January 8, 1861-1865

Epperly, Sarah, fl. 1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marion Epperly

Discusses a friend or family member [illegible] who she says ought to join her out west. Writes that there have been a number of weddings this season, but she has not yet been asked. Letter was written on 8 January, year and state not listed.

GLC02715.127

7-10 September 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

Lack of arms in "rebel country;" Confederate guerrillas; African Americans in camp ("…it is very wicked the way that the soldiers dos abuse them…"); behavior of fellow soldiers in camp; plans to send a picture after he is outfitted with gun and uniform.

GLC02739.011

11 September 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

Still no letters from home; guard duty; lack of arms; rebel activity in the vicinity; paying debts and other concerns at home; arrival of guns and uniforms.

GLC02739.012

19 September 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

They expect an attack on Louisville but he believes "if the rebbels undertakes it they wil git bad whipped." He has "no doubt but that the [war] wil be over by spring." He instructs his wife to teach their daughter as much as possible; "it is worth more to her than all else you can do for her."

GLC02739.014

26 September 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

Dreams of people at home; his health and gaining exemption from duty; lack of contact with the enemy; marching orders; sickness in camp due to overexertion.

GLC02739.015

29 September 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones and Elizabeth Jones

150,000 troops at Louisville with armies "a mile long and forty feet wide;" thanking Elizabeth Jones for being a good mother. With enclosed note to Nancy Jones, correcting a previous letter and the position of Gen. Hooker's corps.

GLC02739.016

4 October 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

Five divisions including his left Louisville in pursuit of the Confederates. The doctor will not excuse anyone from duty "until they are half dead." She knows "more at home than we do about what is going on." He believes that "Kentucky will be [clear] of rebbels soon."

GLC02739.017

17 October 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

His regiment has not fought yet but Bill Elliot's has. There were 4,000-5,000 Confederates, outnumbering the Union four to one, but the Union won. He does not how many Union casualties there were but it was nothing "like so many as the rebbels."

GLC02739.019

26 October 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

Confederates forced his regiment to change routes on their way to reinforce General Buell at Perryville and some of their men were taken prisoner. Although they were unable to reach Buell, he "whipped braggs army with one fourth the men that brag had." Buell, who has "so many troops now that we never can get up close to aid him," pursued Bragg and they fought again. Jones describes the Confederates as ragged and says "most al [are] glad when they are taken prisoners."

GLC02739.020

10 November 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

He expects that "the rebbels is so near drove out and [there are] so many union troops that the mail can go through safe" now.

GLC02739.023

30 November 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

He is on picket and it is difficult to write because "there is so many generals passing and we [have] to fall in to line evry time one comes along to salute him." On 27 November his brigade was ordered to scout towards Murfreesboro and skirmished with the Confederates. His regiment was ordered to guard the battery; they had "no firing to do but we was in the dangerest place." They drove the Confederates a mile from their camp, took possession of the nearby town, and burnt it.

GLC02739.026

3-4 December 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

Apologizes for not being able to keep her letters but asks that she save his until he comes home; regiment will likely move towards Alabama and Georgia; rumors that Richmond was captured; advises her not to visit as "here is no place for a woman."

GLC02739.027

6-7 December 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

George Cooper died of the measles. The Confederates tried to capture their grain train but were unsuccessful. He lists the hierarchy of officers above him: Sill, Rosecrans, Kirk, and Reid.

GLC02739.028

12 December 1862

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

He went out on a very difficult picket but slept that night in a Confederate's barn to stay out of the rain.

GLC02739.030

January 21, 1863

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

They left the Nashville area on 26 December and fought almost every day on their way to Murfreesboro. He describes a very tough battle and his own close call. The Confederate guns were "so hot that they burnt our hands when we took hold of them."

GLC02739.032

January 24, 1863

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

He does not think the South can be defeated: "we can't starve them out for they have a plenty and we can't whip them out for they are armed as well as we are, and they are as brave a men to fight as we are."

GLC02739.033

February 14, 1863

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

He sends Phebe Jane Walker his sympathies about Joseph's death. They are working on a fort and he hopes they will get to stay in it. He finds the Confederates "al friendly and kind I tel you it is awful to think that we half to kill them on the account of some wicked leading men."

