Knoxville June 8th 1862
My Dear Wife,
I write you again to let you know that we are still here. We was not armed. Our sick mens guns was or has been given to other soldiers. We could only raise 130 guns. When we called for guns, we was informed that they had none & we was ordered to the Fairground, where we are now. We the officers, except Crawfords officers, he is in town not well & Reid & the other officers petitioned Coleman & the authorities to let us take our armed men & go on to Chattanooga. There is no cars here, they want be any until morning, Lt. Col. Davidson says he will attend to it in the morning. See Coleman who is & has been in town for two weeks sick, drinking whisky I reckon. I don’t believe he will consent, he don’t want to fight & he would hate for his men to be in a fight unless he was with them. I tried to get him to let me take my Company this morning & go but no it was orders to go to the fairground & he did not want to disobey orders especially when they was so congenial to his feelings. I have no confidence in him & I think his soldiers are loosing confidence in him. The news are from Chattanooga that they are fighting today at Lupton not doing much damage, others say that part of the town is burned, yesterday evening the yanks tried to plot a foray but failed & our men silenced 2 guns. One man killed & a few wounded, don’t know how many yanks killed. Stone Wal Jackson has fell back to Winchester & met Freemont & Millroy & forces & has whipped them also took all their stores & a great many guns, we have no particulars as it is only a telegraphic dispatch this evening. Beauregard has fell back at Corinth on the account of water being so scarce, all is quiet at Richmond but expect another fight soon. The 16 Regt was not in the fight that I can find out from the papers on wounded soldiers that I see pas today. They say the 4th NC suffered greatly, it was commanded I believe by Duncan McCray. We also have it that Lieut. Clingmans Regt was engaged & suffered some loss. I will stop for tonight as I am sitting on the ground writing on my knee. Our baggage was left at camp & everything I had was left. I have not got a blanket or any cooking vessels. My boys have their knapsacks & blankets is all they have. I have borrowed some tents & Lt. Anderson & Holbrooks & I have borrowed blankets. Alis Hopkins let me have this paper envelope & ink so you see I am poor at present. I look our baggage tomorrow. Alis is about well Reid is well, Russ Siler is complaining tonight, Will Woodfin is about well, Lou Calloway is all right, some few of Crawfords boys & himself is complaining of dysentery none bad off here, he left some behind sick, I think none very dangerous. My love to all, Matt & Pa in particular, kiss my babys often for me & tell that little babe that I am coming before long to see her & see if she is pretty as Mrs. Reid wrote John to tell me that I had the prettiest baby in the Southern Confederacy. I am very anxious to see her. I think Mrs. Reid is only flattering me, though I am very anxious to see her. I wish I was to be with you all tonight & had to sleep in your arms tonight, pleasant dreams, good night, Ever your loving husband.
A.W. Bell
9th, I have no news to write I came to town this morning found John Moore & comp & Bill Bryson, they are news they left for Chattanooga about 12 o’clock mail in good sprit anxious for the fight everything quite there, its said that the yankees have fallen back, I don’t think there will be much fight there, Bartens Brigade went down today about five thousand men, I don’t fear the result. All my sick boys have come to camp this evening but two, Thos Rodes & Elisha McConnell they are at Clinton and I fear they will not recover, though I hope for the better. Alfred Angels boy is sick I think has pneumonia I have sent him to the hospital here, send him word. I will write you again in a few days as my baggage has arrived. Ever your devoted husband. A.W. Bell
Excuse me as I am in town & have no ink, Crawford & officers is disgusted with our officers.
Clayton, Ga. June 10th 1862
Dear Mollie,
I write a few lines to say that I should have gone to Richmond ere this, but have 6 patients on hand that are so low that I can’t leave. I will wait a few days longer and if I can hear anything of our brothers being wounded I will try to go to their relief, if they are killed I can do them no good, but if they are wounded I could be of service to them. I expect they have had a bloody time, dread to hear from them, yet am very anxious to know the result.
