March 1863

March 1863

March 8, 1863

       Gallatin March the 8^th – 63

Sunday evening

Dear Kate I sit down this evening to answer your letter dated March the 2ond which I received on Friday last I should have answered it sooner, but I thought by this time I would come home if come atal but we have not been paid yet and I dont want to come until we are paid unles some of the family gets very sick if such does happen I shall come before if can get their I was sory to here that the children was unwell but I am in hopes there is nothing serious the matter with them, you spoke of Johns coming this week and if you thought I would not come home you would come with him if I can not get to come I would like for you to come and bring George with you if you think best but I would like to have my money for you to cary home with you do come, there is nothing now occurred here sinde I wrote of any importance, I am well and weigh more than I ever weighed in my life, tell Mrs Ent that her son Timkents and Mine coresponds exactly on the war question, I am inclined to believe that she is worth a dozen men, such as some I could pick and not go far from the town of Butlerville and I dont now of the two her and O.G. I believe she is the best man although I have all confidence in Mr Eng as

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best kind of a union man but until he comes out and talks just as Mr Eng does I must say this is the best man, my resects to Mr and Mrs Ent and to all the friends and relatives Let me now if Milton Conklin is still in Kentucky yet or not Tell all the friends to write to me and I will answer promply, below I will give you a list of what I want sent or fetched to me

one blouse with buttons on the cuffs not found around the edge about No 37 Officers

blouse, a blue cloth, vest that wont fade

one hat such as officer wear

one pair of regulation pants no 32 + 34

linning for my old blouse

one powder flask

 “   box of water proof caps

I believe this is all

If you have the money to spare send me these if not dont sent them

Yours effecthonately

Thorton Thompson

       My Thoughts

     Letter Condition - He must have written this letter under good conditions.   The lines are well spaced, the words and letters well formed.   A good pen and ink was used.

     He asked for a powder flask and caps.   I find this unusual as the army was supplying prepacked ammunition for the standard pistols in use.   If he is still carrying the Colts revolver this would have been either .36 (Navy) or .44 (Army) models.   Both of these would have had ammunition supplied for them.   He didn't ask for any balls for the pistol, I wonder where he got those?

March 14,1863

I think this is No 4

Gallatin Tenn Mach the 14^th

Dear Kate I take my pen in hand this morning to inform that I am well I was glad to here that the children was getting better as for coming home I cant tell anything certain to day I received an order yesterday from General Rosencrans yesterday ordering me to report at Murtreesboro immedeatly and shall start tomorrow or next day, I received Mr Ents letter last night which stated you was all well Tell Mr Ent I shall see Fox abut that matter and will write you him in a few days Milton Ent is well I am told that Elmore Codington sent ($75) dollars to the Clonton Co Treasurer I think if you will see his mother she will pay the note of that you have against him and the interest and all will be about $60.00 Please attend to it as soon as convenant I direct you letters as befor until you here from me again

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I think I will draw my money when I get to Nashville and if I can I will come home, you will here from me in a few days I have foretten this hastely please excuse me if I have neglected any thing

Yours until Death

Thorton Thompson

       My Thoughts
     Letter Condition - Again, well written with well formed words and lines.   There is a little bleed through, I'm not sure if the paper was damp or from a very heavy ink.   A lack of blums would seem to rule out runny ink but the letters are very dark.   A very high quality ink perhaps?

March 16,1863

No 5

March the 16^th – 63

Dear Compainion I sit down this evening to write you a few lines to let you now that I am well and I hope when they arive they may find you all well I have been looking for a letter for two days but none came and I thought I would write and let you now that the paymaster arrived here last evening but we will not get paid until to the 31^st first of Oct which will disapoint a great many I will express what money I can spare to you which perhaps will be two hundred and fifty dollars which you can do as you pleas with in the first place keep what you want yourself and exprct you had better pay Jonathan Sawyer and the claim which is coming to taters estate and pay a note which unkle James Hitisman has against me if he wants it which is ($25) dollars He has another note against me tell him I will pay soon I would li9ke for you to by that piece of ground of Morsbach if he will sell is I would give three hundred dollars for it and if I dont come home soon I will send the balance

