DOCUMENTS
INTO THE BREACH
CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF
WALLACE W. CHADWICK
Edited by MABEL WATKINS
MAYER
Grandfather was always
extremely proud of his brief war
record in 1864. In his
more than four-score years, it was the
one outstanding
experience in travel, adventure and patriotic
service that had
relieved him, for a little while, of strenuous pio-
neering and heavy farm
toil. What wonder that it made a lasting
impression on his life
and conversation!
He loved to tell how
President Lincoln, scarce of men and
not quite ready to
launch a second draft, accepted the offer of the
governors of five
states1 to lend their National Guardsmen to the
Union Army for one
hundred days, so that all the veteran troops
could be free for
heavy fighting.
He was proud of the
fact that many of these Guardsmen
were men of families
who left their farms at the planting season,
or gave up their shops
or professions in order to help out in any
way they could during
those days of crisis. Some of his neigh-
bors guarded prisons
or prisoners; some protected the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad;
some saw active service in the Shenandoah
Valley or along the
James River; some starved and died in Libby
Prison or
Andersonville. He was proudest of all, that at their
homegoing, President
Lincoln made an official acknowledgment of
the patriotic services
of these "Hundred-Day Men."
Grandfather's letters
to Grandmother during their one period
1 Ohio 30,000 men
Indiana 20,000 men
Illinois 20,000 men
Iowa 10,000 men
Wisconsin 5,000 men
Total 85,000
(158)
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 159
of separation reveal very clearly his
regiment's contribution to
the Cause. Today as a nation, we are
vitally interested in the
letters of our soldiers, of our sons,
our brothers, our sweethearts;
and also of our husbands and fathers,
when the Selective Service
reaches Class 3A. Should the letters of Wallace W. Chadwick
arouse the interest of any such reader,
or bolster up, even in a
small way, devotion to country in times
like these, it would be of
his life's pride, "a consummation
devoutly to be wished."
West Virginia, May 18th, 1864
Dear Wife,
It is with sincere devotion that I seize
upon the first opportunity to
inform you that I am getting along
nicely thus far. We have reached a
point about twenty-three miles this side
of Harper's Ferry where we will
have to remain some three to five days
on account of the bridge at Harper's
Ferry being washed away. We have had a
very pleasant trip thus far
and I have enjoyed myself very much. I only
hope you are getting along
as well at home.
We left Camp Dennison on Sunday evening
(May 15th). On Monday
we traveled through as poor a country in
Ohio as I ever set my eyes
upon unless it is these Virginia
mountains which are some. On Tuesday or
yesterday we traveled over Cheat
Mountain and a spur of the Cumberland.
The scenery in crossing Cheat Mountain
was the grandest and sublimest
I ever beheld. We ran some five miles up
the side of it passing through
two small tunnels, one seven-eighths of
a mile long, and reached the top,
or nearly so. Over the whole mountain I
rode on the top of the car, but
in passing through the tunnel I could
see no more than a blind man. The
boys laughed and seemed as merry as
though they were at a ball. The
road2 is a splendid one as far as work
is concerned, but how any man or
set of men could conceive the idea of
constructing a railway here takes me.
It is almost one continual bed of rocks.
The forest, next to the river, is
cedar and hemlock, becoming something
after the nature of our own timber
higher up. But think of a mountain
stream hid in the cedar! How romantic,
how grand It was such a scene as I have always longed to see. Then
we came to pass down it. Imagine
yourself going down the side of a
mountain, where there is barely room to
construct a railway, at the rate
of twelve miles an hour and some four to
six hundred feet from the bottom
of the cliff with a train of fifteen
cars or more of human freight and,
what is still worse, at the foot of the
mountain a town of three or four
hundred inhabitants who are nearly
unanimous Secesh,3 the only place I
have seen where they seem to resent our
presence. Now a large share of
2 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
3 Contracted form for secessionist, one
who favors secession.
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OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the people make some demonstration of
pleasure at our presence, but not
so there. They looked as sour as though
they were in the habit of living
on crab apples.
Last night I surrendered into the arms
of Sweet Morpheus and
enjoyed it very much. This morning I
took my coffee pot and went to a
house near a depot and asked a lady to
make me a cup of coffee which she
did as cheerfully as though I were her
own brother. Probably she thought
I was a single man, but I hardly reckon
as she waited on the others as
cheerfully as on myself. There is no
mistake but what there are many
loyal as well as disloyal hearts in
these parts, not so very many either, for
it is the most sparsely settled country
I ever saw. But it would be even
more so if they thought as I think. I
wouldn't trade forty acres of land
in Hamilton County for five thousand
acres of this unless I had means
to live without labor. We haven't had
one bit of news since we left
Dennison. I hope I may be permitted to
return to old Hamilton County
and enjoy its many advantages and
pleasures with you and the children,
but if, through my small influence there
should be something accomplished
toward crushing out this infernal
rebellion, I shall feel that the government
is welcome to what small sacrifices I
have made, sacrifices that they were
duly entitled to.
Where we have stopped is a very pleasant
camp, a high rolling
piece of ground with plenty of nice cool
water, cedar and pine trees. It is
a handsome place to lounge about. We
have our cars here to camp in
and ours is nicely carpeted with cedar
boughs. It smells as sweet as a
scented parlor. The boys are all in fine
spirits and good health. I do not
know positively that we will be posted
at Washington, but we started
there and, as yet, we expect to go
there, but something might turn up
which we cannot foresee.
We have just heard that Sigel4 has
been whipped and is falling back
towards us. We may have a brush before
you hear from us again, but I
hope we will be able to stand our
ground.
My love to you and the children. Kiss
the babies for me,
North Mountain, May 19th, 1864
Dear Wife,
Our situation might be a more pleasant
one than it is, but I do not
know that it is critical. We are stationed about a mile northwest of
North Mountain station. Sigel had a
battle at New Market on Sunday
and I understand was repulsed. His
wounded have been going west which,
I take, is a good omen as regards
defeat, for if he was badly whipped he
couldn't take care of the wounded.
We are near the above-named station on
the line of march of Bank's
retreat. His main force retreated by
Martinsburg, which is seven miles
4 Sigel was defeated by Breckenridge,
lost 700 men and was driven back to Cedar
Creek. Later Grant relieved Sigel.
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 161
from here. Martinsburg is twenty-five
miles from Winchester, and Win-
chester forty miles from New Market. There are five or six regiments
near us, but we are not as well off for
ammunition as I should like and
could do but little fighting.
