Lenoir Station Ten
Dec 7th 1862
My Dear Wife,
I again write you a few lines this sabbath evening. I have nothing of much importance to write, only we this morning was ordered to prepare winter quarters that the orders for us to go to Kingston was countermanded, but to our great surprise we as again order to Kingston, start at 8 o’clock in the morning. So I reckon we will be off this time. The boys are all busy cooking 2 days rations & all preparations are being made, for a starter we are sending off our sick to Loudon, I sent Garland & Cabe. Garland has a bad cough, Cabe has a swollen ankle. I sent Ham Penland & Wm. Henson both quite sick I heard form them yesterday they was not much better. I fear Ham will have a bad spell probably of fever. The others that went last week & week before, W. Tippet, & Allen D. Carpenter, John Guy is getting well, Bill Buckner I fear will die he is at Knoxville bad off. One of our regt has arrived this morning that was left in Ky sick. He heard nothing of Alex Holbrooks & Capt. Hughes but Jas. A. Sellers was better & J. A. Black came with him to Vicksburg & was exchanged. Sellers stopped there in the hospital not able to travel, Sotherds stopped at a hospital in Jacksonville Ala not much sick, Beck started on for the regt but has not arrived.
I have sent my trunk to Loudon to Cos Wils Bells & wrote him to send it home by the wagon that Vanhook brings. I want the wagon to be sure & bring it to you. I have sent my surplus property to you in it. I also sent you 30 lbs of salt, which I know will be exceptable nearly as much as snuff. I paid Tom Rhodes $20.00 that was due him & as we thought a little over one months pay & his mileage home $ 11.00 which they will not pay at all they say they only give transportation & don’t pay mileage. I spent five or six dollars going to Knoxville trying to get it but have failed Tom said if I failed he would refund the money. I will write him and tell him to pay it to you. I don’t know what Mr. Rhodes kept one dollar for I gave him $ 11.00 to buy the cards unless it was to pay him for carrying my things home which he was to do as we paid him for going home, the same as coming & he was to haul anything back that we wished to send, besides he would have got but one bunch thread had it not been for me. I had paid for it all & when his wagon was taken the boys said I could have the thread if I could get it home I was going to write your Pa to send Tomey after it. Mr. Rhodes said if I would let him have half he would take it home & I did not expect to pay him anything more but if he charges all right. I will close, I will write you again in a few days. Direct to Kinston , ever your devoted alfa & omega loving husband………A.W. Bell
My love to Matt & relations, kiss my sweet babes often for me.
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Kingston Dec 10th 1862
East Tenn
My Dear Wife,
We arrived here yesterday evening distance 18 miles pretty rough road. It took us a little over 1 day to march it. This place is in the fork of Big Tenn. River & Clinch. The town is the oldest looking place that we have been at. The second oldest in East Tennessee. I have no news to write of any sort I hear nothing from the war, no yanks in these parts. I don’t think from the looks of the country that they probably will want a footing here for its very broken & quite a poverty stricken place. We are building a few shantys & adding floors & chimneys to our tents. Gen. Reynold thinks probably we may spend the winter here. We are camped 1 ½ miles from Kingston an up Ten. River on the south slope of a hill well timbered hickory and oak plenty, but water is unhandy about 3 hundred yds to the river there is a spring a little further off on the bank of the river, but we like the river water the best & use it by so doing we may get a mixture of water that may come form old Macon.
I wake up remember home & sweet loved one there. I have just been over to town. Gen. Reynolds sent for me to give some advice about our winter quarters & to let me know that we could have plank to floor our tents & as I am in command at the bloodless 39 & have been for nearly 2 weeks, the old Gen. appears to think a good deal of me. I suppose an account of me having his son elected Maj. of our regt I gave back & spared myself for him, you know the result. Colemans at Knoxville trying to have some of our men punished for going home last summer. He has 6 of my boys at Knoxville to have them court martialed, 6 of Crawfords & 20 from this regt. My men are as follows, W. Waldroop, Sanders, Picklesimer, Joe Young, Kell &, Polk Morgan.
