Civil War Letters of Darwin Cody
Edited by STANLEY P. WASSON*
CLEVELAND TOOK ITS RECRUITING SERIOUSLY
in August
1862 after Lincoln had issued his
second call for 300,000
men. Ohio's quota was 74,000. Each
county was to provide
its portion of soldiers before
September 1, when Governor
David Tod was to draft the remainder.
To encourage re-
cruiting, stores closed early during
August; local bounties
were offered. Regiments seeking to fill
their rosters adver-
tised in newspapers. Most regiments
stressed the bounties
they offered in money and land, but the
First Regiment, Ohio
Volunteer Light Artillery promised:
"In this service the
soldier secures to himself experienced
officers and a position
in the advance of the army. Every
battery has seen active
service in the field."1 This
regiment secured 277 men by
September 1, one of whom was Darwin
Dianthus Cody,
mustered in August 29 as a private in
Battery I. He served
in this battery through the battles of
Chancellorsville and
Gettysburg in 1863, and in the series
of engagements from
Chattanooga to Atlanta in 1864. Upon
two occasions he
was hospitalized. In December 1864, six
months before
being mustered out of the service, he
was appointed quar-
termaster sergeant to the Chattanooga
garrison at Signal Hill.
* Stanley P. Wasson is assistant
professor of history at Case Institute of Tech-
nology. He wishes to thank Miss Lydia Cody and Mrs.
Gertrude Cody Wheaton
for permission to edit their uncle's
letters.
1 Works Progress Administration in Ohio,
Annals of Cleveland, 1818-1935
(Cleveland, 1937), XLV, Pt. 1, pp. 102,
104-105, 117, 122; Emilius O. Randall and
Daniel J. Ryan, History of Ohio (New
York, 1912), IV, 184.
372
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Cody's letters to his brother, cousin,
and grandparents
cover a period from April 1863 to December 1864.
Battery
I, better known as "Dilger's
Battery,"2 was often in the thick
of battle and frequently commended in reports. It is
men-
tioned in modern studies of the
Chancellorsville and Gettys-
burg campaigns. For this reason alone Darwin Cody's
private's-eye view of the war would be
significant. His let-
ters deserve study, moreover, for the
light they shed on factors
affecting morale and turning a recruit
into a veteran. Finally,
his letters reflect the concerns of a
young landholding civilian
turned soldier: the attention to the
details of a civilian world
which made Cody a successful
businessman in the later nine-
teenth century.
Darwin Cody was born in East Cleveland,
December 25,
1838. His father, Philip Cody, Jr., was
a product of "free-
dom's ferment" who had graduated
in medicine at Cincinnati
and had practiced successfully for a
year in Iowa before
giving up medicine to study law in New
York. While in New
York he was swept up in the communal
social philosophy of
Charles Fourier. Imbued with millenial
hopes, Philip Cody
purchased land in Sheboygan Falls,
Wisconsin, and estab-
lished a Phalanx. He died there at age
thirty-one, probably
before he had answered the question
which sent him there:
"We put harmonic relationship in
all associations of life
against the heartless, friendless, and
hostile competition of
selfish civilization. Now which of
these two conditions,
think you, is the destiny of
mankind?"3
Darwin's mother returned to East
Cleveland with Darwin,
age six, and her two younger sons.
After her death in 1854
the children were placed under the
guardianship of their
2 Captain
Hubert Dilger, twenty-six years old in 1862, had been an officer in
the mounted artillery of the German
state of Baden, and had taken leave to fight
in the Civil War. His skillful use of
smoothbore artillery won him an excellent
reputation, and his failure to receive a
single promotion during the war is some-
times cited as an instance of the army's
anti-foreign bias. To the soldiers he was
"Leatherbreeches," because of
his durable doeskin riding outfit.
3 Quoted in Lydia S. Cody, The Cody
Family in America: 1698 (Kissimee, Fla??
1954), 37.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 373
maternal grandfather, Ahimaaz Sherwin,
who with his father
had been an early settler of the
Western Reserve. As each
child turned twenty-one he was to
receive his inheritance
of land from the estate of his
grandfather, Philip Cody, Sr.
Thus Darwin was by 1860 a keeper of
field and orchard.
These occupied his thoughts frequently
during the lulls in
soldiering. After the war he married,
moved to Grand Rapids,
Michigan, and achieved prosperity in
wholesale groceries,
lumbering, and banking. He died in
1924.4
Before Darwin Cody joined Battery I it
had seen battle
in many small engagements under Major
General John C.
Fremont's command, disputing with
Stonewall Jackson for
control of the Shenandoah Valley. The
battery was next
assigned to Major General John Pope's short-lived Army
of
Virginia, and was commended for
covering the Union retreat
at Second Bull Run. It did not
participate in the battle of
Antietam, but thereafter, when Major
General Ambrose
Burnside replaced Major General George
B. McClellan in
command of the Army of the Potomac,
Battery I was at-
tached to the Third Division (Brigadier
General Carl Schurz)
of the Eleventh Corps (Major General
Franz Sigel and, after
his resignation in the spring of 1863,
Major General O. 0.
Howard) and took position with the rest
of the army on the
north bank of the Rappahannock facing Fredericksburg
and
Lee's entrenched army. The Eleventh
Corps was held in
reserve during Burnside's ill-advised
frontal assault on the
enemy at Fredericksburg in December
1862. It remained in
camp near Stafford's Courthouse north
of Fredericksburg
until April 1863, when Darwin Cody's correspondence
begins.
Major General Joseph Hooker was given
command of the
Army of the Potomac in January 1863,
before Burnside could
attempt another frontal attack over the
Rappahannock.
Hooker conceived a more complex plan
and awaited dry
spring weather to put it in motion. He
knew that his army
outnumbered Lee's, particularly since
Lee had sent General
4 Ibid., 74.
374
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
A. B. Longstreet south in February to
command 44,000
troops gathering supplies in North
Carolina and guarding
against any threat to Richmond from the
peninsula. Hooker,
with 130,000 men to Lee's 58,000, could
split his army into
two wings, each larger than Lee's
forces. Hooker planned
to send most of his cavalry west along
the Rappahannock in
mid-April, then turn it south to shield
Hooker's other troop
movements and, hopefully, to cut off
Confederate retreat after
the battle. One week later two of his
army corps were to
cross the Rappahannock at
Fredericksburg and threaten Lee
enough to immobilize a large portion of
his army. Two other
corps were to move west in plain view
of the enemy and
threaten a crossing of the Rappahannock
at Banks Ford
near Fredericksburg. Meanwhile, the
Fifth, Eleventh, and
Twelfth Corps were to move quietly
upriver from the Union
rear beyond the junction of the
Rappahannock and Rapidan
rivers, their movements concealed by a
small force of cavalry.
They were then to turn south across
these rivers, turn back
east through a mass of second growth
timber, brush, and
vines called the Wilderness, and break
through to open coun-
try six miles west of Fredericksburg,
uncovering fords as
they marched so that other corps could
cross the river behind
them and strengthen their force.
Hooker's plan was excellent and
remained workable even
after spring rains delayed the cavalry
movement. The plan
depended, however, upon Hooker's
holding the initiative at
least until he had his army through the
Wilderness and into
open country near Fredericksburg, where
his superiority in
numbers could be exploited. When he
ordered the army to
entrench and prepare to receive attack
before it had cleared
the Wilderness, he lost the initiative.
And by ordering most
of his cavalry into action far from
Chancellorsville he sub-
jected his troops to the concealed
maneuvers of the enemy.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 375
Staffords C[ourt] H[ouse]5
Apr[il] 25 [1863]
Dear brother6
I recd your always welcome letter five
days ago. I intended to
answer it before but have not had a
chance as we have been very busy.
We recd marching orders one week ago
today. We have been ready to
start two or three times. Then it would
commence to rain, the worst
rain storms I ever witnessed. The roads
are very bad again. I guess we
will not move in ten days. I have got
tired of this place. Hope we will
move soon. Gen. Hooker's balloon7 goes
up every day with several men
in or under to find out how the Rebbels
are amoving. Scouting parties
continue to go out every day. Prisoners
are brot in every day. They
look pretty rough and they are about
starved out. The 7th Ohio is
camped near hear. I am acquainted with
a number of them. That is a
fine Regiment. They were in a fight a
short time ago. A few of them
got wounded. Tell Spence Knight I saw
his Oberlin Friend, Mr. Hal-
bert. The Governor of Wisconsin was
hear a short time ago. We have
one Wis Regiment in our brigade. They
are fine men. I was down to
Acquia Landing yesterdy.8 I
would like to have you sea the Hard
Tacks piled up there and other army
supplies. It would astonish you
very much. That is where all the
supplies are landed for the Potomac
Army. We can see Fredricksburg from
here, and the Rebbel fortifica-
tions. The timber is about cleaned out in this place.
It was all covered
over when we came here with Pine timber,
etc. etc.
Now Lindus I want you to do the best
you can with my Land. Try
and get Mr. Broker to take my
strawberries. If he wont hire them let
him have them on shares. Now about that
land you spoke of seeding
down. If you will seed that piece down
south of the Strawberries and
the piece on the North side of the
creek in front near Brokers house
I will give you all the Oats you raise.
Seed it thick. Put part Timothy.
If Oconnor dont take that land rent it
all but that small piece of
5 The editor has retained Cody's
spelling, adding bracketed letters or words only
where necessary to clarify meaning.
However, the editor has taken liberties with
Cody's punctuation. Cody used a period
to do the work of comma, dash, and
question mark; the editor has
substituted these forms where the sense of the
statement called for them.
6 Lindus Cody, two years younger than
Darwin, and his wife, Amelia Farns-
worth Cody, lived in East Cleveland.
7 The
use of the hydrogen-filled balloon in military operations was begun during
the wars following the French
Revolution. During the Civil War it was used to
guard against surprise attacks, direct
artillery fire, provide news of enemy rein-
forcements, and aid in map-making.
Information was relayed from the balloon
by telegraph, dropped messages, or
visual signals. See F. Stansbury Haydon,
Aeronautics in the Union and
Confederate Armies (Baltimore, 1941),
I, 308,344.
8 Acquia Landing was six miles east of
Stafford on the Potomac River.
376
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
clover in front. I will give you what
comes of[f] from that. Make
Old George keep spirit. My best wishes
to them. I hope I will get a
Furlough this summer. We got paid off
Wednesday for four months.
We had to pay for all the Cloths we
have recd from the Government. I
only got $40. I sent $25 to Grandfather
by Adams Express Com. I
hope he will get it. We will soon have
as much more due us. I paid
Eight Dollars for a common pair of
boots. Everything is very dear here.
I owe Mr. Brown of Newburgh some money.
What is his given name?
I want to find out so I can send the
money to him as soon as I find out
his name. I would of paid him before
but it was not due. . . . My
health was never better.
Brooks Station
May 9th/63
Dear Father & Mother9
I suppose you think I had forgotten
you, but no. Our Mail was
stoped Apr 27th on account of our
moving. I suppose you have heard
of the battle at Fredricksburgh.10
I will give you a short History of Our
travels.
