Richmond Oct 16. 1862

My Dear Neice
                           I reached here on day before yesterday
A few days before leaving home your letter of the 24th
Sept was received.  To day I was informed by Mr John M. Speed
that his sister Mrs Rudd was about leaving for the City
of Washington under a flag of truce and he kindly offered
to see that any letter I might write to you should be
forwarded by him.  I gladly avail myself of the opportunity to send
an answer to yours of the 24th Ult.  I perceive that up
to the date of that letter you had received but one
letter from me.  I had written you three–all written
in time to have been received by you before the 24th
and all sent by persons who I was assured would us
every exertion to get them to you.  Your aunt Martha
ad your Cousin Margaret have also each sent you
several letters.
  I find some difficulty in advising you what course to pursue
were I to consult my own feelings alone I would desire
to see you and the children take up your permanent
abode in Virginia abut I do not think it would be right
to advise you to move to this state as a home during
the war as I can not tell what effect the such a step
might have on your own property and that of the
children left in your charge. No considerations of the
kind however seem to me to stand in the way of
your coming and bringing the children with you

[page 2]
on a visit for the winter.  I need scarcely assure you that
such a visit would be a source of the highest pleasure
to me, to Martha and to Margaret.  We are all anxious
to have you and the children with us.
 I think you have acted wisely in giving up your home
for the present.  I do not see how you could have
stayed there without some male protection.  I do not doubt
you will be able to get a suitable tenant for the house and
grounds at a suitable ren  handsome rent as it is a
very eligible and desirable residence.  I think too
that your plan of taking a place in some school
is a good one, as well for yourself as for the children.
In the discharge of the duties of such a situation I could not
but ope that your mind would be to some extent relieved
from the gloomy thoughts in which, in the absence of such
employment, I should fear you would indulge.
As stated in my previous letters it would give me pleasure
(and I can say the same for Mr Bouldin) to give you
any advice or aid in my power in the conduct and
management of the property and affairs of business
left in your charge.  You must not hesitate to connect
with us freely whenever you feel that our council or
assistance may be of service to you.  I am glad to
hear that thus far you have to been in want of
the means to meet, as they arose the expense of
the estate and  the children.  As however the
estate is yielding but a small income in its present
shape, and in the present disturbed state of the
country this it may happen that you may find use

[page 3]
in maintaining the children for more ready money
than the rest of the property will yield.  In such
contingency do not hesitate for a moment to acquaint
me with your wants and wishes.  It will afford me
heartfelt pleasure at any time to aid you in this or
any other way.
I saw Margaret the day before I left home. She was quite
well. She has again a very good school.  She told me that
she designed writing to you in a few days and
would forward the letter to me to be sent on to you.
I hope I may have the pleasure of sending a letter
from her to you in a short time.
  I was agreeably surprised in meeting Ella Bouldin on the
street to-day.  She is on a visit to Dr Dean and the
Barksdales her relations–She has recently had a
second attack of  Diphtheria but is now convalescent. Her
mother and several of the children have been quite
unwell for some weeks but but I am happy to
say that they are all now getting well.
My son John was slightly wounded (by a ball through his
hand) in the battle of Boonsborough.  He is at home and
is rapidly getting well of his wound.  He expected, when I
left Lynchburg, to pay a short visit to his Aunt Martha
and family at Roanoke about this time.
Joe and Stuart have both recovered of their wounds
and gone back to the army.
I trust you will soon get this and you may also soon
be able to avail yourself of some opportunity to
let us hear from you again.  I should think

[page 4]
that if you wold get some friend to hand your
letters to the Secretary of War at Washington with
a request to have them forwarded that the
request would be complied with and we might
thus hear from you more frequently.  Mr Randolph
has promised to send on any letters I may have for
you.
I expect to remain here, attending my court till the
25th of Nov.   In the meantime I hope to hear from you
often–Elizabeth is now with me but expects to go to Charlotte
in a few days.  She writes with me in best love to you and
the children.     Most affectionately
                                     Your Uncle
                                         Wm Daniel Jr

