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Head Qurs., 129th Regt. Ills. Vols.
Wauhatchie, Tenn., April 30th 1864
My Dear Wife

I recd. no letter from you this morning, but recd. one from Henry Greenebaum in which he says you are well. My health is very good. Dr. [Darius] Johnson is quite sick with dysentery. Lum Hill is much better. We are mustering for pay to-day and expect pay next week.

I have but a moment to write before the call sounds for muster. I will try and give you a long letter to-morrow (Sunday). Connelly handed me an ambrotype of himself taken on horseback;¹ I will send it as soon as I get time to put it up carefully. Bro. Johnie gave me a set of sleeve buttons which I will send you to have them fixed; get a gold link and some device on the top.

You must not feel any uneasiness if you receive no letters from me for several weeks. The Army is expected to move soon, and all mails going North will be stopped.² I look for it every day. In the meantime, keep a brave heart and write often. Your letters will still reach me. I may get an opportunity occasionally to send a letter by private sources to be mailed north of the lines, but you must take it for granted that all is well and trust in God. May he bless you with health and happiness and kindly watch over you.

We are forbidden henceforth to furnish any army news, and we feel that it is all right and proper. You may confidently expect to hear a good account of us if an opportunity offers. Remember [me] in love to Mother [Murphy] and Maggie and kindly to all our friends. May holy Angels guard thee and peace and contentment dwell with thee. With much love, I remain,

Your Affectionate Husband
J. F. Culver

1. Joseph B. Connelly, a 30-year-old farmer, was mustered into service on Sept. 8, 1862, as a private in Company A, 129th Illinois. He was detailed to headquarters, 1st Brigade, Third Division, XX Army Corps, in April 1864, and mustered out near Washington, D. C, June 8, 1865. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA.
2. General Sherman on April 26 had alerted General Thomas to have his Army of the Cumberland ready to move out from its camps on May 2, 1864. When Sherman’s “army group” advanced against Johnston’s Army of Tennessee, Thomas’ Army of the Cumberland would constitute the center; Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield’s Army of the Ohio the left wing; and Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee the right wing. O.R., Ser. I, Vol. XXXII, pt. III, pp. 496, 498-99.

Head Qurs., 129th Regt. Ills. Vols.
Wauhatchie, Tenn., April 29th 1864
My Dear Wife

Your letter of the 23rd and 24th was received just now, & I haste to reply.¹ I am very happy to hear that you enjoy good health, a blessing for which we should be very thankful. I presume you have received the letter I sent by [Amos] Clark before this. George Bay returned to his Company to-day but brought no news for me;² he says he did not see you. You have learned all about Bros. Johnie and Sammy before this from my former letters.

I received a letter to-day from Joe Shellenbarger’s sister with hers and her mother’s Photographs.³ I will send them with the letter to you. She requests a Photograph of Frankie and you; please write to her & send one. I am very busy and may not get time for a long time. They will be glad to hear from you.

The weather is very dry and hot; drilling is almost unbearable.⁴ Yesterday we had Division Drill. We took 30 rounds blank cartridges. After forming two lines of skirmishers & two lines of battle, we commenced advancing up the valley; after proceeding about a mile, the front line engaged the enemy and commenced firing. They compelled them to retreat when the skirmish line was called in and the line of battle advanced about 1/2 mile and changed direction to the right. We had two Batteries and about 6 or 7000 men. The fight at Nashville was no circumstance.⁵ We fought bravely for about an hour. We drove the enemy from every point and retired without the loss of a man, covered with glory. We got into camp at dark, tired and dirty, but well satisfied with what we learned. Genls. Thomas and Hooker were present with their Staffs.

Lum Hill is no better to-day.⁶ All the rest of us are well. [James H.] Gaff came up to the office much excited this morning to get my opinion on a matter of discussion in Co. “G”, as to whether the babies born of Soldiers’ wives while they were on a visit to Dixie would necessarily [be] “Butternuts.”⁷ I referred the matter to Geo. Bay, but he said that his own Specimen was so small when he left that he could not determine. What is your opinion?

I must hasten to close. We go on drill in a few moments, and I am interrupted so frequently that I cannot write connectedly. I am so busy on reports that I cannot promise to write regularly for a few days. Give my love to all. May Our Father in Heaven bless and keep you. I will try and write soon. May you ever be happy.