I don’t think it can hurt the boys but Coleman wants to show off smart anyhow. I have heard nothing from my sick since I wrote you 3 day ago & I now only write you because I promised in my last to do on my arrival here. I here that John I. Moore was promoted to Maj. of his regt. I have recd no letter from him. I must close as the sun is about down & the mail goes out in the morn & I must send this to town this evening.
Write me to this place. Have me a coat made on that piece of janes that I wrote you about if you have it made. Ill close I will do better next time. You may knit a pair or two of socks so in case of a emergency I could draw on you. My love to all our relations, kiss my sweet little babes often for me & believe me ever your true devoted Alfa & Omega & loving husband…..A.W. Bell
Hd Qrs 39 NCV Camp Chase near Kingston, Ten Dec 19th 1862
My Dear Wife,
You very kind letter of 6 by J. N. Vanhook came yesterday evening also my over coat gloves and brandy, all welcome to my office & feelings. I was sorry to hear that so many children was dying from the same disease that took one of our sweet children from us. I am glad Samey got home & if I was him I would remain there until I was exchanged. I think & hope Joe will get a surgeons certificate & resign & come home. Well I have news this moning that will do some body good that is at home. Alex Holbrooks & Mathey Mashburn arrived here this morning they look pretty well they have had a hard time of it. Capt. Hughes also Albert Fulcher was left in Atlanta not able to travel though not dangerous, but worn down. I have heard nothing from Sellers, Southerds & Black since I wrote you. I tried to get Alex & Mathy furloughed this morning but have failed. Well we have just got chimneys to our tents & the boys built me a cabin just comfortably fixed & expected to remain here the balance of this winter, but as it always has been we are ordered off, we now go to Jackson Mississippi. We leave for Lenoir Station in the morning then take the train we will have 7 or 8 hundred miles to go on the cars, we go to Dalton, Atlanta, Lagrange, Montgomery, Mobile & then to Jackson the capital of Mississippi, its about 40 miles off vicksburg. I am willing to loose E. Ten but I hate to leave our very comfortable chimneys & my cabin all right probably its for the best, we are now preparing 2 days rations to last us to Lenoir Station. The wagon will go with us up there & I will send my trunk home by them. I got you some 30 lbs more salt yesterday & shall try to get some more before the wagon starts. This is about 60 lbs I have, I am in hopes Melvil has got home by this time. As for spending some other mans money as you say, I did not know that you had any other mans money. I did not know that you had any body but your own. I think I shall get jealous, If I find you have got some other mans money & speculate on but on second thought probably you have forgotten that Bill Marr made you & I both one, & still we are one , now I think you ought to say our hat & our Bonnet & our money. I know if we had not both been made one by Bill Marr I should have had but little money to call mine for I never had saved any until you was mine & I yours. I have never repented the tie that had bond us in love probably you have , if so you have kept it to your self & I have too much confidence to believe it. If I did oh what a miserable man I would be enough of this stuff, I know our love is inseparable only by death.
As to buying Marthey or Liza or anything else you & my sweet babes want. I want you not to ask me anything about it. It’s enough for you to know that I want you to buy it I am more than willing I have a wife & I thank God for it who is not extravagant & is always trying to lay up something for the future. I want you to buy Marthey or Liza if you can & give what ever you think is right I shall be satisfied with what you do. I don’t know what negroes are selling at & you must do as you think best for yourself. I don’t think it good policy to keep money on hands. I want you to invest what you have in something either for a negro or land. I think when we get to Jackson & get fixed up there that I will try and come home I think I can get off, should I be Maj. in my Co cannot think and should I not I have rheumatism & I know that Dr. Swaine will give me a certificate of disability, say nothing about this I will write you by the wagoners from Lenoir so I will close, kiss my sweet babys often for me & I will return the complement ten fold on sight, give my love to Pa, Ma, Matt & relations & friends generally. Tell Samey to write me to Jackson Miss you will please write as often as once a week any how, I will continue & write you as often as possible I close ever believe me your dearest devoted Alfa & Omega & loving husband..
