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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
“I did not feel anything strange on first going into battle. We were drawn up in line of battle. I was looking as anxious for the secesh [Rebels] as ever I did for a squirrel but I did not look long before I seen their guns glittering in the brush.”
– Pvt. Edgar Embley, 61st Illinois
– Pvt. Edgar Embley, 61st Illinois
“Several times the enemy essayed to move out from the shelter of the woods across the intervening thickets, but each time our guns ”double-shotted with canister” tore great gaps in their ranks and drove them back to cover.”
–Capt. Andrew Hickenlooper, 5th Ohio
“If I brought on the fight, I am to lead the van.”
– Col. Everett Peabody, 25th Missouri
“We were soon dumbfounded by seeing an enormous force of Confederate troops marching directly toward us,”
– Pvt. Charles Morton, 25th Missouri.
By 7:30 a.m. Peabody’s 
full brigade had taken position along this low ridge overlooking Shiloh Branch to the southwest, prepared to resist the Confederates who were advancing from that direction. Several hundred yards to the right rear (east; see Stop 5) Prentiss’s other brigade, commanded by Col. Madison Miller, was also coming into line. Some 650 yards directly behind Peabody’s men lay their own camps. About half a mile to the left rear, due north, the nearest troops of Sherman’s division peered southward toward this area, glimpsed formations moving through the trees (much less forest intervened in those days), and wondered what it all meant.
Peabody and Prentiss 
themselves were not quite sure what their new fight meant. They thought it might be merely a very large skirmish, but Prentiss was furious about it just the same. Angrily he berated Peabody for starting a battle without permission. With his reconnaissance patrol being driven back despite reinforcements, Peabody had more pressing business at the moment than making explanations to an obtuse superior. As he turned his horse toward the sound of the firing he snapped a salute and called back, “If I brought on the fight, I am to lead the van,” and galloped off to put his troops on position on this ridge.
A few minutes after 7:30, Peabody’s men here saw a number of rabbits running toward them up the slope. Moments later they saw what had caused the strange behavior of the small animals. “We were soon dumbfounded by seeing an enormous force of Confederate troops marching directly toward us,” recalled the 25th Missouri’s Pvt. Charles Morton. Albert Sidney Johnston’s 
grand attack was finally underway, and the whole Confederate army was moving forward—haltingly at times, because of their inexperience and the rough ground, but inexorably.
The Confederate troops who attacked Peabody’s men here belonged to the brigades of Brig. Gen. Sterling A. M. Wood and Col. R. G. Shaver, men from Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. They came right up the slope from Shiloh Branch, keeping the best line they could among the trees and underbrush. Heavy fire from Peabody’s line drove them back, but they rallied and came on again, pushed to seventy-five-yard range, and volleyed into the Union ranks. Casualties were heavy on both sides. With other Confederate formations sweeping around both his flanks, Peabody had to order a retreat, and what was left of his brigade headed back toward the camps, gaining speed and losing organization all the way.
Recommended link to learn more about the Battle of Shiloh
Recommended read:
Shiloh: The Battle That Changed the Civil War, by Larry Daniel.
Robert Smalls (1839 - 1915) was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, on April 5th, 1839, in a slave cabin behind his mother’s master’s house on 511 Prince Street. In 1862 he escaped from Charleston harbor aboard a steamer called the Planter with his family and several friends too. The boat had to pass by five Confederate check-points and then surrender its contents to the northern Naval fleet out in the harbor where it was blockading the important southern port.
His escape succeeded and Robert would meet Abraham Lincoln personally a couple weeks later. Lincoln was quite impressed with a black man (slave) who had learned how to pilot and navigate the coastal waterways around Charleston. Lincoln rewarded Smalls handsomely with bounty-money and a commission into the Union Navy as a captain of a vessel - the Planter! He was the first black Captain of a U.S. Naval vessel.
Three months later Smalls would visit Abraham Lincoln in the Whitehouse to plead the opportunity for blacks to fight for the Union. Just days afterwards Lincoln approved the raising of the first black troops in the Blue uniform and Robert Smalls was instrumental in helping to start the 1st South Carolina Infantry of U.S. Colored Troops.
Smalls would go on to pilot the Planter for the Union cause and take pace in several important engagements around Charleston and the Sea Islands. After the Civil War he was elected among a few other blacks as they became the freshman class of blacks to serve as U.S. Congressmen.
Robert Smalls’s story is an amazing one of courage, determination, sacrifice, risk and reward - from slavery to Congressman!
This is the home on 511 Prince Street in Beaufort, South Carolina, that Robert was born behind in a slave cabin. He later bought this very same house, after the Civil War, and lived in it with his mother Lydia.
Letter from Private Benj F Searle to his siblings;
Elk River Bridge Tenn, April 2nd, 1864,
Dear Brother and Sister, it is with pleasure I right you a few lines to you hoping they may find you all as well as me. Leave me I have not hird from you in a long time…..Have you had a hard time this winter, but I am in hopes this will find you fully recovered. My health is first rate, never was better than now. Harriet here is a ring for you made of a muscle shell. The shell came from the Tennessee river at Bridgeport Ala. Did you move this spring, it is hard for mother to move much and the move they are making. They are waking to have us under marching orders here to and have been for a week. I got a letter personally yesterday and they are all well there and talk of moving back to Waukegan. Please excuse me for not righting before and not righting more this time. The Drums are beating for role call and I must go to bed before I am on Pickett tomorrow. The Peach trees are all in bloom here and everything is gay. I tell you the sorry South is the place after all to live in. Can’t say thanks more at present so goodby, love to all.
From your ever effectionate Brother B F Searle.
PS Charles H Denis is a First Lt in the 31st US C Troops.” 2.5 pages in in ink signed by Searle.
