Joseph F. Culver Civil War Letters

Pontiac Ill. Dec. 27th 1862

My Dear Husband

Yours of the 22nd I rec’d this afternoon I mailed you a letter yesterday, that makes the third this week. After this I will mail as regularly as possible Monday Wednesday & Saturday In my letter of yesterday I enclosed one dollars worth of Postage stamps & a five dollar bill which I hope you will receive

I am truly sorry to hear of the danger to which you are exposed at the present time May God protect you in every time of danger. Simon Burker has returned on a furlough I have not seen him yet but hope to before he leaves, he goes next week. There is so much sickness I am afraid he will not enjoy his visit much We heard this morning that Augustus Groswell was not expected to live he was taken with the small pox before his father got well Continue reading →

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Letter No. 2
Hd. Qrs., Co. A, 129th Ills. Vols. Inft.
Buck Lodge, Tenn. Dec. 25th 1862

Dear Wife

I commenced [a] letter hastily this afternoon & closed it this evening, & as I have still a few leisure moments I will try & give you a short description of our present situation.

We left Mitchellsville rather hastily last Saturday evening [the 20th] having learned that Morgan with a large force was intending an attack here. We were well fortified & felt quite secure. We have just fairly commenced our fortifications here. Bucks Lodge is nothing more than a tank which supplies the Rail-Road with water. There are two bridges & over 3/4 mile of trestle work under the road which if destroyed would take a long time to repair, hence the importance of the place. Continue reading →

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Bucks Lodge, Tenn., Dec. 25th 62

My dear Wife

Sixteen days have elapsed since the date of your last letter, & with the news of the prevalence of the Small-Pox all around you, I feel unusually anxious to hear. I have lived in hope for the past ten days expecting Maples by to-day at farthest. This morning we received the unwelcome news that on account of the Small-Pox, he has indefinitely postponed his coming. Continue reading →

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Bucks Lodge, Dec. 22nd 1862

Dear Wife

We left Mitchellsville on Saturday [the 20th] about 3 P.M. & arrived on the ground about 1/4 mile from here after dark & camped. Yesterday (Sunday) we moved to where we now are encamped & pitched our tents which occupied all the day. We are in the woods on a high hill. I have not yet been out of the timber to see what view is afforded from our position. Continue reading →

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Mitchellsville, Tenn., Dec. 18th 1862

Dear Wife

I received yours of the 7th & 8th this morning, rather unexpectedly, as I scarcely expected a letter before the arrival of Maples. I am happy & thankful that you all enjoy such good health.

I can readily inform you what I was doing on the Sunday you were writing as you wondered. About 4 oclock in the morning [of the 7th] we started & marched about 14 miles halting about 1 o’clock P.M., pitched our tents, & arranged for the night. I was quite sick & as I have already told you, I returned to this place on Monday [the 8th]. I am most happy to say I am quite well now. Continue reading →

Mitchellsville Tenn Dec 17th 1862
William T Russell Esq

Dear Friend

I wrote to you and Henry sometime ago which Henry promptly answered and I should have written to you much sooner but for want of postage stamps a commodity we are not likely to see now until after we are paid off if such a thing does ever transpire; I have ventured however thinking you might be willing to pay for the satisfaction of hearing from us; I have been on the sick list for over two weeks but not seriously ill I have been doing a little all the time yet feeling quite badly I am happy to say however that I have almost entirely recovered; There was a rumor in camp a short time ago that you were coming to spend the holidays with us but when I heard that Suva was so seriously ill I concluded you would not come; There was another rumor afloat which I was not very well prepared to believe to the effect that you and a certain Miss Hutchinson were to be married. Continue reading →

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Head Quarters, Co. A, 129th Ills. Vols.
Mitchellsville, Tenn., Dec. 16th 1862

Dear Mary

I anticipated the arrival of E. R. Maples with several letters from you before this, but notice by the “Pontiac News” that he will leave Pontiac to-morrow. I shall look quite anxiously for him, as I scarcely expect any more letters by mail before he comes. My letter of Dec. 12th will not, I presume, reach you in time to get an answer by him. Continue reading →

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Mitchellsville, Tenn., Dec. 16th 1862

Dear Wife

I have consulted Dr. Johnson with regard to the School Orders in question. He acknowledges the receipt of them & says that their amount is properly credited as interest on a note or notes in his hands of which Mr. Rollings is one of the payors. Continue reading →

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Head Quarters, 129th Illinois Volunteers
Mitchellsville, Tenn., Dec. 12th 1862

My Dear Wife:

May the richest of Heaven’s blessings rest upon you today. On this the first Anniversary of our marriage, let me present my compliments first to you, my own love, secondly, to the fine boy you hold in your arms. I imagine I can see a blush mantle the cheek of the maiden of one year ago at the thought or anticipation of the result now realized. God has been merciful and gracious, full of love, & we have reaped, largely at his hands, health & happiness. My heart is filled with gratitude: Oh Lord, continue thy loving kindness to us. Continue reading →

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Mitchellsville, Tenn. – Dec. 11th 1862

Dear Wife

As a leisure moment offers opportunity, I cannot better reconcile myself to wait for your letters than by writing. I recollect in Abbott’s life of Josephine, he gives many sketches from Napoleon’s letters, while she was his wife, stating that so great was his attachment to her that scarce a day passed, while on the march or battlefield, but what a courier was dispatched with some missive of love. I am happy therefore that the disposition to love & manifest it is not only displayed in greatness, for then I could not be a partaker of its bliss. Continue reading →