I wrote Pa some weeks ago, but he did not answer my letter, my health is not good, but I am going day and night, get but little rest, a great deal of sickness here. The woman that I took the large tumor from her breast is nearly well, it was a horrid looking breast. I have it preserved in alcohol, weighed 4ozs 5 lbs. I think we are going to have a sickly summer, several flux cases, returned soldiers sick are on every hand, no need of me going to the army to get practice. I am over stocked here. I wrote to Pa to send us ½ box of good tobacco, but got no receiving from him, got none I reckon.
Write me by mail forth with, I guess Frank Poindexter will give you the latest news. Are you getting Well?
Yours in haste
Ben
Franklin June 13th 1862
My Dear Husband
I seat myself again to write you, I was so sick when I wrote you last that I could not write much. We are all about able for our notions now. The babe and myself are not quite well of our cold but are much better. We were all agreeable surprised day before yesterday by the arrival of Joe, Will Allman and Jesse Moore all wounded slightly. Joe in the foot, W. Allman in the hand, just one finger and Jesse Moore in the hip, he limps a little when walking. They do not seem to mind their wounds much , they are all making merry at Mr. Silers today, Aunt Harriet invited them to dinner today. She sent her buggy after Joe as he could not walk that far, well I tell you he looked quite stylish driving off in his buggy with a little negro sitting behind. I know he would almost as soon fought another battle as to have gone, but he put on a clean shirt and faced the music. She kissed them all the other day as they came & I would not take anything for the kiss she gave Joe. He said he was so shamed he tried to pull back but she would kiss him.
Capt. Robinson received a flesh wound in the arm and James Conley was also wounded. Mr. Wadkins son and brother to Lieut. Smith all of Mr. Capt. Crawfords company was killed. Sam was detailed as hospital steward on the battle field and was carrying chloroform and a case of instruments and was hit by a piece of bombshell and stunned so that he dropped his things but soon got over it. The boys did not know whether Jimmie would come or not. He said he wanted to stay and see to the company before he did come if he came at all. Emilus and Westall was not in the fight they were sick. Westall had a congestive chill and Emilus had something like flux, he was very bad off. Joe thinks he ought to have a discharge, if Jimmie comes I am in hopes he will bring him if he is able to come. I am afraid if he stays there he will die with sickness, he has so many sick spells.
Jesse Robinson has come home to go to Jimmie’s Company. Mary Jane has taken Ann home with her to stay with her until she finds out what she will do, if the war does not end or Hank does not come home, I guess she will come out here this fall and stay till the war closes.
It is reported here that there has been a fight at Big Creek Gap I am afraid that it is so. I do wish I could get your letters sooner, the last one which was dated the 31st May was ten days coming. I am going to send my letter by the Murphy mail. I think they will go quicker if they do write me and I will continue to send them that way. I hope though you will get to come home before you write much more, it does seem like it has been such a long time since you were at home. Jane Justice, Carson she used to be is dead. She left a babe two weeks old. Mitchels wife that married a Ray is also dead, she had diphtheria. I never heard that she was sick until I heard that she was dead. I think we will have a great deal of sickness this summer. There is some cases of whooping cough, mumps and flux in the county now. I would not dread the sickness so much if you were at home, but I am in a constant dread now for fear that some of us will get sick.
Had I better get Bill Batey to haul your lumber, he seems to be a pretty good hand to wagon. I told Pa to inquire if it was ready. I got Dan to cut my wood. How much did you give Jules negro to cut by the month? Dan wanted to charge me 75 cents a month. I should like so much for you to come home while the boys are here. I hope you will if you can possibly, but I suppose I will have to wait until you can get the chance to come, but I tell you I am getting very impatient. I am so anxious to see you and for you to see the babe, she grows very fast and all who say anything about her says she is pretty. I will have to close for the babe is fretting. I have a bad chance to write when she does not sleep for she is hard to nurse and no one else can nurse her long. I do hope you will soon be at home so I can talk to you a while in place of writing. Fannie and Sallie want to see you. Fannie took a longing about you the other day, she says she wants you to come home and stay. Sallie says to tell you that she is a good girl. Matt sends her love, Liza, Lize and Barbara says howdy, Bet says to tell you she is still living.
