Civil War Western Theater Letter Archive, Inc.
Civil War Western Theater Letter Archive, Inc. Outstanding Vicksburg Content
Lot of 18 letters from various Union soldiers serving in varied regiments in the Western Theater, 1862-1865.
A notable letter in the archive is penned from George C. Palmer to his brother, Major General John McAuley Palmer (1817-1900) on February 2, 1863. John served admirably for the Union, notably in the Battle of Stone’s River where he was promoted to major general, and he also went on to become Governor of Illinois (1869-1873) and a US Senator from Illinois (1891-1897). George writes to his brother of his exodus from Louisiana to Kansas, “I left the land of secession the first day of Sept. last and after a journey on horseback of 900 miles I reached Kansas … I had to leave my wife and child in La. near Alexandria on the Red River. I was forced to leave or join the service which I was not willing to do.” He also expresses his interest in becoming a captain in the newly formed colored troops writing, “I see the President has offered to enlist all the Negroes who are willing to join the service; consequently they will have to be officered by white men. I consider it one of the best things that could be done with them for they will be helping to crush the rebellion and free themselves at the same time; and not only themselves but the poor classes of the South in general.” It is not known whether John used his clout to help, but George was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and transferred to the USCT 11th Infantry on February 1, 1864. Includes a stamped patriotic Union cover.
Other letters included in the archive are as follows, in chronological order:
February 13, 1862, Paducah, KY, with patriotic cover and “The School of the Indiana Zouave” letterhead.
George F. Tedrow, Co. K, 11th Indiana Zouaves. George writes to his younger brother Joseph about having taken Fort Henry and that their troops had moved on Fort Donelson, “We are expecting [contact] here but whether there will be one I can’t say. Let them come if they want to smell hell.”
June 23, 1862, Nashville, TN, with envelope, stamp removed.
Thomas W. Smith, Co. G, 11th Michigan Infantry, writes to friend Kate about the harsh realities of the long march from Columbia to Pikeville, “The boys did not have enough to eat during all the march and we were in a place where it could not be bought, so we had to take whatever we could catch ...There were about seven thousand of us and it took something to feed so many.”
August 11, 1862, Buell’s Headquarters, Huntsville, AL.
George L. Garrett, Co. L, 4th Missouri Cavalry, provides an interesting account of the “murder” of Col. Robert Latimer McCook (1827-1862) by Frank B. Gurley of Forrest’s cavalry. The specifics of McCook’s death at Gurley’s hand have been up to debate by historians. Garrett’s account to his mother is as follows, “On Thursday last, Col. McCook, a fine officer of about thirty years of age, while riding in front of an ambulance, accompanied by a small escort, was met by the guerrilla Gurley, with a portion of his command, about thirteen miles from huntsville. The rebel pointed his pistol at him, ordering him to dismount and surrender, but before the Col. could order the ambulance to halt, he was shot through the heart, and the murderer, after exchanging a volley, disappeared.” Garrett also remarks on the formation of the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment of the Union, which was the only predominantly white Union regiment from Alabama, “About four hundred Alabamians have come over to the flag and were mustered into the U.S. Service. They are all uniformed and form the nucleus of the 1st Alabama Regiment. They say they know numbers who will come down from the mountains as soon as they dare. Bully for Alabama.”
November 5, 1862, Camp Near Bowling Green.
December 4, 1862, Camp near Castalion Springs, TN.
George B. Dowsman, Co. H, 75th Indiana Infantry. Gives an interesting account of the Confederate clothing to his mother in his first letter, “You wanted to know how the Rebels look. Well you hear a great many things at home that are all in the eye. They live as fat and comfortable as we do and I think more so than we do for when they go anywhere they take what they want and we are not allowed to do so. They do not dress as fanciful as we do but they dress just as comfortable as we do. Their dress is made of English Moleskin and homemade jeans colored with butternut.”
January 29, 1863, In Louisiana Opposite Vicksburg, with stamped patriotic cover.
William McCord, Co. I, 8th Missouri Infantry. McCord gives his brother extensive detail of his regiment’s experiences at Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, and the beginning of the Vicksburg campaign. He writes poignantly anticipating the battles to come over Vicksburg, “We can see the city plain and can see their big guns that they have planted on the hills. We expect the hardest battle that has ever been fought will be fought here before long. I dread this battle the worst of any that I have been in and I thought several times that I was gone up.”
