18 December 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister about the men enlisting in the Veteran Corp. They are mostly older soldiers who will go home to recruit. Discusses the strangeness of seeing some men, who have already served three years, re-enlisting while others pay to get out of the draft and "rob thear wives and children." Describes all the fun soldiers have, running foot races and wrestling ("the Officers indulge in it as well as the men").

GLC03523.14.46

4 January 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister to tell her that "the next time you hear from me I shall be in Texas." Wonders when the war will end and says some people in Louisiana think that as long as Lincoln is president, the country will continue to be at war. Reminisces about being part of the Wide Awakes, a campaign group affiliated with the Republican party. He mentions the lamp he carried as part of the Wide Awake uniform, but says now "I had rather be a soldier than a Wide Awake." Some Union soldiers who were taken prisoner at Buzzard's Prairie have returned to the regiment, and they describe the…

GLC03523.14.47

February 2, 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. His brother, John, has enlisted and is joining Damuth's company. Damuth promises to make him comfortable, but admits that "it was hard enough for me to leave home but it is nothing compared with leaving a wife and five little ones." Confesses that "the war is a very dangerous undertaking." Twenty-seven men from his company have died since the start of the war. The men have been seeing rattlesnakes in Texas, including one which is six feet long. Writes of the hard work of his captain and says he "ought to be Major but others have rich and influential friends to work…

GLC03523.14.48

1 March 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister about gossip from home in response to a letter he has recently received. The 29th Wisconsin and some Indiana regiments they have been traveling with have parted ways after a year together. Reminisces about General McClernand and says of him: "there is no kinder men or trur Patriots." They have met some men from the Army of the Potomac who "put on more style than we do they wear white gloves and are well drilled." The men receive no news about the war. Written from Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana.

GLC03523.14.49

10 March 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister from Berwick City. Damuth wants to stay in the army once his three years are up, despite the fact that his father has expressed displeasure at the proposition. Sends some camp news.

GLC03523.14.50

3 April 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes that the men are waiting to fight. A battle is going to take place at Pleasant Hill, thirty-five miles from their campsite. Tells a story about some men out on picket the day before who were captured by a plantation owner who "mad his negros tie them he marched them out in the woods to shoot them." One man is dead and the other two escaped. Damuth describes seeing the dead man's body and his anger that the murderer "pretended to be a union man." Reports that Texans they have captured were completely unaware of Northerners coming South. Predicts the war will be over by the summer…

GLC03523.14.52

11 April 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes his sister that the "29 have been in a fight and nearly all killed wounded and taken prisoners 5 companys were engaged and out of 180 men we lost 64." Lists the fates of various family friends. After the fight, the men meet new recruits at Pleasant Hill.

GLC03523.14.53

15 April 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes his sister to describe the battles of the previous few days in more detail, with particular attention to the amount of marching his company engaged in and the specific places where friends died. Writes about the moment of realizing "our Co was all thear was that was not killed or wounded." Damuth's company carries the regiment's colors, which they hoist up before the Confederate soldiers "were on us in overwhelming numbers." He describes retreating from the fight: "I thought my time would come next I could see the Rebs and hear them say Stop you yankee Sons of Bitches Surrender you…

GLC03523.14.54

30 April 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Describes being put on emergency picket outside town two days before. Damuth enjoys standing guard and complains only of the lack of blankets during the night. Tells of his fears during the night, wondering "which one of us had got to fall this time," and writes that his fear of death only grows stronger with each battle. Finds the "big scare" humorous because during the frantic change of camps "they piled every thing up together" and many soldiers lost their belongings. Writes about the surprise of discovering a silk handkerchief in the pocket of one of his shirts while doing his…

GLC03523.14.55

23 May 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes that the men are camping beside the Mississippi River again. They are waiting to take a boat down river. Mail arrives for the first time in a month.

GLC03523.14.56

26 May 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Has been helping to write out papers, although it is not his job as an orderly. The men have been assigned garrison duty along the river, and Damuth suspects they will end up near New Orleans. Speculates about visiting home. Mentions a friend who is at Vicksburg as "a detective…he wearse good clothes and has an easy time." Writes that "we are waiting anxiously to see if Grant is going to whip out the rebel Lee," and that if this doesn't happen, "old Abe will have to call for more men."

GLC03523.14.57

2 June 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ida

Writes that the whole camp is on picket, except for himself (the orderly) and the cooks. One of Damuth's friends has adopted birds, and it is Damuth's job to care for them. He dislikes them, but his friend "thinks every thing of them and will talk baby talk to them all the time." Mentions that he is glad "they are raising so many 100 day men," but mentions that serving for a hundred days is not long enough to really experience the soldier's life. Speculates on the end of the war and writes "I want to get home and enjoy domestic bliss for the rest of my days."

GLC03523.14.58

6 June 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men have nothing to do and are relaxing in camp. The regiment has heard "good news from Grant to day" but doesn't know if it is true; they hope Grant "whips Lee at Richmond." Damuth's brother John has enlisted for a period of a hundred days. Adds a postscript on 7 June about a friend who is guarding a nearby house "to keep the boys from stealing every thing and to protected [sic] the women folks."