GLC02739.036

26 April 1863

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Writing to tell her he is alright, even though it is not his turn. Says he is about 10 miles from Washington, North Carolina under batteries which have caused them a great deal of trouble for the past 3-4 weeks. It was the cause of them not going to Philadelphia. Says the rebels sneaked in and built the batteries during the night and "They built them a little back from the river so that they could not be seen when they got them finished they cut the trees down in front of them." They were also built under the ground so they could not be shelled out. Says Commodore Hull ran the gauntlet of…

GLC02829.08

31 May 1863

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

References her letter of the 25th. Is sorry to hear she is in such bad health, but sends her encouraging words. Says "If you have seen me fourteen months ago you would not have given much for me as I dont believe I weighed 80 lbs. but I never mentioned it before." Claims he lived on port wine and arrow root for 3 weeks, but thanks God he is now in good health again. Says he is now 133 lbs. Says he went to shore in Washington, North Carolina where his friend Cromwell has a cousin, a major in the 178th Pennsylvania regiment. Says it is a pretty place (in contrast to his negative opinion in…

GLC02829.09

2 August 1864

Allen, William, fl. 1834-1880

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Says he is lonesome and received a letter from Mary yesterday, the first letter he received since he left New York. Notes that she was traveling up to the country. Says there is great sporting in Maryland -- fishing, crabbing, and oystering. Says fruit is abundant here too -- peaches, pears, apples, and plums. Has gone up the Potomac River from the mouth to Washington, DC. Says at Point Lookout, Maryland where "they have 15,000 Reble [sic] Prisoners ther [sic] and they ar [sic] as happy as can be." Says he has been having easy times and goes sailing and fishing often and "take a darkey with…

GLC02829.13

30 December 1861

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Written by Allen aboard the USS "Delaware." Says he has written to "all hands" and has not received any response. Says he will not write again if he does not get a response from her. Reports that "We had an engagement on a small scale which gave us an appetite for our breakfast[.] the enemy throwed a few schells [sic] over our boat. Joe's [his brother Joseph H. Allen] vessel layed close by but they were not concerned in it so we had it all to ourselves." Says their captain is a fine man who served as a first lieutenant on the USS "Congress." His brother Joseph served on the "Congress," and…

GLC02829.05

20 June 1862

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Written to his sister Mary. Aboard the USS "Delaware" about 60 miles from Richmond on the James River. Says they are with the USS "Monitor." Says they have left the company of the "Mosquitoe fleet" and are now with the "ironclads." Says they are eating well: chicken, mutton, veal, cherries, strawberries, plenty of fresh milk. Reports that the enslaved people of a rebel colonel named Cass sold them a young steer they stole from him for 5 dollars. Says he is getting the gout some nights when he goes to bed. Says there are sharpshooters along the banks of the James when they travel up it, but…

GLC02829.06

18 November 1862

Allen, Joseph H., fl. 1859-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Glad to hear that her children are in good health. Says he is not well himself, having caught a heavy cold. Has a rebel prisoner under his charge. The prisoner was taken for burning the clipper ship "Alagany" in Chesapeake Bay. He did not deny it, saying his commanding officer ordered him to do it. The POW said he was worth 26,000 dollars before the war and is now penniless with a sick wife and five small children depending on him. He "wanted to know how it was with the poor people at the North for the poor people at the South were in a very bad Condition[.] he was in hopes the war would…

GLC02829.07

29 May 1863

McIntire, Frank T., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary and Bill Mayberry

References Mary's letter of 29 April. Also writes to Mary's husband Bill. Returned to Key West after a cruise of 43 days, in which they captured 8 sailing vessels and destroyed one steamer, the "Cuba." Says the loss of the "Cuba" was bad as they were set to receive good prize money for her. Says it is a severe blow to hear of Mather's death "but I have become reconciled to it and believe it all for the best." Tells Bill he likes Philadelphia as well as him, but that it will not be his home again. Is anxious to get home to settle his affairs and be off again. Says he is rushed with 50 letters…

GLC02829.10

6 September 1863

McIntire, Frank T., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Bill Mayberry

Very informal letter. Says he has no doubt she has seen in the papers that his ship has taken several prizes. Says he is "getting rich damn it. [I] got more money than a horse could haul in a year. Without joking I suppose my share will amount to about fifteen thousand dollars at least." Does not know when he will get home. Says "By the way Bill in your last you told me you was going to give that d__d old fool Dupree a thrashing..." Written while aboard the U.S.S "Delaware"

GLC02829.12