February 1, 1863, In Camp 2 miles from Louisville.
Tibbits Nichols (note that most records from the era misrecord his name as Nicolas Tibbets or other variations), Co. G, 2nd Michigan Cavalry. In a letter to his father, he recounts that his unit has, “been skirmishing the most of the time,” noting that “it is the most dangerous way of fighting. It is sort of guerilla warfare.” He writes about their part in the Battle of Perryville and provides interesting details as to the guns he was carrying, “We are called cavalry but we are more properly mounted rifle men for we have Colt 5 revolver rifles and Colt 6 revolver pistols making 11 shots without loading.”
April 23, 1863, Duck’s Post, LA.
Ichabod Frisbie, Co. F, 35th Iowa Infantry writes a letter to his wife shortly after being promoted as a hospital steward. He provides some poetic details about the artillery bombardments during the Vicksburg campaign, “Some 10 or a dozen boats have run past the batteries at Vicksburg...The flash of the cannon could be distinctly seen while their thunder 'rolled along the trembling earth' warning us that it was a time that 'tried men's boats souls.
May 25, 1863, Grand Gulf, Mississippi, with unstamped envelope.
James Harvey Thayer, Co. E, 12th Wisconsin Infantry, writes at the beginning of the Siege of Vicksburg. He recounts the two assaults writing to his father that Grant has, “by strategy, bold clashes & fearless charges he has succeeded in advancing his column to within 1 mile of the courthouse.” He goes on to include General Pemberton’s attempt at negotiating a truce hoping to retreat with his army, however, “Gen Grant sent word that he wanted the whole or nothing which shows that he is confident of victory.” Interestingly, Thayer sent home a fig leaf, included here, writing, “It is very warm here. The fig tree flourishes here finely. I will enclose a leaf from the tree beneath whose branches I am sitting.”
June 8, 1863, Head Quarters 15th Army Corps.
William N. Taylor, tentatively identified as a William Taylor or served in Field & Staff of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery. Writing in the midst of the Siege of Vicksburg, he eloquently recounts Grant’s first assault, vividly portraying the bravery of the troops, “Our men after six months of hard toil and patient waiting found themselves before the enemy without any swamps or bayous before them. We were all elated with our success, and confident, so we tried our best but it was useless. Again and again we tried it on; our troops never flinched from their work but went up in the face of a murderous fire every time the order was given.”
June 10, 1863, Rear of Vicksburg.
John E. Werfield, Co. I, 46th Indiana Infantry. Midway through the Siege of Vicksburg, Werfield writes about the dire supply situation of those in Vicksburg, "their own men who have deserted say they only get one meal a day...and that if not supplied, they say they can not hold out a week longer. Rather a bad situation for Mr. Johnny Reb, as we call them.” Though the lack of food and supplies did lead to Pemberton’s surrender, it would not be until almost a month later on July 4th.
June 17, 1863, Haines Bluff, Mississippi.
Don Scott, Co. E, 9th New Hampshire Infantry describes his journey noting a terrible boiler explosion in Nicholasville, KY and his arrival at Vicksburg, “The mortar fleet that night & day pours death & defiance into the doomed city lies only two miles below...it is splendid to witness the bombardment at night.”
December 6, 1863, Knoxville, TN.
Henry G. Sherman, Co. D, 23rd Michigan Infantry vividly recounts the terrors of war to his brother when describing his experiences with skirmishes near Knoxville and the Battle of Campbell’s Station, “I were obliged to witness some poor fellow straightened for the grave whether they ever found a grave that night or not is more than I can say but one thing I do know that it is anything but pleasant to be where you cannot return the fire of the enemy and lay and see your comrades killed and the balls flying about your head. Besides it is a deathly sound to be so near as to hear the balls strike your comrades and hear them groan and your not being able to speak after they were hit. The balls threw dirt in my face that day and so did the shell but I did not receive one single mark on my person."
May 3, 1864, Camp near Chattanooga.
Thomas W. Smith (same correspondent as June 23, 1862 letter), Co. G, 11th Michigan Infantry, presciently remarks to his friend that, “If any general can whip Lee it is General Grant.”
June 22, 1864, On the field near Marietta, GA.
Thomas R. Way, Co. C, 36th Indiana Infantry while operating near Marietta and Kennesaw Mountain in Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, Way writes of his brigade being issued whiskey. The tale would be humorous if wasn’t so tragic, “Whiskey was issued to our brigade in the morning. The first for some...