Your Affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. Mary Culver’s letter of April 23 and 24 is missing from the Culver Collection.
2. George Bay, a 34-year-old carpenter, was mustered into service on Sept. 8, 1862, as a corporal in Company G, 129th Illinois Infantry. He was sent to the General Hospital at Nashville on April 30, 1864, and did not rejoin the regiment, being mustered out at Keokuk, Iowa, May 3, 1865. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA.
3. Delia Shellenbarger had written J.F.C., “I would like so much to have your [photograph] . . ., also your little boy’s, if you have any to spare. I want to get an Album and want them to put in it. Joe was going to buy me one but never did.” Delia Shellenbarger to J.F.C., April 1864, Culver Collection.
4. Private Dunham on April 26 had written his parents, “We have three drills a day, Company, Battalion, Briggade and once a week Division drill. That don’t give us much time for play.” Through the South with a Union Soldier, p. 116.
5. This is a reference to maneuvers in which the regiment had participated during Mary Culver’s November-January stay in Nashville.
6. William C. “Lum” Hill had enlisted in Company A, 129th Illinois, on Nov. 24, 1863. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA.
7. Sergeant Gaff of Company G was an expectant father. His wife was pregnant with a child conceived on a visit to her husband, while the regiment was stationed at Gallatin, Tennessee. “Butternuts” was a term Union soldiers used for Confederates.

April 30^th – Endnote Basic (30 minutes)  

Introduction to an online citation management system that is free for everyone at the University of Iowa.   It helps you to manage all your references for a paper (or many papers) as well as create the incite citations and bibliographies in a wide variety of formatting styles.  Taught by Amy Blevins (Clinical Education Librarian, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences)

The web version of Endnote Basic will be taught not the full client version!

PubMed is the National Library of Medicine’s index to the medical literature and includes over 22 million bibliographic citations in life sciences. This 30-minute session will show you how to find relevant articles fast using some of the basic features in PubMed. This session is hands-on and free for UI students and affiliates.

Our next session is:

Thursday, May 1, 3–3:30 pm

Location: Hardin Library East Information Commons

Register here. Questions? Contact us by emailing lib-hardin@uiowa.edu or call (319) 335-9151.

Need more help with PubMed? Check out our easy online tutorial.

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

Hd. Qurs., 129th Ills, Vols.
Wauhatchie, Tenn., April 27th 1864
My Dear Wife

I was detailed this afternoon as Adjt. of the Regt. to act in the absence of Phil [Plattenburg]. He went to Louisville this afternoon to purchase a horse to be presented to Col. Case by the officers of the Regt.¹ The duties will not be very heavy as there are two clerks on duty. To-morrow we have Division Drill.

I made a purchase of a barrel of green apples to-day from the Commissary Department for $3.50; about 1/2 were rotten, but still I think I got a good bargain. They will keep off scurvy.

We are all well. My health is very good except that I had a slight Head-ache to-day. Lieut. [Benjamin F.] Fitch & I had a few games of chess to-night after roll-call. I shall look for a letter to-morrow morning, though I have recd. four this week already.

May God bless you. I feel unusually happy to-night and hope you are well and happy. Remember me kindly to all.

I wrote to Thomas Hill some time ago to pay the $ 100 in his hand to Lawrence, also to get the amt. due from Fleming and Lyons, and add to it. I wrote at the time you informed me that you did not intend to draw it. If you see him [Hill], you can tell him that I will be able to pay $ 100 more shortly after the 1st of May. It was all right for you to use it. I wished it so at first & did not think at the time that you would have sufficient without it. I will answer Thomas Hill’s letter soon. May Holy Angels guard thee this night.

Your Affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. The money collected would also be used by Adjutant Plattenburg to purchase a saddle and bridle for the gift horse. Grunert, History of the 129th Illinois, p. 56.

This session provides an overview of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) databases that contain protein related information. Learn how to search for protein sequences, conserved protein domains, sequence similarity-based protein clusters and experimentally-determined bimolecular structures.

Our next session is:

Tuesday, April 29, 9-10 am

Location: Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, Information Commons Classroom EAST

Register here. Contact us at 335-9151 or lib-hardin@uiowa.edu

For one-on-one instruction, see a librarian liaison.

The human genome on NCBI. [Image via infovis.net]

Monday morning — April 25th
My Dear Wife

Bro. Johnie has not got up yet, & I will add a few lines. Here comes Alf. [Huetson] with my mail, two letters from you, both dated the 19th, one containing stamps.¹ The one of the 18th aluded to has not yet arrived.

