundred yards threw a field, the Yanks threw the balls all around our heads. John B. thought some of them came verry near his hat band, but we run threw and got away. One day it rained about half the day but we never stopped riding for that.

I tell you what, we begin to know what a soldier’s fair is. The enemy is to knight camped in about 4 miles of Murfresburough and about from one to two miles of our army. There has been some infantry fighting today on our left wing. It is thought tomorrow there will be a general engagement. The prices are heavy on both sides. I do not know how many I suppose though some 50 or 60,000 on each side.

I saw Gibson this morning he said Brother L. L. was well a few days ago. I have not sean him since I came home last. Our neighbor boys are all tolerable well except R. Hudson he was sent off to the hospital last Friday. I exspect he is at Chatanooga. He had the feaver.

Jane as it is knight and I have write on my cartridg box I will close for the present. I will rite again if I live to sea the end of this battle. I have not received a line since I came from home. I am anxious to hear from you all. We are the first Ala Regt.