A large train of wounded passed here
this morning which proves
conclusively to me that Sigel's line of
communication is all right. There
is a rumor in camp that Sigel turned on
them and whipped them, which
is his style of fighting, but as you get
the papers you are better posted on
the successes and reverses of our armies
than we are, and I hope you will
give yourself no uneasiness. The boys
from our neighborhood are all well.
We have our pickets out, but everything
is in the dark yet. All are in
the best of spirits. I feel myself as
good as any one rebel and I hope all the
boys feel the same way. We feel no
alarm, but things look like war.
Write often and I will do the same. My
love to yourself and the
babies and compliments to all inquiring
friends.5
Fort Tillinghast, May 23rd, 1864
Dear Wife,
We have changed camps once more. We are
now situated at the
above-named place. How long we may be here
I know not. We may move
in two or three days or we may be here a
month. It is about six or eight
miles from Washington on the south side
of the Potomac. We are in nice
barracks at present. I can sit in my
bunk and look over part of Wash-
ington City. I have been shaved and had
my hair cut and feel all the
better for it. I suppose our duties will
be arduous here but not severe.
I feel pretty well except a little
soreness of throat from fast marching and
then cooling off too quickly. I wonder
that some of the boys are not sick
for it was warm, and our march was too
long for raw troops.
We left North Mountain last Saturday
evening, being brought direct to
Washington and from there to this place.
We came through Harper's
Ferry about nine or ten o'clock in the
evening. The moon shone brightly
and we had a very nice view of it. It
was a grand sight to see a train
of over thirty cars crossing the river
on a bridge. They had to wind
around so that the train was in about
three curves at one time and it
passed through a tunnel cut out of solid
rock. We traveled through Mary-
land. One little town was the most loyal
place I have seen since I left
home. The women and children were out
with flags and handkerchiefs as
though it were some big political
meeting. About twenty miles from
Washington the country began to look
like living, but the soil was very
thin and in quality inferior to the best
parts of Hamilton County, as I said
before.
5 The preceding letters were mailed at
Martinsburg, West Virginia. On May 22nd,
these troops arrived in Washington, D.
C., and the 138th regiment was placed in the
defenses south of the Potomac River,
with Headquarters at Fort Albany and detach-
ments at Forts Craig and Tillinghast,
near the present site of Fort Meyer Post
Office, Washington, D. C.
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OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Washington did not meet my expectations
by any means. There are a
few nice buildings, but the majority
cannot come anywhere near Cincin-
nati. I was through the Capitol yard, a
nice grove of several acres, all
laid off with nice walks. It is a very
beautiful place. The Capitol is a
splendid affair but I think rather too
low for the amount of ground it
covers. There is one main building with
two wings with large pillars cut
from solid rock. Many pieces of
sculpture are located in different parts
of the building, some of them very nice,
but it will be some time before
it will be completed, perhaps years.
We marched through the city and crossed
on the Long Bridge to this
side, camped in front of the residence
and on the lawn of the rebel
General Lee. It is the most handsome
situation I ever saw, commanding a
full view of the Potomac for miles up
and down the river, in a natural
grove, on Arlington Heights. The grove
is composed of cedar, oak, chestnut,
and other forest trees. The house is of
rather an ancient style, having been
built in 1817. There is one main
building and two wings, two stories,
rather low, with a very heavy projection.
In fact, the whole roof is very
heavy. The verandah in front of the main
building extends about twenty-
five feet in front, the full width of
the house, and has a floor covered
with brick. There are six heavy columns,
about four feet in diameter,
four in front and two on the side
running the height of the whole building.
The windows have large circle tops. The
house is brick, plastered over
with cement, making it look like stone.
The tops of the chimneys have
never been plastered and look like an unfinished
house, as does the rear
of the building. There are two rows of
slave quarters, containing three
rooms each in the rear of the main
building, one room wide and three
rooms long. About one hundred yards or
more from the house, and in
the rear, is the stable, all finished in
the same style as far as plaster and
outside appearance go. The buildings
were planned and built by George
Washington Parke Custis, who died in
1857, a descendant of the wife of
the Father of Our Country. General Lee
came in possession of it in 1857
and, because of his traitorism, has thus
soon been dispossessed of the finest
natural situation I ever saw.
I send you a couple of flowers we pulled
from the flower garden as
trophies of the home of the rebel
general.
We have enough to do here to keep us
from dying with the black
rot. I will give you a synopsis of our
duties:
At 5:00 A. M. Roll Call
6:00 A. M. Breakfast
7:00 A. M. Guard Mounting
8:00 A. M. Squad Drill
9:00 A. M. Company Drill
12:00 Noon Dinner
2:30 P. M. Battalion Drill
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 163
3:30 P. M. Heavy Artillery Drill
5:00 P.M. Dress Parade
6:00 P. M. Supper
9:00 P. M. Roll Call
9:30 P. M. Lights Out
Now, how much time do you think I have
to spare after I eat my meals,
wash my dishes and myself, clean my
traps, and do a good many other
things too numerous to mention? Then I
pen a few lines to you but, as
yet, I have not found time to write to
anyone else, but I hope soon to
write to Father. If we stay here any
length of time, we will be luckier
than some of the boys, for, as we passed
Martinsburg, Virginia, they told
us that five regiments of the Guards had
gone to Sigel and there were
lots of them stationed on the railways
in the heart of the enemy's country.
I feel that we are doing good here, as I
read in yesterday's paper that
in the late fight where the rebels tried
to turn our right flank, that two
regiments of heavy artillery from these
defenses charged the enemy, scat-
tered them, and frustrated a well-conceived
plan to break our right flank.
While we had no hand in it, if it had
not been for the Guards taking their
places, they could not have been spared
from these forts. So we may have
been the means of saving our army from
serious losses, though the credit
is due those men and not us.
We are pleasantly situated here and have
comfortable quarters. Our
style of living since we left home has
been very plain, but, if we stay
here, I think it will be better soon. I
will give you an idea of what we
have: for breakfast today, a pint of
coffee, one hard tack and a small piece
of fat pork; for dinner, about
two-thirds of a pint of beans and bean
soup, a hard cracker, and a small piece
of fat pork, the only thing I
can't go. Supper consists of coffee,
hard tack, and old sow again. The
coffee is my all. We will draw soft
bread as soon as we can cut the
red tape, but for breakfast, we have
nothing on hand and whatever we
get must come between now and breakfast.
I guess I am about as much
of a philosopher as any of the boys; at
least some of them growl a good
deal harder than I do. What do you think
of our diet? Don't you think
you would hate to put up with it at
home? I guess I would, but here I
take it without grumbling. I don't
believe I am getting fat very fast
for I had to take up my belt today.
I am anxious to hear from home; as yet I
have not heard one word.
