Ohio History Journal

waiting for THE WAR'S END: the letter of AN OHIO SOLDIER IN ALABAMA

after learning of LINCOLN'S DEATH           edited by LOUIS FILLER

Holiday Ames was a forty-three-year-old blacksmith in Ashland, Ohio, when he answered President Lincoln's call of July 1, 1862, for three hun- dred thousand three years troops.1 Made a second lieutenant in Company B of the newly organized One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer In- fantry and promoted to first lieutenant before the year ended, he served with his regiment--whose assignments were chiefly guard and engineer- ing duties--until it was mustered out of service on June 30, 1865. Born in Stratford, Connecticut, on July 4, 1819 (whence his first name), Holiday Ames had come to Ohio in 1840. Like hundreds of other Ohioans of his generation, he had gone to California in 1849 in search of gold. While there he wrote letters home that gave a vivid picture of life and labor among the diggings. After spending about a year in the new state, he returned to Ohio. The long letter which follows he wrote at the close of the war, beginning it the day after learning of Lincoln's death by assassination on April 15, 1865. This strenuous effort at letter-writing reveals his own dogged   NOTES ARE ON PAGES 75-76

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character, but chiefly it reveals the mood of soldiers in the South as the

war went through its final stages. And in the reaction to Lincoln's

assassination that it describes, it reflects the strong feelings the shocking

news aroused, and it adds testimony to the image the late president had

developed among the common people at the war's end.

After his discharge at Columbus on July 8, 1865, Ames returned to

Ashland, honored with a sword by the men who served under him. At

least for a while he engaged in the "book business," and, as might be

expected, was a faithful member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He

died on June 10, 1889.

His letter is reproduced as he wrote it, with all its misspellings and

variant spellings, and its oddities of punctuation and capitalization. A

few editorial interpolations have been added here and there.

 

Decatur Ala April 23d/65     Head Quarters Detatchment 102d. O.V.I.

Dear Wife I take this oppirtunity of writing you a few lines to let you

know that I am well and I hope these few lines will find you the same.

I have not felt as bad since I have been in the army as I have today. I

heard of the death of A. Lincon on last evening it made me feel so

bad that I went to bed and I have not felt like getting up since. I feel

now like staying in the army three years more and fighting for reveng,

yes fighting until every Cursed Rebble is exterminated. I tell you Lincon

was the idol of the army and they to a man are ready and willing to

stay in and avenge his untimely death. I think the rebs have been the

means of taking the life of the best friend they had. he was kind

and merciful to them and I think they could have gotten better terms

from him than any other man or men would give them. I say hang

every one of them from Jeff Davis down. I would be in favour of raising

the black flag and not give one of them any quarters any mans life

is as dear to him as A. Lincons but no man in my opinion can fill the

position that he filled like him. Johnson may be a good Union man but

he lacks the ability to fill the position that he will be called upon to fill

in my opinion, then there is Seward the greatest Statesman of the age.²

who can so well fill his place as he did (none) how much better would

it have been for us as a nation had our armys met with defeat, them we

could replace with others as good and as brave but who I ask who can

fill the place of the two greatest men of the age Lincon, &, Seward. we

still have our Grant. Sherman. Sheridan. & other military men but where

are our statesmen to come from. well we have a Chase a Stanton [,]

Butler etc. but none of them in my opinion can make the places good of

those that are gone. we must not despair god I trust will bring us out

of this calamity. we must as a nation put our trust in him. just think

of it after a Struggle for more than four years and just when we began

as I thought to see the end of this unholy Rebellin to have him taken

away and in such manner one that I think has done more to put down this

rebelliin than any other man to have him taken away at this time by the

hand of an assasian is too bad (I say death to every traitor) this is the

sentiment with us in the Army. perhaps I have written enough about this.

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LETTER OF AN OHIO SOLDIER                                       57

 

I have not got any of the facts but have heard enough to make me weep.

how can I feel any other way than like crying. well I feel like having

revenge I hope the day will soon come. I believe in the doctrine an ey,

for an eye, and a tooth, for a tooth, this [is] Sabbath morning and [a]

very solemn one to me. I do not know what effect the death of Lincon will

have upon this war I think we can still manage the Rebs still it may

prolong the struggle but I think not. I hope the people will put old Ben

Butler where he can retaliate. I wish I had all the Rebbles in my power

for one day they would not be so pleanty at night I would hang every

one of them without judge or jury. well wife here it is Sunday afternoon

and the river is still rising I think one days more rise will drive us out

of our quarters still I am in hopes that it will soon stop raising. this has

been a gloomy Sabbath to me shut up as it were from the world can not

hear any news only a little by Teligraph and not much that way. I am

in hopes that the Rail Road will be opened soon as I want to hear all the

particulars of the death of the Presidant so bad that I can hardly wait.