I am glad to hear you say that you do not intend to sleep without me another winter that was my notion but I was afraid to say anything about it yet until I saw you and could talk to you about it. I thought I could persuade you to say that you would come home even if the war does not end. I think you will have done your duty if that time and if you can get off without dishonor. I will be too glad. I hope I will get a letter this evening your other one was so long coming I think surely I will get one it. It would make no difference about you being aquainted with Mrs. Harper if you would call on her if she knew you are my husband she would be glad to see you. Write often do please for I am so glad to get your letters do not think I would tire of reading them if they all had the same thing them. Think of me often and remember you have a true constant and devoted wife who loves you better than you ever can love her.
Goodbye, Mary
Camp Camming, June 13th 1862
My Dear Wife,
Yours of 5 came to hand found me well and still here. I was very sorry to hear that you was not well & that your breast was threatening to rise. I do hope it wont rise. I fear you have acted imprudent & have exposed your self to early, you will please take good care of yourself. I had a very pleasant dream of you, night before last. I could enjoy the reality of my dream, was I with you. I am so sorry that our blessed little babe is sick. I hope she is well now, take good care of her, I am anxious to see her. The war news is very exciting here, the yanks have left Chattanooga, reports say they have come through Big Creek Gap in heavy forces 7 or 8 thousand & 10 pieces artillery our forces was drawn from there to Chattanooga. Gen. Bartons Brigade is gone back there except 52 Geo. Regt. They went up for Cumberland Gap yesterday, John Moore is left in town sick not bad off, he sent his boy for me & I was going but am ordered off to Atlanta, Geo. With some prisoners. I shall start in a few minutes, with 30 men. John Moores boy says he John speaks of coming out & staying with us. I think he has a bowel complaint, there was one hundred men from our Regt. Last night at 12 O’clock to go to Louden to guard the bridge as report says the toryes intended to burn the bridge. I have not heard from there today, but may see them as I go on this evening. Crawford went & Holebrooks & (Mounts Commanding). Please pay Kimsey Gudger thirty nine dollars for me & charge to my account, as I have to say that I am broke & have to ask my wife to pay my debts. Don’t think that I am spending money for whiskey it is not comeatible, as for the fair sex I know but one and am as true to her as heaven. I must stop, as it is nearly time to start. John Anderson has been furloughed & will start home probably in the morning. If he can take I will send my winter clothing & I have told his brother Lt. Wm. To send all that he thinks I wont need. I also send you Jeff Davises likeness. I guess when you see it you will fall in love with him as I think him a beautiful fellow & I know you think the same when you see this likeness. If I have a chance I will write you from Atlanta, write me to Knoxville, ever your true loving husband my love to Matt & Pa & relations, kiss all my sweet little girls & you kiss me when I come.
A.W. Bell
Murphy June 14th 1862
Dear Brother,
I have just seen Captain Hughes and by him shall try to send this note. I would like for you to see if I can get a cilinder for my mill of the following dimensions to wit length of gudgeon 23 ½ inches, length of cilinder 14 inches, length of cogs 2 ¼ inches , length of cilinder with out cogs 11 ½ inches, Diameter of cilinder 15 inches, length of cogs above cilinder ½ inch, one of cogs 26. If such a cilinder can be got please to write me the cost as I want to get one very much, Diameter of gudgeon 4 inches. Since you left here I have had quite a severe attack of fever not having done a days work for five weeks so that I have lost the best part of my crop and will have to go into school this coming winter again on this account. I was over in town since dinner and saw Mr. Nolen, he was just from Cleveland and was going to return almost immediately. He corroborated the good news from N. Western Virginia. There has been much sickness here lately. Perce Fur and 4 of his children have died within two months. M. Fains youngest child is dead and Bobby is very dangerously sick and I might mention many others who have been sick and some who have died besides some who are subject to the conscript law who have gone to the salt work or iron works to make themselves exempt.
My family and my Brysons are all well or about and I am gaining strength considerably. We would all like very much to hear from you whenever it is convenient for you to write.
Yours truly,
Wm. Beal
Dear Brother,
Mr. Beal has left this lying on the table for me to add a little. We really expected to have received a letter from you ere this, we have heard twice through darling Jaseys notes that you were well, I hope to get a long letter from her by the next mail. I am not personally acquainted with the Rev. Mr. Hume but I truly hope your call upon him may prove a source of pleasure to yourself & impress you favorably toward the church. May Our Heavenly Father protect you where ever you may be is the innermost wish of your sister Fanny.