A.W. Bell
Hd Qrs 39 NCV Loudon, Ten Dec 22nd 1862
My Dear Wife,
I again write you again while at Kingston. We recd orders to march to Jackson Miss on arriving at Lenoir. We then recd orders that we was detached from the 4 Brigade & would relieve a Regt at this place, so we are here & our Brigade gone. I understand that we will form a NC Brigade. How long we will remain here time will tell. Mathie Mashburn will start home in the morning on sick furlough, Melvil was taken prisoner & was with him & was exchanged where he was, he belongs to a Ky. Regt of Cavalry & is now near Murfeesboro, Ten, I guess he has written you before this. If not Mathey can tell you all about him. Mr. Penland & Allen starts in the morning, the wagon started this evening I sent my trunk & contents, I sent you about 1 bushel salt in it. I have nothing to write its so dark I cannot see I have just sent & got 2 tallow candles at 25cts each. I’ll finish this If I thought we would remain here long I would like you & the babys to visit me. Samy could bring you If you could get anything to work & a buggy but it is a long road & ruff & very uncertain how long we will stay, so I cannot ask you to undertake it with your babys at this season of the year, though we may stay here some months. They have got several shantys to occupy & have got others on the way it may be like it was before about the time we get comfortably fixed be ordered off. I was anxious to go to Miss, but as we have stopped again I am satisfied to remain here the balance of this winter. Wm. Allen had just told me that Joe had got home. I am glad he has come home. I think he ought to resign he ought to obtain a surgeons certificate so that conscript want take him again. If I was Samey I would not go back until I was exchanged but he ought to report. regular to his command. As for you going to see Sallie, I think you ought to go, If you can get the horse & buggy & Samey or Joe will go & take you & the babys. I sent you a few dirty shirts you can wash them & use them as you wish also some drawers I think you ought to give them to Pa or some of our relations that is poor, the shoes probably will fit Liza. I send powder let the boys enjoy themselves killing squirrels as I have plenty of guns there. I should like very much to see Joe and Samey, if things turns out as the prospect now indicates I will be at home before a great while. Davidson has resigned & I think his resignation will be excepted. Col. Coleman is very sick at Knoxville reports say he is black in the face (licker I suppose).
I still have command of the regt I am also Senior Capt. I am in command of the post more honor in the family all the officers have to report to me & I have to approve all provision returns & give passes sign furloughs & details. I think I am some but then I think that the confederacy is pushed for officers when they take such fellers as I am. I shall have my pants patched & make them do a while longer for fear you don’t get me any jeans. I will close for this time write me to this place leave the Brigade off as we don’t belong to any Brigade, tell the boys to write me, give my love to all & Matt, kiss my sweat babys often for me & I will return the compliment ten fold on sight, ever believe me your devoted Alf & omega kind.
Alf W. Bell
Dec 23rd before day, I want borrow your watch, please send it by the first chance. I need one very bad. My sick here is all up except John Allen, he is improving very slow. I fear Wm. Buckner at Knoxville will not get well soon if ever. Albert Fulcher has not come yet he was left in Atlanta sick. I suppose the cause is his long confinement. We have no news of Sellers , Southerds & Black. Alex Holbrooks has gone to Knoxville to get a leave of absence. I think he will succeed if so he will be at home soon. I think you ought to buy Marthey or Liza if you can, you need not pay the wagon for hauling my trunk home. I paid them the same for going back as they got for coming. I sent an old saddle by them I want Joe to repair it if he will as how I may need it soon. The government has & is killing a great many hogs here, we was fine on Ribs Backbones & head & feet but they make us pay 10cts per lb, they give us livers , think Joe & Samey might come & see me. I should like for you to come & would insist if I was not afraid that we would be ordered off before you would get here. But it a risk and a big undertaking do as you think best about it, should you come let me know so I can have a boarding house arranged by the time you get here , I will stop Mr. Allen will start shortly. I remain ever you devoted Alfa
Loudon, Ten Dec 29th 1862
My Dear Wife,
