The Civil War Gazette

Wartrace, Tenn.
May 10th, 1862

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines may find you and the children and all of the rest of the folks well. I rec’d your letter of the 4th of May this evening and was glad to hear that you was getting along so well although it brings the tears every time I get a letter to think that I am so far from you and the children. Yet I think that if I die in the struggle that I will die in a just cause. Our regiment just got in yesterday from Lebanon, Tenn. where they had a desperate fight with a body of rebels under a notorious Ky. robber by the name of Morgan. The rebels were about 800 strong while ours did not amount to more than 600. But our boys whipped them badly, killing seventy odd and took 200 prisoners, 155 horses, 180 stand of arms and chased the balance of them 18 miles. All of the Hardin boys were in the fight except me & John (Vine?) & Wm. Branch & Hugh Patterson. There was one of our company killed and 5 wounded. The one killed was from Spencer Co., Ky. Among the wounded was Wm. C. Smith & Henry Rose both from Hardin. Jo took a splendid pistol in the fight worth about $30. Some of our boys had their clothes shot all to pieces and some had their horses killed under them. Our Col. was shot in the knee. The fight took place about 40 miles from here. When the regiment started the quartermaster could not spare me or I would have went with them. The wagoners had to stay behind too with their teams. There is no chance for me to get into a fight unless the rebels come to our camp to fight which they will hardly do. I don’t know how long we will stay at this place but I don’t think we will leave here for some time yet. I have just now found some use for Masonry. I have got acquainted with several citizens by that means who would do anything in their power for me. Last week there was one, a Secesh too, came and warned that we would be attacked that night and I told the Col. and he had everything prepared for them which they found out some way and did not come. There was another one of our men got poisoned today and will die tonight and we have to be very careful about eating and drinking about here. I would have wrote sooner but I waited for the boys to get back from that fight so I could give the particulars. You must write as soon as you get this and write every week if you can for I am half crazy if I don’t get a letter every week. Take good care of yourself and the children and kiss them all for me. I never go to sleep without thinking of you and them. So nothing more at present but remaining your affectionate husband until death.

A. A. Harrison

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Absolom A. Harrison
Company D, 4th Regiment, Kentucky Calvary Volunteers (Union)

A. A. Harrison sent the following letters to his wife Susan Allstun Harrison. Susan’s grandmother was Nancy Lincoln Brumfield, Thomas Lincoln’s sister and President Abraham Lincoln’s aunt.

These letters were transcribed by A. A.’s great-grandson Ronald A. Harrison who introduces the letters with the following background:

“A. A. Harrison and his brother Jo (Joel) apparently got caught up in a recruiting drive and enlisted in the Fourth Kentucky Calvary, U.S.A., without even going home to tell their wives, Susan and Martha. The first letter appears to be letting Susan know what has become of her husband. The two brothers served honorably for roughly a year. At the end of that time A. A. was medically discharged. At roughly the same time Jo died in a military hospital in Nashville. Only recently has anyone in the family known Jo’s fate.”

Letters found on this web page January 2008.

Just days before Stonewall Jackson died, he had this conversation with his aide-de-camp James Power Smith:

“Many would regard them [his injuries] as a great misfortune. I regard them as one of the blessings of my life.”

Smith replied by quoting one of Jackson’s favorite Scriptures, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” “Yes!” Jackson responded. “That’s it! That’s it!”
- As cited in Robertson [1997:744].