First day--Apr 27th. 5 A.M. struck
tents and prepared for a long
march with eight days rations. Last
night (26th) we turned in our
Sibley tents and drew small wedge tents
in their place which we hated
to do, but orders are orders here.11
Half past 5 we were on our way
towards Kelley's Fords about 30 miles
above Fredrgh. Roads very good.
We marched 16 miles. Very warm. The
Infantry throw away very near
all their overcoats & blankets.
Rather green for a long march. As it was
a warm night we did not put up any
tents--took the open air. Straglers
were acoming in all night. 2nd day
[April 28] Commence March at
break of day. Our Division takes the
lead.12 Very warm--the road is
strewed with everything in the shape of
clothing. The Infantry are
9 Cody refers to his grandparents,
Ahimaaz and Sarah M. Sherwin.
10 Cody refers to the battle of
Chancellorsville, eight miles west of Fredericks-
burg.
11 The Sibley tent, designed to hold
twelve men, was bell-shaped. The wedge
tent was an inverted V--a piece of
canvas stretched over a horizontal bar, with
canvas extensions for closing front and
rear. Its floor space of seven feet square
was designed for four men, but six were
often crowded in and had to sleep
spoon-fashion.
12 The Third Division of the Eleventh Corps was commanded
by Carl Schurz.
At the age of twenty he had been active
in the revolutionary movements of 1848-49
in Germany. He fled the country and came
to the United States in 1852. By 1856
he had mastered English and had become a leading
Republican. Appointed by
Lincoln to be minister to Spain in 1861,
he resigned after one year and was com-
missioned brigadier general in June
1862. Within a year he was promoted to the
rank of major general.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 377
determined to keep up. They have a
pretty heavy load to carry-8 days
rations, 60 rounds catridge, musket
& clothing-which makes a very
heavy load.13 This is a very
hilly country-a great many streams to
cross. We came in sight of the Ford
about dusk. We were all tired out.
Orders came to pitch tents, which we
soon done, and made our beds.
Orders came again to pack up for we
must cross the river before morn-
ing. How mad the boys were! The
Pontoons were soon put down. Our
Battery and a few Infantry took the
advance. Three corps were here
ready to cross-the 11th, 12th, &
5th-about 40,000 troops. We ex-
pected to have trouble in crossing but
as luck would have it no enemy
were near. It was an unexpected move to
them. We marched until 4 in
the morning. We were all done over. The
rear guard crossed the pon-
toon before daylight. The pontoons were
soon taken up and sent down
the river. I got about one hours sleep.
I was like the rest, about done
over. We had marched 25 Miles without
stopping but once. Nothing to
eat but hard Tacks; not time enough to
make coffee.14
Morning of the third day [April 29] A
Rebbel Battery opens on our
camp. Shells come all around us. A
plenty of Rebbel Cavelry seen but
a short distance of. Our cavelry soon
make a break for them, kill 2
and capture 5-one major. We were soon
under way again towards
Fredricks'g. The sun farely burns us.
The 12th corps takes the
advance. Very hilly. Some splendid
Farms along the river. Several
skirmishes in front. A number prisoners
capt[ured]. About 2 PM
our advance came to the Rhapidan river.
Found 150 Rebs building a
bridge-took them by supprise. They all
had guns. They fired 2
rounds before they were captured. 15
excaped. Our loss one col. and
one private killed. Their loss 2 killed
& 2 wounded, 132 prisoners. They
looked pretty rough. We had to Ford the
river. The bridge had been
burnt a short time before. It is quite
a large stream and runs very swift.
Two of our Infantry were drowned in
trying to cross. Our Battery was
soon in position to protect our men
while crossing. We had to stay by
our guns all night. 2nd night without
sleep and very tired and hungry.
At daylight 2 corps were acrost.
Morning of the fourth day [April 30]
Fifth corps take the advance.
We got a warm cup of coffee before
starting-felt quite revived before
starting but very sleepy. Another very
warm day. Our cavelry skir-
mishing all day. We soon came on to a plank road.
Something new for
us to travel on a plank road. Some
splendid farms. The farmers are all
taken along as prisoners. Our boys soon
rob the hen roosts and bee
hives. 3 P.M. All come to a halt. Our
advance within eight miles of
Fredrcksgh. We are 9. We soon get our
Battery in position and the
13 The Eleventh Corps infantrymen left
Stafford carrying sixty pounds.
14 In order to conceal the maneuver Hooker had directed
that there be no fires.
378 THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
line of battle soon formed. We are on
the extreme right.15 We haft to
stay by our guns all night. About dusk a
Rebbel Battery opens on us
with shell. They fly pretty thick all
around us wounding two of our
Infantry. They were soon drove out of
that. I dont like the sound of
their shells. Our horses havent had
their Harness of for three days.
Our Infantry work all night building or
diging entrenchments.
Morning of the fifth day [May 1] All
very sleepy and tired out.
Fighting commenced on the left wing.16
Gen. Hooker comes out to
examine our position. He is cheered by
every soldier.
Noon [May 2]17 Fighting near the center.
Our men drive them in
the center. We are expecting Jackson
from Gordonsville every minute.18
15 The basic Union battle line was now formed. Hooker had halted the
advance
eastward before his troops had cleared
the Wilderness. He prepared instead to
meet attack. Essential to an understanding of the
battle is a realization of the
dense growth of trees and thickets, and
a knowledge of the roads traversing the
Wilderness. The Orange Turnpike, a dirt road lightly
sprinkled with gravel and
corduroyed in swampy spots, ran from Orange Courthouse
eastward through the
Wilderness to Fredericksburg. Another
road, made of planks to facilitate hauling
tobacco hogsheads, arched eastward through the
Wilderness from Orange Court-
house. This Orange Plank Road joined the Turnpike at a
clearing containing
several farms, a church, and a tavern;
the two roads ran as one eastward for two
miles to an old mansion called
Chancellor House opposite a clearing called Fair-
view. Then the Orange Plank Road circled
south once more, not rejoining the
Turnpike until it was near
Fredericksburg. In addition to these two main east-
west roads a number of trails ran north
to the fords of the Rappahannock and
Rapidan. And two trails which were to be
very important in the battle made a
wandering circle south from the Plank
Road and Turnpike and back to them again.
Major General George Meade's Fifth Corps
was on a north-south line facing east
towards Fredericksburg with its right at Chancellor
House. The Eleventh Corps
was lined along the Turnpike facing
south. Schurz's division held the center of
that line, and Dilger's Battery was
stationed at the point where the Plank Road
and Turnpike joined west of
Chancellorsville. The elbow between the Fifth and
Eleventh Corps was held by Slocum's
Twelfth Corps.
16 The Union left pushed tentatively eastward while three more Union corps
crossed the Rappahannock behind it to
strengthen the battle line. In the face of
this threat to his left and rear Lee
stripped his Fredericksburg defenses, hoping
that the Union troops threatening
Fredericksburg would not discover how
inadequately it was defended. Lee's
strategy was successful; Hooker recalled his
troops to their positions of the
previous evening.
17 Cody's letter omits a day here, an
uneventful period for the Eleventh Corps.
Hooker inspected the Eleventh Corps
position on Saturday, May 2.
18 The Union generals knew that Jackson
was not at Gordonsville, but thought
he might be retreating there. During the
night of May 1 the Confederate cavalry
reported to Jackson and Lee that the
Union Eleventh Corps lay exposed on the
right of the Union line, anchored to no
defensible position. A man familiar with
the Wilderness informed them of a trail
which ran south from the Confederate
position, turned west and then north to
emerge on the Union right flank. Lee kept
only 12,900 men and 24 guns to oppose
the Union left and center. Jackson was
allowed to take 31,700 men and 112 guns
through the Wilderness in an attempt to
fall on the Union right flank.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 379
Our Capt. was ordered by our commanding
general to find out their
position. He is a very brave man. He had got outside
the lines about
2 miles where he encountered a large
body of cavelry. They fired at him
twice, then took after him double
quick. He came in about gone up. He
reported to headquarters that their
advance was clost to us.19 We only
had about six thousand Infantry on our
extreme right. Jacksons forces
numbered 25 thousand. Our Capt had just
got back to camp when they
opened on us. They massed their troops
right on our extreme right
where we did not expect them. They soon drove in our
pickets. Then
we poured the Shell into them. The bullets came in
like hail stones.
Then they opened 2 Batteries on ours
which made it pretty hot for us.
Our Infantry soon commenced to run. Our
support was all germans.
They run without firing a gun. Such a
yelling I never heard before as
the Rebs made. Our Battery was soon
left alone. We stayed untill they
were within 15 rods of us. Then we were
ordered to Limber up which
we soon done. We fell back about a
hundred rods where we unlimbered
again. Our Infantry running in every
direction. At this time our
infantry were in the entrenchments in
front of us. We give them double
canister which soon checked them in the
center. We killed a good many
of them in a short time. Our Infantry
soon run and left us. Then the
Rebbels soon commenced to charge on our
battery. They made out to
get one of our guns. They shot the
wheel horses, then we was down. We
done all we could to save it. Our
Infantry had all left us. We had one
killed and 9 wounded there, and six
horses killed and 10 or 14 wounded.
Our capt had one horse shot under him.
We fell back a half mile. That
This flanking movement, begun the
morning of May 2, was very dangerous
and extremely successful. The principal
element in its success was Hooker's
willingness to believe that Lee would
either attack his left and center or would
retreat. Lee encouraged this belief by
noisy demonstrations on that portion of
the battlefield throughout the day.
The Wilderness, with its winding trails
and heavy growth, was ideal for such
a flanking movement. The only time
Jackson's troops could be observed by
Union soldiers in treetops was at a
point where Jackson's troops appeared to
be retreating southeastward. Observers
could not know that the trail made a
sharp turn from southeast to west and
northwest, finally to emerge on the
Orange Turnpike west of the Union right.
The same rains which had delayed
Hooker's cavalry prevented the dust
which would usually have betrayed the
movement. Moreover, the Confederate
cavalry screened the move so well that
skirmishers sent out by the Union could
not get through to see what was
happening. The major portion of the
Federal cavalry was miles away from the
battlefield on a fruitless raid to the
rear of Lee's army.
19 Dilger's
warnings were not heeded at Howard's and Hooker's headquarters.
The ferocity of the Confederate cavalry
and the gibes of captured Confederates
provoked concern among some officers of
the Eleventh Corps. Dilger had moved
his batteries to high ground near
Wilderness Church to face west and cover
the Turnpike as well as southwest to
cover the Plank Road.
380
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
was the nearest point when we could get
our battery in position.20 I say
dam the Dutch. Gen Hooker soon
ordered the 12th corps to kill every
man that run in the 11th. Gen Hooker
shot 5 men himself.21 I saw a
number of Officers and privates shot
trying to break through the guard.
It served them right. A coward will soon
play out here. We had one in
our Battery. The capt soon ordered
charges made out against him. I
hope they will shoot him. If I ever run
I am willing to have them
shoot me.
Our Infantry soon fell back in front of
us. It was dusk then.22 Moon
shone very bright, almost as light as
day. About 20,000 men in front
of us. We were about 20 feet above them.
