Civil War Letters

[Legion Para]

While we have sub forums for Photographs, Weapons & Ammunition, Uniforms & Relics; we have nothing for Letters. Photographs may be windows into our past, but letters tells us what they saw, thought and felt. The following website contains a wonderful collection of letters.

https://sparedshared9.wordpress.com/

 

[2nd Dragoon]

Not a bad idea... I have posted a lot of letters in various threads. But one central spot would be ideal.

 

[Legion Para]

On another Forum there was a lengthy discussion about death bed letters. Do they really exist? Yes and some amazing examples have survived from the Civil War. This is one of the most well known.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/my-dear-mother.117247/#post-1190215

Over the years I have read thousands of Civil War letters and hundreds of diaries. Over the years I have listened to many discussions as to why the average soldier, both North and South, went to war.

The letter written by Jeremiah Gage (11th Mississippi) on 3 July 1863, at Gettysburg is one of the greatest letters of the Civil War.


http://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/civil_war/id/1472/rec/47


Title Jeremiah Gage to Patience W.S. Gage (3 July 1863)

Author Gage, Jeremiah

Recipient Gage, Patience W.S.

Date 3 July 1863

Location Gettysburg (Pa.)

Subject Death
Patriotism
Confederate States of America
Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863

Broader Subject Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi Infantry Regiment, 11th. Company A
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Gage family -- Correspondence

Description Letter written to his mother, as Jeremiah is dying, after having been woundedat Gettysburg.

Transcript Gettysburg Penn July 3rd My dear mother This is the last you may ever hearfromme. I have time to tell you that I died like a man. Bear my loss as best youcan.Remember that I am true to my country and my greatest regret at dying is that sheisnot free and that you and my sisters are robbed of my worth whatever that maybe. I hopethis will reach you and you must not regret that my body can not beobtained. It is a merematter of form anyhow." This is for my sisters too as I cannot write more. Send my dyingrelease to Miss Mary." you know who." J.S. GageCo. A, 11th Miss.) Mrs. P.W. Gage Richland" Holmes County" Miss.)(This letter isstained with my blood.)

Type Text
Original Format correspondence
Original Collection Gage Family Collection
Collection Finding Aid http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00196/
ASERL URL www.american-south.org
Use Note Each page has been transcribed. To view the page transcription, use the left-side drop down menu and select "page & text". This will open a new window to view both the original item and the transcript; within the window, selecting "next" at the top-right will allow for viewing the next page.
Citation Gage Family Collection, Special Collections, University of Mississippi Libraries
Rights This item is free from copyright and may be reproduced without prior consent.

 

[Union_Buff]

Thank you for posting this Legion - I have read so many letters and diaries from the Civil War over the past 12 years.

 

[John Hartwell]

Winter camp could be uneventful, but letters home were still important, particularly since they encouraged others to write more often. Here's what private Charles Adams, Co. A, 13th Massachusetts, wrote to his sister early in 1863. He seems to have had something of a premonition about Joe Hooker's tenure as commander of the AoP ... and also an interesting observation of what he, tongue-in-cheek, I think, refers to as the "First Families of Virginia" (F.F.V's).

Hannah W. Casey
Care of Gen. Fowler
Berkely Place
Dorchester, Mass

Camp Near Belle Plain Feb 8th 1863

Dear Sister Hannah,

I received your letter night before last and thought I would answer it tonight as you answered my last so promptly, but as the Adams' are all great for "putting off" I will excuse you if you will do better in future. You must remember we have a mail every night & consequently have to turn away disappointed, time after time at not having a letter from home. There has not been much news stirring about here since I wrote last, excepting the removal of Burnside, Sumner & Franklin, the latter you will remember, had command of one of the 'grand' divisions of which we were a part. I suppose "Fighting Joe" will put through a course of sprouts as soon as the state of the ground will permit, and will either give the Reb's a "warmer" or get awfully "licked" himself, in my opinion. You spoke of the death of Amos Bronson in your letter he was one of my tent mates when he left for the hospital had been ailing for some time & when we left our camp (last advance) he with the rest of the sick were taken to the hospital where I understand he had to sleep on the ground, which was the finishing stroke of his sickness as he swelled up in the night died the next morning. He was a nice man, generous accommodating we miss him very much. He said he was going down with Warren to see you when he got home seemed to think he would get well if he could only get home doctor himself up.

I had a letter from Wallace the other day, he said it was the first letter he had written for 5 months. I was glad to hear from Ira mean to write to him soon, should think that we might keep up a regular correspondence with him, amongst us. I was surprised to read the death of G. Boynton of the 44th he was a tiptop fellow. I suppose that was the reason he died as they always go first. You spoke of Ida's letter that she wrote to Walter I . I was in such a hurry when I wrote that letter about receiving the box (as we were just going to march) I forgot it at the time. Tell her that Walter I think she is getting along very fast [?] she must must write me another, as I have saved that one to remember her by. Everything in the box kept first rate & we lived high while it lasted. Those apples went to the right spot & we are much obliged to you & Em for them. Pinckney Holbrook came back to the company today as his services are no longer required at headquarters. Our captain S. N. Neat has resigned & gone home to Boston taking with him two Contraband (one man and little boy) pretty smart chaps they are too. We are sorry to lose him as he was liked very much by the boys. Chas. B. Fox of Dorchester has temporary command of our company & is also acting Adjutant.

Last Thursday I went on picket. I woke up in the morning to find it cold & blowy & to cap the climax it began to snow. I had to pile out & start & march about 1½ miles where we put up in the woods. We made a house of boughs & just as we finished it it commenced to rain so the boughs did no cool. We rigged our rubber blankets up to shed off the rain & had to grin & bear it. I stood from 10½ till 12½ A.M. raining like time & nary umbrell, It was very interesting I can tell you, but I survived without catching cold which I guess all that went out cannot say. We had 2 large ovens come up to headquarters the other day & we expect to have fresh bread soon if they can be made to work, which we sincerely hope. I had my hair cut today (being the first time since I left home)

Monday 9th
They have been baking to day in those ovens that I spoke of & we expect fresh bread in the morning which will be a rare treat to us who have lived on hard bread so long. I went over to a house which is near our camp the other day – to get some clothes washed, the folks in this part of the country seem to be a shiftless set take them right through. There were two women in this house one was squatting down by the fire place smoking a pipe & while I was there a pig came in and laid down by the fire just as a dog would at home. Three or four dirty, ragged children were running around & dogs & pigs in profusion, so much for F.F.V's. who live worse than the Paddies at home. I can't think of anything more interesting so I will give you my autograph & put this letter in the P.O. Give my love to all the Folks & tell them to write often & I will answer promptly when I can.

From Your Militious Brother
Charles​

 

[Legion Para]

Perhaps the most famous Civil War letter. In recent years there has been some question about who actually wrote the letter. See below artjcle.

'O Sarah!' Did Sullivan Ballou's Famed Letter Come From Another's Pen?

http://www.historynet.com/o-sarah-sullivan-ballou-letter.htm

 

[Legion Para]