I am very happy to hear that you are in such good health and spirits. May God continue his blessings. I have now on hand four or five letters, unanswered. I ought to answer them this morning, but John has remained here to-day in order to visit Lookout Point; &, as I have not been there yet, I desire to go with him. I have only written a short note at a time for two weeks, & I feel that I ought to write a long letter soon. I am glad you are taking music lessons & hope it may give you many hours of pleasure. I am of the same opinion you are concerning the Union League & will talk more at length in my next letter.² Billy Perry is calling to breakfast, & after that I have some business to attend to before we start, so I must say Good Bye. Your letter makes me happy, I hope nothing may mar your happiness.

Your Affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. The subject letters are missing from the Culver Collection.
2. Beginning in Philadelphia in November 1862, Union Leagues, which served as rallying points for citizen support of the Northern cause, proliferated. As the months passed, activities of the league became increasingly political, the very word “Union ” denoting the cause of the Northern people, having been appropriated by a party. Randall, Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 637-38.

Head Qurs., Company “A”, 129th Ills, Vols.
Wauhatchie, Tenn., April 24th 1864
My Dear Wife

This has been a Holy Day, & I feel much refreshed. We had preaching at 10 A.M. Bro. Cotton preached the funeral of Jos. Shellenbarger & 4 others who died since we left Nashville.¹

At 1 o’clock there was a Sabbath School organized. I took Bro. Johnie around to see some of his acquaintances, as he leaves very early in the morning, intending to go as soon as the Officers were elected & thus evade occupying an Official position,² but on entering, was informed that I was elected superintendent. I did not wish by any means to evade my duty, but I thought there were others who were more capable & I preferred to receive instruction rather than teach. I talked a short time this afternoon, and by request exhorted to-night from Ephesians, 2nd chap. & 8th verse. I had good liberty and feel rejoiced in spirit.

Bro. Johnie & Chris [Yetter] have been so busily engaged in talking over their private affairs that I am in my tent alone to talk a while with you; I will write until they come in. Bro. Johnie’s visit has been very pleasant, & I am very sorry that he is compelled to return so soon.

In your last letter, you express great uneasiness over the rumor of our leaving this valley. I hope you will not allow any movements we may make [to] give you any alarm. There is a prospect of a forward movement but none of a battle.³ It is so absolutely necessary that you should rest easy & be happy under your present circumstances.

I offered Sergt. Gaff my congratulations on his prospects, but he said it was stale news. Harry McDowell has much to say about Miss Emma Thayer in his letter; he eulogizes her very highly.

I hope you recd. the letter for Sunday you were expecting. About the time I was closing up my official business as A.A.A.G., I did not write as often as I was very busy and had but meagre opportunities.⁴ I did intend to write a considerable length, but Johnie & Chris came in & several others, & I have been detained until it is almost midnight. So I will close & embrace the earliest opportunity to give you full particulars of my visit. We are all well. May Holy Angels guard thee to-night. I may possibly be able to add a few lines to-morrow. Give my love to all. Write often.

Your Affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. Pvt. James C. Monday of Company H had died of pneumonia at Bridgeport, Ala., on March 9; Pvt. John R. Phillips of Company E had died of smallpox at Tullahoma, Tenn., on March 17; Cpl. William M. Scott of Company K had died of smallpox at Bridgeport on March 21; and Pvt. James Burk of Company H had died at Louisville, Ky., on March 24. Compiled Service Records cf Union Soldiers, NA.
2. Chaplain Cotton wrote the Sunday school of the Pontiac Methodist Episcopal Church, “Last Sabbath [the 24th] we organized a Soldiers’ Sunday School, and your old friend, Lieut. Culver is the Superintendent. Of course, it is a very different looking affair to what it would be if the children and ladies were present, but we can sing quite well, and pray and study the good word of God.” Cotton to Sunday school, undated, Culver Collection.
3. General Grant in March had been called to Washington, promoted to lieutenant general, and placed in command of all Union armies. To destroy the two major Southern armies and crush the Confederacy, Grant planned a spring campaign. He would establish his headquarters in northern Virginia with General Meade’s Army of the Potomac and direct the campaign aimed at destroying General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. General Sherman with an “army group” which included General Thomas’ Army of the Cumberland was to hammer General Johnston’s Army of Tennessee.
4. J.F.C. from Jan. 13, 1864, until April 18, had served first as Colonel Harrison’s aide-de-camp and, following Lieutenant Mitchell’s departure, as his acting assistant adjutant general. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA.