[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]

Got paid off this forenoon.
Read considerable Monday I
wrote to folks and also received a letter
from them, and also one from Hennie
Lund, Wrote home again

MSS 11293

Dear Father I received your kind & welcome letter dated the 12th
you need not be affraid of[sic] me because we can get all the wood we want
to burn & move to, I get all the war news before the Advertiser gets to me but
I like to see the Advertiser because there is some kind of short Peaces that
I like to read so you may send them along I want you to write & tell me if
you understand what I wrote in my last letter about my signing the allo
tment roll if so I want you to tell me as for your feelings & veiws about intox
icating drinks I new all about before I left Portland you said that they
made pies out of the condemned Government horses I thought about the
same & there has been a great many times that I set out to write and have
you to ask Andrew if he did not have some old horses to sell to make some
of the Pies with there is such A great demand maid for them, since Col
Jackson has taken command of this Regiment there has been no complaint
of any kind & for the reason that there has been no cause to, you wanted
to know if I had to pay Postage on your Letters now, I do not know how
many that I had to pay for because I never kept account of them I shall stick
by the Fifth of Maine as long as it remains a regiment do you think that
I would exchange Places with A Regiment that had not seen action while
mine has No indeed I would not do any such Thing Captain started for
home last week & McFearson the day that Mister Staples came over
here to see me, & Gilman that worked[?] for Mister Green is to go tomor
row he is trouble about the head where A Horse kicked him about three
years ago. I wish you would tell me how to direct A letter to Charley
Green because I want to write to Him. I am well & hope this will find
you all enjoying the same health From your son Joseph Leavitt

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George Leavitt of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66

My darling wifey
To-day is the anniversary of
our wedding and I must let you know
though I have to do so in writing, how
happy I have been for the past year in
such sweet communion and intercourse
with one of the most loveable women
in the tide of time. I am glad & rejoice
that we are married and this statement
may be considered as worth something
since it is made after the first year
which is considered a critical period
in the lives of married people. If I am
as happy for the balance of my life as I
have been for the past year, I shall die
satisfied and give you the credit of
contributing in no small measure to
my happiness. God bless my darling wife!

[page 2]
In her last letter, Ma says that I am
a lucky dog in having a sweet woman
to comfort and cheer me in these times
but she has no idea what a real bless-
ing you are to me and no one has
except myself. Since I have been married
to you a perceptible change has come
over my feelings–I am no longer restless
and dissatisfied except when I am away
from you–could we get the place we
are seeking, I could live there with
you perfectly happy and contented
I need not tell my darling, who knows
something of her husband’s heart, how
much I do really love her and what
an exalted opinion I entertain of her
but, I must show by writing at this
time what a respect I have for the
day which gave me my wife–a day
certainly to be marked with a white
stone.

[page 3]
I exist in strong hopes of being with
you, very soon after the 15th proximo
and if my hopes are fulfilled, wont
we be happy–I say we, because I
do believe (and this belief or rather
certain conviction is one of the greatest
sources of my happiness) that you really
love me and are happier when you
are with me–
God grant that I may always be
a blessing and comfort to my
darling and that we may always
live as happy as we now are
in the love and confidence of
each other.
God bless you
Your devoted
Husband

Howe Peyton Cochran Sergeant, Co. H, 1st Virginia Artillery

MSS 9380

Dec 18th  1861

My Dear Virginia

Was very glad to hear from you all by
receiving your letter, I wrote immediately to  W Henry after fin
ding out by your letter how to direct, hope he may get it, but
fear he might be far from the place by the time it reaches there,
pray he may get it and that it may in a measure comfort
him ad do  him some good, I confess it is hard very hard for
us to have those near and dear to us to have to go off to war, but
a great number of us have to submit to it we cant help ours
elves, dont think it right for us always to look on the dark side
of the picture, this sure is the most unjust war that ever was
and God surely will give success to the just cause, the papers
speak strongly of England’s being on our side, so hope
she may, and if so think the Yankees will have their
hands full to fight us and England too, I think we
of Texas are the best off of all of the confederate states
provided the yankees dont slip around and get in
on us before we know it and the darkies dont trouble
but I think the folks have some fears of that, this town
is strictly guarded every night and will continue
to be until after chirstmas, Mr Mattox who lives nine
miles from here in the country, he came here from
Ala had one of his men to tell him he had rather cut
his throat his wife’s and the last one of the family than
to eat when hungry his master took him up right away
and put  him in marshal jail there are three others I