Charleston, Tenn. June 19th 1862
My Dear Wife
Your very kind & welcome letter of 13 came to hand today, got to Knoxville yesterday, our Q M being there sent it & many others to our regt. to us today. We have often got letters from home in 6 days. I think the quickest way is by Murphy. Well you see we have left Knoxville, on day before yesterday evening, we recd orders to be at the depot at nine O’clock yesterday morning with our baggage. So we was all glad & gave 3 cheers for that. Our destinotiary was this place 70 miles below Knoxville on the Highwasey River. So we arrived here on the cars a little before sun down. We have got the prettiest place to camp that we have had since we have been in service. A beautiful grove on the north side of the hill over looking the town about 2 hundred yards from the town & RR & near the river, 2 fine springs about 250 yards from Camp. I like this place better than any I have been at. 3 of our Cos. Regt is detailed at Louden to guard the bridge & I suppose we will guard the bridge here for a while or at least until we are ordered off. There is part of another regt here that come today & 2 or 3 Cos of Cavalry. There is soldiers at all the towns from here to Knoxville. I have no idea when or where we will be ordered but if the yanks make another attack on Chattanooga of course we will go there. I was very glad to hear that Joe & the other boys had got home, glad that their wounds is not dangerous, glad that no more of them got wounded than did, sorry that Smith & Watkins was killed poor fellows died in a good cause defending the country. If I could draw our money I should make an effort to go home on a furlough, but I have not got any to pay my expenses home let lone what I have borrowed from you. I should feel shabby to go home to see my wife & babes & then have to borrow money from my wife to pay my way back & money that she has to support her & her little sweet cubs on. I think we will get money before long. We have had no commissioned Q. M. & the result we have not been paid off for five months & we are all broke officer & men, but I understand that we have one appointed If he will serve & I reckon he will for I have time & again recommended him & so has Read & I reckon Crawford did. Its nobody but Jule Siler. We wish he was here to take charge of the business. I have no war news to write. I suppose you have seen before now that the yanks have taken Memphis. We expected that so we are not surprised to hear of the fall of Memphis. I should like very much for Bill Batey to haul my lumber & pile it up in Pa’s lot. I don’t want it took to the farm until I come home. Alfred Angels negro is getting about again. He has been in the hospital about 2 weeks & when we went to leave he wanted to come & I brought him along. He is able to cook some. He is very anxious to go home & I wish Angle had him. I will send him by the first safe chance. I would write Angle to come for him but is to busy a time to loose out of his crop at this season of the year. He says if he ever get back, he will stay at home if the war last a hundred years. I think he is broke from sucking eggs.
June 20 my boys that was sent to Louden to guard the bridge has all come last night. My Co is in better health now than is has been for 3 months. They sent 3 or 4 of my boys to the hospital at Atlanta. Bud Young & E. McConnel is at Louden hospital & Thos Rhodes is here at the hotel. I shall send Rhodes & McConnell home as soon as they get able to go. H. W. Nolen has just come in to Camp on his way to the salt works. I have not seen him yet he is with his relations, has been from home some 3 weeks. I was very uneasy about you & our little babe. I am so glad that you have both got about well again. I want you to take good care of your self & my babys. There has been no fight at Big Creek Gap yet, though its reported that the yankees has come through it. I don’t know whether they have or not but if they have there will be a fight before long some where up there. It seems that my letters goes to you very irregular. I have written you 2 or 3 times every week since we left Clinton. I do wish they would go regular, as you are so anxious for them to come. I know its not fault of mine. I know I do my duty in writing you. I only paid 50 cents per month in the winter for cutting wood. If that negro that has a wife at Leons is still coming to town, he belongs to Tom McDowel, he will cut for you for that, so will Jules boys. Capt. Strange has just arrived from Raleigh. He has procured uniforms for our men & I hope he has got some money for me. Tell Joe & the boys to write me. I wrote Joe & Samey last week & directed it to Joe, I hope Samey will get it. Give the boys my best love, Pa Matt & relations same, my best best respects to inquiring friends, give Liza, Lize, Barbrey & Bets howdy for me, I will close. I am drawing up a petition asking Dave Coleman to resign his office. I think all the officers will sign it. I think he ought to resign I will close. I will write you again in a few days. Ive nothing else to write only I had a good dream of you last night. I hope to realize it before long only go a little farther than my dream went.