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of the money home as soon as I receive it and if you can buy it for the price you had better do it if you can geit it in time I believe it would pay for you to hire Unkle Charles and plant it in tobacco that is about two or three acres and they balance in corn and potatoes If you think you would like the trade and can make it and it suets you to get Unkle Charles to tend it and it will suit Morsback to take one hundred dollars down and the balance in one month by that time I will send the money by that time I want that piece of ground and I think by the first of April I can send enough money home to pay for it, and about all the debts I owe I will send at least one thousand dollars home by that time if I have good luck in drawing my pay If you buy it have it deeded to yourself their was here this winter the lives on Clear Creek told me that held three acres of tobacco last season and he was offered one thousand dollars for the tobacco and theuy man would strip it himself, I can get the sheds enough to core it without building a shed and I think there is money to be made as it

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write to me when you think about it I wou like to have the ground anyway I have been looking for John for four or five days, if it hadnt of been for that would have been at Murfreesboro at this time but I supose he would bring me some thing and I did not want to go until he came but I shall start on Thursday or Friday of this week or as soon as possible Should come if he should come before that time You have been talking of coming to see me but I dont think a woman can get a pass to Murfreesboro but I will ascertain when I get there I will write as soon as I get there and if I get a letter from you before I start I will answer it before I start Therir is nothing new here worth mentioning I had forgot about  Mrs Helan wanting her money If she wants to use it you had better pay her, dont say anything about the trade for the piece of land to any body this is a privite matter between ourselve until the trade is made My respects to all I will get a furlow when I get to Murfreesboro if I can anyway atal if I do

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I think can arrange it so I can draw all my pay and bring it home Good by for this time My respects to one and all

Yours until death

T Thompson

Direct you letters same as before I will send my adress in the next letter

       My Thoughts
     Letter Condition - Letters and words are well formed.   Good pen and ink used.   A small amount of bleed through, but still very readable.   The lines are a little shaky but not bad, just enough to comment on.

March 17,1863

Cincinati Mar 17^th

Friend Thompson

I seat myself to drop you a line to let you know that I am in the land of plenty and hoping you are the same I am still working for Uncle Sam and am getting more work in on haversacks, I expect to make money enough soon to go up in the swamps and by me a farm I am now running sweing machine and it is some what of a disadvantage for me especially when the machine is rented and I have concluded that I would get me a girl to help me along and keep my company and handy

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and Mr Whitacer will be gone the most of the time I will feel quite lonesome, I would like to have Martha Jane Balding if she is to be had – if she is in or about Butlerville you will be so kind as to let my wants be known to her by handing this to her or sending her word if I knew where she was I would write directly to her – There is but 2 or us in family now there will be a little washing a little cooking and a little sewing to do – she will have a chance to learn to sew on a machine if she likes this is this is what I want to know, whether she will come and how soon and on what terms – I will pay her expensies down here and her wages every Tuesday night or any other

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night she likes – my abject in writing to you about the matter is to acertaine where she is = you must write soon and give me all the news and how Georges arm is and the news in geneeral There is no news here that would be interesting to you or you would have it

Your truly

Mary Whitacer

Pleas write on the back of your letter No. 12 Avery Street = and it will be brought right to me.

       My Thoughts

     Letter Condition - The letters are formed with nice dark ink.   There are many blums, most where pauses in writting would happen.   The envelope is addressed Mrs. Catherine Thompson, Butlerville, Ohio.   The stamp is in the upper righthand corner.   Postmark is March 19, 1863 in Cincinatie.
     Mary says she is making haversacks on a rented sewing machine.    Added to that she lives in
Cinncinati.

     The Cinncinati clothing depot was one of the clothing depots that accepted items sewn on a machine.    Only if the machine provided a lock stitch.    Not all did. How this was done was she would go to the depot and sign out a bundle of haversacks that had been cut out.    She would take them home and sew them up.    Then return to the depot, have them inspected, then, and only then, would she be paid for the work.    Chances are she was working on a 'Wheeler & Wilson' machine, the first machine marketed for home use in the early 1950's.    Singer was now giving Wheeler & Wilson a run for the money with the new marketing ploy.    The instalment plan.    This would doom many other sewing machine companies.
     She notes how letters are to be addressed for home delivery.   This service would be avalible in a large city but not in a town as small as Butlerville.

       Historical Notes;

     Haversack - This is a canvas bag hung on the left side of the body under the canteen.   It was painted with tar to keep the grease from the meat ration from staining the uniform.