We hadnt any more than got
ready before they commenced on us. What
a splendid sight. A continual
fire until 3 in the morning, about 40
pieces of Artillery in one line all
a firing at once. Such a noise I never
want to hear again. I thought my
head would burst open. The Rebbels got a
pretty warm reception. They
poured the shells into us pretty good
for a while but we soon drove them
out of that. Whenever the fireing would
cease we would work on the
fortifications. I never was so tired in
my life before. It seemed as if I
could not go another inch. A good many
of our horses were wounded
during the night.
6th day [May 3] At daylight we were
ordered back to the rear to get
20 The conduct of Dilger's Battery in
this portion of the battle is glowingly
reported in secondary accounts. See
Bruce Catton, Glory Road (Garden City,
N. Y., 1952), 200-203; Edward J.
Stackpole, Chancellorsville (Harrisburg, Pa.,
1958), 253-254; Fairfax D. Downey, Sound
of Guns (New York, 1956), 145-148.
Downey cites Col. Jennings C. Wise,
"Field Artillery in Rearguard Action,"
Field Artillery Journal, XIII (1923). Col. Wise uses Dilger's actions as a
lesson in
excellent artillery tactics. He points
out that Dilger's reconnaissance was per-
fect; that he showed an instant
appreciation of the significance of his observa-
tions, and good judgment in relaying the
information to Hooker as well as to
Howard, since Dilger saw that the entire
army, and not just one corps, was
in peril. Col. Wise also praises Dilger's wisdom in choosing to fire double
canister down the Turnpike at the
approaching Confederate artillery, rather than
firing at the Confederate infantry in
the brush closer to the battery. Slowing up
the artillery was a more effective means
of delaying the Confederate advance.
From their initial position Dilger's six
guns delayed Jackson's troops thirty
minutes. Then, keeping one gun, Dilger
ordered the remaining five back to
some entrenchments where an attempt was
being made to form an infantry line.
When the infantry deserted the
entrenchments, Dilger ordered four guns to with-
draw, again holding one. With this gun
he slowly retreated down the Turnpike,
stopping every few yards to fire
canister at the approaching Confederates.
21 An unsubstantiated rumor, which, in
the heat of the writing, reflects one
soldier's continued affection for
Hooker.
22 As dusk and the confusion following
upon success slowed the Confederates
(it was at this point that Jackson was
mortally wounded by his own men) the
Union left and center wheeled to meet
Jackson's thrust. Dilger's remaining guns
were part of a thirty-eight gun battery assembled at
Fairview Heights to shoot
over the heads of Union troops into the
enemy a few hundred yards away.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 381
ammunition & some more horses. We
went to hookers head quarters.
The line of battle in the center was
only 110 rods from his head quarters.
We stayed there all day. Another Batty
took our place. They were soon
drove out. It was a Regular Batty of 10
Lb parrot. They lost 4 guns
& 40 men killed and wounded. A good
thing we left. Several other
Batteries were cut up pretty bad.23
Hard fighting all day. They would
drive our men back, then our Arty would
open on them. Then they
would run back into the woods. The
ground was covered all over with
their dead and wounded. What a sight. I
never want to see it again.
Our men took 3,000 prisoners in a short
time. 2 Regiments gave them-
selves up. They said they could not fight
any longer without something
to eat. A good many of them were drunk.
Their loss pretty heavy--
3 to 1 of Ours. We lost the heaviest the
first day, a great many thousand
wounded. We must of had a hundred
thousand men.
7th day [May 4] Rebbels open a Battery
on our wagon train doing
but little damage. Killed 2 of their own
men that were prisoners. Hard
fighting on the center all the forenoon.
We loose a good many officers,
one or two Generals. Our troops have got
possession of Fredricks'g--
capture five batteries and fifteen
hundred prisoners.24 Prisoners comeing
in all day from the center, a great many
of them wounded slightly.
Eighth day [May 5] Orders for all the
batteries to cross the river
and go back to our old camp. The Rebbels
recd 40,000 more reinforce-
ments from the south.25 Looks
rather dubious on our side. 3 PM--
rain and hail, the worst hail storm I
ever witnessed--hail as large as
hen's eggs. The men and horses were all
pounded up, and all wet
through & through. The wind blows
from the North East very cold.
We haft to sleep in our wet cloths and
blankets right in a low swampy
place. I don't believe I was ever so
cold before in my life. When I
awoke in the morning [May 6] I had the
Rheumatism so bad I could
not hardly move. This is the first I
ever had of it. Still raining very
23 Hooker, despite his superior numbers,
was anxious to pull in his defenses.
On the morning of May 3 he ordered
troops to withdraw from Hazel Grove,
the highest point on the field. Lee
promptly placed thirty guns there and these,
together with twenty on the Turnpike,
centered their fire on Fairview, three-
fourths of a mile away, doing terrible damage to
Hampton's Third Pennsylvania
Battery, which had replaced Dilger's.
The Parrott guns, named for the man
who designed them, were rifled cannon
reinforced at the breech by iron hoops.
They were produced at the West Point Gun
Foundry.
24 Major General John Sedgwick's Sixth
Corps, which had been assigned to
threaten Fredericksburg, finally attacked on Sunday,
May 3. It swept through
Fredericksburg and west on the Turnpike
to join Hooker. Lee saw that Hooker
was preparing no offensive, so he sent
some of his troops eastward where they met
and halted Sedgwick at Salem Church.
Sedgwick was forced to fight his way
northward across the Rappahannock.
25 Longstreet's reinforcements did not
reach Lee until May 9.
382
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
hard. Orders came to harness up. We
soon were on our way to our old
place. Our Infantry were crossing all
night on the Pontoons. A little
after daylight our men were all acrost
this side, the Rebbels tight after
them. Our Gen recd orders from Hooker
to move his camp to Brooks
station which we soon done. We have a
pretty good camp and are all
busy drying our cloths. The sun shines
upon us once more, where the
musket balls dont trouble us. Thank God
My life is spared. What a
wicked thing this Rebellion is. Dont
tell me the Rebbels wont fight.
dutch fight mit Sigel
but not mit Howard.26
2 P. M. I have a few more lines to
write. We got paid before we left
for 4 months. The paymaster deducted
out 29 dollars for over drawn
clothing. We are only allowed $40 per
year for clothing, which is not
enough, the way they charge for them. .
. . Has Lindus rented my place
yet? What is the news at home? I would
like to come home and see
you all now. I hope this war will end
this summer. I am willing to
stay as long as it lasts. . . . The
name of the battlefield is Forest Church
Battle field.
After Chancellorsville the two armies
again faced each
other across the Rappahannock. But Lee
determined to in-
vade the North. Since Jackson had died
of wounds suffered
at Chancellorsville, Lee reorganized
his army into three
corps and sent them leapfrogging behind
a cavalry screen
into the Shenandoah Valley and
northward toward Pennsyl-
vania. Hooker shifted his army to keep
it between Lee's
force and Washington, cautious lest at
any moment Lee should
swing through some gap in the Blue
Ridge Mountains and
pounce on his troops. The Federal
cavalry sparred con-
tinually with the Confederate cavalry
under Major General
J. E. B. Stuart, as each tried to learn
what the other army
was doing.
26 The Eleventh Corps was known as the German Corps, and many of its
officers were German, although a
majority of the troops were native-born
Americans. See Ella Lonn, Foreigners
in the Union Army and Navy (Baton
Rouge, La., 1951), 90-116. Nativist
sentiment was still strong in the United States
and, in the army, such prejudice focused
on the Eleventh Corps.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 383
Camp Near Brooks Station
June 1st [1863]
Dear brother Lindus
I recd your kind & welcome letter
last night, about six weeks delay.
. . . I suppose you read my letter
written to Grandfather & the full de-
tails of the fight in the paper, so I
wont haft to write it all over. Since
the fight we have been moved around from
place to place hardly know-
ing one hour where we would be the next.
This is a very unpleasant way
of living. We are doged around more than
slaves ever were in [the]
south. A man wants to be made out of
wire twisted togeather to stand
this life.
Well, Lindus I am somewhat sorry you let
George have that land.
You know that he has two or three drunken sprees during
the summer.
That spoils the whole. The principle thing is to make
him keep the
weeds down, and if he dont take care of
them do it yourself. If you
keep him to work steady you can get
along better with him. Keep the
rent up even. You know his faults. As to
Robert McCully I dont know
what share to let him have. Make him
keep them clean & do the best
you can with him. How can he peddle them? He has no
horse and
wagon. Get all you can for them. That is a nice bed of
Strawberries.
Well, Lindus since I wrote last we have
marched many a long mile.
The miles are very long. We left our
winter quarters on the 27th of
April. It seems but a few days. How time
flies in the army. We were
in the fight a part of two days and one
night, and near the front the
balance of the time so I had a chance to
see it all over. It was an offal
sight to see so many fine young &
old men piled up in heaps, to keep
them out of the way of the horses. Then
to go to the hospital & see the
legs & arms amputated. Deep groans
from our [?] quarters. Such
misery. Thousands of wounded Rebs. They
dame to be heartily tired
of the war. The officers dont care how
long it lasts. We all think it will
be a year or more before the close of
this war. I hope they will Draft
this summer. We haven't got men enough
to fight the whole confederacy
here. What an army they have got. We get
praises from every quarter
since the fight. We got another gun
since the fight, in place of the one
captured, & a new stock of horses.
During the 9 days fight I lost ten
lbs of my fat off. That was going down
hill pretty fast. 4 days & 4
nights with out sleep & only one cup
of coffee during the time. Hard
Tacks & water was the maine stay (who
would not be a soldier). We
are all ready for another fight. Expect
it too every day. Our Infantry
are diging entrenchments in front of us,
& building a Fort for our
guns--Fort Dilger is the name given for
it. Recd a letter from Aldus
384
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
last night. He is comeing home on a
Furlough.27 I would like to come
too, but no come this summer.
Brooks Station
June 10th
Dear Cousin Sarah
. . . . Since my last we have changed
camps three times. Very un-
pleasant. So many unnecessary movements.
Hard telling one day where
we will be the next. We are near the out
post now. We are ready for
another fight. Probaly we will have one
before long. The Rebs are in
force not far from us. Our pickets are
driven in quite often. Then its
every man to his post & horses all
harnessed in five minutes. We have
20 new men now. They are sick of
Soldiering so soon. We laugh at
them and call them pale faces. They dont
like that. It takes about six
months to get used to this way of
living. We had to turn our blankets
over. All we have now is one blanket,
one pair pants, 2 shirts, 1 coat,
2 pair socks, 1 pr. Boots, 1 hat etc.
Not enough for a change and (here
it is four weeks without rain) us
lounging around on the ground all the
time. How nice and clean we
can keep. It does not trouble me much
now to sleep on rails, or a brush
heap--any place so that it is dry. Very
warm weather--something like July
there--cold nights.
Cannonading heard near Warrenton. Three
days ago a large scouting
party started in that direction from
here. Force consisted of 8,000
Infantry, 7,000 cavelry & 3
Batteries. They found the enemy in force
yester[da]y. Quite a hard fight before
our men routed them. Our loss
400 killed & wounded.28 A
short time before this the 2nd Army Corp
crossed the river below Fredricksburg
and capt 120 Pris. Quite a
brisk fight. Our loss near 40 killed
& wou. Rebs loss not known.29
Fighting Joe is determined to keep the
Rebs on the move. Only think
how many fine young men are killed every
day. Pretty near all that
had their legs amputated after the fight
at Chancellorsville have died.