Our time will count from the date of
muster into the United States
Service, but if the next ninety days
pass as pleasantly as these ten I will
be satisfied.
May 25th, 1864
Another bright morning and everything is
sweet and comfortable.
I had a good sleep last night. Our
rations are here this morning and I
??o not hear so much hard growling as I
did last night. I had to laugh
164
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
to hear the variety of accusations that
could be brought against one man
in a few minutes but I guess that he'll
be all right this morning.
You will excuse me if you do not get so
many letters in the future
as I will sometimes be on guard,
sometimes on detached duty such as
guarding old worn-out government
property.
Now, Ma, keep Ellsworth in mind of Pa
for the boys will occupy
his attention so much that he will
forget Pa if he is not reminded
occasionally. Direct letters to
Washington, D. C., Company F, 138th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry.
Your own,
Fort Tillinghast, May 28th, 1864
Dear Wife,
We are still at this place. There are
rumors that we are going
farther to the front, but I know nothing
about it myself.
There was a sad circumstance here
yesterday when a man from a
Battery just from the Front drowned. He
had been nearly three years in
the service, the hero of some nine
battles and only nineteen years old, one
of the best men in the Battery.
I have not received a word from you yet.
Some of the boys have gone
to the city today, but I have been put
on special duty at the signal station.
I will be on duty every night three
hours and be free from other duties.
It is only two hundred yards from our
Quarters and I get all my meals
in camp.
May 29th, 1864
I have at last received a letter from
home, it was a welcome visitor.
Don't be weary in well doing, but send
them on. It was a great relief
to know how things were going at home. I
would like to look over your
shoulders as you perused one of my
scrawls. It would have done your
heart good to have seen me steal away
and enjoy a silent message from
you. I love to hear from home and I know
that you love to hear from
me, and I shall favor you with a message
frequently if it is so I can.
The place I have now will give me a good
chance for I am almost free
from six in the morning to six in the
evening. But I will have to sleep
some in the daytime for the nights are
short. My duty at the signal
station is to watch through the glasses
for signals.
Last night it was very cold and one of
the men on watch with me
had no blanket. I gave him half of mine
and we both slept cold. I told
him that hereafter he must get a blanket
somewhere else, for I could not
spare mine such weather as last night.
We slept in an open room, no
doors nor windows, but two door holes
and a window frame, with a
northwest breeze blowing over my head
all the time. I will try to sleep
warmer tonight.
You said you would send me some money,
but I have three or four
dollars yet. If you have any Eastern
money, better get it into greenbacks,
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 165
for it is a drag everywhere, and, if our
army should meet with a disaster,
it would be of little use to you.
We had religious exercises this
afternoon. Remember me each night
in your prayers.
Accept my best wishes for you and the
babies,
Fort Tillinghast, May 30th, 1864
Dear Wife,
It is a nice cool morning and I feel
very well. I have no day duty
and, unless I volunteer, am clear of
hard drill in the hot sun, a lucky
thing for me. You see a requisition was
made on the company. I heard
them asking some of the boys if they
would like to go. They declined,
but I offered my services not knowing
that it would be for more than
one night, but the next morning they
told us they wanted the same men
and so I got a permanent thing of it. I
am a little afraid of my eyes.
They feel a little weak today, and, if
they should get sore, I would have
to give it up. This I would be very
sorry to do.
You spoke of meeting.6 Did
you ever hear anything from Reverend
B -- ? I heard in camp yesterday that he
had been drafted. One of
the members of his church told me, a
brother of the Fifth Ohio color-
bearer that was killed at Winchester.
Time drags lazily on, but each day makes
our term of service one
day less.
Does Laura creep yet and is she as fat
as ever? How I would like to
take one child on each knee again and
hold them as I used to do But
I must not dwell on these things.
If anyone wants to appreciate good
living, he should come out here
and try our fare. I tell you the boys
give the Quartermaster fits. We
have had fresh beef but once since we
came to camp. It costs me from
ten to twenty-five cents per day for a
few little luxuries that would be
very common at home. A little bit of a
pie costs ten cents and three or
four little marbles of apples, five
cents, but I am afraid to trust myself
on salt rations alone and believe it is
better to pay the butcher than the
doctor.
You may send me about three dollars in
your next unless you have
sent me some before this.
Some four or five regiments left here
for the front this morning but
unless our army should meet with
reverses I think our prospects for
remaining here are good, as these forts
have to be manned.
I wish you would select some of the best
papers to send me, especially
those that have the reports from
Sherman. Sometimes you can cut from
the papers interesting articles and save
extra postage, which is two cents
on each paper. The newspapers here are
the driest things you ever saw.
Accept my prayers for you and the little
ones.
6 Church.
166
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
Fort Tillinghast, June 2nd, 1864
Dear Wife,
Some of the boys say our time is
one-fifth out today. Time does not
fly as swiftly as it did when we were at
home, busy from morning till
night with our own affairs, but I shall
try to wait patiently. It is only
one hundred days, if it does seem like
two hundred. When the time is up,
I expect to meet you on Ohio's fair soil
where we will enjoy the sweets
of a pleasant home. We have never had
any of those family jars that
have caused such unpleasant feelings
where none but pleasant ones should
be found. There will be less danger of
that now than ever.
The news from our armies is favorable in
the main. I pray God it
may continue so. Nothing would please me
better than to have this cruel
war ended while we are here, not that I
want any of the hard-earned
honors of our veterans, but it would be
good to know we were of some
importance to the government in the way
of relieving veterans from
Post duty that they might strike the
finishing blow and free our country
from this continual draft on its people
and resources.
I hope you will rest easy about me for I
will try to make the most
of poor diet. One picket just brought in
a lot of wild strawberries. He
says there were lots of them where he
was, and he had a fine time. Our
fare is improving some. We will get
light bread most of the time while
we stay here and occasionally fresh beef
and poor rice. I would like to
have a cup of hot coffee and some nice
warm rolls with you, but
never mind. If God wills, I hope I may.
After this, you may not get more than
two letters a week, but you
may write as many as you can find time
to write. We all like to hear
from home.
My love to you all,
Fort Tillinghast, June 4th, 1864
Dear Wife,
I have been out washing my clothes and
have just received word
that we have marching orders for the
front tomorrow at two o'clock.
Orders have been received at
headquarters to forward the best regiment
of Hundred-Day men, and the Brigade
Commander has reported our
regiment as the best-drilled one here.
We have tried to obey orders
whatever they might be. I cannot think
that the salvation of Grant's
army depends on our reaching his lines,
but it may be that he has more
important posts to be guarded in the
front than these, and we will go
where they send us. I hope you will give
yourself no more uneasiness
than you can help. Trust God and pray
that I may be permitted to return
again to you alive and well.
