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Head Quarters, 129th Regt. Ills. Vols. Infty.
Gallatin, Tenn., July 11th 1863

My Dear Wife

Another day has passed without any word from you. I leave at 10 o’clock to-night on a scout of 100 cavalry, 200 infantry & 2 pieces of Artillery. Will be absent for two days,¹ but as the trains do not run north of Louisville, I can hardly expect to hear for several days. Morgan has possession of the Rail Road from Jeffersonville to Indianapolis.²

We are all well. Capt. Reed, Sergt. Quakenbush, Lacy McFee & Bob McIntyre came near being captured at Spradling’s to-day by some 30 Rebels but succeeded in making their Escape.³

I expected to have several letters to answer to-morrow (Sunday). Hoping that God’s blessings may rest upon you & Frankie, I remain,

Ever Your Affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. Private Dunham of Company C wrote his parents on July 12, “I am heare alone [at Gallatin] most of the boys went out last nite on a scout. They took two peces of artilery with them”, Through the South with a Union Soldier, p. 76. [↩]
2. Morgan and his raiders on the 10th swept through Salem on the New Albany & Salem Railroad, and on the 11th slashed across the Indianapolis-Jeffersonville Railroad near Vienna and the Madison, Indianapolis & Peru Railroad at Vernon. O. R., Ser. I, Vol. XXIII, pt. I, pp. 719-726. [↩]
3. Henry B. Reed, a 30-year-old farmer, was mustered into service on Sept. 8, 1862, as captain of Company G, 129th Illinois. From Feb. 17-April 18, 1864, he was detailed on court martial duty in Nashville. Captain Reed was mustered out on June 8, 1865, at Washington, D.C. George M. Quackenbush, a 27-year-old saddler, was mustered into service on Sept. 8, 1862, as a sergeant in Company D, 129th Illinois, and was appointed regimental quartermaster sergeant two days later. Sergeant Quackenbush was mustered out at Washington, D.C, June 8, 1865. Robert M. McIntyre, a 24-year-old tinsmith, was mustered into service on Sept. 8, 1862, as a private in Company G, 129th Illinois. Private Mclntyre was hospitalized at Gallatin on April 14, 1863, and on his release from the hospital was detailed as provost clerk. On Dec. 7, 1863, he was assigned to duty with the Nashville Quartermaster Depot, and on April 28, 1864, he was ordered to report for naval service at Chattanooga. Henry L. McFee, a 28-year-old farmer, was mustered into Company B, 129th Illinois, as a private on Sept. 8, 1862. He was appointed wagon master on Feb. 4, 1863, and on Dec. 21, 1863, was detailed as a clerk to the Nashville Quartermaster Depot. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA. [↩]