Fort Tillinghast, Oct. 10th/62
  My Dear Wife
                           Yours of the 6th Oct I had
the pleasure of receiving last night.  I am in
first rate health and spirits. You would be
astonished to see me eat my rations.  We
have put some new cooks in the cookhouse
and we now get our rations cooked a great
deal better than we did by the old cooks.  You
speak of having rainy dull weather last week.
We had very dry and hot weather with one light
shower.  To-day it is foggy but will burn off soon.
We have got things nearly all fixed up for
winter quarters. We could have gone back to
Fort Albany this week if we had wished to
Capt Chandler had his choice whether to
go or stay here, he thought it best for us to
stay here, as we have got fixed up in pretty
good shape, and it would be a good deal of
trouble to move, I am glad we are to stay
here.  There is no doubt now, I think, about
our staying here this winter.  We are having a
new cookhouse, and oven built, and that looks

[page 2]
like staying here this winter.  Wm said nothing
to me when he was here, about  coming to war.
I believer we did’nt say much about the war, it
has got to be an old story and we dont think
much about it any way.  We think it about “played
out”. You speak of sending a barrell or half barrell, I think
that you can send a box cheaper than either.  I want
you if you do send, to send me some good butter.
We can get stuff called butter of the Sutler, for
which he charges 35cts per pound, he gets nothing
out of me however, About the Quilt, it wants to
be a little longer than a man, and a little wider than
two men, the Bed Sack you need not get, We can
get one here of a friend for half a dollar, which is
wide enough for two to sleep on.  I see by the papers
that Corporal Keith (the one that paid attention
to Ada Lamplier) was killed at the battle of
Antietam, I saw him and had a long talk with
him at Clouds Mills, when we went on the advance.
He was a good soldier, and liked by all hi s comrades.
My Paper and Envelopes, I sometimes buy, I have
had a considerable given me, We can get such things
of Pedlars who come around camp, sometimes we

[page 3]
take things away from them, and then tell them
to leave, which they do in double quick time, and
especially those that try to Jew us.  You would be
surprised to see how slick some of the “Boys” will “shive”
things away from the pedlars, they do it for deviltry more
than anything else.  There is’nt much probability of our
being paid off, before next month, I shall try and send
you fifty dollars, when we are paid off.  I want you if
you send a box, to send me some n\more of the Indian
Weed, I dont chew any of it now, I merely smoke a very
little, We can get Persimmons now, they are very nice.
I am obliged to you for that three cent stamp, but they
dont pass for money out here, I can use it however
on a letter, it is the other kind that goes for money.
I am very glad that you have made up your
mind to go to Lyceum Lectures, because I
know that you will enjoy yourself much
by so doing. I want you to enjoy yourself all you
can while you are young, because I shall come
home one of these days, and then we will settle
down and talk over the past, with our darling
children around us. I guess there is a good time
coming for all of us yet.  I believe it strong

[page 4]
Col. Greene has gone home to Boston on a furlough.
I believe he is not very well, there is some talk that
he aint coming back to the regiment. I suppose
that is all camp talk.  Col Wright is here sick
that is all camp talk.  Col Wright is here sick
with Fever and Jaundice.  I am sorry for him as
he is a very fine man, a perfect gentleman;
  I have’nt much more to write now, I will
try and write again Sunday, I hope to receive
a letter from you Saturday.  If there is anything
that I dont write that you would like to
know, please ask me and I will answer if
I am able,so to do.  Good day, God bless and
keep you and our dear children from all harm
is the constant prayer of your loving
husband.        
                                             Robert
N.B.  Please write with a little better ink and
much oblige,—R

Robert, an unidentified soldier from Lynn, Mass., in Co. M, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery


MSS 1242

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

     Oct. 10, ’62.
Started early this
morning. Estimat-
ed loss of ours
in last fight, 800,

in killed & wounded,
rebels 1500.
Saw a great many
wounded & prisoners
this morning in
passing along.
It is said, that
the arrival of our
brigade (21) turned
the tide of battle.
Encamped about
2 o’clock in a
most beautiful
grove, about 6 miles
from Danville.
Raining hard, &
very wet, – no shel-
ter for the night.

Very cold & wet all
night. alarmed by
firing of pickets, & cal-
led into line, between
12 & 1 o’clock. Rebel
cavalry advanced
within 150 yds. of
our lines; – dispersed
& driven back by Cox’s
(10 Md.) battery.

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

Friday, October 10, 1862

Left our  bivouac at
2 oclock this morning
Marched over north Mt
Marched until within
about 8 miles of Hancock
when an alarm was
given that the Enemy were
crossing the river in our
rear. after lying some time
it was ascertained to be
false.  Marched 15 miles
arrived at Hancock about
noon.  Passed under the Central[?]
to the Potomac which we
forded.  Marched up the
river short distance &
camped. Will probably
take the cars at this place
A lady gave me through her little boy
some fresh butter across the river
Cloudy raining since we
camped. Have tent fixed up

MSS 10317

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

Thurs. Fri 10.  Henry & Son, Tilly  Mr H & children all came – a drizzly
day.  Struck tents – drew up in line – I offered short prayer
& we marched to Delaware & took boat for Phila.

