[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Saturday, January 10
Finished the ordnance report this fore-
noon. This afternoon cleaned up for Sunday
Have had some rain to day and it is raining this
evening. Lat night they had quite a time in the
captains tent, singing and playing the guitar, and
kept me awake till after midnight so I do not
feel very well to-night.
MSS 11293
Fort Gains. Jay 10th 1863
My Dear Wife.
Since I wrote you yesterday
nothing of any interest worthy of special
mention has transpired – I send you by Mr
Rhodes some Cabbage and Beet seed also
a letter to Lieut Olivier which I trust you
have sent him – I wrote to him to Telegraph
me when he was going to leave for
the Army so that I might see him
before he left – I send by “Willis”
Mail Nice Glasses which I found
down here. All of the Georgia
Negros who have been at work
here will be sent home to night
Those from Alabama will be retained
untill the work is Completed which
will be two or three weeks. I have been
expecting a letter from you for a day
or two past but have not received it as
yet –
Your affectionate Husband
W. H. Locke
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
William H. Locke of the Eufaula Minutemen and later the 7th Alabama Cavalry
MSS 13485
The Palace
Saturday, Jan. 10, 1863
The mail has come, but it brought me no letter. I have
received not a line from my wife which was written this
year. I can not weep as you did, for that would be un-
manly; nor can I chide as you felt like doing, for I am sure
that you have written from a sense of duty to your husband
and not less because of the pleasure you find in writing. I
must cultivate the spirit of patience, and relieve the loneliness
of these days by the hope that a letter will come “to-morrow”
and by the happier, though less certain hope that soon I
can afford to dispense with pen and ink in the enjoyment of
the living presence and the living voice and the sweet caresses of
my precious Ella. — After a brief interruption to share our
camp dinner of corn-bread, beef, soup and potatoes, I resume
my seat by the bright hearth of this palatial residence whose
shelter is prized highly this day of rain, and resume also my
favorite theme — the longing and the hope of my heart for the
tender greeting and loving caresses of my dear wife who in the
pleasant household of bro. Crew longs and hopes for me. Bro. Spriggs
returned from a visit to his sons, sits next me, pipe in mouth.
Next him is Dr. Thornhhill, reading to-day’s Whig. He had hoped
to receive his furlough this morning, and to start for Campbell
where he has important business, as his property will be sold next
Wednesday. Besides, he is of course anxious to see his family from
whom he has been absent since last summer. But no tidings from
his application have been received, and he is in painful suspense
though endeavoring to preserve the calm of a philosopher, or rather
the cheerful patience and submission of a patriot and christian
I have been away from you only one month; and yet how
I long for the sight of your face, and how bitter will be my
disappointment if I fail to get leave of absence next a week or two
hence! You have all confidence, darling, in the depth of
my affection; and yet you can hardly know or believe how truly
you are my life, and with what desire I yearn to be with
you. Again and again does the thought take possession of me. If
[page 2]
we were together every day and hour, helping each other in duty,
comforting each other in trial, doubling by communion all our joys, how
happy I would be! But I must try to be contented in whatever
state Providence places me, and to be thankful for the knowledge
that, though distant, one heart — a heart so pure, and true, and
generous, and loving, beats ever for me. About the middle of next
week I intend to start my application for a furlough, and to
state in it that it absence will not interfere with my duties during
this inclement season, but rather be of advantage to my regiment
by enabling me to supply them with religious reading. If I get
he leave in time, I will go to Richmond Monday the 19th, or
as soon thereafter as possible. But while I thus tell you my full
plan, I must again warn you, my darling, not to look for-
ward with too sure a hope to this pleasure, lest you should suffer
a very sad disappointment. The furlough may be delayed, or
even rejected.
Thursday night I spent agreeably with Henry
Peyton. He promised to stay with me last night, but did not come.
The last few days I have been re-reading Macaulay’s History
of England. The style is so fascinating that a hundred pages
a day do not weary. Have you read those volumes? to the
truth of history they had the charm of romance. — Bro. Spriggs
has spoken of leaving to-morrow, but I had intended to get a ser
mon from him beforehand. The rain will in all probability pre
vent any religious services. I will try to spend the Sabbath
profitably in reading the Scriptures and meditation. I will
in imagination be with my wife at Sabbath-school, at preaching
and at home. I can see her seated at home, musing as she
listens to the rain about her husband, and wondering whether he is
comfortable in body and mind. I send kisses to the ladies, and
kind remembrances to all the members of the family, with the
hopes that I will speedily see them. to my darling I can send
only the renewed assurance that I am wholeheartedly,
Your loving husband
J. C. Granbery.
[in top margin of page 2]
Sunday morning. To the rain has succeeded a beautiful morning. I am well, and have been so
nearly all the past week. I send this by Bro. Spriggs. I am told that furloughs are often not acted on for two weeks.