One of our boys had his arm taken off.
He is doing well now. Our
hospitals are all full of the wounded
brot over from Chancellorsville.
We have a spendid Brigade Brass Band,
just organized, about 30
members in all taken from diferent
Regiments. All old players. Plenty
27 Aldus Cody, four years younger than Darwin, had enlisted in the 103rd
Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He received a
ninety-day furlough because of serious
illness.
28 The
Union cavalry, attempting to penetrate Stuart's cavalry screen at
Brandy Station, surprised Stuart and
inflicted 500 casualties.
29 Cody
may refer to Sedgwick's Sixth Corps, which was ordered to learn
if the Confederates had left Fredericksburg. He
reported that the main body
was still there, but in fact only
one-third remained. Hooker still suspected
Confederate movement because of the
decrease in the number of tents.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 385
music now. I hope Abe Lincoln will Draft
enough this time to make
short work.30 A good deal of
hard fighting to be done yet. We all think
next faul will tell the story. I hope
so. We have got our fill now. I
will send you an extract from the
Portage Co. Democrat written by our
Corporal now in the hospital wounded. He
was a gunner in our sec-
tion.31 I will haft to close.
Drill call. Dont want to go--so warm. . . .
We have just got Marching orders
again-destination unknown.
Camp 4 miles from Leesburgh
on Goose Creek
June 19th/63
Dear Father & Mother
As I have a few spare moments to Myself
this afternoon, I will give
a short history of my travels since we
left Fredricksburg. We left there
on the 12 inst. Six weeks without
rain--very warm & dusty. Infantry
troubled a good deal with sore feet. I
am glad I dont haft to carry as
much as they do. 1st night--camped near
Heartwood Church.32 2nd
day [June 13]. Commenced march 2 hours
before daylight, Our Division
in front. Oh what a warm day, and so
dusty we could hardly see at all.
You can imagine how we looked. 6 out of
one Regt were sun struck. I
have since heard 16 in all have died.
About noon the 5th Army corps
passed us. Cannonading was heard all
day, in the direction of Warren-
ton. General Stahl's Cavalry were in
front of us all day. They had quite
a skirmish near Rappahannock
Station--captured 52 prisoners.33 Eve.
camp near Catlett's Station. Water very
hard to get. Infantry very
tired. 18 miles from the former camp. 3d
day [June 14]. Drew 4 days
rations. Commenced march [at] 9 A.M. We
were transferred to the
first Div. Clouds of dust could be seen
in every direction. Longstreet's
30 The conscription act passed by
congress March 3, 1863, made drafting a
national rather than a state matter. The
country was divided into enrollment
districts roughly corresponding to
existing congressional districts. Each was
in charge of a provost-marshal, who
enrolled all male citizens, or foreigners
intending to become citizens, between
the ages of twenty and forty-five. Any
person drafted was allowed to furnish a
substitute, or buy an exemption from
the government for $300.
31 A section was ordinarily one-fourth of a military unit. In the case of
Dilger's
battery the term probably refers to two
guns.
32 Hartwood is nine miles west of Brooks
Station. From this point the
Eleventh Corps turned north and marched
to the Potomac.
33 Major General Julius Stahel,
commanding a division of 3,500 cavalry, during
this march was continually sending out scouting parties
to patrol the mountain
passes. On June 28 he was sent to Harrisburg to
organize cavalry units in
Pennsylvania.
386
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
forces were marching in the same
direction not over 10 miles from us.34
We passed Manassas Junction about 3 P.M.
Some very heavy fortifica-
tions built here. The Rebs built these
before the battle at Bulls Run.
The Rebs burnt some 10 or 12 cars here
last week belonging to us, & last
fall near fifty. Some were not more than
half burnt. The pieces were
strewn all along the road. The most of
them were new cars. Thats the
way the money goes. Eve--camped in front
of Centerville. Oh, how
tired. Ambulances were piled full of
sick & lame soldiers. We were a
pretty hard looking lot of men. All
white with dust. We looked more like
blacks than whites. This is a pretty
hard life to live. We have very
heavy dews, almost like rain. We haft to
dry our blankets every morn-
ing. We havnt pitched our tents since we
left the old camp, and only
have one blanket apiece--very thin at
that. I can sleep anywheres & on
anything. All I want is something to lay
my head on, and the balance
will take care of itself. 4th day [June
15] lay still--have a good rest.
The first, 4th, 5th, & 12th corps
came up. The balance gone through by
Fairfax C[ourt] H[ouse].
5th day [June 16]. No orders to move
yet. One section ordered out
on picket, and 1 brigade. This was
outside of the Regular Picket.
Morning of the 17th--commence March at 3
A.M. About 10 oclock it
was so hot it seemed as if we would all
melt down, and how dusty. We
passed Gum Springs about noon. Our
Pioneers had to build several
bridges over small streams. Quite a
number Infantry died on the way.
Five Oclock--in camp near Goose Creek.
Marched 21 miles--pretty
good marching. Quite a large stream 8
miles from Snickers Gap. Rebs
have a strong force there. The 12th
corps holds Leesburgh. 18th-move
back 1/2 mile on a hill, our guns all in
position. Strong picket out. Ex-
pect an attack here. We are all ready
for them. Dont care how quick
they come.
19th--All quiet in front. Cannonading
heard all day, not far off. We
had a splendid shower last night--a
little cooler today. 4 days rations--
move soon. As I cannot send this now, I
will finish in time so as to send
when our mail rout is open again. . . .
Leesburgh
June 22d 1863
Good Evening
Ruth's letter just came to hand, with
several others--very glad in-
deed. Mail has been stoped for 2 weeks,
and newspapers also, so we
34 Cody was mistaken. On June 14
Longstreet's main body of troops was
marching from Culpeper to the Blue Ridge
Mountains and must have been forty
miles away from the Eleventh Corps. This
rumor, together with the great
precautions taken by corps commanders,
demonstrates Hooker's fear of a
surprise attack.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 387
havent heard much news. Our cavelry had
a hard fight yesterday, driv-
ing the Rebs at every point. Several
charges were made, capturing a
number of Prisoners. The Rebs tried
very hard to drive our forces from
Snicker's Gap, some 8 miles from here.
Our horses were harnessed from
daylight until dark expecting to move
at a moments notice. We will have
another hard fight pretty soon. Gen
Milroy got in a bad fix but in the
end came out all right. His loss is not
as heavy as reported.35 I would
like to come home now and eat some of
your good Strawberries. Havent
had any this year, nor any other kind
of Fruit. This country is destitute
of every thing in the fruit line. Never
mind, I am coming home next
summer for good if I live. This Regt is
to be mustered out one year
from July. That will soon pass away.
Will you see to paying my Taxes? Ask
Lindus if he wont give you
money enough to pay my Taxes with. If
not draw it out of the Bank.
& ask Lindus if the Rose bugs are
troubling my Grapes much this year,
and how they look. . . . I hope those
drafted men will soon come out.
My pardner has gone away. He is
clerking at hed quarters now. Expects
to stay there untill discharged. I have
been troubled with the toothache
lately. I am black as a Niger. We got
11 new recruits this morning from
Cincinnati. They dont look much like us.
We have a pretty good Camp
ground. Mountains can be seen in every
direction. I suppose Vicksburgh
has fallen Ere this time.36
Major General George G. Meade replaced
Hooker in com-
mand on June 28. The Army of the
Potomac continued north-
ward, keeping to the south and east of
Lee's army and wait-
ing for Lee to turn southeast toward
Washington. The speed
of Meade's movement--the Eleventh Corps
marched fifty-four
miles in two days--caused Lee,
stationed at Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania, to concentrate his widely
dispersed army at
Gettysburg, the center of an elaborate
road network. On
the night of June 30 - July 1,
Confederate corps approached
Gettysburg from Chambersburg to the
west, Carlisle to the
north, and York to the northeast. That
same night Meade
ordered the First and Eleventh Corps to
Gettysburg. The
First Corps reached Gettysburg at 10
A.M., in time to meet
35 Milroy's small Shenandoah Valley army
attempted to stop Ewell's Corps
of Confederates on its way north, but
was quickly scattered.
36 Vicksburg,
the last obstacle to Union control of the Mississippi, surrendered
July 4, 1863.
388
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the Confederate army approaching on the
Chambersburg
Pike. The Eleventh Corps reached the
field at 1 P.M, and took
position one mile north of Gettysburg
to meet the Confederate
advance from the north along the
Carlisle Road, and north-
west on the Mummasburg Road.
Cody's correspondence barely mentions
the battle of Gettys-
burg, but Dilger's Battery was
extremely active. On the first
day, when the Eleventh Corps was
stretched in a thin mile-
long line, Dilger's Battery filled a
quarter-mile gap between
the Eleventh Corps left and the First
Corps right. To gain
greater accuracy for his battery of six
smooth-bore guns
Dilger advanced his battery several
hundred yards closer to
the enemy. To do this he had to fill a
ditch with fence rails
and debris while under fire from the
enemy. The commander
of the artillery brigade complimented
Dilger on his excellent
judgment.
At 4 P.M. Confederate troops arriving
on the Harrisburg
Road fell on the Eleventh Corps right
flank. The corps' re-
treat through Gettysburg turned into a
rout, packing Gettys-
burg's streets. Dilger sent one section
of his battery to the
city square to cover the retreat; the
remaining guns of the
battery avoided the heavy city traffic
by circling east of the
town to the Union position on Cemetery
Hill south of Gettys-
burg. Dilger had lost twenty-four horses and one gun;
thirteen men were wounded. Twice on
that first day his bat-
tery had been short of ammunition; many
of his shells were
defective and exploded close to the
muzzles of his guns.
For the remainder of the three-day
battle Dilger's Battery
was stationed immediately south of
Gettysburg at the junction
of the Baltimore Pike and the
Emmitsburg Road, at the bend
of the Union's "fishhook"
battle line. It was engaged in the
defense of Culp's Hill against Ewell's
charge on the night of
July 2. On the third day of battle it
lobbed shells over
Cemetery Hill into Pickett's advancing
Confederates.
The exhausted armies pulled apart after
the battle. Le?/
retreated westward through the
mountains and turned south
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 389
to Virginia. Meade followed, again
holding the eastern side
of the mountains. While there was some
jostling of Lee's
rearguard by Union troops, both armies
returned to positions
between the Rappahannock and Rapidan
rivers west of Fred-
ericksburg.
Warrenton Junction [Virginia]
Aug 8th [1863]
Dear Brother & Sister Melia
Havent heard one word from my place
since you wrote last. Are
the vines very full of Grapes & how
do they look? Does Denzer take good
care of them? Are those young vines
kept clean of weeds & how are the
crops on the balance of the place? Does
Old George keep all right & how
is the old woman & how did the
Strawberries turn out? How much did
you get for them? Well, how are you
making it this year? Makeing
money I suppose. Help is pretty scarce
I guess now. I would like to be
there to help you. I would like it
better than this work. I tell you what
--we have had pretty hard times for two
months. Sometimes I think I
cannot stand it any longer, but still
hold out. Pretty near gone up.
Hardly able to move. We are recruiting
up now. Expect to stay here
3 or 4 weeks. A few conscripts came in
yesterday. They are the first.