There is considerable excitement over
the order. Some are anxious to
go and some are anxious not to go. If it
were put to a vote, they might
not go, but I am not positive of that.
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 167
How do the Butternuts7 carry
themselves nowadays? How do the
crops look and how are you getting along
with your cares? Don't neglect
the children to care for the crops. They
are our future hope and let us
look well to their interests.
June 5th, 1864
We are to take with us 150 rounds of
ammunition to the man. Of
course we will not carry it all
ourselves. It looks much like work, but
we will take it as it comes. War is war
and we must face the music.
Some must fall that our country may be
redeemed. Our time is only one
hundred days, while more than a million
have turned out for ten times
that long. Shall we find fault? I think
not. It is rumored that we are
going down the Potomac to Fortress
Monroe. I cannot say positively,
but I think it probable that we may go
somewhere in Butler's Department.8
I will write again as soon as we reach
our destination.9
On Board Ship
Proceeding up the James River
June 15th, 1864
Dear Wife,
We are on our way to Bermuda Hundreds
and have reached a point
about fifteen miles from our destination
and have anchored for a while. It
may be for two hours or for
twenty-four. They are putting a pontoon bridge
across the James River just above here,
for Grant's cavalry to cross on.
We left the White House yesterday about
an hour before sundown
and arrived here today about the same
time. We stopped at Fortress
Monroe10 about an hour. It is
a very fine place. I would like to have
stayed awhile, but I suppose they have
more important use for us some-
where else. Our trip has been a very
pleasant one. As we sailed down
Chesapeake Bay this morning, we could
count as high as fifty to seventy-
five sails at one time on a nice smooth
sea. I only wished it were a
pleasure trip with my family instead
of an expedition to the seat of war.
As we came up the James River, we passed
the site of old Jamestown,
the scene of Pocahontas and John Smith's
adventure as well as that of
many other early settlers. Just before
we anchored at this place, on the
right bank of the river, we saw the
advance of our cavalry.
June 16th, 1864
Still here. During the night we could
distinctly hear the rumbling of
agons over the pontoon bridge above us.
I suppose all of the supply
7 Butternuts - Soldiers or partisans of
the South in the Civil War.
8 Butler's Department - The Department
of Eastern Virginia, Army of the Potomac.
9
From the replies of his wife, it is apparent that his letters written
June 8, 11.
and 13 are missing from this collection.
However, his grandchildren recall that he
spoke often of the time when he camped
on the White-House grounds, and, from the
following letter, it would seem that it
was during this interim that occurred. One
of her replies was addressed to White
House, Virginia, so it is possible that they
made a landing there, as this was
Grant's base of supplies. From now on all his
letters were mailed at Old Point Comfort.
10 Fortress Monroe - Commanded by
General Ben Butler.
168
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
trains that we left at the White House
are to cross on it besides a large
cavalry force acting as an escort. The
train could hardly be estimated--
several thousand anyhow.
Just received orders from General Meade
to disembark and march
to Bermuda Hundreds. It looks like the
best part of Grant's-Army has
crossed to the South Side of the James
River. It will not be long until
the battle will begin again. Whether we
shall participate, I cannot say.
June 17th, 1864
We have reached City Point and await
transportation to Bermuda
Hundreds. We marched here from Fort
Powhatan, some twenty-five
miles. We left there about eleven
o'clock yesterday and reached here
today about noon. We made it in
twenty-five hours, including stops, and
camped about ten miles from here all
night. Our load was very burden-
some. We had fifty rounds of ammunition,
coffee and sugar for five days,
tack for two days, clothing, blankets
and half of a tent each. The boys
are very tired.
June 18th, 1864
We arrived at Bermuda Hundreds landing
last night where we
camped. Judging from the roar of
artillery and musketry, there was hard
fighting at Petersburg last night by
moonlight. It continued nearly all
night and there is some again this
morning. The boys are mostly well,
My love to you all,
Fort Spring Hill, June 19th, 1864
Dear Wife,
Little did I think I would so soon be a
part of the Army of the
Potomac but so it is. We are only four
miles from Petersburg11 on the
road between Petersburg and Bermuda
Hundreds on the south bank of
the Appomattox River, eight miles from
the mouth and opposite Point
of Rocks. We came here yesterday and
have been in hearing distance of
the battle the whole time. It was
terrific at times. Though we were
eight miles from the battlefield Friday
night, we could distinctly hear the
roll of musketry. We marched here
yesterday, making three days we have
put in in successive marching. I tell
you my shoulders feel pretty sore.
Hale, hearty men have given under while
some of the weaker ones are
looking almost as well as ever, but
another day or two of marching would
have been as much as we could stand.
Yesterday, I told you our march from
Fort Powhatan was about
twenty-five miles but I think now it was
only a little over twenty. We
came to the Petersburg road within six
miles of that place, then marched
to City Point, then crossed to Bermuda
Hundreds, then next morning
11 Petersburg - 22 miles south of
Richmond, head of navigation on the Appomattox
River. It was the focus of all railroads
connecting Richmond with the South and the
Southwest, June 18, 1864, Grant
assaulted the town, was repulsed with heavy losses
and settled down to a siege which did
not end successfully until April 2, 1865.
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 169
back to City Point, then marched down
here yesterday. We could hear
cannon at Petersburg and cannon west and
northwest of us all at the
same time. Still we were safe, as there
were old troops between us and
the enemy in every direction. However,
the rebel lines are only two
miles west of us, and it wouldn't be
very safe to go blackberrying out
there. This morning the ball has begun
again in the direction of Peters-
burg, although some say it surrendered
yesterday evening. They say
that in the rear of the town is a lot of
high ground that the rebels are
occupying. This is going to be harder to
take than Petersburg. Still the
troops seem very confident, but the
losses are very great on both sides.
How I would like to be with you this
pretty Sabbath morning! War
separates families. Here it does more,
judging from naked chimneys.
It reduces them to poverty. Few at home
are aware of the blessings they
enjoy, but the soldier says but little
against his lot. Most of the boys
are well. The universal complaint is
dysentery or flux. So far, I have
escaped.
Remember me to Father's folks, and
accept my warmest affection.
Fort Spring Hill, June 22nd, 1864
Dear Wife,
My family occupies my mind very much and
yet I know they are
much better off than I. Here are all the
complaints of camp life besides
the risks of war. If I do not read the
Testament as much as I should
like, I never spend any time in idle
play or games of chance. The army
makes me no worse but I am not able to
say that I am any better. I fear it
is not so with all who go to war.