Joseph Minis, Private, Co. H, 11th Wisconsin

Vicksburg

May 6th 1864
Dear father & mother

I now take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you to let you know that I am and in good health at present and hope since I have wrote before for I have no time we have been on a pretty long trip and have just got back you have probly heard of our trip up red river before this time we have ben gone almost three months and when we started we thought we would be back in thirty days well I will give you the most interesting parts of our journey for I cant think of anyhing else to write I cant remember half of it but I can remember that we have been fighting most ever day we was out the first fight we had was at fort derusey but that was not much of a fight we had ten killed and twenty seven wounded then we got on to boats and went up to Alexandria and stoped three or four days then we started for shareveport up the river we was fired into every day and night by the rebs but they did not hurt many of us we went as far as grandecore then banks got whipped so we stayed thare four or five days then started back we had a great time coming back for our corps had to stay in the rear and cover banks retreat so the rebs would attacked us in the morning and we had to fight them all day then banks would be so far ahead that we would have to march all night to catch up with him he kept us a going so far about three weeks while we got so tired we could not do hardly anything then he put the thirteenth and the nineteenth corps in the rear for a while our cavalry had the hardest time of it for they was fighting all the time both night and day they had to do all the scouting thare was to be done they lost .. they said that the sechs in lousiana were the hardest fighting men that they ever had to deal with you could not feare them by shooting into them they would stand until we came right up to them and when they fell back they swould go very slow just as if they hated to and I gues they did about the hardest fight we had with was on the 19th of May they attached us in the morning about nine oclock and fought us all day the sixteenth corps was in first then we went out about eleven oclock to help them then the thirteenth came out about four oclock in the afternoon they fought mostly all with the artillery the cavalry made two charges on the rebs we had about two hundred killed and 97 wounded the rebs don’t know how manyt they lost we took over three hundred prisoners and when we was going out through the field after we had chase them we went through a piece of wood and the rebels were laying so thick on the groun where out artillery played on them that you could hardly walk through without steping on them that was the last time they attacked us on the other side of the river we from thare to Vicksburg they had moved our camp so we dont know where it is yet we are not going to stay here but two or three days they say we are going to cairo I will write soon.

Joseph Minis who was a private (joined 1863, 18yr) in Co. H., of the 11th Wisconsin. He recounts exploits from Bank’s Red River Campaign, which the 11th Wisconsin was not involved in. Minis served with the 33rd Wisconsin which took part in the Red River Campaign, Minis transfered to the 11th in 1865.

Wartrace, Bedford County, Tenn.
Apr 27,1862

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to write to you once more to let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. I read your letter today and was very glad to hear from you and to hear that you was doing so well. I wanted to be at home with you but I could not and so I had to try to be content. But I have watched every day for a letter for about —– and was afraid to —–. I feel greatly relieved knowing you are now safe. I want you kiss the baby for me. Bless its little soul. I would give anything to see it. We are at this place yet. I believe I told you in my last letter where this place is situated. It is 55 miles from Nashville on the Nash & Chattanooga railroad. You can find it on the map. It is a rich country but not a very healthy one. We have had several alarms since we have been here. Sometimes we hear that the enemy are coming toward us with a large force and in a few minutes the regiment is formed in line of battle but so are getting used to it so it is no —– more than setting down to —– so often they get very —– because they cannot get into a fight with the rebels. I expect we will leave this place in a few days for some place further south but I don’t know exactly where. You had better direct your letters to Nashville until I write again. We will get our letters just as soon that way as if they were directed to the very place where we are at. One of our men, a German, was poisoned and died in about 15 minutes after he was taken sick the other day. Several others have been poisoned but got well again. We have to be very careful where we eat or drink in this country. Some of the Secesh around boast that if they cannot kill us one way they will another. Jo has been complaining but he is about well again. The rest of the Hardin boys are all well. Eliza wrote for me to find the baby a name. I don’t know what you will call it without it is Susan Alice. However I leave it you to name it whatever you please so it is some pretty name. You must take good care of it until I can get home which I hope may not be very long. Tell Eliza & Melissa., Mother & Father & Bruce & Bet I would like to see them all and that they must write to us. Tell Aunt Sissy I would like to see her too and John & Kitty too. You must write as often as you can and take good care of yourself. So nothing more at present but remaining your affectionate husband until death.

A. A. Harrison

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Absolom A. Harrison
Company D, 4th Regiment, Kentucky Calvary Volunteers (Union)

A. A. Harrison sent the following letters to his wife Susan Allstun Harrison. Susan’s grandmother was Nancy Lincoln Brumfield, Thomas Lincoln’s sister and President Abraham Lincoln’s aunt.