From the collection of Ken Gough

March 21, 1863

1863

the 21^st

Fayetteville West Va March

Mrs Catherine Thompson

Dear Sister

Those things you sent me by John Hackett came at last though several days after John came himself them cakes and aples cume very acceptible the butter was a litle strong though it was devouered with appencetly as much satisfaction as if it was fresh from the churn and in fact I am very much obliged to you for all the things you sent me I feel quite sure that I would like to have some more if you will pleas send them but that is not possible for there is no way for anything of the kind to be sent to this place

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the boys from Butlerville are all well Ther is a good many sick in the Co & Regt There was a man died out of our Co yesterday his name was John McQueele He was from Moscow Town There is some men that is quite sick though they will get well I believe, you spoke about Thorton not writing I wrote him two letters and never get any answer to them and I am not going to write any more to him I am going to send a photograph of myself and als one of Wm Shielels the pictures are not good they cant take good ones here Give my respects to yours mother and the children Also to Laurie Elly no more at present yours ruspectfuly

A. Thompson

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Mrs. Kate Thompson

Deqr Cousin

As the pen is going I thought I would drop you a few lines Also I am well at present though I have not been well all the time since I got here Sick a few days since I came back I have not done any duty since I came back the susgen excuse me from all duty so far though I dont know how long he will do so I hope he will continue to do so until I get a discharge; well Katy as it is getting late I guess you better put on the mush pot for Andy and my self Talk some of comeing over to take supper with you therefore I hope you will have the mush ready in good time I will now close remmember me to all _______, Yours with respects

J. Hackett

       My Thoughts

     Letter Condition - Good pen used.   Letters show a very heavy ink line on the downstroke.   Possible from a worn pen nib.
     This is a good example of two soldiers using the same sheet to write full letters home. This knowing that everything would be shared.
       Historical Notes;

Mush – A.K.A. Stir-a-bout, oatmeal, porage. A tastless but filling oat stew.









March 22, 1963 A. M.

       March the 22^nd – 63

Dear Companion I take my pen in hand this morning to write a few lines to inform that I am well and I leave this evening for Murfreesboro I do now now how long I shall be their I am detailed by General Rosincrans to take comand of a detachment of Tisneers I have reced my pay to the 31^st of Oct and I will send you the money by Mr Atklinson the sutler our regiment to Cincinati and he will express it to you from their I think I will know soon I will write to you when I get their and let you now more about it and I get a furlow If podible I sould have been home this week if I had not been detailed to go to the front I think I will draw some more money at Nashville if I do I will send it from their I want you to buy that land of Morsback if he wants to sell it Give him three hundred dollars for it if you can not get it for less

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I have been looking for John for five or six days I thought he would bring me some things but I learned yesterday he was not coming so I will do without until I come home My respects t all enquiring friends direct as before until you here from me again good by for this time we had beartifull wether for the past week

P.S. Pleas to let me now how the last went between Unkle Charles and James Hitsman

       My Thoughts

     Letter Condition - This letter was hard to decipher because there was a lot of 'bleed through' of ink from the other side of the paper.   This may be from damp paper or as I suspect, a good dark ink combined with slow writing.

       Historical Notes;

     Sutler – A merchant authorized to sell to soldiers on a military post. Each regiment was allowed one. Not all regiments did as the profit margin was low contrary to what the soldiers thought. Prices may have been inflated but a limited customer base made this an unatractive venture at best. The Sutler would morph into the Post Exchange or PX of today.

March 22, 1863 P. M.

No. 6

March the 22ond - 63

Dear Kate   I take my pen in hand this evening to pen you a few lines in addition to those I sent this morning   I did expect to start to Muffreesboro this evening but the paymaster got orders to pay us to the 28th of of February and I will not start until tomorow evening, I will send my money home by Wm Nounts   He is here and he will take it to Huston Hopkins and you will go to him and get it or send some one   I think Mr Monnts will start home on the 24th   That is Tuesday and by the last of the week you can get the money   I think I will send ($650) dollars   I want you to buy that piece of land of Morsback   I state in my letter that you might pay $300 for it if you could not get it any cheeper get as cheep as you can and and perhaps you can get it in two payments to say two hundred dollars down and the ballance in three months   Tell Mrs Whitaker I saw her brother in law 
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and gave him the letter his wife is insane and I saw them with her on last Friday at the railroad depot        I asked the man where he was taking her, he said he was taking her to the lunatick asilum near Nashville   Whe has been crsey about six weeks, here children well as far as I could learn   The mans name was Kenly that was taking her to Nashville   I did not learn the cause of her insanity but the looks of her her husband should that he is a man of intemerate habits an is enough to see a woman insane   He was moving the day I was there    He put his things in a little frame house very near opposit the court house   The court hose is full of prisoners at this time and it is not the first time   There was a lot sent off some time ago and their will be some sent this week   Good by for this time   My respects to all

T Thompson

       My Thoughts
     Letter Condition - Words are well formed however the lines wander a bit.   Good pen aind ink was used.