I barely have time to write you this morning again. I wrote you by Lt. Holbrooks that we was on lend to Cumberland Gap & would start there on the arrival of Col. Smiths Bat. Well we was beginning to look their arrival but just now there come a train bussing up & the conductor said they was ordered here to take troops to Chattanooga & we did not know what troops it was as there was none but us & a few Florida here but in a few minutes here come a telegraphic dispatch for the Bloodless 39 to go to Murfreesboro. So we are now packing up & cooking & our cars are ready waiting for us, so I think this is a sure trip this time, so you can write to that place. I let Mathie Mashburn have fifteen dollars. I thought Sid Slagle was to get ten from Bill Allen & let him have it & he could pay it to Robert Slagle, but Sid did not get the money from Allen. So Mathey need not pay any to Mr. Slagel but pay you the fifteen dollars. We are all rejoicing that we get shet of Cumberland Gap that would have been a cold snowy place for us to, probably many would have died of cold as the Yanks would kill though I hope they will not kill any of our boys. One of Crawfords men died last night Joshua Ammons of Ellijay. Poor fellow only lay sick just one week. Tell Bill Allen that his son John is still improving & I think he ought to come after him as soon as he can. The Dr. says he will let him go home. We will either discharge or furlough him, he ought to go home. All the other boys of my Co is still improving none dangerous now. My boys that was here in prison at Knoxville have just come all but Will Waldrupe, he is sick but not bad off, he is in the hospital at Knoxville. I was up there yesterday & I think was the cause of their release from prison. Will did not know it or he would have come too & he will be on in a day or too, tell Ambrous. I will write you as soon as I get to our destination. I don’t know what Brigade we will now belong, whether we will go back to Reynolds or to some other. I think Joe & Samey ought to stay at home until they are exchanged they should report to their Capt. once a month. You can get your confed money exchanged if you want & if you can get state money or RR Georgia, I would like it better but probably you had better buy you a niger if you can get one of our Pa’s to attend to it or get Beng to buy you one. I would prefer a girl but if you cannot get a girl & can get a little boy buy him, buy all the corn & meat you need.
I cannot now think of anything else to write you at this time , please kiss my sweet babys often for me & I will repay you on sight ten fold for your trouble. I think the day not far distant when I will be blessed with the opportunity of being with you & my sweet little babes. I know I long to see the close of this unjust war that Abe has waged against us & have so distressed the world with. I reckon I shall get to see Maj. J.J. Moore soon. I expect soon to have something new to write you, I have wrote the same thing so often that I am now out of stock & will quit mylove to Pa & the boys & relations, Matt & the girls, believe me ever a devoted & loving husband,
A.W. Bell
( ?) Ten Jan 11th 1863
My dear Wife,
I again seat myself this nice Sunday morning to write you again. Well a history of our up & downs probably would interest you at this time more than anything else at present & to know that I am safe & the most of my boys. I wrote you from Loudon that we was ordered to Murfreesboro. We landed there the night of the 28th of Dec., was ordered next morning to the battle field & would be held as reserve. On starting Capt. Crawford & Co was detailed to remain & load some wagons of ammunition. The rest of us was marched at double & quick time to the field 2 miles off. We was marched to the right of the center division unattached to any brigade. On our approach to a fence the yanks had shelled us on our way & had wounded several, W. G. Thomas of my Co., was one. At the fence they give us a volley of minnie balls, wounded several, Will Roane & Thompson of my Co., then Col. Coleman was wounded. We pitched in our little Regt & the 16 Tenn., with not many more men than we had. The Yankees played on us with 3 batterys & had 2 Ky. legions & 2 Indiana regt close to us & about 6 or 8 thousand in line of battle some 8 hundred yds form us. We comenced our fight at ½ after 10 o’clock & fought until 4 pm. We was reinforced about 2 o’clock. They gave way about ½ after 3 the 16 Tenn. fell back & of course ours then fell back too the ditches about 4 hundred yds. Col. Davidson was wounded about 1 o’clock & of course I had to take the command. Col. Coleman was wounded in the right leg about the top of the boot on the outside missing the bone passing directly though his leg, quite a severe wound, minnie ball. Col. Davidson wounded in right elbow & rangin down about ½ way to the hand a very painful wound & injuring the bone. Coleman has gone to Knoxville & probably will go home. Davidson took