These letters were transcribed by A. A.’s great-grandson Ronald A. Harrison who introduces the letters with the following background:

“A. A. Harrison and his brother Jo (Joel) apparently got caught up in a recruiting drive and enlisted in the Fourth Kentucky Calvary, U.S.A., without even going home to tell their wives, Susan and Martha. The first letter appears to be letting Susan know what has become of her husband. The two brothers served honorably for roughly a year. At the end of that time A. A. was medically discharged. At roughly the same time Jo died in a military hospital in Nashville. Only recently has anyone in the family known Jo’s fate.”

Letters found on this web page January 2008.

Nashville, Tenn.
April 14th, 1862

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you again. I am well at present and all the boys from Hardin are well. I hope this letter finds you and the rest of the folks well. We are still at this place yet having been here ever since yesterday and I expect we will leave this place tomorrow for some place further south. We have not got arms yet except the old guns that I wrote about in my last letter and no prospect of getting any other kind. So I don’t think we will go to where the main army is. But we will be left to guard our bridges or something of the kind. There has been a tremendous fight near Corinth, about 100 miles from here, and the Secesh got badly whipped as usual. They lost 40 thousand men. And our side lost from 15 to 20 thousand. The rebels fought —– had to retreat and —– our main army. We are further from the seat of war now than when we were at Bardstown. I was appointed quartermaster sergeant last Saturday. My wages now are 21 dollars a month. I am exempt from all kinds of duty except weighing out the rations to the companies and a good deal of writing although I have a good deal of leisure time. And I have to go to town every day as our camp is about 3 miles from Nashville. Our Colonel was thrown out today and a man by the name of Smith appointed in his place and also one of our doctors was discharged for drunkenness. I think there will be a chance to get a furlough in two or three weeks. Do not go too far —– back. I would be very glad to see all of you and to stay with you if I could but I will have to be contented until I can come. I send you some more money in this letter. The whole sum of 10 cents. It is what they call southern scrip. This country is full of them of all sizes from 5 cts.. to $1.00. And they are both sides are fixing for a big fight at Corinth but we will not be there if they fight very soon. We did hear today that the rebels were leaving Corinth but we don’t know whether it is so or not. I am writing this by candle light in the quartermasters tent. And the bugle has sounded for us to blow out our light. So I must bring my letter to a close. You must not fail to write as often as you can and trust to Providence that we may meet again soon to part no more.

A. A. Harrison

P.S. Tell Lissy if she don’t write to me I sha’nt bring her a beau when I come home. Dear wife I could not write all I want to write in a week. If I could be with you I could find enough to talk about to last a month. But I will have to content myself to writing some of the most important things and leave the balance. I have got a very good office. It is nearly the same as keeping store. I can go where I please, stay as long as I please and sleep as long as I please. I do not have to drill or stand guard or go out on scouting expeditions. In fact I am in very little danger if the whole does not get killed or taken prisoner. We cannot hear of any rebel troops nearer this place than Corinth which is 110 miles from here. Just as currant (?) here as silver. This is a pretty country here and everything is earlier than in Ky. The trees are all green and now some of the leaves are nearly as large as my hand. The dogwood trees are out in full bloom and other things in proportion. The weather was very hot the day we got here. I thought it was hot enough for July but it has been cooler since until—– getting hot again. There is a lot of corn planted down here and some of it coming up. You must write as often as you can for I would like to hear from you every day if I could. So nothing more at present but remaining your affectionate husband until death.

A. A. Harrison

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Absolom A. Harrison
Company D, 4th Regiment, Kentucky Calvary Volunteers (Union)

A. A. Harrison sent the following letters to his wife Susan Allstun Harrison. Susan’s grandmother was Nancy Lincoln Brumfield, Thomas Lincoln’s sister and President Abraham Lincoln’s aunt.