  Army, on march –
broke open bbls of bread for men – & distributed mails.  At Phila.
men & Officers took dinner at refreshment saloon.  I bot. camp
chests & dined with Henry, Col. D. & Mr. Cope – cars at eveg
for Balto.   whole regt. march in same 18 cars – arrived –
  Balto. 3. a m all marched on foot across city – hot –
muddy – dark rainy morng – tolerable breakfast in Saloon
& cars  

[as transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

After breakfast read my Bible & then
finished Silverwood, but I do not like
that as much as I did Mrs L[?]
After reading was going to write when
Mrs Blackburn Ellen & Kate came over to
spend the day–Enjoyed hearing them
talk very much–Hite called to see
Pa—  We live in a [fever?] these
days coming, & going all the time.  I
long for a nice quiet home again.
Can not feel settled, Truly never
has the saying more appropriate than
now- No knowing what a day may
bring forth, I feel this every hour.
I long to hear, & still dread the veil to be
lifted each day,  There is no rest, no
peace this side the grave.

[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.]

Friday 10  It has been raining all night–& from appearances will
continue to do so all day–Sarah has received a letter a letter by last
nights mail from Fred I was too glad to see his hand writing when
it was brought in to me first–As we have all suffered much
anxiety on his account—Since hearing of the last battle near Corinth
where tis said after desperate fighting & great loss on both sides we
had to retreat before their new reinforcements–Numbering 4
or five to our one–It has cast a gloom over the Confederacy.  As we
now still leave Nashville in a starving condition–William is
better to day–I hope his indisposition will prove only a cold–Liz
received two letters–None for Eliza or myself–I am very anxious
to hear from Georgia.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Friday 10.  It is now clear that
the attack on the enemies lines at Corinth
was a disastrous one –our troops were
repulsed with great loss. it seems to
have been a fool hardy [experience?]
to storm entrenchments manned by
the best troops in the Federal ser-
vice. Dabney Maury, command-
-ing a Division had a hard time
His troops were cut to pieces.  Van
Dorn, I suspect, is impetuous &
not fit to command an army
however gallantly he may
lead a charge. He was promoted
too rapidly–a very hard days
work–At In the evening a
young man came to ask lodgings
for the night for his mother
who had come from S. Carolina to
see her son who had been wounded
on the Rappahannock and who
has  since had typhoid fever. of
course we could not refuse.  Her
name is Goodchild.  The Orange
train brought Mrs Carter- a widowed
daughter of our old friend Revd
Charles B. Taliaferro.  He married a
Miss Armistead, whose mother was a
Carter–His brother married a Carter
and she having no children adopted
Charles’ orphans.  This young lady
married a Carter and was in a few
months left a widow. She is very
young, very pretty & agreeable.  She
is on her way to Careyswood where
she is to act as teacher o the children
We are all much pleased with her
Lanty met her at the cars.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

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

Thursday
Oct 9
Felt some better this morning.  Took
a powder for physic but as it did not
operate I took a dose of oil tonight.  Phineas went
on picket.  I fixed a tick this afternoon, as Phineas
wanted one to make a bed of, I afterwards went out
into the woods and there kneeling down prayed.
I had quite an argument with Pollard this after-
noon.  He denied the truth of the Bible, though he
confessed that he had never read it much, and
asserted that it contradicted itself, which I defied
him to prove or bring and example of, but he was
unable to do.  May God enlighten his mind and open
his heart, a reports comes tonight of another fight
in which we our forces were victorious.  God grant
that it may be true.

MSS 11293

   Lexington Lafayette coun Kentucky
                         October the 9th ’62
Dear Parents
                       It is with pleasure
I seat myself this morning to write
you a few lines to inform you that
me & Cummings are well hopeing
when this comes to hand it will
find you all in the same state
of health Cummngs has got a
very sore foot he cannot wear his
shoe on it their come something like
a raison on the instep of his foot
he gets to ride on the account of it
we travail hear day and night we
marched last night untill about twelve
oclock, we have been for the last fore
or five days marching day and knight
we start by day light in the morning
and put up an hour by the
sun and get supper then strike
out again.  The boys calls our brigade

[page 2]
the foot cavalry These Kentuckians
makes me mad enough to shoot them
Their is always some of the stuck up
in a bugy rideing backwards and
forward by us. While we are in pack
ing hear with great loads travailing
through the hot sun from plase to
protect them and their property. While
was a mt Sterling passed through
from cumberland gap to the ohio but
while they was going through old John
Morgan & Major Shawhorn killed and
took a good many of them general Martials
brigad even back as far as Owings
Ville.  Why he did not go on I cannot tell
after Morgan and Showhorn had left
the yankees and started back Shawh-
orn was shot dead by a bushwhacker–
Their was seven or eigh men along before
with Showhorn they tryed to catch
the bushwacker but he escaped

[page 3]
Our men and the yankees had
a figh when in about a leven
miles from us whe heard the cannons
fireing. It is reported that our men
killed and took very near all of them
I been looking every day or too to get
into it but have never fired a gun
yet.  but we have done our share of
travailing on these acatmised rodes.
One of hour boys got  a letter this
morning he said his father wrote
that very near all of the hogs had
died in russell with the colery.  The
most and the bigest hogs I ever seen
tey have them down hear & mules
any amount of them. This is a
tolerable large town everything in it
that a person wants. shugar coffee
soda shoes boots & every thing else
but us privates cannot get out
of our encampment to get anything

[page 4]
I have never heard from you
only by old Jacob fulkerson
since you left I would like
to get a letter mr fulkerson said
he though you had got a letter from
rieves and he was well.  we heard
that our men have washington
[?] the possession I would be glad
to know whether it is so or not
our forces hear in kentucky
are not fare apart. some at frankfort
some hear.  Charles M Browning sat
down this morning to wright home
he wrote about one hour and looked
over his letter and [word lined through] tore it
up and swore he never would
try to write another letter he
told me to write that he was well
William A Gilmer is well he is
guard to day or he would of wrote
Sarah Cumming has a little
ring he is a going to send you
no more at present but remain
your son C. H. Gilmer

Charles Hayes Gilmer, 29th Virginia, Co. G

MSS 5194