19 May 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents Brothers & Sisters

Writes quickly to tell his family that he has survived "another hard fought Battle." Lists the many soldiers from his company who have been killed. His division has lost a total of 1,300 men. The battle was fought on 16 May and the men have stayed to bury the dead. Postscript from 20 May locates Damuth "on Black River by the Rail Road Bridge."

GLC03523.14.25

29 May 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes of promotions among the men after the battle of Champion Hill. His own feelings on promotion are strong: "I am more ambitious to see this war end so that I can get home once more than I am to get an office." Damuth is the only sergeant left fit for duty in his company. Has allotted $12 of his monthly pay to be sent home for his family. Confides that "I have $28 in my britches now and the reason is that thear is nothing to buy." Many "relics of the Battle field" have been sent to Wisconsin and Damuth urges his family to go and view them. Predicts that no men will be lost in…

GLC03523.14.26

9 June 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Has just learned that it is Sunday, and writes that "I never have seen a day since I have been South that realy seemed like our old fashion Sundays that we used to have up north." Has been suffering from dysentery. Describes what it is like to be a sharp shooter, watching "Rebels sticking thear heads up over thear rifle pits then we would give it to them." The men have built a "Bullet proof" shanty from rails and bark. Adjusting well to battle, Damuth writes that he barely notices the sound of cannon and shoots at the Rebels as easily as he used to attend drill. Speculates on life after…

GLC03523.14.27

20 June 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to thanks his sister for a package she has sent him, "I think more of the handkerchief than any thing." Describes the evening before when, on picket, "we could here the rebels sing Methodist hyms I think they are all like devils very pious when they get in a dangerous place." Gives details of a bombardment of Rebel lines in the morning. A new general is coming to replace McClernand, since he "done some thing the day they made the charge that dident suit Grant." Their new general is named Orff. Opines that Northern Democrats have been patriotic "onely to save thear own cowardly…

GLC03523.14.28

24 June 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Damuth

Describes the daily routine of the soldiers, who "sharp shoot day times and stand picket and dig rifle pits nights." Some men are about to attempt to infiltrate a nearby Rebel fort. The life of the soldiers laying siege to Vicksburg is filled with constant strain, and Damuth describes being woken in the middle of the night to stand guard in the pouring rain. Complains of the alarm, "I wish we could get out of this place for a little while so we could pul our pants off at night I have not had mine off in almost three months." Sends home a half-filled canteen he took off a Rebel soldier at…

GLC03523.14.29

2 July 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Complains of boils all over his legs. Firing on Rebel lines continues and "yesterday our men blew up another of thear Forts." Rails against Democrats as traitors and tells his sister not to spend any money at stores owned by Wisconsin Democrats. Damuth has become orderly sergeant, and his pay been raised to $20 a month. Describes the problem soldiers have with "grey backs," or body lice, even in the cleanest camps.

GLC03523.14.30

3 July 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Rebels are flying flags of truce and Grant has declared "that the surrender must be unconditionly and compleat." Describes "a friendly chat" between Union and Rebel soldiers, taking place as they stood in their picket lines.

GLC03523.14.31

5 July 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes about the surrender of Vicksburg the day before: "you could see white flags on all of thear works it was the happyest 4th of July I ever saw." Is going on an expedition to Black River. Describes the defeated Rebels scavenging for food. The Union troops give them "all we can spare."

GLC03523.14.32

20 August 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Damuth's regiment has moved from Natchez, Mississippi, to New Orleans, where "we have a good cool breeze right off the Salt water." Describes the trip down the river. Some deserters are left off the boat at Port Hudson and Damuth proclaims, "I had rather be a soldier in the rebel army than a deserter from ours." The men also pass Baton Rouge. In Carlton, Damuth and a friend breakfast on oysters and beer. There are peddlers everywhere selling cheap goods to the soldiers. Damuth is eager to explore New Orleans.

GLC03523.14.33

26 August 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men have marching orders but no information about how long they will stay in New Orleans. Damuth reminisces about Grant's succinct orders. Believes they will travel to "[Mobile] or Texas." Writes that the weather is mild, "I have seen warmer days up North than I ever saw here." General Banks and General Washburn reviewed the troops a few days before and "it was a grand sight we could see all the troops and the city of New Orleans."