[page 2]
hear they are to be hung, Mr Mattox asked him what had
put him up to talking in such a strain anyhow, he
told his master by Christmas Lincoln would be here
and in Shreveport there was to be a big drum beat which
would be heard 3 or 4 hundred miles then the negroes were
to rise and help the yankees to kill the whites and then
they were to be free, the Vicksburg papers lately gave
account of 40 being hung in Natches Mississippi for
something of the same nature, poor fools all they gain is
to have their necks stretched.  Ann writes of very hard
times in Eufaula a great many families going out to the
country, she will be confined the middle of Jan Albert will
come home then if he goes back, I hear from them often thro
ugh Ann, it does me a great deal of good to hear from them
Albert writes Tom is fater and looking better than he
ever saw him though he has been himself a little complai
ning of his bowels but keeps up, Tom your [sic] know loves
such a life to broil his meat on the coals and eat it,
he names the Virginia troops are as well and comfor
tably fixed as they could be under the circumstance
when Ann wrote last she wrote Albert had just
written he thought or perhaps had heard that WH
and your Albert were both there but he had not seen
them though he must have been mistaken about WHs
being there from what you wrote, was in hopes it
was so, but before this time they may have met with
your Albert, old Dr Shepherd had gone to Albert’s
tent sick from the hospitle he said he was glad

[page 3]
he said he was glad to have the old man come, I think you
wrote me to let you know where they are stationed, they
are on the Potowmac in sight of Washington city
the Virginia troops have a plenty of that which is very good
to eat, a young man who left there writes back what they
have, should this wretched war close and were this place
not so sickly I should certainly want W H to come here
that is if he would be steady and try to do I know well he
can yet do well if he would try, but as sure as you live the
climate here is awful a thousand times worse than
Eufala I was very sick all the summer and until
late int he fall, Bass has been very anxious ever since
I have been here for me to write for your Albert to come
on here but knowing it to be such a sickly place I could
not to save my life hardly conscienciously influence
any one to come from a very healthy part here, if you
were nearer to me think I could help you a little it is
my wish to help all of my children were I able it wou
ld give me great pleasure, the stay law has passed in
all of the Confederate States I believe, were I not living
here with Bass and Roberta would be in a big tight myse
lf though I wrote to W H I would try and hire you a cook
have been trying some time, get one as reasonable as
you can in price they will not hire for near what they
did this year, ask John W be so kind as to hire the
negro as for himself but he must send me a note
to put my name to it holding me responsible to him
for the money, and should I die before its being due the

[page 4]

note with my name to it would secure him, but if
you hire the negro and if you write me anything about
it write it be sure on a slip of paper so tat I can
take it out of the letter all read my letters and I dont
care for it to be known until it is due and I am ready
to pay it, write to W H to do the same way about it
when you get this if he writes naming it put it on a
slip to itself, this will be the most sad silent christmas
ever spent I guess I just tell you it will e here, you
must to and spend it with Mary I hope this will
reach you by that time, only a week tomorrow, should
you go give my love to her and children, we have been
done our winter work sometime, sewed a good deal for
the soldiers and made up William Nichols’s clothes
and his boys, but Roberta is like Tom, & Ann sews
as if by steam, we have quilted one quilt have one
now in the frame and three more to quilt guess we
will be satisfied when we get through, Missy Thornton
has lately died of consumption her Pa and Ma took it
very hard, Mrs Pope lost Lela her youngest this last
summer Florida Copeland was engaged to a nice
young man as we thought by the name of Hunter who
came on to Eufala bought a book store settled there
putt his letter in the church was baptist he went to a
party and got tight she discarded him, she is now
on a visit to South Carolina to her relations, but I
would not like a visit there just now, there has lately
been very large fires in Charleston Montgomery and
Columbus the yankees think if they cant kill us out they
will burn us out nasty retches farewell love for you and
children John W and wife may God bless comfort and protect
you is my prayer love for W H when you
                                                   write E. J. Roberts

[top margin of page 1]

Tell J W not be afraid to hire you a cook he shall not
loose it, Berta sends her love
no time to read over my letter

MSS 10207

C

[from the diary of Wesley A. Hammond of the Dixie Greys, Co. E of the 42nd Virginia]

Remain at crossroads
to day waiting for further
orders. Read 30 Psalms.