March 29, 1863

No 6 Murfreesboro Tenn

March the 29^th – 63

Dear Companion I seat myself this morning to write you a few lines in answer to your letter of March the 20^th I am well and I hope theis few lines may find you all still enjoying good health I left Gallatin on last Monday evening at five oh arived at Nashville at five minutes past six I stayed their two days visiting the forts and looking at the town I went to the state house which is built on an ellivated slopot of ground and I went on top of it and I could see for miles in every direction It is a spendlid edipice built of splendid lime stone and I think it is the most substantil building I ever saw It is fortified on every side with strong fortifications that comand the whole country for from one to five miles Fort Negby is east of the town and comanded the whole country and I think that one thousand men can hold it against the combined force of the southern Confedercy, bording in Nashville is from $1.50 to $3.00 per day, I left Nashville on Thursday morning and arived at Murfreesboro at tenoh I have spent my time in visiting since I came here I visited the 74^th and saw Leiut Peters and Capt Croks and all the boys that come from our neighborhood The look well and and hearty A. Doughman looks well and John Walters is well

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The consible boys is well Mike Welch looks fine Thomas Howard looks well but has sore eyes John Hitsman is all right, I visited Capt Fraglers company of sharpshooters which came here a few days ago and the boys are all well the 17^th Regt is at Triune about six miles from here I not seen any of the boys that belong to the 17^th yet, our forces is strongly fortified at this place They are mounting large guns on the forts at this time and when the fortifications is completed the combined forces of rebelion when when they have got the last man conscripted cant take them our army is in good condition and there is a defient disposition in every way Men and all have perfict confidence in their leader, Their is skirmishing with the enemy most every day along our lines but I do not think they will make a general attack on our forces here if they do so be unto them for I think they will get the worst drubing that their army has ever got, and my opinion is they will have to fight not far from this place or surrender for I dont think they can keep their forces organised much longer If they attempt to retreat for from the information we get from the Tennesee prisoners the Tennisee troops wont leave their state The want to fight in their own state I think this war is nearly over I may be mistaken

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But I am in hopes not Murfreesboro is is a town of perhaps three or four thousand inhabitants and has been a place of considerable business It is located in a rich fertil country and on the railroad that runs from Nashville to Chatanooga, and the wester part of Tennese I supose, the town is occupied by our army principaly for hospitals and staff rooms We are tearing down apart of the town and building a convalesant camp about a mile from own We have torn down houses I dont supost cost less than three thoudand dollars, it is the county seat of Randolph county You spoke about the the enclosing of the cistern I guess we will not do it this summer unless I come home if come home I will do it this fall The gardin fence you put up, I will give you a draft in this letter the way I want is set as for Mrs Jones I will let you now when I want you to pay that note I want you to pay Naser Hickman her money and pay Unkle James Hits,am the 25 dollars note if he wants it and the ruth Emery note and buy that piece of land of Morsback if you can and pay two undred dollars down Pay three hundred for it if you cant get it for less Pay Mr Marsh one hundred dollars and I will settle with him when I come home

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if Mr Morsback must have the money all dow pay it all I supose as John Hitsman is going into business he will want what I owe him if he wants it now pay him some and as soon as I get paid again I will pay him the balance As for coming home I think I will get to come sometime this summer and perhaps before long I do not now how long I will be here but as soon as they order me to my regiment I think I will come home I am detailed in the engineer corps to suprintend the building of fortifications bridges and other things in the mechanical line of busenell, If I dont come home as soon as it is safe for you to come and the department will pass you through I will let you now and then I want you to come and see me for I think the trip will pay anyone to come You keep enough money on hand so that if any thing sould happen you will be prepared to come I supose you have got the money I sent you by this time or will before this You receive this I supose you have received the letter I wrote from Gallatin Time for you dont get it I will say that I sent my money by Mr Wm Nornts and he will leave it at Justin Hopkins My respects to one and all Write as soon as you get this and let me now whether you got the money or not

       My Thoughts
     Letter Condition - A good pan and poor ink was used.   Words are a little cramped and slight blums at pauses.