I write this letter from my post on
picket duty where I can see six
or eight rebels on picket. I am but
twenty-seven hundred yards from
rebel Fort Clifton that has torn up the
ground in my rear between me
and our own fort. That was before we
came here. They have exchanged
no shots since. Towards Petersburg there
has been continual firing of
artillery all day. I fear the war will
not be over in the next hundred days.
June 23rd, 1864
The firing was very heavy last night on
our right and left. That on
the left was at Petersburg, that on the
right was up the James River,
perhaps mortars12 at Fort Darling.13
Old Abe Lincoln was out here yesterday,
but he did not visit us,
however. There is a rumor in camp that
we are going to be sent back
o Point Lookout.14 I hear it
is reported that the 138th refused to go to
he front when ordered. Now all such
stories are base slanders on the
egiment. There were one or two
companies, supposing that Colonel
12 Mortars - Short cannon used to
throw shells of large calibre with low velocity
and at a very high angle.
13 Fort Darling - On Richmond-Petersburg Railroad eight miles south of
Richmond.
14 Point Lookout - At the mouth of the
Potomac River.
170 OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
F ------- was to blame, that wanted to
get up a remonstrance, but they
were hooted down by the other companies.
If there was a single man
laid down his gun it is news to me, the
Copperheads,15 to the contrary,
notwithstanding. We believe it to be our
duty to obey orders when they
come. Some say they haven't enough to
eat. Well, It is not always
regular nor fancy. It is frequently
under or over, but no one has starved.
Grumblers are always found in large
bodies of men; to deprive a soldier
of his privilege of growling would be
depriving him of one of his most
undoubted rights. If it were not one
thing, it would be another.
Let me know how you are getting along,
Fort Spring Hill, June 30th, 1864
Dear Wife,
I have been in the hands of a doctor for
a week past. The first three
days were very severe on me as it was
the most uncomfortable hot weather
I ever saw and the poorest
accommodations for the sick imaginable. My
complaint was dysentery. It was pretty
severe and I felt as weak as if I
had had a short spell of fever. A good
many of the boys are complaining
but most of them get better in four or
five days. There are generally
from four to eight men in the company at
the hospital every morning for
medicine, but there is hardly a serious
case in the regiment. While I was
sick there were dewberries to be had.
They were very small, but by
cooking them, we could make them very
nice. We managed to get some
tea and soft bread, but the latter we
cannot buy now. There is little food
at the sutlers'16 within the
reach of the common soldier. They charge
twenty cents for a pound of crackers,
twenty cents for a pound of ham,
five cents for two sheets of paper, and
other things in the same ratio. If
a man has a little money, they will soon
have it away from him.
We know little about the situation of
our armies. We are within
range of a rebel fort, rather an ugly
customer, but its attention is kept in
another direction. We can stand here and
see shells that fall short burst
over Petersburg. Grant is fetching up
siege guns. Both Generals Grant
and Butler were taking observations
between our fort and the river on the
west yesterday. Some think the object is
to throw another pontoon across
and seize Fort Clifton and thus get part
of our army in the enemies' rear.
I have seen whole divisions completely
covered with dust, feet sore, faces
worn and haggard, marching at the rate
of four miles an hour, to throw
themselves between the enemy and some
important position. They are not
as light-hearted as they were at the
beginning of the war, for they face
stern realities. Some are discouraged,
but most of them think Grant will
finally take Petersburg. There must be
suffering there and at Richmond
both, for we harrass their railroads,
and the number they have to feed
15 Copperheads -
Persons in the North who sympathized with the South in the
Civil War.
16 Sutlers - Persons who follow an army and sell
provisions and liquor to the troops.
INTO THE BREACH; CIVIL WAR LETTERS 171
must use up their supplies rapidly. I
hope we may be able to crush them
this season or we will be financially
used up ere long.
Accept the love of your own,
Fort Spring Hill, July 2nd, 1864
Dear Wife,
There has not been a campaign in the war
where men have been
slaughtered to such an extent as in this
one, yet we are some distance
from the end. It is hardly the intention
of the authorities to rush us into
an engagement but if the enemy should
attempt a flank movement on Grant's
main force at Petersburg, by throwing
itself across his communication here,
we would be in for our share of danger.
The firing usually commences
along in the afternoon and is kept up
the whole night. The severest I
have heard began at half-past four in
the afternoon and the whole earth
shook from the rattle of artillery, yet
we have it a thousand times safer
than many of the old troops and can care
for ourselves better than they,
though they are better seasoned to it
than we are. Among their sick, the
suffering is very great although the
Commissions17 are doing very much,
but it would be a very moderate estimate
to put our losses in killed,
mortally wounded, and missing at eighty
thousand men. I hope in the
future there will be less charging and
more artillery used, for it is charg-
ing that has lost so many men.
My health is some better, yet I still
feel miserably weak and unfit for
duty. That is one great trouble here,
for they put the men on picket duty
or at guarding prisoners as soon as they
quit taking medicine, and then
they are sick again in a day or two. We
have as mean a Colonel as a
regiment could have. The rest of our
officers are pretty well thought of,
unless it is the Quartermaster.
July 3rd, 1864
I had the pleasure of receiving a letter
yesterday from you. I was
sorry to know that there were men at
home who had so little to do as to
injure either the soldiers or their
families but you might expect little else
from those infernal Butternuts who would
exult at a reverse to our arms at
any time. They are too ignorant to
understand the importance of the issue,
believing that there is but one party
that should reign supreme over the
American people. However, I fear that we
are in the darkest hour of the
war, but am in hopes that we will come
out victorious, save our credit, and
our country from disgrace.
Tell your mother that I am under many
obligations to her for the
nterest she takes in my children and my
home affairs. I hope that if I am
17 Commissions - The various Sanitary
Commissions were voluntary organizations,
similar to the Red Cross, organized in
1861 to look after the health, relief, families
and care for soldiers. The Christian Commission
furnished Bibles and Tracts, pro-
??ided Christian burial and helped the
orphan families of soldiers. The women workers
??redominated, among them Dorothea Dix
and Clara Barton.
172 OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
permitted to return that I can do for
her some of the kind favors she has
done for me and mine.
I suppose it will be unnecessary for me
to give any direction about the
harvest for it will be over before this
reaches you, or some arrangement
made to take care of it. I wish you
would send me another "V" and some
postage stamps as it is a poor place to
get either out here. The boys are
getting along very well. I have been taking
medicine since Friday a week
ago and am in hopes to be able to go on
duty in a day or two.
Remember me to Ellsworth.