Our army is very small at present--a
large number have been discharged
--time expired, and quite a large force
has left us. One Division of our
corps left yesterday, destined for
Charlston.37 Dont like this country.
Can't get water nor anything else, nor
hardly anything to eat. We had
a plenty to eat while we were in Pen.
& Md. Seemed almost like home.
Splendid country over there & a
plenty pretty Gals. Only think, almost
a year before we were over there that I
hadnt spoken to a woman of any
description. All we ask now is to have
the war closed up this winter
or before winter sets in. Ready any
time for another fight. The hard-
ships we haft to endure now would kill
about half of those pale faces
or conscripts, before they would get
used to it. We are going to have 31
of them. We havnt men enough to man our
guns now. Lost very
heavy in the last fight. I suppose you
saw Silsber & Brockway.38 I stood
within ten feet of them when they were
shot. There was the place to try
a mans courage. I hope I never shall be
in quite as close quarters again.
I was hit once but soon got over it. My
gun was disabled. I then took
37 The
First Division of the Eleventh Corps was detached August 6 and
sent to reinforce a campaign against
Charleston, South Carolina. Some outer
islands of the harbor were seized so
that the harbor could no longer be used
by blockade runners. But the city itself
proved impregnable until Sherman took
it by land.
38 Alonzo Silsby and Green B. Brockway
of Cleveland died of wounds re-
ceived the evening of July 2, when Ewell
attacked the right flank at Culp's Hill.
390
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
position on another gun. For 3 days and
nights I stood by the gun
firing the most of the time--fired over
500 rounds apiece. I was all over
the battlefield.39 I tell you
what, some pretty hard sights. I saw very
near the whole of the Rebel army at one
time. I suppose you have read
about the battle so I wont need to tell
any more. I could write all day
about what I saw there. Since we came
here all is quiet. Once in a
while a few bushwhackers are brought in.
They trouble our pickets
some.
Get letters from Aldus now and then. One
thing I want now is a
box sent off dried and caned Fruits.
Express comes through here now--
Adams Express Co. We want to have a change once in a while. Take
a box about the size of a candle box--or
larger. Grandpas folks will
have something to send. Dont take
anything that will spoil. Very warm
--wont keep. Harris & Charles Denzer have something
to send. Any
one wishing to donate can do so. Show
their good will. Some caned
Tomatoes would be very nice. Any kind of
Caned or dried Fruits,
Cigars, wines, etc. If you dont get
enough to fill a box or enough
donated buy it in Cleveland. Get enough
in Cleve, to fill up. Pay the
expressage on the box. Make out a bill
for the whole-for your time
& all the rest. Send me a receipt
for the box. Get one at the express
office. Send in charge for the whole. I
will send you the money imme-
diately. Dont delay. I know time is
precious to you. I will pay you big
for your time. Havnt tasted any kind of
vegetables this year.
One thing more I will mention. Get me a
half lb. Tea--2 lbs. loaf
sugar. Box up good. This is for Worden
& myself. Now is the time
for Harris to send that good box of
cigars he had, & James Welch
also promised Worden some cigars. . . .
[Harewood Hospital]40
Washington
Sep 13th 63
Dear Brother
I suppose you have been anxious for some
time to hear from me. One
month ago today I was taken with a
fever, and ever since that time, up
39 Cody could see the entire battlefield
from his station on the first day. On
the second and third days, however,
Cemetery Hill to his rear would prevent
his seeing the action at the Union left
and center unless he went to the rear
after water or ammunition.
40 For
photographs of Harewood Hospital, see Francis T. Miller, The Photo-
graphic History of the Civil War (New York, 1911), VII, 285, 294-295, 313.
Harewood seems to have been especially
constructed as a military hospital. It
consisted of a few single-story barracks
showing clapboard to the world and bare
joists and studs to the patients. The
barracks were long and narrow, with a
row of beds on each side of a long
center aisle, the aisle broken by small stoves.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 391
to yesterday, have not been able to set
up in bed, nor eat a mouthful of
any thing. You can imagine how I
look--very weak and poor. It is very
hard work for me to write. Cannot
controll my arms--so weak--but I
guess you will make it out.
How I would like to come home & have
a change of food. How I
could lay out a good watermelon & some good
Peaches--common peaches
are worth from 3 too 5 cts apiece. I am
2 miles outside of the city. It
will be three months before I can go back to the
Battery. Dont like to
stay in the house. Sometimes I think I
never will get well. Doctor thinks
I will come out all right in 4 or 5
weeks. How does your watermelons
turn out, and have my Grapes commenced to turn yet? Did
you send
that box I sent for ? . . . I suppose
the Draft will take place before long
in Ohio. Dont care how quick. We havent
men enough left to work
our guns. I would like to go back to the
Baty. I must close. I am com-
pletely tired out. . . .
Harewood Hospt
Nov 5th [1863]
Dear brother Lindus & Sister Amelia
I arrived here safe & Sound.41 I
did not get here as soon as I expected.
Engine run of from the track at New
Creek, Western Va. Stoped five
hours at Wheeling, and several other
places a short time. Arrived in
Washington Saturday Eve at 11 Oclock.
Met an old friend in the
st[reet] cars while on my way up town.
He invited me to go and stay
with him at the Willard House, which I
of course done. Had a good
time at his Expense. Stayed untill
Sunday Eve--$3.50 per day. Went
to Mr. Crawfords--found all well--spent
the evening. Then started for
States Prison. All of my old
acquaintances have left, so I have been
very lonesome. I am sorry I did not stay
longer at home. It would of
been all right. But too late now. Sour
bread & Coffee as usual, & small
rations at that. I received orders last
night, to get ready to start for the
Baty today, which I have done. Before
the time came to go I went to
the officer of the day, and told him I was not fit to
go, and he had me
released. So I may stay 3 or 4 weeks
longer. Then I shall go anyway.
My Grapes came today. They were all
smashed up. I sold one box for
$3.00--contained 20 lbs. The other I
will keep. I am going down town
in the morning to get my ration money
for 30 days--$5.80--worth
looking after.
My Cloths I left in the front room. I
forgot to take them down to
Grandfathers, so you can put them away
there or send them down to
Grandpas. My Umberella I left at the
station, so you can call for it.
And another thing I forgot--that is to
have George put away my tools--
41 Darwin Cody had evidently been to
East Cleveland on furlough.
392
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
bushel basket, potato fork & hoes in
the barn and not use them any more.
Sell those potatoes of Georges for what
you can get. Deduct your ex-
penses out. Get all you can from George. You keep the
account between
you & me. When Mr. Denzer gets
through with my Grapes Please let
me know how many all together. I mad up
my mind before I left that
he had fooled away 1500 lbs easy enough, by not picking
them in time.
I hope I may sell the place before
another year. Then I will feel more
cont [ent] ed here.
The Washington papers are full of news
of all kinds. I hope Charlston
will be leveled to the ground by this time. Live in
hopes--let come
what will. . . .
On September 22, 1863, while Darwin
Cody was at Hare-
wood Hospital, the remaining two
divisions of the Eleventh
Corps, together with the Twelfth Corps,
were detached from
the Army of the Potomac and sent to
reinforce the Army of
the Cumberland at Chattanooga,
Tennessee. The Eleventh
Corps reached the Chattanooga area
October 2.
Since the outbreak of war eastern
Tennessee had been re-
garded with especial fondness by
Lincoln. This mountainous
area was Unionist in sentiment, and
Lincoln wanted Union
troops to occupy it. The area had military
importance as
well, for any move south from
Chattanooga would dent, and
might eventually split, the
Confederacy. In 1863 the Army
of the Cumberland under Major General
William S. Rosecrans
maneuvered the Confederate troops under
General Braxton
Bragg south into northeastern Georgia,
thus controlling Ken-
tucky and Tennessee and holding an
inverted triangle with
Chattanooga its southernmost point.
The Confederacy also realized the
importance of this area,
and after Gettysburg, Longstreet's
Corps was ordered to the
support of Bragg. Longstreet arrived in
time to help Bragg
repulse Rosecrans' attempt to push into
northwestern Georgia
at the battle of Chickamauga, September
19-20, 1863. Rose-
crans fell back to Chattanooga, where
he was almost besieged
by the Confederates. On October 17,
when Major General
U. S. Grant's command was enlarged to
include the forces
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 393
in Tennessee, the condition of the
Union troops at Chatta-
nooga was deplorable. The enemy had
broken river and rail
supply lines from Nashville. Union
troops were dependent
upon inadequate wagons drawn by
worn-out animals over
impossible roads. Men were on half
rations; animals were
starving; stores of clothing were
exhausted.
While Bragg held the heights around
Chattanooga, he
pressed his advantage by sending
Longstreet with 20,000 men
to attack Burnside's troops at
Knoxville. Grant, realizing
Burnside could supply no reinforcements
even if he received
them, determined to break Bragg's
stranglehold on Chatta-
nooga before relieving Knoxville. Grant
thus initiated the
battle of Chattanooga, with its
engagements at Lookout
Mountain and Missionary Ridge.
Cody had not returned to his battery by
November 23-25,
1863, when the battle of Chattanooga
was fought. Dilger's
Battery was temporarily assigned to the
Second Division
(Major General Philip Sheridan) of the
Fourth Corps. Sheri-
dan stationed the battery to cover a
plain over which it was
feared the enemy might attempt to reach
Sheridan's rear.
Since no such attempt was made, the
battery had a compara-
tively quiet time.
Chattanooga
Dec 29th 63
Dear brother Lindus
I received your welcome letter last
week. You may be somewhat sur-
prised to hear from me way off down in
this godforsaken country.
This is worse than Va. ever dast be.
All Mountains & hills. We are near
Mission Ridge and a short distance from
Lookout Mountain. When I
first came to the Bat. they were in
Lookout Valley. They had just
returned from Knoxville. They [went]
there to reinforce Burnsides
army.42 They captured a
large [number] of prisoners, and a large
42 Immediately
after the battle of Chattanooga, Dilger reported to the Eleventh
Corps, which was ordered to the relief
of Burnside. On November 27 the
battery made a continuous march of
twenty-seven miles and broke rail com-
munications between Bragg at Dalton,
Georgia, and Longstreet near Knoxville.
Meanwhile Burnside successfully repulsed
Longstreet's attack, and Longstreet,
hearing of Bragg's defeat and seeing
that such marches as that of the Eleventh
Corps menaced his supply line from the
south, withdrew northeastward close to
the Virginia-Tennessee boundary.
394
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
number of citizens followed them back,
to keep away from the Rebel
conscripters, & a large number of
Negroes came back with them. The
majority of them will enlist in our
army. Also a large number of citizens
will enlist. Deserters from Braggs army
are coming in very fast--about
fifty per day.43 They all say
that their confederacy has played out. They
all say that next summer will finish up
the balance of them. I hope it
may be so. Everything looks encouraging here.
