Camp Vaughn near Clinton, Ten
Apr 20th 1862
My Dear Wife
I again seat my self this Sunday morning to write you again. Although I have written you a few days ago, but as I have something new to write, I write you again. I have lost 2 of my boys not by death but taken prisoners. We have 10 or 12 wagons for our Regt & have sent out whats called foraging partys, to buy & prep feed. We have never had any difficulty before and became careless. On last Monday morning 2 wagons & 2 soldiers with Mathey Mashburn making 5 men started out for feed, did not take their guns. They expected to be gone 2 days. They went up Bull Run, a large creek between this & Knoxville. Monday night stayed some 15 miles above here & Tuesday morning drove up to a house. Saw a man plowing close by went out & told him their business. They all went to the barn close by. While there some 80 men came up to their wagons, about 40 on horses & called the boys out. The conversation the man says he did not hear but heard the commander order them into ranks. They then took all the horses & mules, 10 in number & left for Kentucky. Another party of torys took a soldier who was at home on furlough some 20 miles above Knoxville. His father found it out & followed them on to this river some 12 miles above here & heard that the same party had took our boys. So he came Wednesday night & informed us of the fact, which was the first we new about our boys being taken as prisoners. He said they would reach deep creek gap Thursday, which is about the same distance from where they cross as from here, 20 miles. Our men nearly all sick, only about 40 able for duty. We could not send a sufficient force to accomplish much. The old gentleman that brought us the news had sent his son to Knoxville, to inform the authorities. They very promptly sent Capt. Ashelys & one other company who arrived here about 10 o’clock & fed their horses & took one of the cavalry companys that is stationed here & started for Jacksboro, got there about 9 or 10 o’clock next morning, sent the company form here to one gap & Capt. Ashely took the other 2 to Big Creek, where he thought they would be most likely to cross & about 3 o’clock they saw about 700 hundred coming. They marched up formed line of battle & fired on our cavalry & ordered them to surrender. The cavalry pitched in to them killing from 50 to 80 some run, the balance Surrendered. They told that Abes cavalry was to meet them there & they had sent on a messenger. Our cavalry say they saw cavalry coming so made their prisoners double quick for 8 or 10 miles. They say that they think some escaped & they killed some trying to escape. They sent for help Thursday night. We all was ready in a few minutes to start, but the Col. sent the other cavalry & kept us back. The cavalry met them up this side of Jacksboro & about 12 o’clock Friday they got here with 427 prisoners. They was armed with rifles, shot guns, pistols, knives & sticks. Some fought bravely. Their leader name Caps was killed. I saw one poor devil fall out of the flat & drowned. He was a Capt. of a comp of home guards & had took the oath 3 times. I think he drowned his self on purpose. He did not make a struggle fell in face first & floated about 20 steps & sunk to rise no more. The canoe was run in but could not find him. His name was Barnett form Knox County. We guarded them that evening & night & let the cavalry rest. Saturday morning they started for town. Our boys was not taken by that party, though they had 3 soldiers, the old gentlemans son & 2 others. Friday night we heard of 2 or 3 hundred to cross the river 6 or 8 miles below here. The Col. & 50 men started & went, could not find them, though the cavalry company stationed 8 miles below found them yesterday, killed 31 took 200 prisoners. I do not know how many cavalry was engaged yesterday, but Capt. Ashely had but 80 in the fight Thursday. These are brilliant affairs. I think they ought to hang them all. Our poor boys I guess is prisoners in Kentucky, now I have no hope of retaking our boys. They may let them off on parole, I hope they will. I should not recognize any parole or oath they would make me take, unless I should be taken in battle & by a regular organized army, who are authorized & commissioned by a government. Those torys have no right to swear any body. Ill bet it will be but a few torys our boys takes prisoners if we ever git a chance at them. My company will avenge the taking of Matthey Mashburn & Albert Fulcher. Fulcher is that young fellow I got the shoes for from J. R. Siler. The other 3 are from Cherokee, one is De Cummingham, ones Noah Bates, Jack Bates son. The others I don’t know the names. I do not know what the authorities will do with torys. I do think they ought to shoot all that have taken the oath & send the rest to some sickly place where they would die this summer with yellow fever or cholera. We are ordered back to Knoxville. We are sending all our sick that is not able to march now to Knoxville, also all extra baggage & tents & stores & unless the order is countermanded we will march back this week. I don’t know what we are ordered back for, but reports say to recruit our health. There is over 4 hundred of our reg sick. The largest stoutest young man in our reg died night before last here in camps, had measles & relapse. His friends started with his remains home this morning. His name is Coleman from Clay County. His father was with Mr. Sherer that I sent Pa’s overcoat by. My boys all is improving here in camp. Tomy Amons is quite sick this morning but not dangerous yet & I think is better. The boys at Knoxville is all improving or was a few days ago. My company has been very fortunate to have so many sick & none have died. I shall do everything in my power for the comfort of my sick, though there is not much comfort for a sick man in camp. I will haul them the best we can & all we can. Col. Owens has just arrived much obliged for the sword. The caps he lost at Murphy. I must close as there is a man going to Knoxville, to escort a corps to Cherokee, who died in the hospital at Knoxville. His name is Matheson form Clay County. I think if we remain at Knoxville to recruit our health I will come home & stay awhile until you are through your sickness. I must close, I hope you will not be uneasy about me. I think Beng ought to stay with you during you sickness. I will write you again in a few days. I don’t know what day we will get off, as it is rainy & has been all day & Bull Run is hard to cross when up, but I guess we will go as soon as possible. I recd Bengs letter have not got your as Col. Owens did not get our letters at Knoxville, but will git them tomorrow when the wagons gets back, if they can cross Bull Run. Ill stop my love to all write to Knoxville. Your affectionate husband till death. They are waiting on me good bye.