These letters were transcribed by A. A.’s great-grandson Ronald A. Harrison who introduces the letters with the following background:

“A. A. Harrison and his brother Jo (Joel) apparently got caught up in a recruiting drive and enlisted in the Fourth Kentucky Calvary, U.S.A., without even going home to tell their wives, Susan and Martha. The first letter appears to be letting Susan know what has become of her husband. The two brothers served honorably for roughly a year. At the end of that time A. A. was medically discharged. At roughly the same time Jo died in a military hospital in Nashville. Only recently has anyone in the family known Jo’s fate.”

Letters found on this web page January 2008.

The following letter to his wife shows just how devoted Stonewall Jackson was to making all efforts to keep the Sabbath holy by not fighting on it.

“You appear much concerned at my attacking on Sunday, I was greatly concerned too; but I felt it my duty to do it, in consideration of the ruinous effects that might result from postponing the battle until morning. So far as I can see, my course was a wise one; the best that I could do under the cicumstances; though very distatseful to my feelings; and I hope and pray to our Heavenly Father that I may never again be circumstanced as on that day.”
- Jackson on April 11, 1862

Jackson was keenly aware of the need for what he considered Divine blessing or favor, no matter the circumstances.

“Under Divine blessing we must rely upon the bayonet when firearms cannot be furnished.”
- Jackson had ordered 1,000 bayonets on April 9, 1862, because guns were scare.

Nashville Tenn.
April 9th, 1862

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am tolerable well at present and hope these few lines may find you are enjoying the same blessing. We have got to this place after a long and tedious march. We got here last Sunday. The country through which we have passed is the worst torn up country I ever saw. The fences are nearly all burnt along the road and lots of the houses deserted and some of these torn all to pieces. We find some Union men down here but they are very scarce in this part of the world. This is a fine country about Nashville. There is some of the finest houses here that I ever saw and plenty of Negroes. We have had two or three insurrections in the regiment. When we fixed to start from Bardstown all the regiment except our company refused to go until they were paid off. But our company took the lead and the rest followed after. Then when we got to Munfordville and got our money they refused to go any further until we got arms and the Colonel went and got some guns that had been refused by several other regiments and told us when we got to Gallatin we should have better arms but we come to this place and this morning the Colonel ordered us to march on to Columbus 45 miles from here and selected our company to take the lead. But they told him plainly they would not go any further without better arms and I have heard that there is no more arms to give out to cavalry. I do not know what will be the result. I have not heard from you since I sent you that money but I hope you have got it. I would like to be at home with you all but I don’t know when I can come. There is no chance to get a furlough now. You must write as often as you can and direct your letters to Nashville, Tenn. until I write again. You must be contented as you can and stay where you are until I can get back again and trust to Providence. So nothing more at present but remaining your affectionate husband until death.

A. A. Harrison

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Absolom A. Harrison
Company D, 4th Regiment, Kentucky Calvary Volunteers (Union)

A. A. Harrison sent the following letters to his wife Susan Allstun Harrison. Susan’s grandmother was Nancy Lincoln Brumfield, Thomas Lincoln’s sister and President Abraham Lincoln’s aunt.

These letters were transcribed by A. A.’s great-grandson Ronald A. Harrison who introduces the letters with the following background:

“A. A. Harrison and his brother Jo (Joel) apparently got caught up in a recruiting drive and enlisted in the Fourth Kentucky Calvary, U.S.A., without even going home to tell their wives, Susan and Martha. The first letter appears to be letting Susan know what has become of her husband. The two brothers served honorably for roughly a year. At the end of that time A. A. was medically discharged. At roughly the same time Jo died in a military hospital in Nashville. Only recently has anyone in the family known Jo’s fate.”

Letters found on this web page January 2008.

In the same we that he considered his own life as an instrument fit for use by the living God, Jackson esteemed the army he led to be such an instrument as well.

“Our gallant little army is increasing in numbers, and my prayer is that it may be an army of the living God as well of its country.”
- Jackson to his wife on April 7, 1862