I wish I could hear the news as soon as you do. I presume you all feel as bad

over the sad affair as I do. I have written you some three or four letters

since I received one but I am waiting very patiantly for a mail then I

think I will get two or three from you at least I hope so. I like the duty

I have to do here it is light, I can go fishing every day, I fished yesterday,

I caught three they made us a good mess. I mess with the four boys

out of my company I have over here with me, we have a cook to do our

cooking, it is better than doing it ourselves. well wife I have just been

to supper. I have had better some times still it was good of the kind. well

if you will promise to say nothing about [it] I will tell you. first corn

bread, second Coffee, third Cod fish. do [you] not think that was good.

it is rather hard to get anything down here to eat at preasent. I can get

plenty of milk when the River is low but it is so high at preasent that we

can not move very far anyway. I hope you are comfortably situated this

pleasent Sabbath, it is very pleasent and warm here to-day in fact the

first pleasent day we have had for some time. I think this is a very cold

and backward spring for this part of the country. still it is earlier than

with you. I was up at one of the Government farms a few days ago. up

there I saw peas in bloom potattoes up nice beans and a good many other

thing[s] well along. I hope by the time I get home you will have a good

garden as I think I could enjoy some good vegtables. well the time will

soon come when I will be home I think the war will soon end still I do

not know what effect the death of Lincon may have on it. I did think

we would all get home this Summer and that peace would be proclaimed

in a very short time I think it will be yet soon, I am willing to leave the

matter with Grant and Shearman let them settle it in their time and way,

well I am going to take a short rest I think by the time I get this sheet

filled that I will want to reast [rest]. well I will rest until tomorrow

morning after breakfast.

Monday Morning April 16th³ well wife here I am at my task again you

would think it a large one if you had such a job before you.4 well I am

very well this morning and it looks very pleasent only from the fact that

there is so much water around here. well it has drove some of the boys

out of their Shanties the water got so high that it washed two of them

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down I am still sticking it out and think I will not have to move. I think

the water is about on the stand at any rate it is rising very slow. well

there is not much news in Camp, all feel sad and gloomy over the news

of the death of the Preasidant and what makes it werse we can not get any

of the particulars. I am in hopes we will get a mail to-day there were one

of an Indiana Battry men made the remark after we heard of the death

of Lincon that it searved him right or words to that effect, you [ought]

to have seen the boys go for him. they caught him and started for the

river with him and would have drowned him sure only for the officers.

as it was they whipped him until he could hardly walk. Searved him right

they might have drowned him and I would not have interfered. also

another one in a new Indiana Regt made about the same remark. they

searved him the same. they are both in the guard house and will be

triede for treason. I hope they will shoot both of them. from this cir-

cumstance you can see and judge how we feel in the army I tell [you]

we are all of one mind. we say as the Rebble General Pat Clayburn said

in his speeach at Dalton we will fight for revenge, well he got his revenge

at Franklin. he was killed there. well I must tell you what I had good

for Supper, two of my Boys stole away and went into the woods hunting

they came back with 13 nice grey Squirrels. we will have a Squirrel Pot

pie for dinner to-morrow. bulley for the boys. I told them I would have

to put them on double duty for going out without leave, they wanted to

know what kind of duty it would be. I told them I would send them out

after more Squirrels. we hear that Johnson and his army are getting in

close quarters and that him and his army are now more than likly to be

captured. I hope it may be so for if his army is taken then the Con-

fedracy must go up. I can not for the life of me see how he can get away.

I think with Shearman after him he will have a hard road to travel.⁵ well

I must take a rest as the sise of the job before me almost discourages me

so good by. well at it again. but stop I hear the train coming with a mail.

now I shall surley get a letter from home. well the mail is opened and

distrabuted but nere a letter from home for me. what can all this mean

has my wife forgotten to write to me I hope not. I know she has not. I

have a good mind to stop writing and say in my wrath that I will not

write another line until I get a letter from home. perhaps you may have

written and I have not received you[r] letters yet. do not forget to

write to me. you do not know nor can you think how bad I felt about

not getting a letter. after waiting about two weeks for a mail and then

not to get a single letter I think is to bad. I hope I may ware [fare?]

better the next mail that comes in. well I am getting along about as usual.