From your husband,
Fort Spring Hill, July 6th, 1864
Dear Wife,
I expect to go on duty again tomorrow,
for I feel as if they will look
on me as a shirker if I am not at my
post as soon as possible. Some six or
eight of the boys are on the sick list
but no one serious. For a while, we
got orders from our officers for food at
the post commissary but they have
shut down on that now. About one day in
six, we get soft bread, and fresh
meat we have twice a week. We rather
expect to stay here until we start
home. There has not been much firing for
two or three days. Anything
less than three or four artillery shots
a minute seems slow, but three or four
a second are rapid enough. Grant could
destroy the town now at any time
in five hours but it is not what he is
after. It is the rebel fortifications
and their occupants that he wants, but
that may prove to be slow work.
Tell me what they are endeavoring to do
about the draft.
July 10th, 1864
I am on duty now. It is extremely
unpleasant to be sick out here, yet
our regiment is very lucky thus far, not
having lost a single man by death.
I got a letter from you some five or six
days ago with two dollars in
money. It was very acceptable, as money
was scarce and palatable things
fabulous. If there is no serious disaster,
we will start from here by the
fifth of next month. Governor Brough'18
has said he intended to have us all
home by the tenth of August. I hope our
meeting may be a happy one and
a lasting one, for I have no desire to
be separated from my family again.
Through the day we can see the white
smoke of exploded shells in the
air. On the north side of the river
there are two regiments of One-Hundred-
Day men, one of which has lost two men
killed and five wounded on picket
duty. It was partly their own fault as
they disobeyed orders and fired first,
when there was an agreement that there
should be no picket firing. Now they
are more peaceably inclined and are
trading coffee for tobacco with the
Johnnies,19 who say they are on short
rations. Some of them come within
our lines nearly every day and give
themselves up. All say they are tired
18 Governor Brough - Of Ohio.
19 Johnnies - Confederates or Johnny
rebels.
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 173
of it and are anxious for peace,--all
except their officers. With them it is
rule or ruin.
I hear there is a raid in Maryland which
looks as if they were as bold
as ever. Certainly they are a long way
from their main army. I suppose
they want to divert Grant from here, but
they will hardly do that. I am
anxious to have it said that the
Hundred-Day boys did something by
assisting the army to concentrate its
veteran forces on the front and help
end the war.
A few nights ago I dreamed I was at
home. I thought I had Laura
in my hands and was kissing her. Oh, how
sweet she laughed and how
glad I was! I thought Ellsworth was
asleep. Then I awoke. All was a
dream yet a happy one, and I hope in
another month I may be at home.
Give my love to all the family,
Fort Spring Hill, July 13th, 1864
Dear Wife,
It is very dry. We have not had a rain
that would make mud since
we left Washington. What little corn is
here does not look as if it would
be worth a thing even if it had ever
been attended to.
I am anxious to know how the Maryland
raid came out. We have not
heard anything since the seventh of July
at which time all was excitement.
Yet I am in hopes the Johnnies will get
trapped. Every thousand we trap
is equal to two thousand new troops
recruited. Heavy siege guns are con-
tinually going to the front and
preparations are being made to open on the
enemy. Lee is wily and Grant is shrewd,
and it is a big game. Lee has
all the advantage on ground; Grant has
the advantage in numbers and I
hope will conquer.
Another mail has come and I am again
doomed to disappointment. It
is enough to make me sick again, but I
will try to wait as patiently as I
can.
I must close for the drums call me for
work fatigue.20
Yours,
Cherry Stone Inlet, July 18th, 1864
Dear Wife,
We have once more moved camp and are now
on the east side of
Chesapeake Bay opposite Fortress Monroe,
near Cape Charles, at a place
called Cherry Stone Inlet, a very pretty
place. We will be stationed in
companies along the countryside for the
protection of telegraph communi-
cations, to intercept blockade runners,
and rebel mail carriers. This moving
has somewhat interfered with our mail. I
have had none from you later
than July 1st. If you have not sent some
money since the fourth, a dollar
or two would not come amiss. We have
plenty of oysters and crabs here.
On Thursday night, July fourteenth,
there was a rumor in camp that
20 Work fatigue - Same as fatigue duty:
work done by soldiers aside from the use
of arms and strictly military duty, such as cleaning
camp grounds, etc.
174 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
we had marching orders. It was believed
by some, laughed at by others.
At last it was confirmed, and then,
"Where are we going?" was the uni-
versal inquiry. Some said, "Petersburg", some
said, "Washington", as
that was where we were supposed to be
most needed, but it finally leaked out
that was not the place. This was the
first time the Colonel had been able
to keep us from finding out before we
started. Friday came; the forepart
of the day was all bustle getting ready.
We were told to be ready by one
o'clock. At half past two, came the order "Sling knapsacks, forward
march." Our march was little over a
mile, but our loads seemed bigger
than ever, but we moved off at a brisk,
quick march. A few moments
brought us to the landing. There we had
to wait an hour or two for our
baggage to go aboard, and there we had
an exciting time.
A sutler, hearing of our arrival, rolled
in from his bakery a lot of pies
which he at first sold for twenty-five
cents each, but finding the demand too
great for the supply, he raised to forty
cents. This was too much.
Knives cut the guy ropes and the tent
was thrown off. Another moment
and a moving mass was all that could be
seen of the sutler's shop, save the
goods that were flying in the air: pies,
canned fruits, cakes. Men went in,
and after being pounded and squeezed for
five minutes, came out with a
plug of tobacco perhaps, or perhaps
without anything. It was soon over
and the boys are laughing about the
sutler raid. Nobody seemed to care
except the sutler, who did not believe
in large sales and small profits.
Night came on and with it an order to
camp. The boys, wishing to spend
no more nights on boats than they could
help, were well suited, but here
comes a disgraceful thing. A few of the
roughest boys who had a spite,
and perhaps justly, at our sutler at
Spring Hill concluded they would go
back and skin him. This they did, and
some four or five of them got
caught and are there yet. If they had
done this before we left, it would
not have been so bad, but it looked too
much as if they went back to
rob him.
Saturday morning, Company F had breakfast
at three o'clock. We
went aboard, on our way to Fortress
Monroe. We soon arrived at City
Point. It looks very differently from
what it did when we were there four
weeks ago. There is a railroad in
complete running order clear around
to the landing with empty cars ready to
be filled from the boats. The
vacant fields now contain large
quantities of hospital tents, wagons, etc.
About half past two in the afternoon, we
came in sight of the shipping on
Hampton Roads. 'Twas a grand sight as
there were large quantities of it.
There were three or four men-of-war,
one, an English vessel; also a moni-
tor, the "Roanoke". She is a
very nice boat having three turrets, besides
two howitzers.21 The men
appeared to be mostly quartered above deck. By
that time, our boat was drawing too much
water to land us on the other
21 Howitzers - Short light cannon used to throw shells with medium
velocities at
angles between 15 and 45 degrees.