Mary Virginia Ellet Cabell, 1839-1930, and her siblings were orphaned when their father, the noted
engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. was mortally wounded on the Queen of the West in the naval battle for
Memhis, and their mother died a few days later.  She maintained a correspondence across the lines with her Virginia relatives and eventually married a cousin William Daniel Cabell from Nelson County.  Decades later she was founding member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

MSS 276
                          

(Oct 24th)  Rather
cold this morning & heavy frost.  Head aches a good
deal, & side pained considerably last night.
Sat up, & wrote letter to Cousin Ann Blair.  Miss
L- sat part the morning with me.  Mr Braden
tells me that McClellan is building a Pontoon
bridge at Berlin on the Potomac, for what pur-
-pose, none of us can tell.  Mr Gregg was to see me
this afternoon.  Miss Jeannette & Miss L- sat part
of afternoon with me.  Has been very pleasant
today.

[Lt. John Tyler’s diary ends here.]

Identifying Lt. John Tyler by diary transcriber Mary Roy Dawson Edwards

     As one reads this document, the deference given Lt. John Tyler by every one with whom he comes in contact is noteworthy.  Some research was done to try and establish if there is a family connection with the President of the United States, John Tyler, who was in office from 4 April 1841 to 4 March 1845..

     Some personal facts gathered from his dairy are that his birthday is 13 May (page 7). On page nine on 19 May [1862], he writes “married just one month today”.  He always refers to his wife as “Jennie”.  On page ten, he notes, “After tea went to see Col Marshall, sat with him until tattoo.”  On July 30th, he writes, “Reached Tuckahoe at 9 ½ o’c.  Spent a very pleasant day with Florrie & the Mrs’ Blair’s.  In evening with Henry & Florrie [his sister] went down to the boat, and met Miss Ann B…..” ( On page ninety-three, he notes that he has written to his cousin, Ann Blair.)  Lt. Tyler refers to “my old Co. F_ lost very heavily…..” on page 29.  Also on page 29, he states that he stopped at “Dr. Hill’s for breakfast (brother of General A.P. Hill)”.  On page 35, he mentions that he “Took dinner at Jas. Barbour’s (quite a fine house). This would be Barboursville, home of Governor James Barbour. Also, General Robert Wright visits him several times while he is ill.

     Extensive use of this diary is made by Dr. Peter S. Carmichael is his book, The Purcell, Crenshaw and Letcher Artillery,  pub. in Lynchburg, Va. by H.E. Howard in 1990.  On page 169, is the following: “Tyler, John: age 25, 2/1/62, transferred from Company F, Twenty-First Virginia Infantry.  Appointed lieutenant of Letcher Artillery. 5/19/63, resigned from post because of heart problems.  Member of Pegram Bn. Association.  His wartime diary, covering the year 1862, is located at the University of Virginia.”

     Dr. Charles W. Turner, author of  Captain Greenlee Davidson, C.S.A. Diary and Letters 1851-1863, published by McClure Press in Verona,Virginia in 1975, includes a letter of Captain Davidson’s written to his mother on 21 November 1862 (pages 58-59) that refers to Captain Tyler, as follows: “You can have some idea of how nicely we are fixed when I tell you we entertained two ladies at our Camp last week and lodged one of them for the night.  The ladies were the mother and wife of Lt. C. A. Tyler.  He was attacked with fever just before we entered Maryland and we were compelled to leave him at the house of a Mr. Braden near Leesburg.  He was very ill for a long while and his father, mother and wife went on to attend him.  Shortly after they reached Leesburg, the enemy re-occupied Loudoun  Co. unexpectedly and they were completely cut off from home.”

     “The Yankees discovered Tyler and paroled him whilst sick in bed, but did not discover his parents or his wife.  They carried off one of my best Battery horses he had with him – a splendid animal one of the finest I ever saw.”