A.W. Bell
Franklin April 28th 1862
My Dear Husband
I seat myself this evening to answer yours of the 14th which came to hand by Saturdays mail. I was sorry to hear that so many of your men were sick. I do hope none will die. I am afraid the next news I get, that you will be sick, do try and take as good care of yourself as you can and if you do get sick do not keep it from me for fear of alarming me too much. I want to know the truth all the time if it is bad. I tell Ben if you get sick and he is here that he must go to you, for if you were ever so bad I could not have the satisfaction of going to see you now. I have felt quite mopey yesterday and today but I suppose that is nothing more than I may expect now for a while and in spite of all that I can do I will be low spirited as usual at such a time. I feel thought if you were home that I would not be so. I catch myself constantly wondering if it can be possible that I will ever be happy again or in other words if you will ever live to get home or will I live to see you get home. Poor miserable wretches that some of us are. If the war does not end soon how many many hearts will be broken, as it were crushed down with a burden of sorrow that time can never remove and whilst some are made to mourn all the days of their lives on account of some dear one who has died whilst fighting for their country others will be glorying in the wealth they have made by staying at home and speculating while the war was going on and other poor wretches were fighting for them.
I presume the conscription bill will take some who ought to go as well as some who really are unable whilst some will be left behind still who ought to go. It will also hold on some who are already gone that ought to have the privilege of coming home a while if they wish too. I am selfish enough to feel if you were out of the ring I would not care much. How do you feel about its being passed & do you think it is right or do you think it ought no to have passed? We are getting along pretty much as usual, as to home affairs my garden looks pretty well considering so much wet weather. I could hardly find the ground dry enough to make my garden right when it ought to have been done but I believe every rain does it good now. I am trying to plant every inch of ground in something that will be useful. One thing I hate, your Pa has concluded not to have any corn planted, only what Batey has planted for he says that ground next to Ford will not bring anything. Our cow is giving us some trouble now. She runs off to her old home every chance she gets and lies out when we turn her out the other way. They are going to make a pasture fence this week so that we can send the cows over there. I think she will still do us some good if we can keep her in the pasture, although she wants to go dry if she could. Mr. Siler does not want to sell his land neither does the Youngs as they say that they will be without a home if they sell that. James Crawfords company will be mustered into service Wednesday and he said to tell you that he probably would start Friday. I am quite anxious for them to start, as it will perhaps relieve you others of some of your duty if they do not get sick as the others have done. I have not much general news to write unless I tell you of some young babies who have made their appearance lately, among which is one at Dr. Woodfins, one at Tim Setsers, one at Henly Moores, one at Joshua Birds which I suppose he has heard and at a great many other places if I could think of them. Mary Jane is staying with me pretty much of nights. She visits in daytime but will I reckon stay with me of nights while she is here. She has not heard from Frank in two or three weeks. Ma got a letter from him Saturday evening but Mary Jane was over at Sloans and did not get to see it. She expected Tom to bring it down this morning but he has not come. He is planting his potatoes I suppose. Mary Jane heard from a letter her Aunt Fannie got from Sandy Mush, that Bob McKee had been at home on furlough and that Marion Lowry had gone back with him. She is getting anxious to go home, but can get no way to go. Theadore Siler and Copening have just come. They went in a buggy I suppose. The corpse of James Siler is not far behind. They have been gone longer than they expected to. They had to go on to Petersburg as they could not get off with him and had him buried. They will bring him here unless he made some request about being buried some where else. Your Pa got a letter from Sam last mail. They are at Ashland. He and Joe were well. He thinks they will not get to come home now owing to the conscription bill. That Blakely note is not in the money box. Matt is of the opinion that Fannie or Sallie took it out the day you was counting out your money. She says one of them had a note of some kind and was marking on it with a pencil. She thought it was an old note you had give them and did not take it away from them. Beng says he will try and have it arranged, he will make affidavit that it has been lost or misplaced. I guess it can be paid. I am very sorry it can not be found. I will close this letter as my sheet is bout full and Mary Jane and Ben will want to write to night. I will write again soon if I can and if I cannot I will make Matt, she says she will write when I can’t. Please write to me often it will do me so much good.
