Joseph F. Culver Civil War Letters

Covington March 31st 1864.
Lieut. J.F. Culver.
Dear Sir.

We recd. your kind letters this evening little suspecting what the contents was. They was dated respectfuly 24th, 26th & 27th. also two from Lieut. Smith dated 25th & 27th. We are very sorry to hear of my brothers sickness, but hope to hear soon of his recovery. How thankful we are that he has friends there to take care of him. Oh! that he was near that we might take care of him. But God wills it otherwise and we must submit. You say he may get well, if he does get better we would like so much to have him brought home. Can you? will you? do all in your power to have him get a furlough? One of our neighbor boys of the 61st O.V.I. had the same disease and was brought home and is now almost recovered his former health. I think if he could but be at home he would recover……. Continue reading →

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Head Quarters, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Army Corps
Wauhatchie, Tenn., March 30th 1864
My Dear Wife

Your letter of the 22nd inst. came to hand this morning. ((Mary Culver’s letter of March 22 is missing from the Culver Collection.)) It was my intention to write you a long letter last night, but my tent smoked so that I could not keep a fire in it. I went in the early part of the evening to see Joe Shellenbarger; I found him getting better. ((This was a rally before a fatal relapse. Private Shellenbarger died the next day, March 31, 1864. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA.)) He is so much better this morning that I feel confident of his recovery. Afterward I went to see Capt. Hoskins & had a long talk with him about the sights he saw at Pontiac. Continue reading →

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Head Qurs., 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
Wauhatchie, Tenn., March 27th 1864
My Dear Wife

I have spent the evening thus far very pleasantly, and it seemed more like old times than usual. If you had been one of our number, I think I could have easily imagined us all at home once more. Continue reading →

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Head Quarters, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Army Corps
Wauhatchie, Tenn., March 27th 1864
My Dear Wife

This morning opened out very beautiful, and all nature seems to be praising God for his goodness. I had the blues yesterday badly but succeeded in driving them away before I went to bed. I feel very happy and contented this morning. Continue reading →

In Camp at London Tenn.
22 March 1864.
Dear Brother Frank:

Day before yesterday, I received yours of the 14th inst. For some considerable time past I have awaited a letter from you and wondered why it came not, but that you have been marching explains the delay. I have been anxious to hear from you on Sammy’s account. I vainly hoped to hear of his whereabouts through you. I can get nothing definate about him. About a month ago he was in Springfield. We have received the description rolls of some 14 or 15 recruits and only three of them have arrived at the Battery. Some of these have been a month and a half on the road and one young man – you knew him, E.W. Gower, died in Indiana on his way to our company. Continue reading →

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Head Qurs., 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
Lookout Valley, Mch. 22nd 1864
My Dear Wife

We were very much surprised on getting up this morning to find snow eleven & 1/2 inches deep. This “Sunny South” passes all understanding; ever since we came here it has been extremely cold. ((Private Dunham of Company C, writing his mother on the 22d, reported, “It has been very cold heare for several days. It snowed all last night and all day today and the snow is now all of a foot deep. I have hurd people talk about the suny South but for my part I have seen enough of it to satisfy my appetite.” Through the South with a Union Soldier, p. 110.)) We may look for mud of course. The train has just worked its way through. Continue reading →

Camp Yates Springfield
March 22nd, 1864
Dear Sister Mary

Yours of the 2nd inst I received in due season and was glad to hear from you. I would have written to you as soon as I got it but I expected to leave here soon and thought I wait and write when I got to another place They have sent away the Inft and Cav. recruits and I think the Art will leave soon, but I have thought so for some time. I am the only one for Battery “M” that is here and I would rather be with it than here. Continue reading →