     “After the enemy advanced towards Culpeper C. H. Tyler having recovered sufficiently to travel, his father managed to bring him over into the Valley.  I happened to meet them as they were passing Camp on their way to Winchester.  They were traveling in a two horse covered road wagon and looked as if they were jolted to death.  They seemed perfectly rejoiced however at having reached our lines.  I at once insisted on the whole party accompanying me to Camp and spending the night with us.  The ladies at first ridiculed the idea of staying all night in Camp – but when I told them of the miserable accommodations they would receive at the hotels in Winchester they finally consented.  We gave our friends an elegant supper consisting of nice light biscuits, beefsteak, scrambled eggs, butter, molasses and coffee with sugar and milk.  They declared that they had not enjoyed a meal more for many a day.  Fearing that sleeping in a tent might bring on a relapse with Lt. Tyler, I carried him after supper, to a farm house near at hand and secured a place for him and his wife……”

     “…….The next morning Lt. Tyler’s wife joined us at breakfast, but he was not well enough to get up to an early breakfast.”

     “The ladies said they were never more elegantly or handsomely entertained and have promised to pay us another visit.  Two or three hours after breakfast I sent the whole party in my spring wagon to Winchester where they took the stage to Staunton.  Mrs. Tyler says she had no idea how pleasant camp life is and says she will now have something to talk about for the balance of her life.”

      One notices that Captain Greenlee refers to Tyler as “Lt. C. A. Tyler”   and two paragraphs later as “C. H. Tyler”.  However, there is no doubt that this is Lt. John Tyler, who recuperated with Mr. Noble Braden and his family at their home, Eudora, near Leesburg.

     On March 29, 1863  Captain Greenlee writes from Camp Maury to Dr. [John] Tyler,  “You had better forward your surgeon certificate in order to show the condition of your health, since your return to Richmond and upon proof of your fitness for active service, your reinstatement should follow.  It was decided sometime ago that we were entitled to four lieutenants and I had Munford commissioned as 2nd lieutenant, to rank as such from November last.  Hence for sometime past we have had four commissioned officers with the company.”

     Is Dr. Tyler the same person as  Lt. John Tyler who became ill in September 1862?  Perhaps, however we do not know for sure.  And so far, his connection with President John Tyler or some other politically prominent person has not been proven.

     According to the eminent historian, Robert K. Krick, John Tyler “belonged to the prewar socially elite “Company F” in Richmond, which surely suggests some standing in the community”.

     According to Chris L. Ferguson, author of Hollywood Cemetery: Her Forgotten Soldiers: Confederate Field Officers at Rest,  John Tyler is “buried in Sec. L, lot 26.  It’s fairly close to the tomb of President Tyler.”  Mr. Ferguson states that, “As far as I can recall, there was some connection between the two.”

     His obituary appears on page one of the Sunday, January 6, 1924 “Richmond Times Dispatch” accompanied by a photograph.  A notice of his death appears on Tuesday, January 8, 1924 on page nineteen of the “Richmond Times Dispatch”.  His obituary states that after his illness “he was appointed first lieutenant of artillery on the Invalid Corps of the C. S. A. and assigned to the staff of General James Kemper where he continued until the end of the war.”

MSS  6150

[on patriotic stationary with vignette of soldier saying farewell to young woman with home and church in background]

                 Vermillion
                   October
                     16th
                       1862
Dear Bro
Received yours
dated 9th last night
Well I am in Vermillion
& calculate to stay there
a while I have not been
at Cleveland since you left
how is mother now I
received a letter from Geo dated
9th he did not say a word
about Levinas death all
he said about it that
made me think was that

[page 2]
little somebody was in
Richfield he says Mary went
with him and they had a
little time of it tell me
about it, quite a number
of the drafted men were
discharged from here
J Crop
Philo Moreouse
Mack Edron
G M Taft
I think I have some chance
to escape next time
Those that were not discharged
got substitutes
the names of those that got
substitutes
O H Tilden
G V Griffith
Thomas Green

[page 3]
Chas Martin Wheeler Washburn
Geo Tey Geo Taylor J Cronewalt
H Riblet Gus Black, Arzan
Bartholomew J T Black
I am well and feel well
have got me a new coat, cost
me $13.50 it is silk and wool, will
send you a peice do not know
what I shall do when I get
through here some work will be
provided for me I guess I do not
know where it is coming from
if I only knew how to telegraph
I could get an office right off
a south Charleston on the little
miama R.R. as agent and OPer-
ator I can get an Office any time
I have a mind to learn If I had
the chance I would learn now