I am as ever your true devoted wife
Mary
Knoxville Tenn.
Apr 29th 1862
My Dear Wife
Yours of 21st came to hand on yesterday found me well I come to Knoxville the day before (Sunday) to see my sick. I found some very low. Thos. Ammons died yesterday morning at 1 o’clock of diarrhea typhoid. He relapsed & lived but a week. John Dalton died last Thursday relapse from measles. C.C. Matlock last Sunday was a week ago, Typhoid he come to the hospital to nurse his friends took sick & died. John Dalton died near Clinton. I have had their remains encased & buried at this place. The authoritys having issued orders that no more soldiers would be allowed to escort the dead home now. I am to try to get the wagons that brings Crawfords Company, to take the remains of my friends home. There is several of my company very low, G. W.J. Moore, Wood Owens, Wm. Buckner, Jas. Magaha &Thos. Glase. The others are all improving. George Moore I don’t think can live many hours. He is almost gone now. I am here at the hospital tonight sitting up with him. John J. Moore is also here with me & Gibs Mc also Wm. Buckner is the next dangerous, though I have some hope of his recovery. Wood Owens, Magaha & Glase is very weak but I think will & is improving slowly. I shall not name all the sick suffice all are sick save 12 or 15 that is in camp, the rest are here. This is the most distressing time I have ever saw. The boys that stay here to nurse the sick say that from 3 to 5 dies every day from our Regt. Other Regts has a good deal of sickness but ours is the worst. I have written Mr. John Dalton & Rev. Joshua Ammons of the deaths of their sons. W. T. West wrote Mrs. Matlock as I was at the camp & Bull Run was up & prevented communication for several days. My company has had less deaths than any of our old comapnys. We had a new company come the other day that has none died yet. I don’t think our Regt of nearly 7 hundred can muster more that 1 hundred well men now in camps. We moved up to the head of the Knoxville & Kentucky RR last Friday & Saturday. We have our choice to remain there or come closer to Knoxville. I think we will remain there as the cars go out there nearly everyday after wood & its only 9 miles from here. I think it a more healthy place than this besides we get milk, butter, chickens & eggs plenty, how long it may last I don’t know, but the finest clover fields I ever saw is out there. Its now 11 ½ o’clock & I have just been in the adjoining room to see George. Poor fellow cannot last much longer, I think not till day light. I am so sorry, I liked him so well. I cannot keep from shedding tears to think how his family will feel when they hear this mournful news. I hear the poor fellow trying to talk or say something, but is I think out of his mind. I asked him if he new me & he said yes Dr Bell. I don’t think it would hurt me half so bad to see them fall on the field of battle. Though they die in a glorious cause away from loved ones at home, but thank god they have friends & brother soldiers who watch over & care for them & render all the assistance in our power. Though it is not like home sweet home. To see the sick & suffering & know the distress Lincoln has brought on the people. He ought to be burnt in a hell ten thousand times hotter than fire.
I have waked up John & Gibs. They don’t think George any better. Poor fellow I fear cannot last much longer. Everything that can be done will be, John will attend to that. Gibs & I will have to go to camp. Coleman is here & our boys are out of provisions & we will have to go. If Goerge dies his remains will be sent home if we can get the chance, if not we want his friends to come & take him to his family. John will write his family should he die before I come back. Send Rev. W. S. Moore word so that he may convey it to his family. I must stop & start its now half past 4 o’clock.