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 175
side; so by five o'clock, we embarked on
two smaller boats and moved off.
The Bay was rough; thirty minutes out,
and the boys began to get sick.
There was a good deal of joshing. One
called, "Steady there," another,
"I want a piece of fat pork with a
string to it." Another moment and he
had no use for it. And so it went, first
one and then another. But I did
not feel the least sick at any time.
About eleven o'clock, we reached our
port but remained on the boats for
the night. On disembarking next morning,
we found a very nice place.
There is a healthy breeze here all the
time, while at Spring Hill there was
scarcely any breeze and it was sickly
hot. The water here is a little
brackish. I think we will be sent in to the interior to do guard duty. Our
mail will be a little irregular, only
twice a week. As yet, we have not
lost a man, although we left two at the
General Hospital at Spring Hill.
July 19th, 1864
Last night on dress parade, the Colonel
said he wanted one of the Cap-
tains to furnish him twenty men for
special duty. Our Captain spoke first
and said he would furnish them. He came
and asked for twenty volun-
teers. I was among those who stepped out
promptly. The Colonel said he
was glad to see us as prompt as our
Captain. In a few minutes more,
with ten men of Company I, we were on
our way. We marched four miles,
surrounded a house, and ordered them to
throw open their door, or we
would break it in. They obeyed but the
man we were looking for was not
there. A man in rebel uniform had been
reported there, but the darkies
said they had seen no one except the
owner of the farm. The man's wife
brought out a roundabout which she
claimed she had made for her husband.
Our guide thought it was not the same
one he had seen the man wear.
However, we were sorry we had nothing to
report to camp. If we had
secured our prize, we would have been as
proud as a hen with one chicken.
Today we have the first rain in seven
weeks, and the crops show the
effect of the drought. Our Colonel says
the regiment will be divided into
squads: Two companies here, two at the
county seat, eight miles away,
three on three different islands. Our
Company may be one for one island
as it has not been on detached duty
before. If we go, we will get mail only
once a week. But I hope you will write
as often as ever. One of the
islands is said to be a very fine place.
The other two are not very de-
sirable. Maybe we will be among the
lucky ones. We will probably stay
here until the twenty-second of August,
a little over a month.
Cherry Stone Inlet, July 22, 1864
Dear Wife,
Your last letter had a dollar in it
which was very acceptable. The
darkies bring us corn bread which they
sell us more reasonably than any-
thing else we buy. Butter is almost
above the reach of common soldiers,
being fifty cents a pound and hard to be
found at that. Milk I cannot find.
176
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Three companies have moved to the county
seat and five others have march-
ing orders. Company F and Company K are
remaining here, which suits
us very well. Company K is from
Montgomery County but I am acquainted
with only one man in it. It is on the
left side of the regiment and we on
the right or nearly so. This is the most
pleasant place we have been in
since we left home. There is always a sea-breeze.
The water is inclined
to be salty, but we do not use half as
much as at Spring Hill.
I hear we are to have a reception when
we get back. If so, you will
find our Company next to the front one.
I hope the boys will all be able
to march by that time, or at least that
we will be able to bring them all
home.
You spoke of sending me a paper with the
Enrollment Act in it. If
so, I have not received it. I hear there
is to be a draft on the fifth of
September, so the Hundred-Day Men will
be home in time to take their
chances in it. I have no regrets, rather
I am glad, that I came out here,
glad that I have answered one of my
country's calls and assisted the govern-
ment in taking the veterans, the real
efficient force of our army, to the
front, to drive the enemy back.
I am glad to know that your currants and
calf have brought you in
the neighborhood of fifty dollars as I
feel certain you will not have to run
in debt to keep up the family expenses.
It will be a great satisfaction to me
not to have debts to pay when I come
home. Things will look very different
to me when I return, as the crops will
have been about made. There was
snow on the ground when I left.
Tell Father I am under many obligations
to him for looking after my
crops. I hope I shall be able to return
the favor to him at some future
time.
Your husband,
THE ENROLLMENT BILL AS PASSED
The bill is as follows:
Sec. 1. The President may call for any
number of men as volunteers
for the respective terms of one, two and
three years. Such volunteers, or
their substitutes shall be credited to
the town, township, ward, etc., toward
their quota. Every volunteer or
substitute accepted and mustered for one
year shall receive one hundred dollars
bounty; for two years, two hundred
dollars; for three years, three hundred
dollars; one-third of the bounty at
the time of muster, one-third at the
expiration of half the term of service,
and one-third at the expiration of the
term of service.
In case of his death in the service the
residue of bounty goes to the
widow; in case of no widow, then to the
children; in case of no children,
then to the soldier's mother if she be
widowed.
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 177
2d. If the quotas are not filled within
fifty days after such call, then
the President shall immediately order a
draft for one year to fill such quota
or any part thereof which may be
unfilled, and in case of any such draft,
no payment of money shall be accepted
or received by the Government as
commutation to release the enrolled
or drafted man from personal obliga-
tion to perform military service.
3d. It shall be lawful for the Executive
of any State to send recruiting
agents into any of the States declared
to be in rebellion, except Tennessee,
Arkansas, and Louisiana, to recruit
volunteers under the provisions of
this act, who shall be credited to the States
and to the respective sub-
divisions thereof which may procure the
enlistment.
Fourth. Drafted men, substitutes and
volunteers shall be assigned
to organizations from their own States,
and, as far as possible, on their
own selection.
Fifth. Every person under sixteen,
entered or mustered without con-
sent of parents or guardians, shall be immediately
discharged upon repay-
ment of bounty received by him; and
officers knowingly enlisting or
mustering such person, shall be
dismissed from the service with forfeiture
of pay and allowances, and be subject to
court martial.
Sixth. Drafts shall be for one hundred
per centum in addition to the
number required to fill the quotas.
Seventh. Drafted persons shall be
allowed transportation to the place
of rendezvous.
Eighth. All persons in the naval service
of the United States, who
have enlisted in said service during the
present rebellion, who have not
been credited to the quota of any
district by reason of being in said
service, and enrolled prior to February
24th, 1864, shall upon satisfactory
proof of residence, made to the
Secretary of War, be enrolled and credited
to the quota of their place of
residence.
Ninth. Drafted men absent from home
shall be notified as soon as
possible, but shall not be determined
deserters till reasonable time is given
them to return.
--Old newspaper clipping.
Cherry Creek Inlet, July 24, 1864
Dear Wife,
I had expected to have received a letter
from you yesterday but our
mail was sent to Spring Hill. It will
be two or three days before it finds
its way back to us. Some of the
companies that are to leave here are
awaiting transportation.