[fragment of letter from Wilbur  F. Hawxhurst of the 65th Ohio]

MSS 11031

                                                              1862
Sigels Army Corps  beyond Fairfax Va  Oct 15
                                      Dear Phebe
Your letter and picture has  just come
and you will accept my thanks for it.  I
will try to answer your questions, but
first let me say that it is new to us
that we are going to be made into a
battery. They get news at home so much faster
than we do here that it is hard to
keep up with them.  I am glad you
went to Readsville to visit Joseph [?]
and was glad that you enjoyed your
visit.  Your account of the bill of fare
made me smile.They will soon find
out the difference between Camp and
field, it is all fine weather now
but when they come to make a march
as we did in the midst of torrents of
rain with nothing but hard crackers
and poor watter with a chance to lie on
the wet ground without any tents at night
this will make them laugh out of the
other side of their mouths if it don’t

[page 2]
I’m mistaken. We have just returned from
our first inspection by Gen Sigel and
have been assigned our position in
his army  He is very much pleased
with us and has given us a place
in the front, which is not usual
for a new regiment to occupy. His
troops turned out en masse to see and
to critisize our movements: The first
day they welcomed us as men, but now
it was as soldiers. We felt somewhat
embarrassed, appearing before these
splendid troops : but Col Maggi
told us not to be frightened: but do the
best that we could, and let them know
that we knew something as well
as they: I think we made a pretty
good impression as the Gen. said we
much better drilled than he expected
to find us: I wish you could see these
german soldiers: it was always a
mystery to me that they were always
victorious but it is not now I have
a new england pride and would
not say anything against our soldiers

[page 3]
but I verily believe that 300 of Sigels
cavalry would drive our whole regnt
regiment off the field: They will charge
in line like one man and with the
speed and force of thunderbolt making
the very earth tremble beneath their feet.
Of the prospect ahead I cannot speak
as you might not get the letter as all
my letters are liable to be opened: and if
any thing  should be found in them
it could not go. Enough to say. With
the blessing of god this army will not
be defeated: You write that you feel
sometimes discouraged in your christian
course: Look upward, not downwards
Look  forward not backwards: when
you begin to look at yourself you get
away from the great fountain of all
consolation and every thing looks dark
and gloomy but only look to Jesus and
all doubts and fears will vanish and
you will have the glorious assurance
which he who is mighty and willing
to save is alone able to give: I will you
two little books: the one a little prayer

[page 4]
book (I have two) and the other (only one now) is one
which I have read with much attention and is I
think an excellent book–Our Prayer meetings
are well attended and there is quite an
interest manifested by some who have not
thought much on these t hings I tell you
Phebe, place death right in front of any man-
and he will think if never before.  Think you
if when meet in the vestry for the prayer meeting
those assembled should be informed that they
were expecting every day to engage in the deadly
contest in which some must die, think you
would the meeting be cold or formal: think
you would there be any fault finding No far
from it: I have seen men who do not fear to die
and heard them too,urging men to repentance
with a voice trembling with emotion while tears
ran down their cheeks and the lips quivered as
as[sic] they offered them salvation through crucified
savior Of my own labors I will not speak  leaving
it with God to be revealed th at the last great
day when all things will be revealed and when
all shall be judged both quick and dead
Good morning with much love
                                                   Joseph
PS
    My boots have not come yet but
I suppose they will get along
after a while things come slow
it takes about a week for a box
to get here  J W P

Joseph Perry, Co. K, 33rd Massachusetts

MSS 2215

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]

Thurs 16. Ordered to report to Gen Casey as Chaplain – examined
my papers   sd I had a clean record.  Some of the Chaplains
had not –  At 12 reviewed by Gen. C – Whole Brig –
at P.M.- Visited Camps of our Brigs – Attended Eveg prayer
                       
in Camp of Vt. 12.  pretty Light – Held six tent prayer
meetgs in eveg, a Corporal used rather impudent words to me –
a Rom. Cath.  &  rebuked him mildly – trust he will do better
first case of improper treatment I have recd – some meetgs
very pleasant, all respectful – & grateful –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]