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Civil War Western Theater Letter Archive, Inc. Outstanding Vicksburg Content
Lot of 18 letters from various Union soldiers serving in varied regiments in the Western Theater, 1862-1865.
A notable letter in the archive is penned from George C. Palmer to his brother, Major General John McAuley Palmer (1817-1900) on February 2, 1863. John served admirably for the Union, notably in the Battle of Stone’s River where he was promoted to major general, and he also went on to become Governor of Illinois (1869-1873) and a US Senator from Illinois (1891-1897). George writes to his brother of his exodus from Louisiana to Kansas, “I left the land of secession the first day of Sept. last and after a journey on horseback of 900 miles I reached Kansas … I had to leave my wife and child in La. near Alexandria on the Red River. I was forced to leave or join the service which I was not willing to do.” He also expresses his interest in becoming a captain in the newly formed colored troops writing, “I see the President has offered to enlist all the Negroes who are willing to join the service; consequently they will have to be officered by white men. I consider it one of the best things that could be done with them for they will be helping to crush the rebellion and free themselves at the same time; and not only themselves but the poor classes of the South in general.” It is not known whether John used his clout to help, but George was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and transferred to the USCT 11th Infantry on February 1, 1864. Includes a stamped patriotic Union cover.
Other letters included in the archive are as follows, in chronological order:
February 13, 1862, Paducah, KY, with patriotic cover and “The School of the Indiana Zouave” letterhead.
George F. Tedrow, Co. K, 11th Indiana Zouaves. George writes to his younger brother Joseph about having taken Fort Henry and that their troops had moved on Fort Donelson, “We are expecting [contact] here but whether there will be one I can’t say. Let them come if they want to smell hell.”
June 23, 1862, Nashville, TN, with envelope, stamp removed.
Thomas W. Smith, Co. G, 11th Michigan Infantry, writes to friend Kate about the harsh realities of the long march from Columbia to Pikeville, “The boys did not have enough to eat during all the march and we were in a place where it could not be bought, so we had to take whatever we could catch ...There were about seven thousand of us and it took something to feed so many.”
August 11, 1862, Buell’s Headquarters, Huntsville, AL.
George L. Garrett, Co. L, 4th Missouri Cavalry, provides an interesting account of the “murder” of Col. Robert Latimer McCook (1827-1862) by Frank B. Gurley of Forrest’s cavalry. The specifics of McCook’s death at Gurley’s hand have been up to debate by historians. Garrett’s account to his mother is as follows, “On Thursday last, Col. McCook, a fine officer of about thirty years of age, while riding in front of an ambulance, accompanied by a small escort, was met by the guerrilla Gurley, with a portion of his command, about thirteen miles from huntsville. The rebel pointed his pistol at him, ordering him to dismount and surrender, but before the Col. could order the ambulance to halt, he was shot through the heart, and the murderer, after exchanging a volley, disappeared.” Garrett also remarks on the formation of the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment of the Union, which was the only predominantly white Union regiment from Alabama, “About four hundred Alabamians have come over to the flag and were mustered into the U.S. Service. They are all uniformed and form the nucleus of the 1st Alabama Regiment. They say they know numbers who will come down from the mountains as soon as they dare. Bully for Alabama.”
November 5, 1862, Camp Near Bowling Green.
December 4, 1862, Camp near Castalion Springs, TN.
George B. Dowsman, Co. H, 75th Indiana Infantry. Gives an interesting account of the Confederate clothing to his mother in his first letter, “You wanted to know how the Rebels look. Well you hear a great many things at home that are all in the eye. They live as fat and comfortable as we do and I think more so than we do for when they go anywhere they take what they want and we are not allowed to do so. They do not dress as fanciful as we do but they dress just as comfortable as we do. Their dress is made of English Moleskin and homemade jeans colored with butternut.”
January 29, 1863, In Louisiana Opposite Vicksburg, with stamped patriotic cover.
William McCord, Co. I, 8th Missouri Infantry. McCord gives his brother extensive detail of his regiment’s experiences at Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, and the beginning of the Vicksburg campaign. He writes poignantly anticipating the battles to come over Vicksburg, “We can see the city plain and can see their big guns that they have planted on the hills. We expect the hardest battle that has ever been fought will be fought here before long. I dread this battle the worst of any that I have been in and I thought several times that I was gone up.”
February 1, 1863, In Camp 2 miles from Louisville.