I have easy times go as I please and do about as I please. I caught a

nice fish this morning and had it for dinner. I also had some good

Squirrels. I had a good dinner. I am in hopes I may catch another good

fish before Supper Time. I have just got hold of the first paper I have

seen since the death of the Presidant. I wish I could have been there to

have shot the murderer I am in hopes he will be caught. I think he will.

well wife I hardly know what to write about. they boys have it in Camp

that all the old troops of 62 are going to be musterd out Soon. I am not

very particular I would just about as soon stay my time out as not. I

wish the Paymaster would come along I would like to send you some

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LETTER OF AN OHIO SOLDIER                                     59

 

money. if we should not get pay until our time is out I would have about

Eleven Hundred Dollars coming to me. I have just reed an Ashland Times

with J. Wells letter in I see by that, that Rush is all safe. I am glad to

hear it. I got a paper but not a letter, well I am going to stop writing

until I hear from you. well wife I have finaly got a letter from you so

I will try and finish this short one I recd the letter you sent by Lundy I

was glad to receive it as it had been a long time since I had heard from

you. I am glad to hear that you and the boys are well. I hope you may

injoy the same blessing until I return at least my health is very good

and has been ever since I returned to my Regt. you say that you can

not get time to write but once a week but hope I will write twice well

I am afraid you will have to wait more than one week for this one. how-

ever after this I will try and write at least two letters a week. you say

you had a great time in Ashland, well I persume you had when men went

around and through the Streets with broomsticks and other weapons

of defence. my were the brave men alarmed in Ashland were the[y]

afraid the women were going to make an attack upon them with the

Broomstick that being their weapon of affence and defence, brave and

patriatoc men why do the[y] not take up their muskets and turn out

like men and not like women with the Broomsticks well let the broomstick

procession go. I realy do hope you all injoyed yourselves I think you should

rejoice over the downfall of traitors. I am not particular how it is done

so it is done with deacancy and in order. I persume you would not have

anything but the best of order in Ashland on all and any occasion as all

the bad ones are in the Army. well I did hear that nearly all the people

in Ashland were on a drunk I heard of some being that way that I thought

would not tutch a drop I hope it is not true. still I think if there ever was

a time we should drink and make merry it was on the occasion spoken of.

I think this war is drawing to a close as fast as it possiably can be. I

hardly can see how we are coming to tearms with the Rebs. who have

they got that we can treat with none. I think we will have to go on and

occupy their states and hold them under by Military power. they have

got their roving bands and the people are so igronant that they do not

know anything. I think the best way would be to kill off the old and

Igorant stock and trust to the rising generation for better sense. I am

more vindictave since the death of the Presidant than ever I have no

mercy for any Rebble be he high or low North or South but least for

those north. well I must tell you that the River is falling and I can get

around without going in a boat. I think I will not get flooded out this

time. the weather here is very cold for this season of the year. I do not

beleive it is any colder in Ashland than here. it is so very windy that it

nearly blows a mans hair off. I can hardly keep my tent up for the wind.

I am going to put me up a good Shanty next week. I have plenty of good

boards. I will put up one about 10 ft square that will be large enough

for me I will occupy it all alone. it will be my bed room, Sitting room, &

Parlor. well wife I am beginning to feel sorry that I undertook so much

of a task as to fill up this sheet of paper still I will try and fill it up

with some of my nonsance. I do wish the time would come when I would

be done writing to you I want to talk with you face [to face] and not

have to put my thoughts on paper. I am a poor hand to express myself

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still will do the best I can. there were one Hundred of our Regt went out

on a Scout yesterday to be gone three days. I am glad I do not have to

go along. I do not want to do much marching while I have to Stay in the

Searvice. I will not have any to do this Summer if we Stay here as I

think I will be Kept where I am. I would like to stay here until my time

is out and I think I will. that would suit me as I have not anything to do

and as a matter of course I get my rest nights. I have been Sworn into the

Searvice thirty three months so you see I would only have three months

to stay if I only stay my three years out. The Regt has near two months

longer to searve and as a matter of course I do not expect to be mustered

out until they are, that will be in September. well wife I have just

been to Supper. what do you think I had well I will tell you bread, Coffee,

Sow belly, & Eggs. perty good to for a Soldier. I have been fishing a

good deal this week but have not had any luck. I think the river has been

to high but think when the water falls that I will do better at least I

think so. if I do I shall write you about it and let you know. I intend

to fish every day as I shall not have anything else to do. you say in your

letter that Leach is hard at work. well I think he will have to work hard

to get along. he can not make enough to keep his family and run the

shop. he will find that he will not have much creidit any place and I

know he can not get along without [it]. it will not be long in my opinion

until he will smash up he can not stand it one year. mark my words.