MSS 5526

The news first brought by the Europa
and City of Washington makes a good
preface to the sketch of some British
Statesmen which you will find in
the accompanying magazine. Lord
Palmerston is described, in the main,
correctly. full justice is done to
Mr Gladstone and somewhat less that
that same to Mr Whiteside. Mr
Disraeli, being one of the children of
Israel, is peered at through green specta=
=cles by a Boston contributor. This
gentleman makes a mistake which
I have marked. Lord Palmerston may
have been Foreign Secretary five times
or ofetner; but his present station after
half a century of labor and management
was first attained in 1855.

[page 2]
The Thanksgiving story showed
a remarkable power of description
and of appreciation as well,
if that can be counted among the
positive mental forces. Yankees
have a perennial source of fun in the
contemplation of their own peculiarities,
and they always remind me of the ne=
=groes who flock to Christy’s & Opera
House.
My last red cross is affixed
to a paper by James Russell Lowell,
who is more intelligible in prose than
in verse You will like, as I do,
his fearless candor, and his love of
equal and exact justice, while you
will perhaps admire, as I do not,
the radicalism and consequent vener=
=ation for the redhanded rebel of
1648, with which he sees fit
to garnish the peroration.
I will send you, in a day or
two, a printed copy of athe papers
Relating to Foreign Affairs just
submitted to Congress. The racier
morceaux will be marked in the index
and margin.

Discontinue for your
own sake, if for no one else’s those
cheerless interviews with the moon.
Diana loves to see her cold light
in a maiden’s eyes, but the pale
reflection, though soft as its mother
fair, brings only pain to warm
breasts that throb under the burden
and heat of the day, but hale, with
unflinching faith and courage, that
which is on earth the best type of
eternity–which cannot be conquered–
–cannot wear out.
You were not born to play in
real life the role of Norma even
in the first Act. All the world’s
a stage, (not an omnibus, thank heaven!)

[page 4]
but I cannot fancy you a Druid
Priestess, or trace, in Cliftons
moon-lit piazza, the faintest
resemblance to Stonehenge.
Yours ever faithfully,
Walter S Hunter

Miss Mary Ellet
Clifton

Mary Virginia Ellet, 1839-1930, was the daughter of Charles Ellet, Jr., 1810-1872, designer of the first suspension bridge in the U.S. who helped developed the U.S. ram fleet on the Mississippi River during the Civil War. She later married William Daniel Cabell, 1834-1904, and was a founding officer the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution


The identity of her correspondent, Walter S. Hunter, is unknown.
MSS 276

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton of the 23rd Ohio]

Played as usual Practiced
read some. Major called
this evening to hear us
play Paid cook 50 cts clear
very pleasant

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Francis G. Hale of the 34th Ohio Zouaves]

I have the privelage of
washing my clothes to
day I washed 1 shirt
1 pair drawers 2 pair
socks for my self then
I washed a lot of
towels for the mess and
a pair of drawers 1 shirt
1 pair of socks for another
man which I don very
well considering the
chance I had while
I was young to learn
there was a bout 2
hundred cavelry past
through here to day
from guyandott they
was going to a town
Called Louisa the
called their selves the
secnd Virginia

MSS 13405

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of Company F, 25th Massachusetts]

General did not come so we
had a battalion drill, this afternoon got
ready to be paid off

MSS 11293

Dear Mother Yesterday Mister Staples called to see me & I can
tell you that I was verry glad to see one of the Neighbours & hear that
al the Folks were as well as when I left them & I hope your health will
continue so, The mittens that you sent to me by him fit me first rate
I was gone to write to you to have you make A pair for me they have been
making up A paper that is called the alotment Roll which I have signed
Fifteen dollars which will be paid to the Treasurer department with
Fathers name signed to it, I do not know wether they will send it to the
House or advertise it in the Paper bit I think it will be sent to the
House so if they advertise it in the Paper Father will know
that it is for him if it goes right, the next payment I shall sign it so that
he can have it every payment I have not heard from George since he
has return to Baltimore but I have written to him give my love to
Lizzie & tell her that I would like to have her to write to me I sent some old
letters Home by Mr. Staples & I think that I put all my stamp Envelopes
with them I cannot find them nor can I buy any more out here and
if you are A mind to you may tell William to send me A dollars worth
& tell him I dont think it will break him to send that amount I
want him to send them in yours or Fathers next one to me for
if he dont I shall have to go without writing remember to tell him
to send A dollars worth from your Son
Joseph Leavitt

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George Leavitt of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66