Ever your husband
A.W. Bell
Camp near Clinton Tenn
May 3rd 1862
My Dear Wife
I write you again to let you know my whereabouts. On Wednesday last we recd orders to march back to this place which we did on Thursday. Landed here on same evening & is now camped offset Clinton on the bank of Clinch River. The yanks attacked Cumberland Gap Wednesday, but was repulsed. Their loss 130 killed our loss 16 killed 36 wounded. There was 4 or 5 regt ordered to this place & on to Jacksboro. The yanks have cut out the blockade in deep creek gap some 26 miles from here. They was expected to make an attempt to cross yesterday but have not yet as we have heard of. We was ordered to stop here. I suppose for the purpose of guarding the ferry here. The regt that John Moore belongs to passed by our camp Wednesday evening for Jacksboro. John give out he took flux & stopped until we came up the next day & stayed Thursday night with me, left next morning with their baggage, much better. I have not heard from him today.
Poor George Moore died Wednesday morning about 10 o’clock after I wrote you. John was to attend & have his remains put away so it could be removed home, but was ordered off & could not attend to it, but Elishua Kimsey & several of our boys is there attending to our sick & will attend to it. Times are so that we cannot take our dead friends home now & we think their friends at home ought to come & take their remains home & bury them in their own county & among their friends. I have not heard from my other sick since I wrote you Wednesday. I hope they are still improving. The remainder of our regt that is here is well. I have 21 officers & men here. Our regt here numbers about 80 men. I hope we will soon number full companys. I left 6 or 8 of my boys at the head of the road to go back near Knoxville & camp, all those that was not well or could not stand the march. My boys had the mumps & I had to leave them very much against their wish. If the yanks attempt to come through Big Creek I guess we will go up, so I cannot tell what tomorrow will bring forth. We have it reported here that a big fight has come off near Yorktown Va., in which our side has gained a great victory. We are looking for this every day & this news may be true, for we have a large army there & will fight like victors before they will be conquered. I may go to Knoxville in the morning. I don’t know what may turn up by then but I want to see how my men are getting. We are expecting Beng here soon. The Georgia 52 regt wants him very bad. They don’t like Howard "Nick". I don’t know what else to write you. I have written you so often that I expect every letter contains the same old story. I would like very much to be at home about this time. I shall listen every mail now to hear from you & hear that I have another little Bell, probably a Jeff Davis soldier or maybe & more probably a Miss Jeff Davis soldierist. I feel as though everything will be right, that we will soon have peace & I can return to my beloved wife & children, get out on my little farm in the country & raise my pigs & chickens. I think I then would be contented & satisfied to live in the country & raise my own meat & bread have nice little wife & sweet babes to keep me company. Oh when will that time of joy & content come, soon I hope. We have not recd orders yet to reorganize yet. Gibs & myself are the talk now for Lt. Col. & Maj. I don’t know how the thing will go. I am content with the wish of the regt but Coleman & Pearce cannot make the raise anymore in this battalion. I would resign and go as a private under some good fellow before I would serve under them 2 years as the law holds us that long after our time is out hat we vol. For. I will stop for the night, 10 o’clock & I hear the roosters crowing & the birds hollowing probably of some strange news.
4th I shall not go to Knoxville today. Its Sunday & I shall not go as several of the officers is going. I will wait a day or too & then go. I have not heard form Jocksboro this morning. I don’t know whether they have had any fight or not, I guess not, no war news. I suppose the yanks have New Orleans or laying offset with their guns boats. Ill close, I will write you constantly. I had the pleasant dreams last night though I have no faith in dreams, there fore I shall not pay any notice of it. I very often dream of you and my babys, my love to Matt, Pa & our relations & ever consider me your devoted worthy the love of so good a wife as you are. Kiss my babys for me. Your Husband
A.W. Bell
Knoxville May 7th 1862
Dear Wife I write you a hasty note. We have just arrived here 5 (minutes?) ago. We are ordered to Chattanooga, there was fourteen thousand yankees in sight of Chattanooga yesterday evening. We only had five thousand there. Gen. Reynolds Brigade is ordered there & we belong to his Brigade. Company B has more men for duty today than I have had for 3 months. We left with out tents or cooking utensils & I & Lt. Anderson has no blankets, they was to have been to the head of the Kentucky & Knoxville RR but did not arrive in time for us, but we will borrow for a few days until they arrive. I expect if the fight is not over we will have some to do. My boys are anxious for the foray. No war news from Richmond they are all quite yesterday. I will write you again in a few days when I get time. My love to all our relations & kiss my babys often for me. Don’t be uneasy about me I will take care of my self & company. I have to go & get arms for my company now, direct to Knoxville until further directed.
Ever you true husband
A.W. Bell