Grant has a very large
army here. Very near all of the old
Regiments have enlisted for 3 years
again. Over half of our Baty have done
the same. (but I cant see the
go). We are out of the 11th corps now.44 We are
stationed in a large
fort. Capt told us tonight that we would
stay here untill our time was
up. I hardly believe that. This is the
worst of all places. Nasty filthy
place. Dead Mules, horses & cattle
almost cover the ground. We will
all die when warm weather comes. We
havnt hardly enough to eat to
keep us alive--half rations and very
small at that. When the Rail Road
is done we will fare better. The worst
trip I ever had was from Wash-
ington to this place. I had the
privilege of visiting all the jails & dun-
geons on the rout. For 2 days at a time
I had to go without a thing to
eat, under guard all the way.45 I
got my fill of Rail Road riding. It may
be nice for some, but I pass. Over
half the way in freight cars. The
boys were all very glad to see me, as
might be expected--(short of
help). I made $75.00 on what things I
brought to the Baty. I sold my
wach for $35.00. Boots are very
high--common boots $15.00. I was
offered $15.00 for my thin boots.
Everything in proportion.
I have some money to send home, but cannot
send it now as no express
is sent at present. All the guns that
Grants men captured in the last
fight are stationed near our Baty.--61
in number. All kinds from 6 lb
guns up to a 64 pounder. Some very good
ones--the best they had.
We have a chance here to see all that is
going on. Our news from the
north is very scarce. I wrote to
Grandfather over 2 months ago--have
not Recd an answer yet. Are they all
dead? . . . I would like to hear
how my Grapes turned out. . . .
Chattanooga
Jan 16 64
Dear Brother Lindus
I wrote to you about three weeks ago. I
have a few things I want
sent so I will write again. Nothing
doing here at present. It is very
cold and has been so for three weeks.
Snows nearly every day but not
43 Bragg
lost command of the army December 2. General Joseph E. Johnston
assumed command December 27.
44 Dilger's
Battery, 114 men, was placed in the artillery reserve at Chattanooga.
45 Cody
probably refers to the invalid corps. Men incapacitated for regular
army duty conducted such escorts as
these.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 395
enough for sleighing. We suffer a great
deal with the cold--almost
freeze every night. Wood is very
scarce--haft to back it nearly four
Miles. We are stationed in the Town of
Chattanooga, in a large Fort.
We have no horses at present. All
died--starved to death. We have
fourteen guns now, some very large. We
have all the guns captured in
the fight on Mission Ridge & Lookout
Mountain stationed near us. Some
very large ones among them. We have been
about starved to death
since we came here, sometimes one
quarter rations--never more than
half Rations. Everything in the eating
line is very scarce. Suttlers are
not allowed here. Deserters continue to
come in. 100 or more came in
yesterday. All of our old soldiers have reinlisted for
three years.
Well, Lindus I want to have another
Express box sent, for I cannot
buy a thing here. I want 10 packages of
heavy light-yellow envelopes,
1 Ream of Good letter paper (small
size), 2 Boxes Cigars not over
$3.00 per box, 2 large cans Peaches, 15
or 20 lbs. dried beef, 2 lbs. dried
Peaches, Two Small slates & five or
six pencils for slates, one bunch
good lead pencils, one Tin plate, Knife
& Fork, shoe brush, 4 boxes of
blacking.
1/2 lb. good Mustard. Rays Arithmetic
new series, highest edition. I
think Aldus has one in his trunk. Also Rays Algebra
highest edition.
If you cannot find them get them in the
City. The reason I send for them
is we a[re] going to stay in Garrison
duty this summer. A good way to
pass away time. 2 or 3 lbs. Horehound
candy. I want a large bottle of
Hair Tonic, a good and reliable article
for preventing Baldness & eradi-
cation scurf & dandruff. Put it in a
thick glass bottle, so it will not break.
One lb. good Loaf sugar. Get 3 or 4 lbs
ginger cakes. If you see
Norman Sherwin Tell him to tell Bob
Graham to make me a pair single
sole fine Calf skin Boots. He has my
measure, taken a short time before
I enlisted. I will enclose $25.00. Pack
them well. Never mind the boots
at present. You can send them by mail,
but the balance send as soon as
you can. . . . Pay yourself for your
Trouble. . . .
Chattanooga
Jan 31st 64
Dear Brother
Good Morning, as it is only seven Oclock, and it is a very pleasant
morning too. We have had splendid weather for nearly
two weeks--
more like summer than winter. It makes
me feel as if I would like to
be at home, preparing my place for the
comeing summer. But no, it
cannot be so this summer. I must content
myself here this summer, and
I hardly know how much
longer--impossible to tell at present. We
expect to have some pretty hard fighting
to do this spring. Let it come
sooner or later. I am ready to face the
music if it will only close the
396
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
war. Our army here is not very large at
present. Nearly all of the old
men or rather old soldiers have
reinlisted and gone home. And two army
corps have gone to Knoxville to help
Burnsides. Longstreet has been
reinforced from Lees army, and he is
determined to take Knoxville.46
That is if he can. He will find
more Troops there than he expects to.
Yesterday our troops east of Knoxville
were driven back to The forti-
fications. Look out for a big fight. Our
loss was 150 killed and wounded
while falling back. . . . We have a
plenty to eat now, so we cannot com-
plain. Hard tacks & Fat Pork we can
live on untill we can get better.
We have nearly three thousand men to
work on our fort. Will soon
have it completed, then look out Mr Rebs--come
on. This town is all
cut up. Rifle pits in every direction
and a large fort on every hill. I
would like to have you see them. Very
few citizens are left here. Nearly
all have gone eather North or south. We
have some very good looking
girls here. It would amuse you very much
to hear them talk. Nearly
all chew or smoke Tobacco. Here it is
sunny and our boys are all busy
makeing Shell rings. Nothing else to
busy themselves with.
Did you get my letter containing $25.00
? It is nearly three weeks since
I wrote it. I hope you got it, and have
sent my box of Groceries, for I
have spent all of my money and cannot
buy any extras at present. We
will not get paid this pay day. I have
nearly eighty dolls. comeing to
me now, and as soon as I get it I want
to have some more things sent.
I guess you begin to think I am
troubling you to much. Take your pay
as you go along. I have a big job laid
out for you or somebody else
to do this spring, and if you cannot do
it I want you to hire some good
man.47 I have decided not to
sell . . . and it is about as well for me to
keep it as it is to have the moneys.
Then I will have a home if I ever
get out of the army. I will want a home
and something to busy myself
with ....
Well, Well, Lindus. Uncle Dar again. I guess you had better hold
up a while. I have got relations enough
now. . . . 48
Deserters from the Rebel army are
comeing thicker and faster every
day. Three days ago over three hundred
came at one time. How long
can they hold out at that rate? Very
near all of them are barefooted.
Their cloths look a little the worse for
wear. They all say their con-
federacy has played out. This summer will
finish the balance of them. . .
46 Longstreet from his position in
northeastern Tennessee sent small raid
against Knoxville while the Confederacy
was deciding upon its spring strategy.
47 An
enclosure, fully as long as the letter itself, contained detailed direction
for the spring work Darwin Cody wanted
done.
48 A
second child was born to Lindus and Amelia Cody in December 1863.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 397
Chattanooga
Feb 11th 64
Dear Brother Lindus
Your letter of the 3d inst was handed me
last evening. Was very glad
to hear you were all well and enjoying
yourselves. I have just come of
from Guard and feel somewhat tired. I
was down to the express office
this morning. My box has not come yet.
Express agt. said it would
not be here before the 15th. What things
you sent in my box would
cost me here $75.00. Boots are $15.00
per pair, cheese 75 cts per lb.,
butter 75 cts and strong enough to walk
alone. Everything else in pro-
portion. We could not get along without
a few extra articles. Tell Amelia
I am very much obliged to her for the
fruit she sent, and I will be more
so when the box comes. I have no news of
importance to tell you. It is
very quiet here at present. Deserters
from the Rebel army continue to
come in faster than ever. Several
hundred have enlisted in our army
within a short time. Today the streets
are crowded with deserters,
prisoners, refugees &c. I conversed
with several of them. Some had
just come from the Rebel army. Others
have lived in the mountains
for months. They were a hard looking
set. From the north new recruits,
convalescents & Veterans are coming
in very fast. Every house in this
town will soon be filled with supplies
for the army. All the Infantry
here are hard at work on the
fortifications. I was up on Lookout Mt.
yesterday. It was the hardest days work
I have done since I came into
the army. From the top of the Mt. we have a splendid
view of the
Tennessee valley and of all the country
for thirty miles around us. I
have quite a variety of mosses, Stones,
Canes & Evergreens I brought
from the top. I would like to send them to you, but it
is impossible at
present. . . .
I wrote to you last week telling what I
wanted done on my place. I
hope you have reed the letter. If you
want to take the Vinyard you
can do so on the same terms I proposed
in my letter. You had better
put up three wires high for the young
vines west of the old vinyard, and
two on the balance if you train them
right. They will b[e]ar this yr.
Have the old vines trained well. That
one armed man trains very well.
Tie the vines so they will cover the
wire. He will show you how. Good
Coffee sacks will make good strings.
Plow with a small plow. Put up
the wire as soon as it is warm enough to
do the work. When you trim
let Mr. Prestin know. He wants all the
vines trimmed off. He agreed
to pay $5.00 for them. Make him pay
before taking them away. When
you want money to get wire with go to
Grandfather. . . .
If you are drafted, you had better pay
the $300. You can soon make
that at home, and that is where you want
to stay.
398
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Chattanooga
Feb 18th 64
Dear Brother Lindus
I received your letter mailed the 10th
last evening. I havent much
to write--only to answer your questions.
You say wire is very high.
If you can get some at 10 cts get enough
to finish out those short rows
near the house two wires high. If you
haft to pay a little more than
the price mentioned get it. You will
have a few wires to fix up in the
old Vinyard. Those below the Old Vinyard
put up two stakes to each
vine. They will do for this year. I will
do as you say--give you one
half of the Grapes. I suppose you know
that the young vines south of
the old vinyard are included, and for
takeing care of the young vines I
will pay you--that is the vines you set
out.
The Peach trees I mentioned finish out
the number with some good
kinds. You can get whatever kinds you
think best. . . .
Let Old George stay if he will pay up
the rent for last year. He cannot
have only what land lays near the house,
and I want $35.00 per year.
I want to seed down the land so I cannot
spare any more.
This is quite a cold day and we are all
hovering around the fire to keep
warm. My health is very good at present.
Nearly all the Troops in this vicinity
are on the move--some going
one way and some another.
It is rumored down Town this eve. that
our forces at Knoxville
were driven back into the
Fortifications. I hope it is not so. . . .
Steamer Chickamauga
Apr 15th 64
Dear Brother Lindus
As I have a few spare moments--and about
time I should write again.
Since I wrote last I have been from one
end to the other of our lines 3
or 4 times. We have just returned from
an expedition into Alabama
of over one hundred miles, the first
boat over the Tennessee river from
Bridgeport to Decatur. We had 4 pieces
of Artillery and about eight
hundred Infantry. The seventh Ohio Reg
was with us. Four of the Reg
were wounded. We were in four
skirmishes. We came very near being
captured. Gen Gary had command of the
expedition.49 Last Friday we
49 On April 10, 1864, Major General
George Thomas, commander of the Army
of the Cumberland, ordered Brigadier
General J. W. Geary of the Second Division,
Twentieth Corps, to organize a regiment of infantry and
artillery. Geary was
to go downriver by steamboat to Decatur, Alabama,
examining the south bank
and all streams emptying into the
Tennessee from the south. He was to destroy
all boats and notify inhabitants that no
more boats could be used or built. On
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 399
was up at Knoxville. I tried very hard
to go out to see Aldus but could
not get a pass. Nearly all the troops
that are in front of Knoxville are
going to Chattanooga or near Cleveland
where we expect to have a big
fight soon. I have a chance to know all
that is going on in this depart-
ment. I left the Baty 3 weeks ago with
seven others to man a gun to
keep off the roving bands along the
river. I saw several East Cleveland
boys at Knoxville, and today I saw Capt
Norman Baldwin & Robert
Avery.