GLC03523.14.59

23 June 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Has recently arrived at a new camp on the Mississippi River, twelve miles from [Carrollton]. Damuth does not know why the men are there: "I cant see anything to guard except fences houses and hog pens." Says that it is too hot for the men to march. A man wounded in at [Sabine Cross Roads] in April has turned up at a nearby hospital. Damuth writes that the man and another soldier "lay on the Battle field that night and the next day Ferdinan died what a lonesome night that must have been." Describes the sense of brotherhood he feels in his company and hopes to send home photographs of his…

GLC03523.14.60

2 July 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister about how busy life is at camp. Damuth is in charge of pay roll and "mad out four Muster & pay Rolls this week besides making out other papers." One of the captains in Company C has been promoted to major, much to the chagrin of many of his fellow soldiers. In response to news from home, writes that "I hope Pa wont fret him Self to death" over worries about provisions. Wishes he could be home to celebrate the 4th of July with his family. Says that in camp they will march and "hear a little talking they wont have the one thing needful to make such a day pass off…

GLC03523.14.61

8 July 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men are going to march for Algiers in the morning. Damuth has heard "there is Ocien Steamers waiting for troops at Algiers." Comments on family affairs, his father has sold their oxen, but Damuth reminds him not to sell his colt. Damuth is preoccupied by the idea of taking a furlough to visit his family.

GLC03523.14.62

30 July 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Reports the deaths of more members of Company D at a fight against the Confederate Army on the Atchafalaya River. Mourns a friend and writes, "I cant think otherwise than that cotton and whiskey was the cause of Jeromes death… I do know that a great many of the Officers were beastly drunk." The men marched thirty-four miles in the heat after the battle, and "after the funeral I went into my tent and laid there till this morning." The Confederate soldiers have fortifications across the river, and Damuth writes that the Union soldiers will not attempt to fight again soon.

GLC03523.14.63

3 August 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister with little war news, there has not been recent action, and Damuth says, "I sleep most of my time." There have been rumors that the men will be moved to the Potomac. The men have received information about "the great fight that Sherman had…The Death of Gen McPherson is a great loss to the country he is the best Gen we have lost in this war and I think we have but one better Gen left and that is Grant." Describes seeing McPherson, Logan and Grant during the Siege of Vicksburg. Damuth hopes Lincoln will not settle with the Confederates, but will make them "lay down…

GLC03523.14.64

6 August 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes about the soldiers who died in the skirmish on the Atchafalaya. A few days earlier, a "big scare down to Baton Rouge" caused the officers to load all the men into boats; the men fell asleep and woke up the next morning still in port, and since then "have heard nothing of Rebs." Agrees with his sister on her judgment of young men who have avoided the draft, "I had rather a sister of mine would marry a soldiers old shirt." Writes about the draft that he hopes it will be the least, although "things look rather dark and discouraging but my faith in the wisdom and Patriotism of our…

GLC03523.14.65

17 August 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men are happy at their camp. A fort is being built "and some force will have to stay here and hold it." The 24th Indiana and the 35th Wisconsin have joined Damuth's regiment; all of the 35th Wisconsin is ill. Damuth says his company is well, since "we can eat evry thing we draw." One of the "little boys of our Company" may be sent home on a sick furlough.

GLC03523.14.66

1 September 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes that the men have marching orders, possibly to go to Grand Gulph. Damuth may have the opportunity to become a lieutenant. Writes about Lincoln's reelection and the "copperheads and disappointed politicians" who are against him. Damuth writes that although he complains about men in his company, he "should hate to part with them."

GLC03523.14.67

13 September 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men are on guard against the Confederates in a camp on the bank of the White River. The Cavalry has captured some Confederate soldiers. Damuth is working as Provost Marshal. He reminisces about coming to Arkansas before with his friend Jessie, "we had never seen many fortifications then."

GLC03523.14.68

25 September 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Is busy drawing rations for the men. "We drew 70 lbs of good whitefish for our co but we have no potatoes to cook them with." The men are bored in camp and lazy; Damuth says they do not get enough exercise, but have plenty to eat and drink. Of his own position in camp, Damuth writes, "I dont have any hard work to do it is my busness to see that some one els does it." The mail is sent to New Orleans and then up to the men in Arkansas, so that Damuth is impatient with the long wait.

GLC03523.14.69

1 October 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister that he has been taking quinine to keep away "the ague." Thinks that the change of water has made the regiment sick, "when we were here a year a go last winter the water made a great many of the boys sick." The men are building quarters for the winter. In response to a question about McClellan, writes, "I like him will enough but the party that nominated him and the platform that he stands on I despise." Does not want an armistice and believes that it would "give the rebs all we have gained in the last three years." Thinks the war will only end if Lincoln is re-…

GLC03523.14.70

8 October 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Writes about an election held by the 21st Iowa Regiment. The votes are overwhelmingly in favor of Lincoln, and they are "for fun, or to show the Peace Sneaks, and Copperheads how men of sense vote." The 47th Indiana Regiment has also held a mock election with Lincoln as the winner. Damuth is convinced that if the war does not end with complete defeat of the South, "no soldier could go north and hold up his head."

GLC03523.14.71