Thursday, Oct. 16, 1862

Was up all night. Could
not sleep for Cold.  got up
& started fire about 3 Oclock
this morning about 8 Oclock
got off the cars and marched
crossing the river or creek
by three covered Bridges
Went about a mile to a
fine camping ground in
a valley by the Creek
The Country around looks
better than my old impression
led me to suppose it to be
got a small mess of Potatoes &
onions this evening also [?]
rec’d this evening a
Letter from Jennie Langan
the first mail we have
had for some time
Cloudy Cool

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Captain Willian F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

     Oct. 16th, 62.
Still very sick this
morning. Eat nothing
from 3 P.M. yesterday until
after 10 A.M. to-day; then

only 2 or 3 hard crackers.
Compelled again to-
day to ride in ambu-
lance; which is cer-
tainly not very pleas-
ant to a sick man,
over rough roads
with very poor springs
to the wagon, & a care-
less driver.
Quite a number pris-
oners passing back to-
day, – all paroled.
They have various ar-
ticles of clothing tak-
en from our soldiers –
some over-coats, some

blankets, some hats or
caps, & some shoes.
Marched only 3 or 4 miles,
but the roads so full of
wagons & men, that we
were until about 3 P.M. going
that distance.
For some unknown
reason, faced right about
& marched back to our
last night’s camp on
Boone fork  brush creek, at an old
frame church.
An architectural peculi-
arity of the country is,
that the chimnies are
all of stone & built on

the outside of the
houses, as well in
towns as elsewhere.

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Mr Boyd left as I had predicted, & we found
out that he is a Baptist minister.  Why he
did not tell it can not imagine.
Nat came just as we got up from breakfast-
but there were some nice hot rolls brought
in for him which he enjoyed hugely–told
us all about his trip to Penn & Md with Stewart-
-took a [?] [?]] & two thousand horses & burned
government stores at Chambersburg–but Gen S-
would not permit his men to straggle or steal-
Gen Jones caught a Lieut just coming out of a store with
two new hats & made him give them up & had him arrested
the man turned to him & said “we will settle this Sir when the
war is over.” Gen J gave him a withering look & said you old rogue
talk about settling with me, a gentlemen, Man hung his head-
J shook another fellow, & about thirty yds of calico fell from
underneath his coat; “Oh, sir, said an old woman putting her head
out an upper window, they are stealing all we have. “Yes
Madam,” said Jones, “It is just what your men did in our
country, but I dont allow it & am ashamed that I have
such a set of rogues along.”  They met a man with a fine horse
and a cart & when they told him to give  him up, the man burst into
tears, exclaiming Oh don’t take poor old “Billie,” but we took
him–A man came here who has been getting hay & insisted he
had a right to press Pa’s hay, but Pa got very angry-got his
pistol & said would shoot him if he did & when Nat went
out the man pretended to be satisfied.  Pa had no more
left than he wanted & departed, but we were all frightened &
fear he may turn up again.  He pretended also that he
was going to pay Pa in M money & when Pa asked to see it
had none & the said the Gen told  him to find out what
Pa asked in Md money & pay him the same in confederate
Pa called him a scoundrel
had so much to write about to day, forgot to say a
little on the uninteresting subject of my 24th birthday.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Thursday 16th  Bright & clear–After sewing steadily all day I went
this afternoon to ride with Eliza & Liz–& found it very pleasant. We
called in at a Mr Burifyers-& saw his wife weaving  His daughter
played the Piano for us–Since our return Mrs Walters has
told us of the death of Mrs Giffith McRee–The old doctor’s illness–
Eliza McRees –& Dr Drane’s–also of Mr John McRaes death–the
fever we hear does not abate & there are now 500 cases.
How dreadful it is–It makes me sick at heart to think of it–

MSS 6960