I will enter my application to-morrow. to the tender care of our Father I ever commend you, darling of my heart.
John Cowper Granbery, formerly a chaplain at the University of Virginia, served as chaplain of the 11th Virginia Regiment and was later a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
MSS 4942
[from the diary of Sgt. Robert Larimer, Co. C., 62nd Ohio]
Saturday, January 10, 1863
Making out pay rolls dress parade
weather cloudy some rain wrote
a letter to Sarah Larimer
Sunday 11
Clear & warm wrote a letter
to Alice A. Larimer
Monday 12
On guard Battalion & Company
drill dress parade –warm
MSS 38-129
January the 10
1863
Fair ground Norfolk, va
Dear Wife i once more
I seat my selef to in form you
that i am well and in the very
best of helth and was very glad to
here from you to here you was well
and injoying good helth we have bin
pade of and toys air in good
spirrets they have bough new boots and
caps and shirts and indead a finer
looking companey never was seen
than this all tho their clothing
cost a good deal and when they got
drest up and looked so fine i though
i wold not be behind and I bought
me a sudt suite i dont think you wold
no me now all tho i neaded them
for it is some cold here and i
want to take good care of my
helth as i can for it is very
harde to hav poor helth in the
armey all tho i have bin
blest with good helth sense
i left home
[page 2]
i received that letter which you
sent me stating a bout cosin charley
i bough me socks so you nead not
Send me eney the reason i have
not wrote to you before is this
i had no paper to write to
you till we got our pay i
will enclose 20 dolars in this
letter and i will Send Some
more before a grate while but
i want to keep Some money
buy me this time for i
dont whant to be deprived of
it so long a gane as i was this
time well dear wife i will
close for the presant hoping
to here from you soon
Drect as before
This is from youre husband
Edward Shepherd to his Wife
i will pay captin that 10 dolersback when he comes back
[page 3]
I must explain to you how i got
that nail i faund it in one of the
secesh valts not far from this place
i use to be frighten at seing deid
boddys but the famley haf all gon
a way and the the valts ar all left
open and you can see the deid lying
in the Coffens in valts and the
bones laying all over the grave
yard we haf not got all of our pay
yet but we expect to git the balance
in a few days
[page 4]
i wish i cold com home and se you
all ones more
Edward Sheppard, 7th New York Light Artillery
MSS 12631
Camp Fifth Maine Cols. Near the Rapphahannock river Va Jany 10th 1863
Dear Father — I now set down to answer your letters of the third & fifth
which I received & was glad to hear that you had received that fifteen doll
ars which I have been waiting to hear from & of yours & Mothers good health
but there is one thing in yours of the third that I do not understand & that is you
say there is but one thing in my Soldering that I have not done so well & you want
to know if I cant guess, no I cant & I should like to know because I have tried to do every
thing to please you that I knew how & if you knew one thing that I have done out of
the way that has hurt your feelings or Mothers, I want to know & as for your good advice
I think that it is proper that you should so write to me, & I think if there was more
written by parents that have children in the Army it would be the best thing done
by them; you say that you think that the Boys of the Potomac Army had done as
well as any part of the Union Army, I am with you as far as that goes & I can tell you
Although the Western part have not met with any defeat they are not any better
fighting than the old Army of the Potomac because the whole Army of the Potomac
has had everything to contend with, the removal of one General to another now you ever
see that the government has given the command to A Man that owns that he is not
capable to command the Potomac Army & says that he is willing to take the command
of his old Army corps at any minute now the more that I see of General Burnside I like
him & what is the reason Just because he comes right out & owns that he is not fit to
command such A large Army & says that General McClellan is the only one that
can Command but I cannot see why the Government gives the Command to A General
that comes right out that he is not the one Fit to Command you say that you always
have given your opinion of General McLellan I know that you have but it is not
them that his Children or relations in the Army that he has so much to say about him
but A few of these Black Abolitionists, as you say you was pleased to hear that I
would do my duty whoever was in command, so I will that is if I am able, Father I sup-
pose it seems A long time to you since I left Home but it does not seem so long to me I
will now close these few lines by saying that I wish you would send me some papers
as I have not received any of late excepting the Transcripts from Henry who I am
much obliged to as he has been A Friend to me indeed & I hope he always will cont
inue & keep such A good place as he now does give my love to Mother & all of the
Folks From your truely & affectionate Son Joseph Leavitt
P.S. I received A letter from Ellen & she writes that she has sent me A box
which I shall be glad to receive, I receive a great many letters from Ellen I
want you to tell Henry that the next letter that I undertake to write
it will be to Him, & I have not forget Him quite.