what is Spreangle doing tell him to write to me. tell him I will answer

all letters he will write. I want you to be sure and have him get you out

the buggy. I think you had better keep it. it may be the only chance you

will ever have to get one. get it up to suit yourself you know better than

I do what kind of a one you want. I will try and get you a horse after I

come home. you can probaly let it stand in the Shop or you can put it

in the barn and put the Curtains down and cover it with Something. I

need not write you any more about it you will begin to get tired at me

writing so much about it. well I could not think of anything else to

write about so you must excuse me if you please. you say you like your

new neighbours I am glad to hear it. you say, she is a young woman

never away from home and that she feels as you did at the start. well

you will know how to Sympthise with her. I do not believe she had as

dirty a house to move into as you did and I hope she will not get any

grown wheat flour as you did at the first of it. did you get Eckles Wood

and what else did you buy from him. let me know. I hope you will get

along as well as you have done since I have been gone then I will feel that

you are getting along well enough.

well wife here it is Sunday again and I have not got done writing yet. this

is one of the largest jobs I have had on [my] hands for some time. well

I just reed a letter from John McCrea to day he says the boys are all

well and that he is in hopes of being exchanged before long. I wish they

were back to the Regt for I do want to see them very much. I am very

glad to hear that they are so well. I hope they may be exchanged soon

I think they will and that they will be home on a furlough before they

are sent to their Regts. well wife I hardly know what to fill this side up

with. I will say first that the River is falling fast and that there is no

danger now of being flooded out. I had Inspection this morning and the

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LETTER OF AN OHIO SOLDIER                                       61

 

boys of my Detatchment are all well and everything in good order. it is

not much like Sabbath day here. we hardly know when Sunday comes it

does not make any differance in our dutys only if anything we have

more to do. well the time will soon come when we will be premited to

injoy ourselves at home with our friends I wish that day had come when

we could all return to our homes and live in peace. I think if there are

any men that can and should injoy home it is the Soldier. I think I for

one can live at home and injoy the Society of my family. how I do antica-

pate the day I wish it was here. it will be Soon then I shall feel like one

getting out of prison. military life is a life where we must all submit to

rank, if they boys want to go outside of the Picket lines they must have

a pass or they must stay inside. well I have about done. did you get

any letter from Miss Fairchild since I left. I got one. you think you

need not write only when some one is coming to the Regt. I wish you

would not wait for Some one to come write and put your letters in the

Post Office and your letters will reach me just as safe and perhaps sooner.

speaking of Post Office has Starr got to be Post Master yet or who is

going to have it. is Jake Crall going to be removed I hope not. I think he

is the best one you can get. have you heard from Den lately what is he

doing with the land is he farming any of it if he is you must make him

pay for the use of it all he has of it. are you going to Michigan this Spring

or are you just going to let the thing run itself I do not know as it will

make much differance. try and find out how many Sheep you have got.

I would like to know how many there is. I will straighten the matter up

when I come back. well I must not forget to say a word or two to my

Boys in this short letter try my dear Boys to be good try and be good to

your mother obey her in all things. help her to make garden I want to

see how good a garden you can have when I come home. I want you to go to

school steady try to learn and be Smart Boys. I feel proud of you now but

if you would only learn and be good Scholars how much better I would

like it. you can learn if you have amind to try you are both smart and all

you want to make you good scholars is to be attentive to your studys. I

want to see how much you have learned since I was at home when I

come home. I want both of you to write me a letter. mother writes so

few that I shall have to look to you for letters. I believe you both owe

me a letter as I wrote to you last. well stop playing long enough to write

to me as I do want to hear from you often by you writing to me it will

save your Mother the trouble of writing so often to me. I hope you

attend your Sabbath School regular. do not fail one Sunday you can not

have any excuse for not going I know your Mother will always have you

ready to go so do not fail to attend. learn your lessons well and try and

remember what your teacher tells you. tell me in the next letters you write

something about your Sunday School lessons. I want to see how much

you can remember. well my dear Boys I have about done with this short

epistale I will try and write Mother a longer letter the next time. tell

her she must try and be Satisfied with this one for this time and I will

try and do better the next time. tell Ma to send me your pictures by

Paullis D. Lacy. I felt bad about loosing the ones I had but I could not

help it. I will try and take better care of the next ones I get. so do not

fail to have them Sent. I wish I had both of you with me for a while this

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Summer what a nice time we would have. never mind I will soon come

home to you then I hope we may injoy ourselves. I think we will. I know

I will, I feel like staying at home with you the rest of my days. I think

this war is about over still I do not think I will get home before my time

is out. give my love to all the good folks of Ashland. Kiss Ma for me

every night. so no more but may god bless and pretect you all is my most

earnest Prayer,

Yours Affectionatly

H. Ames

 

 

THE EDITOR: Louis Filler is a pro-

fessor of American Civilization at Antioch

College.

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