Joseph F. Culver Civil War Letters

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Head Quarters, 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
In Camp on Big Flat Creek, 5 miles South of Shelbyville
Febry. 28th 1864
My Dear Wife

Though this is [the] Sabbath, we have marched 16 miles. ((On the 26th Harrison’s brigade broke camp at sunrise, and by 10 o’clock halted on the Stones River battlefield. The soldiers visited the graves, paled at the sight of bleaching bones, and shook their heads at the way the storm of canister and exploding shells had shredded the cedars near Round Forest. The march was resumed and, passing through Murfreesboro, the troops halted and camped alongside the Shelbyville Pike south of town. A 13-mile march was made on the 27th, but it was fatiguing because several streams, the bridges of which had been destroyed, had to be forded, and the road “was either covered with several inches of dust, or led through a rocky, hill country.” Grunert, History of the 129th Illinois, pp. 45-46.)) It rained sufficient to lay the dust & marching is very pleasant. The Post Office in Shelbyville was closed, so that we had no opportunity to mail letters. Continue reading →

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In camp at Stewarts Creek — Febry. 25th 1864
Dear Mary

We did not get an opportunity to send letters at Lavergne to-day, so I have opened this to add a few lines. We have marched only 10 miles to-day & went into camp at 12 o clock. The men are in excellent spirits.

There is a Fort on the south side of the creek, & just outside of it, we have our Head Qurs. ((An earthen fort had been thrown up by the Federals in the winter of 1862-63 to guard the vital railroad and highway bridges crossing Stewarts Creek.)) The 129th are camped on the West of us. I have just come from the Company. All are well & in good spirits. Continue reading →

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Head Qrs., 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
In Camp, 11 miles South of Nashville
Febry. 24th 1864
My Dear Wife

We are on the road at last. We went into camp at 2 o’clock this afternoon, making a short day’s march; we purpose marching only 10 miles a day for the first few days. ((Colonel Harrison had been told that: (a) there was no “necessity for making hurried or long marches”; (b) it was advisable to make detours from “the usually traveled highway, if by doing so a better road could be found, having in mind always supplies of rations and forage”; and (c) his brigade was to reach the front “in serviceable condition.” It was suggested that the brigade march from Decherd, by way of Tracy City, to Bridgeport instead of taking the road paralleling the railroad. O. R., Ser. I, Vol. XXXII, pt. II, pp. 276-277.)) All are in good spirits. The Band of the 79th Ohio are playing Marseillaise hymn, & the sun is setting. The day has been very beautiful. All nature seems most happy. It is seldom that everything seems so beautiful. Continue reading →

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Head Qrs. 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
Nashville Febry. 24th 1864
My Dear Wife

We have just finished breakfast, & it is six o clock. In another hour, we will be on the march. The Column will be in motion out the Murfreesboro Pike at 8 o clock.

Our wagon is waiting to be loaded, & I have embraced this leisure moment to say good bye. Write to me often. We will get mail on the route, so I hope to hear from you. We are all in good health. Continue reading →

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Head Quarters, 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
Nashville Febry. 22nd 1864
My Dear Wife

Your letter of the 15th came to hand this evening. ((Mary Culver’s letter of February 15 is missing from the Culver Collection.)) I am happy to hear that you enjoy such good health. I telegraphed to you this morning informing you that we would leave here to-morrow. ((To prevent Confederate General Johnston from rushing soldiers from his Army of Tennessee to Demopolis, Ala., to oppose General Sherman’s columns which had advanced east from Vicksburg to Meridian, Miss., General Grant directed General Thomas to employ two corps of his Army of the Cumberland to make a forced reconnaissance toward Dalton. This movement was to begin not later than Monday morning, the 22d. In conjunction with this movement, orders were received by General Ward to start Harrison’s brigade for Bridgeport, Ala., where it would report to General Howard. On the departure of Harrison’s brigade, Ward’s 2d Brigade would report to General Rousseau and take post at Nashville, Lavergne, and McMinnville. O. R., Ser. I, Vol. XXXII, pt. I, p. 25; pt. II, p. 435.)) We are loaded & the train has started, so that there is not much probability of our not going this time. Continue reading →

Chattanooga Tenn
21st of Feb. 1864
Dear Sister Mary

Yesterday I received yours of the 17th inst. the first one that I have received from you for some time but I suppose you have had such a happy visit from the Boys home that you could hardly find time to write any letters. I received a letter from Frank nearly two weeks ago, but have not written to him yet. Jack is with Bridges [Batt.?] yet I have received one letter from him since he came back to Nashville, and he could not tell when he would come to [Batt?] “M.” I am looking for a letter from him every day. Continue reading →

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Head Qrs., 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A. C.
Nashville, Febry. 21st 1864
My Dear Wife

I recd. two letters from you yesterday evening, both mailed on the 12th, but one written on the 6th & 7th & the other on the 12th. ((Mary Culver’s letters of February 7 & 12 are missing from the Culver Collection.)) I am happy to learn that you enjoy such good health. I will not undertake to answer the questions you have asked, for I feel rather certain that I shall get home this Spring. If not, I will telegraph for you. Continue reading →

Carlisle Feb. 20th 1864
Dear Bro. Frank,

Yours of the 14th has been received, and we are very glad too hear that you have not been sent to the front, that is the place of honor, but also of danger, and we feel anxious that you may be as little exposed as possible, and be spared to Mary. I wonder not that you often recall the scenes of the past, when you & Mary were comfortably fixed in your own home, where joy reigned supreme; for there is no place like home, where love prompts every act, and perfumes the very air where our little ones in anticipation of reality nestle in our arms or play at our feet. May God grant unto you soon a return of those joys, for He has blessed you with a wife who is eminently qualified to make your home a happy one. Continue reading →

Febry. 20th/64
Dear Mary

No letter yet; I am wholly at a loss to account for it. I am quite well. I saw Capt. Hoskins this morning, he is much better, & will be home in ten days or two weeks. I also saw Lt. [Benjamin F.] Fitch, his wife is well. I close in haste.

May God bless you.

Your Affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

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Head Qrs., 1st Brig., 1st Div., 11th A.C.
Nashville Febry. 19th 1864
My Dear Wife

I recd. no letter to-day; it is just one week since your last arrived. I cannot divine the reason. [Pvt. Joseph] Allen recd. a letter from Lou, dated the 14th, in which she says you are well. ((Lou Allen was the wife of Pvt. Joseph Allen of Company A, 129th Illinois Infantry. Eighth Census, Livingston County, State of Illinois, NA.))

You wrote in one of your letters for me to send a [black] servant for Mrs. Remick and one for Maggie [Utley]. I would be happy to comply if it were possible, but every negro captured in Kentucky is sold into Slavery. ((Thousands of blacks freed by President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, dated January 1, 1863, had refugeed to the Nashville area and were living in camps in and around the city. According to terms of the Emancipation, Union slave states—including Kentucky, all of Tennessee, and sections of Virginia and Louisiana—had been excluded from its provisions. Slave owners, legal residents of these states or regions, could identify and claim the return of their blacks. Randall, Civil War & Reconstruction, pp. 490-498.)) None are allowed to cross the Ohio River. The only way is to get a permit to take your servants home with you, as Dr. Johns did, & then go up the river to Cairo. ((Dr. Harvey S. Johns’ resignation as surgeon of the 129th Illinois had been accepted January 19, 1864. Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers, NA.)) I cannot take time to go by water, & therefore will not be able to take them with me. Continue reading →