fever & could not be moved, was left at Murfrreesboro & I reckon the Yanks got him prisoner. I had 16 wounded, 4 taken prisoner, Wood Owen, Lesh McConnell, K. Gudger & Thos West, these are missing & I am satisfied they was taken prisoner, for when we fell back they did not come out & I sent back for them, when the Yanks fell back & could not find them. Some of the boys was there hid & say they saw Owen & McConnell taken. I only had 5 severely wounded or needed medical aid. Thomas, W. G., left shoulder, piece of a shell, flesh wound. Roane, Will left thigh, minnie ball, flesh wound. Gregory, J.T., right elbow, bone injured, minnie ball. Thompson in head, flesh wound, shell. John Guy, left leg broke. Lt. Anderson, right shoulder, flesh wound. The others are slight wounds. Capt. Crawford joined us after we fell back to our ditches. He came to the field soon after we did but could not find us. He was under a heavy shelling all day but one of his boys was wounded. Ervin Moore, poor fellow a piece of shell struck his arm & broke it, it was taken off next day & he died the same evening. We had 1 man killed dead on the field, Lt. John Ray of Co F Cherokee Co & Sergt. Whitker of Co D, Buncombe Co, We had 50 killed wounded & missing. My Co had more wounded that any other it being the largest. I had 50 men & myself & W. Anderson all of my boys with but little exception acted bravely. I must confess that I am not as brave as I thought I was. I never wanted out of a place as bad in my life, the balls howled, the shells sang the grape rattled. I want in no more battles the last day of 1862 will long be remembered by many of us. We lay in ditches & behind breast works in cedar thickets until Saturday night the grape & shell rattled all around over us day and night Thursday, Friday & Saturday. The enemys left was drove 5 or 6 miles, many prisoners & 40 odd cannon captured we drove them to a strong position by nature & they had fortified it was a desperate rainy cold time. We was nearly worn out & Gen. C. Bragg on Saturday night ordered a fall back to Winchester. We left about 10 o’clock at night & marched here by night following, 30 miles through wind & rain. We rested here a day & then traveled 2 days & started back for this place some 25 miles got here last night. I gave out after our fight & fell out of ranks & rested until morning & joined my Company that night we retreated I took bilious colic but came on to this place that day & have not been well since. I suffer with pains & bowel complaint, I am still unwell. I have the Majors horse to ride or I could not have made the reprieve.
I hope the Maj. will come soon & take his command. I don’t know how long we will stay here, reports say several weeks. I suppose the Yanks are at Murfreesboro. We don’t know anything here, we get no papers or letters. I am anxious to hear from home, this is the first opportunity I have had to write you since writing from Loudon. We have had the hardest times that we have ever had. We slept but little for 5 nights. I saw hundreds of dead Yanks some places that I could walk on them in some places from 150 to 100 would be laying close together. Our dead and wounded was carried off the field as fast as they was wounded, our dead was buried. I saw but few of our dead. I sent a burial party to the place we fought to bury W. Ray & Srgt. Whitker & they say that they saw the dead Yankees as thick where we fought than as any place, they had been. I took several lying down shots at them & several rest shots by trees, our boys appeared to take aim all the time. We certainly whipped them bad, but they was reinforced & I think it was good policy in Bragg to fall back. We got all our captured property & prisoners safe & all the wounded that was abel to be moved was sent to Chattanooga. You will see the report in the papers. So I will quit the battle subject by saying I had rather not be in any more big battles.
We are now attached to Col. Manigault, 4th Brigade, Withers Division, Polks Corpse direct to this place & probably I will get it. I don’t know of any thing else to write at present. I think the boys at home that belongs to Co. B ought to come back now, as they are needed. I hardly think it nessary for you to try to send me any clothing as I have as much as I can get along with. I want my hat that I left at home as my cap is about gone, give my love to all our relations & friends, kiss my sweet babes often for me. I am so tired & worn out that I must quit. John Moores Brigade went to Miss. I know nothing of Melvil. Abe Enlow was in the fight come out safe. I don’t know when I will come home. I hope before long should we be ordered back to Tenn. I know I will. Ever believe me your devoted loving husband.
Excuse the bad composed & written letter for I am tired & sick…….A.W. Bell