[Letters of Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied in a journal by their father after the war as a remembrance of his sons both of whom died in battle, George at 2nd Bull Run, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, 1864]
MSS 66
[from the signal message book of Lt. Thomas S. Seabury, 3rd New York Infantry]
Jan. 10th
To Lt. Canley
Come up
immediately
(Signed) Maj. Bates
Jan. 10th
To Lt. Seabury Sig. Officer
Send me countersigns
and signals for next
week immediately.
(Signed) Col. Wardrop
MSS 10781
[from the diary of the Rev. Francis E. Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]
Sat 10. Q.M. & John went off by first train. I also recd. Metalic
coffin & exhumed & forwarded Posts body. vist. hosp –
Began a settled rain about dinner noon, & still rains 9 P.M.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12935
[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]
Jan. 10th, ’63.
Called into line at 5 A.M.,
& remained until daylight,
it still raining.
Go on picket at 3 P.M.
Ceased raining about 9 A.M.,
& sun shining at M.
Reported that they have
the smallpox at a house
not 300 yds. from our camp.
Went on picket about a
mile West of our camp; my
H. Qrs. in a house for press-
ing cotton, & near the residence
(Mrs. Johnson,)
of a Lieut. in rebel army, ^-
his wife, negroes, a rebel
surgeon, & a private are there.
His property is protected by
guards from our army!
Quite cool last night.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 10547-bm
[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]
Saturday, January 10th – Snow in the morning, rainy in the evening. Cousin Fran and Cousin John here int he morning. I have been reading over the papers and find much encouragement. The Yankees seem to be thoroughly demoralized. Their losses everywhere are heavy. The New York says the battle of Fredericksburg has made 20,000 cripples. The 121st[sic] Psalm has been the battle cry of the people. “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” With God above and Gen. Lee at their head they fear nothing. The northern politicians are getting alarmed about Napoleon, think Old Abe may have to fight as well as Confeds if rebellion is not ousted before spring. A Yankee has at last explained the neutrality of England She recognizes the South as belligerent that she might sell arms, ammunition and ships to both parties. They now regret keenly that the blockade has compelled them to sell just as much contraband of war to the North as the South and are now trying to make up the deficiency by fitting out the fastest fleet of steamers that ever crossed the ocean, expressly to run the blockade with munitions of war. Eighteen new steamers are now being fitted out. The success of Alabama in the capture of the Ariel will encourage them. Unfortunately the Ariel had little specie. Her captain was Jones, one Simms his First Lieut. They are endeavoring to force their way up the Nease[sic] in North Carolina. Surely this New Year gives us cause for great national joy. Assault after assault has been made by the enemy and repulsed. The advantages of the defense of Pittsburgh[sic] has been glorious. We keep open our communications with Missouri, Arkansas and Texas and we prevent the enemy from carrying on commerce on the Mississippi. He ought to despair by this time of taking the city by sea or land. Morgan Wheeler and Youst[sic] are spreading horror in the enemy ranks. We have now in Richmond sixteen hundred prisoners. “The unknown and unrecorded heroes of this war” which Bishop Elliot speaks so beautifully of will fill many glorious niches in the annals on every battlefield. A proud monument should be raised to them. Bragg, speaking of his victory at Murfreesboro says, “God has granted us a Happy New Year.”
[Either Harrison or the transcriber made several errors. The Psalm is 124, not 121. The defense was of Vicksburg, not Pittsburg. The North Carolina River is the Neuse not the Nease. Youst is a mangled form of an unidentified Confederate commander]
MSS 9759