GLC03523.14.34

31 August 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes on paper sent to him by his sister and teases, "I guess you thought if you sent this size paper you would get large letters." She has also sent him some socks, and Damuth thanks her for them but adds, "I think I would rather be the one that stays at home and knits them than to be the one that stays down here and wears them out." Some men are being discharged for illness, but on the whole, the company is well and eating fresh food. Though the men have marching orders, they have had them "so long that I dont depend much on them. We are soldiering now more as the army under McClellen…

GLC03523.14.35

1 October 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The soldiers have been setting up camp in Berwick, tearing down old buildings and establishing their own quarters. It rains all the time and the men are woken in the night with their tents flooded, but they make the best of it. Damuth writes that he is only homesick when the weather is beautiful. He has been asked to name one of the children born into his family during his absence and suggests "if you want to name him after as great & good a man as ever lived call him Old Abe if after the meanest one call him after any Copper head." Of the next orders for the regiment, Damuth writes…

GLC03523.14.36

8 October 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men have moved to a new camp. They pass through Franklin, Louisiana, and marched a total of fifty-five miles to their new campground. The men are eating well and Damuth believes they will "all come out fat." They are marching for the Gulf of Mexico and will not have mail until they get there. On their march, the soldiers met the 19th Army Corps, who share stories of their fights with rebels in the vicinity. The next stopping place will be Opelousas, Louisiana, and Damuth urges his family to look at a map and trace the soldiers' route. Thanks his sister for sending him a list of men…

GLC03523.14.37

11 October 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Damuth family

In two days, the soldier have marched twenty-five miles, "the greatest marching we have ever done." Towards the end of the day's march, Damuth and another soldier fall back from exhaustion and arrive at camp after the rest of the regiment. He describes the countryside of Louisiana as similar to the prairie in Illinois. Soldiers from Indiana are sharing beef they have stolen, despite order against foraging. Citizens in the area have been complaining "aganst the boys taken all thear geese and chickens," but the generals say they cannot stop the men from stealing. The next day, Damuth…

GLC03523.14.38

14 October 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes from the same campground where he wrote his last letter. Damuth thinks they will be there for some time. They are very isolated, "for all I know peace may be declaired now we are so far from any whear." The men have noticed a "great difference eather between Banks and Grant or els the Expedition against Vixburg and this is not much alike." Describes their lifestyle as calm and pleasant. Finds that he has "been to work for Old Abe 14 months," so that he has almost gotten halfway through his three years service. Mentions that there have been rumors "that France was about to…

GLC03523.14.39

2 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men have turned around and he thinks they may be heading back to New Orleans. On their return path, they meet some mounted Rebel soldiers and engage in a skirmish until the Rebels are driven back. Eagerly anticipates voting for the Union ticket in the election the next day. Everyone in Company D is in good health and some men from the company who were wounded at the battle of Champion Hill have returned.

GLC03523.14.40

6 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John and Joan Damuth

Describes a battle in which the Union men chased the Rebel cavalry to Opelousas. After the battle, the Union forces camped in Barron's Landing, Louisiana, for eight days. The men believe that any expedition to Texas has been forgotten. They returned to Opelousas and then moved on to a camp in Buzzard's Prairie, where they once again engaged with Rebel forces. The second fight took place on Election day, and Damuth expresses pride at "fighting the Copperheads of the north at the Balot box and in the afternoon the Copperhead of the South on the field."

GLC03523.14.41

8 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister about doing guard duty on a plantation near camp. The soldiers encounter enslaved people who remained living on the plantation. Damuth purchases food from them and enters their homes. Describes that the enslaved people observe did not seem, he believed, interested in attacking them. Writes that he is currently in the largest group of men since the battle of Champion Hills. General Banks is moving a large force from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico, and Damuth anticipates meeting up with them. The regiment has received a new flag with "all the Battles we have been…

GLC03523.14.42

13 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister about a skirmish between Union cavalry and Rebel mounted infantry a few days earlier, "we heard the canon very plain but it was 4 mils away from here." Mentions rumors that many infantry regiments have been transformed into mounted infantry, but "I hope not I had rather go afoote than to be bothered with a horse." If he could enlist again, believes he would sign up with heavy artillery. Writes about his brother John, who he hopes will not be drafted. Asks about the results of the elections in Wisconsin. Damuth received a ticket for the Democratic party from a friend…

GLC03523.14.43

22 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister from a camp in New Iberia, Louisiana. Begins the letter with a description of "what the folks in our house are doing Barney is fixing a short tailed shirt that I sold him...Don Stanley is mixing up pancakes for dinner." The men left Vermillionville a week earlier and stopped in Teche Lake, Louisiana. They are in New Iberia for thirty days. As they set up their new camp, Damuth's regiment is attacked by Rebel soldiers. Though they manage to scare off the Rebels, "they got two of our teems and a few men that had stragglered out to forage." The next morning, Damuth's…

GLC03523.14.44

24 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ida

Writes to "friend Ida." Says that the weather is getting cold, and the men need new clothes and tents. Although their captain is strictly against foraging, Damuth says "he dont know all that is going on in Co D Dave dont care how much the boys forage he dont belive in the boys going hungry." Stops writing for a moment because "the boys are yelling Dolph come and draw our whiskey it has come." Enjoys being orderly of the company very much. Talks about the men who are being drafted and writes that "I wish thear was no such thing as thear getting rid of it by paying $300." Of the dearth of…

GLC03523.14.45

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