Ever consider me a true devoted husband good buy. A.W. Bell
Franklin, June 20th 1862
My Dear Husband,
I am a thousand times obliged to you for the two letters I received last Saturday. I hardly expected one when lo and behold there came two, but I tell you I do not object to such surprises. I would not care if they came every week, especially from one who is dearer to me than all else beside, it is my constant study, when I get a letter will I get one by next mail? I expect one at least once a week and if I did not get it I should be compelled to grumble a little. I look forward to tomorrow with bright anticipations feeling almost sure that I will get a letter. I hope I shall not be disappointed. Well since I wrote you last Capt. Robinson has come, looking almost as large and as much like his Uncle David as if it were really David Lowry. I think he has grown considerably. He carries his left arm in a sling but says it does not pain him much. Jimmie, Joe, Wm. Allman, Alice, Magg, and Matt, have all gone a fishing this evening. I think Joe will soon get so that he will not be afraid of the girls. He says he is almost tempted to marry some of the Virginia girls. I understand Pat Roane has come home. Jimmie says he left arrangements for Pat to get a discharge and Emilus a furlough. He does not think that either of them can stand the campaign. I think it quite uncertain whether Emilus comes or not, that is if he gets any better. It is distressing to see the men who are coming home with ruined health and to think that there is a man living who with a few words stop this cruel and ugly war. I believe we have a just God and that sooner or later Abraham Lincoln will meet with his just rewards. I may be called heartless and wicked and doubtless am, but it does me good to think that retribution awaits such tyrants as old Abe. Well we are getting along as best we can. Your Pa is cutting his wheat it is very good. I am letting Liza help them. Baty says he wants to cut ours next week. It is not very good and the rye not worth cutting only for feed. The oats are ruined with the rust. I reckon that fates are against us this year. I hope though to have you with me next year to provide for me. I feel like I would be willing to live on just enough to keep me alive if I could have you with me. I reckon you would be a little jealous if you could see the men come to see me, and sit and chat with me and hour at a time. William Allen came to see me yesterday to inquire when I had heard from you. They very often come to me to hear the news and they all praise you and you know that makes me proud and glad to see them come for there is no better way to get into the good graces of a woman than to praise her husband. I wonder if the men are the same way? Do they love to hear their wives praised?
I hope by this time that you have all got your difficulties settled and that I will soon hear that glad tidings that my husband is coming home. Your company must surely be small now you have sent so many home. Mr. Owens got here last Sunday. I went over to your Pas and heard him tell the news they most all seem to think that you will some soon. I do hope so for time drags hourly on my hands. I feel like I could hardly behave myself if I knew that you were coming soon.
Saturday morning June 21st
I reckon I ought to say my sweet baby grows very fast, if you do not hurry home she will be a woman before you get to see her. Mr. Baty told me to tell you that she is the very image of you. I reckon you will begin to think now that Mrs. Reed is not trying to flatter you, you know I always told you that you were a little vain and thought you were good looking. You did not send her a name as I wrote you too, we call her Minnie Matilda how do you like that? Or will you laugh at it, I thought I would give ma part of the name if you would like it and did not have a name picked out for her. I expect our children will have the whooping cough, as they have had a chance to get it. Mr. Tom P. Moores son Jimmie is very low with diphtheria and Dr. Lyle says that Ella Reed has it. I dread diphtheria as it so often proves fatal. I will have to close as it is time to begin about dinner and Eliza is in the field. The baby fretted so yesterday evening that I did not get to write as much as I would have done. If you were here I would give you a mess of beans and potatoes for dinner. I know you would relish that. All send their love and howdy too. Fannie and Sallie want to see their Pa. Sallie likes her Uncle Joe very much and no wonder for her disposition is so much like his. Good bye may all go well with you is the sincere wish of your true and devoted wife. Mary
I loaned Jesse Ledford two dollars, which you are to keep out of his money when you draw it.