We can buy plenty of johnny-cakes
from the darkies but we soon
get tired of them. Milk is twenty to
thirty cents per quart, but I have
not tasted any yet. Four or five miles
out, it can be had for ten to
fifteen cents.
At Spring Hill it was so intensely hot
in the middle of the day that
178 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
we could hardly stir, but here it is
very pleasant and, for the last two or
three nights, quite cool. Today I have
my coat on all the time.
I am on guard today. Tomorrow, if it is
a pleasant day, I want to
stroll out into the country. The
inhabitants are non-combatants, largely
sympathetic with the rebellion, but I
hope the fear of the soldiers will
keep them out of the rebel ranks. They
have as many now as we care
about fighting at one time. There are a
great many soldiers whose term
of enlistment expires during this month
and next, but I hope we will be
able to hold what territory we now
possess, if not to take some more.
I see there is to be a draft on the
third of September. We should be
home by the first, at least, and will
have to stand our chance with the
others. We have been away the whole
season, while the "Butternuts" were
at home making money with which to buy
substitutes.
July 25, 1864
Last night was a hard night to be on
guard, but I was a supernumerary
and only had to stand two hours. It
rained steadily from the east. This
morning, the wind changed to the west
and is so cold that many of the
boys are standing over the fires with their
woolen blankets on and shivering
besides, but I presume it will be
pleasant in a day or two. Some of the
boys are complaining with colds.
May we meet in health, and live out the
remainder of our days in
domestic bliss is my prayer.
Cherry Creek Inlet, July 29th, 1864
Dear Wife,
I was sorry to hear that one of the
treasures of my heart was in
ill health, but I hope you may be able
to nurse him through the hot
weather. One thing I know, he will be
well cared for. I have no doubt
but what you are teased and pulled at a
great deal when you go to write,
as no one can do anything for the little
ones like "Ma".
Though we have traveled so far and been
in the very jaws of destruc-
tion, we have not had a single death so
far in the regiment. We left two
at Spring Hill and there is one very
sick man here but I do not know
him. I. Hunt has had a kind of slow,
lurking, camp fever, that was hard
to chase away.
We understand that you were going to
send us a box of things to
City Point. We fear we will not get it,
as all express goods are stopped
at Fortress Monroe. However, the agent
at City Point will be notified and
he will tell them where to ship the
goods. Our Quartermaster is going
over to Fortress Monroe tomorrow and will
see about our box.
The country here is settled in smaller
farms than it was at Petersburg,
but there is no enterprise worth
speaking about. The inhabitants have to
depend on the negroes to get their crops
raised. Now they have to hire
them, for they are free. It looks as if
Uncle Sam had procured the
services of most of the able-bodied
males, but the women are used in the
INTO THE BREACH: CIVIL WAR LETTERS 179
fields as much as the men. The soil is a
white sand, pine soil. They grow
corn, one stalk in a hill, but they
raise some sweet potatoes, oats, cotton
and fruits. It seems to be a natural
soil for pears and figs, but the
pears are all of the common varieties,
none very nice; of figs, I know
nothing. The apple trees are well filled
with fruit. Oysters and clams
are not plentiful but they are not
healthy at this season of the year,
though some of the boys have been eating
them pretty freely.
Take good care of my pets even to the
neglect of everything else,
Love to you and the little ones,
Eastern Shore Bay, August 7th. 1864
Dear Wife,
On the afternoon of August 5th, I left
camp in company with ten
others for this place, six or seven
miles south of Cherry Stone on the
Eastern Shore of the Bay. We are camped
in a beautiful pine grove right
on a bluff with a splendid view of the
Bay and the shipping on it. This
is about as narrow a place as there is
in the Bay, and we can see land
on the Western Shore from here. Our
duties here will be to patrol the
coast every night on the watchout for
contraband goods, or for men that
will take valuable things to the rebels
in small boats. We will have to
be on duty every night. So far, we have
lived better here than at any
time since we left home. We have had
some half-dozen melons which
cost us very little, besides a couple or
three messes of roasting ears. Most
of the inhabitants have taken the oath
to save their property, but we have
taken corn and melons to save our health
which is quite as important.
As yet, I have had no hand in the melon
business but as there is a dis-
position to skin us when we buy, I think
we will buy as little as looks
well. We do not expect to waste
anything, and three or four plantations
can furnish us what little corn we need
without missing it very much.
I have a few small sea shells to bring
home for you. There are
none that are very nice but the novelty
of gathering them is something.
Our time is fast coming to a close. Two
weeks more, and it is out.
There is an ice house near here where
the boys drew the steeple and
helped themselves. The owner living some
distance from here couldn't
afford to watch soldiers so he fixed it
up and gave us the key and told
us to help ourselves. Two of my comrades
are surveying the coast today,
and I expect to tramp it tonight. It may
not be worthwhile for you to
answer this, as we may be gone before
that time.
Sunday, August 14th, 1864
I hope that two weeks from today may
find me home or as near home
as Camp Dennison. I have been sick again
with a bilious fever. I took
??ome pills and then procured some
camphor of the neighbors and since
??hen I have been getting better. I
expect I shall be away from my
180
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
company until the Colonel gets orders to
start for Ohio. Our time is up
one week from today.
I am sorry that we will have to leave
one member of our company
behind, as Mr. Poole is no more. The
rest of the sick are all better and
will be able to travel with us, we hope.
This is the last sheet of paper
I have and but a poor chance to get a
letter off from here. I have been
looking for money ever since I first wrote
from Cherry Stone. It may be
you missed the letter but the money may
come yet. I will make out
somehow though I would fare much better
if I had three or four dollars.
We need it going home as we cannot stop
for meals and have to travel
on hard tack and water. Only once in a
while we can make a cup of
coffee, not more than once a day on the
average. A little money to get
cheese and soft crackers is a great
help, but I will be as well off as many
others. Some of the other regiments will
be home sooner than we, because
they were mustered in four or five days
sooner and have not so far to go
home. I wish the results of the campaign
might have been more productive
while we were absent from home. Grant
has been unable to take Richmond
and has actually met with a serious
repulse before Petersburg. Lee has
menaced Washington and Baltimore, and
gathered supplies for his army
within the sound of the cannon of our
capitol. War is uncertain in all
of its meanderings. Results nor costs
can be counted beforehand. I pray
God that the end may be favorable to the
Union, and that the end
may be soon.22
Yours,
Wallace.
22 The 138th Regiment Ohio Volunteer
Infantry was mustered out at Camp
Dennison, Ohio, September 1, 1864.