We expect to go to Chattanooga tonight.
We live in the top shelf
here, and have a nice cabin to stay in
and not much to do. A little better
than working on the fortifications
around Chattanooga, as that does not
suit me very well. . . .
Grant was promoted to lieutenant
general in March 1864
and given command of the Union armies.
To command his
western forces he selected Major General William T.
Sher-
man. On May 5, 1864, while Grant was
attacking Lee in
the Wilderness, Sherman's 100,000 men,
divided into three
armies, moved against Johnston's 53,000
Confederates at
Dalton, Georgia. The summer of 1864 was
to see Sherman's
armies push one hundred miles southward
from Dalton to
Atlanta.
It was a summer of constant fighting.
The major battles
were four: the battle of Rocky Face
Ridge, near Dalton,
May 6-12; the battle of Resaca, fifteen
miles south of Dalton,
May 13-15; the battle of Kenesaw and
other mountains, sixty
miles south of Resaca, near Marietta,
June 10-July 3; and
the siege of Atlanta. To the men
engaged the bitter skirm-
ishes between the major engagements
must have been equally
fatiguing and equally dangerous.
Sherman's strategy was:
first, to hit the enemy with a portion
of his forces sufficiently
hard to restrict its freedom of
movement and keep it from
cutting his supply line from
Chattanooga; second, to send the
returning upstream to Bridgeport, near
Chattanooga, he was to give the same at-
tention to the north bank, and destroy
all boats except those being used by Union
forces. High water, which prevented the Chickamauga's
clearing a low bridge,
delayed Geary until April 12. The
expedition got as far as Triana, fourteen
miles from Decatur, when it was forced
to turn back by a superior force of
Confederates. The expedition was under
fire from bushwhackers much of the time.
400
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
rest of his army southward in a
flanking movement to threaten
the Confederate rear. Johnston was thus
forced to retreat
whenever his rear was threatened,
despite the fumings of
the president of the Confederacy at
Johnston's lack of aggres-
siveness. On June 17 Johnston was
replaced by Lieutenant
General J. B. Hood, who, after
attempting a few aggressive
sallies near Atlanta, was forced to
adopt the same defensive
measures.
Atlanta fell September 2, 1864. Hood
pulled his crippled
army west and north, hoping to find
some way of stinging
the Union troops. Sherman in effect
turned his back on Hood,
daring him to retake the territory he
had lost during the sum-
mer. For Sherman had determined to
change his supply
base from Chattanooga to the seacoast,
and to live on the pro-
duce of the Georgia countryside while
establishing his new
base of supplies.
In the spring of 1864 Dilger's Battery
was ordered from
Chattanooga to Graysville, Georgia, and
assigned to the First
Division (Brigadier General Richard W.
Johnson) of the
Fourteenth Corps (Major General John M.
Palmer). During
the summer it was a part of the
"hitting" rather than the
"flanking" force. When it was
relieved and sent back to
Chattanooga August 14, the battery's
personnel had declined
from 133 men and 3 officers to 73 men
and 2 officers. Once
again battlefield reports lauded the
battery's "gallantry and
spirit"; its "great heroism
and skill"; its "display of a splen-
did courage not often witnessed."50
Left wing Battle Field five miles
from Marietta, Ga. June 3d 1864
Morning
Dear Brother Lindus
As it is raining and fighting has ceased
for a short time, I will write
a few lines to let you know that I am
among the living yet. We have
done some very hard fighting here, but
the victory is not ours yet, but
50 Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol.
XXXVIII, Pt.
1, pp. 522, 578, 597-598, 739.
`
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 401
will be before we quit them. They have a
very strong position which
cannot be taken in front without a great
loss. We are now trying to
flank them out. We drove their right
wing two miles last evening. This
is our eighth day fighting here--under
fire all the time. I suppose
Grandfather has told you that we had two
big fights before this one, one
at Buzzard Gap and one at Resaca.51
I wrote him the particulars. We
have been very luckey so far--only one
killed and three wounded. And
I tell you what, we have been in some
tight places. The Rebs fight des-
perately but the Yanks will
conquer them in the end. It is nearly six
weeks since I last heard from E Cleve.
What is the news? I saw Joe
Odell yesterday & several other East
Cleve boys. I saw the 103d Ohio.
Not one man left that I know. Ally has
got clear of a good thing this
time. This is the severest campaign this
Army ever had--fighting and
marching night and day. It is now one
month since we left Ringgold.
It has rained 10 days out of that time,
and the balance of the time so
warm that we almost suffocated. Our loss
so far in this fight in wounded
very heavy. Our Div has lost over 1,000
in killed and wounded. Gen
Johnson commanding our Div was wounded
the first day we came
here. [The] right half of Our Baty is
with the 14th corp, and one half
with the 4th Corps. As soon as this
fight is over I am going over to the
9th Ind[iana] Reg. to see Aunt Lucy
Carltons boy. I havent seen him
yet, but heard that he was there. It is
now clearing up so I will haft to
close my letter as soon as possible.
Skirmishing is very brisk in front
of us. At present the Rebel skirmishers
are only 200 yards from us, so
we haft to lay low. I could write all
day about what I have seen since
this campaign begun, but havent time to
do it.
Well Lindus, how are you progressing
with your spring work? Have
you finished up my job? And what is the
prospect for a crop of Grapes
this year? And how does Old George get
along? I suppose help is very
scarce this year. Who were Drafted in E
Cle? Has Denzer paid Grand-
father yet? I suppose Grant is clearing
out the Rebs in Va. We all look
for the close of this war inside of six
months. We will do our share of
it if we haft to fight every day. We
have some hard fighting to do, and
we can do it. We have driven the Rebs
out of two strong positions and
we will soon have them out of their
third. Then where will they go?
If they fall back Atlanta will soon be
ours. It is 28 miles from here.
We will soon be out of the Mountains.
Then we will have an equal
show. . . .
51 The engagement at Buzzard Roost
Gap was one aspect of the battle of
Rocky Face Ridge north and west of
Dalton. The armies commanded by Gen-
erals Thomas and Schofield were to
demonstrate in front of the ridge while the
army of General McPherson was to threaten the
Confederate left and rear by
breaking through Snake Creek Gap southwest of Dalton on
the way to Resaca,
thus forcing Johnston to pull back to his Resaca
defenses.
402
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
U. S. General Hospital No 15
Ward 6, Nashville, Aug 4th 64
Dear Brother
Your welcome letter of the 27th was recd
last eve., also one from
Aldus. Today is fast day--rather fast
for us--bread & water. We had
preaching here this morning. I am
gaining very fast--have been down
town twice. All that troubles me now is
the scurvy, a very common
complaint among the Soldiers at the
present time.52 On the average four
a day go to the hosp. from our company
with the Scurvy. Our company
lost very heavy in the late fight before
Atlanta. The only Sergt. left out
of eight when we started on the campaign
was wounded, and the only
Lieut. remaining at the time of the
fight was wounded. They have
turned over two guns and will soon haft
to turn over two more. Only
12 cannoniers left out of 48 when we
started. Such is war. A short
time more will finish our company.
Nearly one third of our army before
Atlanta started on an expedition towards
Macon after the fight of the
28th. Every man carried two guns. They
are going to relieve our men
now in prison there. I hope the
expedition will prove successfull. It is
a big undertaking.53 As soon
as that expedition returns, goodbye
Atlanta. It is impossible for this war
to last another year. Every man
that is able to carry a musket inside of
the Rebel lines is in the army. If
they hold out untill they are entirely
subdued what will be left? Nothing
but Negroes. I saw our Lieut. that was
wounded in the late fight last
evening. He just came from the front. He
says the Rebel army is not
more than 25,000 all told in Ga.
I am waiting patiently for Aldus to
come. I hope he will bring some-
thing good to eat. My appetite is a
little too good for the grub I get
here. If you see Grandfather right away
tell him to send me money
enough to get a pair of boots with. If I
had my descriptive list I could
get pay & clothing.54 I
have nine months pay due. I was glad to hear
52 In addition to scurvy, Cody may
have been stricken with a recurrence of
the fever he had suffered a year before.
Subsequent letters show that he was
soon well enough to go home on furlough,
and that he worked as a clerk in the
hospital store until October, when he
rejoined his regiment.
53 Sherman
had ordered two cavalry units totaling 9,000 men to effect a junction
on the road to Macon and destroy
supplies destined for the Confederates at
Atlanta. He also granted the commander's
request that upon accomplishing
the mission the force could attempt to
open Andersonville Prison fifty miles
southwest of Macon. However, the cavalry
units did not join, and were severely
beaten, losing one general as prisoner.
54 Whenever enlisted men were separated
from their companies, whether on
furlough, on detached service, or in
hospitals, they were to be furnished by their
commanding officer with a list showing
all data affecting their pay: e.g., rank,
last date of payment, and issues of
clothing.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 403
that Denzer had paid up for those
Grapes. I want you to take good care
of the place, and if you cannot make one
end meet the other, I will do
it. Do the best you can. Aldus says land
is selling at a very high price
and he talks some of selling his. If you
have a chance to sell my place
for a good price let me know. I want to
live on the Interest of what I
owe when I get out of the army, if I ever
do. Live in hopes. I suppose
the next call for men will give you a
close call. You had better pay the
$300. If you dont have the money call on
Grandfather for me. Two of
us in the army at one time will do.
Soldiers pay will not keep a wife
now days. As soon as winter sets in I
will have a job for you. If I am
not at home I must keep the wheel a
turning. Must look out for the
future. . . .
Office U.S.A. Gen. Hospt No 15
Nashville Tenn. Oct 2d 64
Brother Lindus
I arrived here safe and sound last eve.
Had good luck all the way.
Found Joe Merritt soon after you left.
There has been quite a change
in matters since I left. The young
fellow I was clerking with was sent
to his regiment only two or three days
ago, for s[w]indling soldiers
here in the hospt. and playing smash
generally. Hospt is nearly broken
up--only about thirty men left. All the
Indiana men were sent home
to day, for the purpose of voting for governor.55
Joe intends to stay
here--going into the quartermasters
department as clerk. He came
down to see me this morning, and we went
to church.
I hardly think I will stay here any
longer than I can possibly help.
Dr. wants me to stay but I hardly think
I can agree with the man that
took George's place. If I do not find a
place in the quartermaster de-
partment that suits me I shall try to
get back to Chattanooga.
The Rail Road between here [and]
Chattanooga is cut in several
places, and will not be repaired in less
than two weeks. If I go away I
will send my cloths back by Adams
Express Co. New recruits are
comeing in here very fast.