Tibbits Nichols (note that most records from the era misrecord his name as Nicolas Tibbets or other variations), Co. G, 2nd Michigan Cavalry. In a letter to his father, he recounts that his unit has, “been skirmishing the most of the time,” noting that “it is the most dangerous way of fighting. It is sort of guerilla warfare.” He writes about their part in the Battle of Perryville and provides interesting details as to the guns he was carrying, “We are called cavalry but we are more properly mounted rifle men for we have Colt 5 revolver rifles and Colt 6 revolver pistols making 11 shots without loading.”
April 23, 1863, Duck’s Post, LA.
Ichabod Frisbie, Co. F, 35th Iowa Infantry writes a letter to his wife shortly after being promoted as a hospital steward. He provides some poetic details about the artillery bombardments during the Vicksburg campaign, “Some 10 or a dozen boats have run past the batteries at Vicksburg...The flash of the cannon could be distinctly seen while their thunder 'rolled along the trembling earth' warning us that it was a time that 'tried men's boats souls.
May 25, 1863, Grand Gulf, Mississippi, with unstamped envelope.
James Harvey Thayer, Co. E, 12th Wisconsin Infantry, writes at the beginning of the Siege of Vicksburg. He recounts the two assaults writing to his father that Grant has, “by strategy, bold clashes & fearless charges he has succeeded in advancing his column to within 1 mile of the courthouse.” He goes on to include General Pemberton’s attempt at negotiating a truce hoping to retreat with his army, however, “Gen Grant sent word that he wanted the whole or nothing which shows that he is confident of victory.” Interestingly, Thayer sent home a fig leaf, included here, writing, “It is very warm here. The fig tree flourishes here finely. I will enclose a leaf from the tree beneath whose branches I am sitting.”
June 8, 1863, Head Quarters 15th Army Corps.
William N. Taylor, tentatively identified as a William Taylor or served in Field & Staff of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery. Writing in the midst of the Siege of Vicksburg, he eloquently recounts Grant’s first assault, vividly portraying the bravery of the troops, “Our men after six months of hard toil and patient waiting found themselves before the enemy without any swamps or bayous before them. We were all elated with our success, and confident, so we tried our best but it was useless. Again and again we tried it on; our troops never flinched from their work but went up in the face of a murderous fire every time the order was given.”
June 10, 1863, Rear of Vicksburg.
John E. Werfield, Co. I, 46th Indiana Infantry. Midway through the Siege of Vicksburg, Werfield writes about the dire supply situation of those in Vicksburg, "their own men who have deserted say they only get one meal a day...and that if not supplied, they say they can not hold out a week longer. Rather a bad situation for Mr. Johnny Reb, as we call them.” Though the lack of food and supplies did lead to Pemberton’s surrender, it would not be until almost a month later on July 4th.
June 17, 1863, Haines Bluff, Mississippi.
Don Scott, Co. E, 9th New Hampshire Infantry describes his journey noting a terrible boiler explosion in Nicholasville, KY and his arrival at Vicksburg, “The mortar fleet that night & day pours death & defiance into the doomed city lies only two miles below...it is splendid to witness the bombardment at night.”
December 6, 1863, Knoxville, TN.
Henry G. Sherman, Co. D, 23rd Michigan Infantry vividly recounts the terrors of war to his brother when describing his experiences with skirmishes near Knoxville and the Battle of Campbell’s Station, “I were obliged to witness some poor fellow straightened for the grave whether they ever found a grave that night or not is more than I can say but one thing I do know that it is anything but pleasant to be where you cannot return the fire of the enemy and lay and see your comrades killed and the balls flying about your head. Besides it is a deathly sound to be so near as to hear the balls strike your comrades and hear them groan and your not being able to speak after they were hit. The balls threw dirt in my face that day and so did the shell but I did not receive one single mark on my person."
May 3, 1864, Camp near Chattanooga.
Thomas W. Smith (same correspondent as June 23, 1862 letter), Co. G, 11th Michigan Infantry, presciently remarks to his friend that, “If any general can whip Lee it is General Grant.”
June 22, 1864, On the field near Marietta, GA.
Thomas R. Way, Co. C, 36th Indiana Infantry while operating near Marietta and Kennesaw Mountain in Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, Way writes of his brigade being issued whiskey. The tale would be humorous if wasn’t so tragic, “Whiskey was issued to our brigade in the morning. The first for some...
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