55 Republican governor Oliver Morton asked Lincoln to furlough enough
Indiana soldiers to assure him a
majority in the October election. He estimated
that 15,000 would be necessary. Morton
also asked that Lincoln delay drafting
soldiers until after the election.
Lincoln refused to delay the draft but forwarded
Morton's request for troops to Sherman,
who was reluctant to send home any
but the sick and wounded. Morton then
sent special agents to Tennessee and
Georgia to corral all the sick and
wounded they could find, and these agents
secured 9,000 men. Morton, however, won
the election by 20,000. Some of
these men may have been in Indiana
November 4, when the presidential election
was held. Indiana was carried by
Lincoln. See William F. Zornow, Lincoln
and the Party Divided (Norman, Okla., 1954), 190-195, 214.
404
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Business is not very lively here at
present. On account of the raid
every man is enrolled for duty.56 My
name was taken as soon as I
landed. Also enrolling every Negro. I
find a great many McClellan
men here--very few [are] soldiers. A
vote was take on each train I
came on: first 74 for McClellan, 135 for
Lincoln. Second train: 72 for
little Mc, 110 for Lincoln. They were
nearly all Southern men.
I expect to be somewhat lonesome for a
week or two.
I am going down to the Telegraph office
in the morning to see if I
can get some wire for my grapes. If I
can get some I will send enough
for you. I am very nervous today and
dont feel much like writing so
I will close. . . .
Office U.S.A. Genl Hospt No 15
Nashville Tenn. Oct 5
Brother Lindus
I have just been down town to Express my
cloths home. I expect to
start for Chattanooga tomorrow morning.
Dr. in charge to[ld] me
I could stay in the office untill my
time was out if I wanted to. But I
have got it in my head to go
back, and I guess the best thing I can do
is to go back. I cannot content myself
here. All the boys I know have
gone away. I expect to have a pretty
hard time getting back. We may
haft to fight our way through. I am used
to that, so never fear. I will
send my box by Adams Express Co. As soon
as you get it take out the
cloths and hang them up. If any letters
come there for me please remail
them for Chattan[oo]ga. And I want [you]
to send me a Newspaper
once in a while, and Illustrated papers
when you have a chance to get
them, and charge the Expense to my
account. Quite a large number of
wounded soldiers are comeing in from the
front--or Rosseau's command.
Forrest has been playing smash
generally, captured several trains, and
destroyed several miles of railroad. His
career is about to close. Gen.
Sherman sent a large force from Atlanta
which will soon finish him. . . .
It has rained nearly all the time since
I came back.
56 With a force too small to oppose
Sherman at Atlanta, Hood determined
to launch an attack from northern
Alabama into Tennessee and Kentucky. If
successful such a move would regain to
the Confederacy areas it had lost in 1863,
and would swell Hood's depleted army with Confederate
sympathizers from
Kentucky and Tennessee. With this in
mind Hood dispatched Lieutenant General
Nathan B. Forrest with 10,000 cavalry
and infantry on preliminary raids into
Tennessee to break rail communications
between Nashville and Chattanooga and
to harass Major General Lovell H. Rousseau's
forces at Murfreesboro. Sherman
moved to meet this threat on September
28 when he ordered one division of the
Fourth Corps and one of the Fourteenth
Corps in pursuit of Forrest. On Sep-
tember 29 Sherman ordered General Thomas
to command the defense of Tennessee.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 405
Chattanooga Oct 14, 64
Dear Brother
You may think [it] strange why I have
not written before, but to tell
the truth, I have not had a chance
before. I had good luck getting
through from Nashville--only two
days. Bushwhackers tore up the
track and we had to wait until it was
fixed. I arrived here in time to
help mount three 100 Pds Parrotts. We
now have Six. Woods [Hood's]
Army is working this way. He intends to
take this place. He will have
a good time. We have about 10,000 men
here at present. Good bye
Woods if he comes here. Sherman will
haft to fall back from Atlanta
soon unless he succeeds in driving Woods
army from his communica-
tions. I have just finished my shanty
and am ready for business. I feel
perfectly contented with the company. We
have just received 26 new
recruits. We will soon have a full
company again. All the trouble we
have now is to get enough to eat. We get
3/4 rations. That wont hardly
do for Laboring men. Our commanding
officer has just received an
order to send two gun detachments on the
cars going as far towards
Atlanta as we can get. We are to man two
guns on the train. I am on
the list. The train is loaded with
ammunition for Sherman's army. We
will probably take a week or more to go
and come. We will have a
considerable of this business to do if
we stay here in Garrison. All the
troops stationed here are busy throwing
up breastworks around the
outskirts of the town. We are stationed
on Signal Hill. We have a
splendid view of the city & the
surrounding country, and are nearly 300
feet above the city.
Well Lindus I must pack up and get ready
to go. . . .
Chattanooga Tenn
Nov 19th 1864
Brother Lindus
I have been looking for a letter from
you for some time, but no come
yet. Are you all dead, or what is the
trouble? Explain yourself. Busi-
ness must be very driveing now days.
This is the fourth letter since
I left.
We have just finished moveing camp. This
is the third move within
ten days. We are now stationed in a
large fort 1 mile from town in the
center line of works. We expect to stay
here three or four days, then
move to some other point. This is
Military.
Military business has been very lively
here for the past 4 weeks. Genl
Sherman has gone with a large force
towards the eastern coast. You
will probably hear from him soon. He will give the
Confederacy a
406
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
finishing stroke. Refugees are flocking
in here by thousands and they
are a sorry looking sight.
Aldus was here nearly two weeks. We had
a good long visit. He
looked little the worse for ware. (I
guess he can saddle his own horse
now). He is now in Nashville and will
probably go to Louisville, Ky.
Shield's Battery was here ten days. Joe
Odell was up to see me several
times. He has stood the hardship of this
campaign well--never looked
better. Capt Norman Baldwin called to
see me yesterday. He is about
the same as ever.
Genl Thomas started from here a short
time ago with thirty thousand
troops. He will soon overtake Hood.57
New Troops are flocking in here
by thousands. We will soon have a larger army than ever
before.
We have had considerable rain here
within the past ten days. Mud
is five feet deep on the level (or
less).
Well, how is business in East Cleveland?
What is the news? How
did the Grapes turn out? I want you to
send me some Cleveland papers
now & then. Whenever convenient. I
received two Cleveland papers
last week from some one. I want you to
go to J. M. Green's Photograph
Gallery, No 243 Superior St. and get me
one half dozen vinyetts. He
has a Negative. He has two Negatives. I
want the one taken side view.
Negative No 2858. Dont forget side view.
. . .
The following is a fragment of a letter,
possibly written
on November 25, 1864.
[Ha]ve just heard the good [news] of the
home vote of Ohio, Pa., &
Ind. Three cheers for the Union
victory.
Keep on doing so and we will soon have
peace.
The heading of the following letter is
missing, together
with three or four lines of the body.
57 As Hood's campaign developed, Sherman
added to the troops under Thomas'
command. October 19 the remainder of the
Fourth Corps was sent to Tennessee,
together with the sick, wounded, and
dismounted cavalry of all corps. November
14 the Twenty-Third Corps was added.
Hood tried to cut off these reinforcements
at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee,
November 30, but failed. Thomas thus had
from forty-three to fifty-five thousand
troops on December 15 when he defeated
Hood's forty thousand at the battle of
Nashville. Hood's broken army was
thus forced to retreat; it lost heavily
through death, capture, and desertion, and
numbered only 19,000 when it reached
Tupelo, Mississippi.
LETTERS OF DARWIN CODY 407
Brother Lindus
What is the trouble? I wrote the 25th of
Nov and no answer yet.
I guess you did not get the letter or
you would of answered it. I wanted
$10.00 in money, a Diary for [18]65, three Fine woolen
shirts such as
I got while at home. You will probably
remember. Go to Beckman's
foot of Main St., one fine Single Soled
pegged Calf Skin Large No 6s,
one box of Tooth Soap. Send all you can
by Mail--balance by Adams
Express. Mark plain Dilgers Battery
Chattanooga Garrison Artillery.
Cover with thick paper--better than box.
I am sorry you did not get
my letter. I am in need of all very
much.
[three or four lines missing]
Somebody must pay [for] our suffering,
and I guess that will be
Hood comndg the Rebel Army. We get paid
some time I hope before
long.
Well, Lindus how did you make out with
your Apples? I guess rather
cold weather to Speculate in apples.
Have you heard from Aldus lately?
I guess he has gone under. . . . I
received the Photographs all right.
Chattanooga Tennessee
December 28th 64
Dear Brother
Your last letter mailed some time ago
came to hand Christmas morn-
ing. I wrote you a long letter only a
short time before. I was very sorry
to hear you did not get my box sent by
Adams Express. Did you en-
quire at the American Ex. Co.? I wrote
to the Agent at Nashville.
Have not recd an answer yet. I am going
to send back that overcoat
of Allys by one of our boys, Sergt Ward.
He was Mustered out today.
Expects to leave for home tomorrow. He
will tell you all the News. I
was very well satisfied with the amount
Recd for Grapes--full as much
as I expected. If nothing happens
another year will make up for that.
I hope you will make out well with your
Apples. A big undertaking I
think, but you know best. Lindus, I want
to have Old George notified
legally to leave my house when his year
is out. This must be done in time
So as to be Sure. You can find out by
Fuller, but I suppose you will
haft to get your papers from Newburgh.
When you go up Town again
call at the Telegraph office and See if
you can get some wire to fix those
grapes with.
We are still on half Rations. . . .
Civil War Letters of Darwin Cody
Edited by STANLEY P. WASSON*
CLEVELAND TOOK ITS RECRUITING SERIOUSLY
in August
1862 after Lincoln had issued his
second call for 300,000
men. Ohio's quota was 74,000. Each
county was to provide
its portion of soldiers before
September 1, when Governor
David Tod was to draft the remainder.
To encourage re-
cruiting, stores closed early during
August; local bounties
were offered. Regiments seeking to fill
their rosters adver-
tised in newspapers. Most regiments
stressed the bounties
they offered in money and land, but the
First Regiment, Ohio
Volunteer Light Artillery promised:
"In this service the
soldier secures to himself experienced
officers and a position
in the advance of the army. Every
battery has seen active
service in the field."1 This
regiment secured 277 men by
September 1, one of whom was Darwin
Dianthus Cody,
mustered in August 29 as a private in
Battery I. He served
in this battery through the battles of
Chancellorsville and
Gettysburg in 1863, and in the series
of engagements from
Chattanooga to Atlanta in 1864. Upon
two occasions he
was hospitalized. In December 1864, six
months before
being mustered out of the service, he
was appointed quar-
termaster sergeant to the Chattanooga
garrison at Signal Hill.
* Stanley P. Wasson is assistant
professor of history at Case Institute of Tech-
nology. He wishes to thank Miss Lydia Cody and Mrs.
Gertrude Cody Wheaton
for permission to edit their uncle's
letters.
1 Works Progress Administration in Ohio,
Annals of Cleveland, 1818-1935
(Cleveland, 1937), XLV, Pt. 1, pp. 102,
104-105, 117, 122; Emilius O. Randall and
Daniel J. Ryan, History of Ohio (New
York, 1912), IV, 184.