Joseph F. Culver Civil War Letters

Pontiac Ill. Oct. 31st 1862

My Dear Husband.

I did not mean that most of a week should elapse before I wrote you again, but I have been expecting to hear every day that Gagan was going, & have put it off thinking he would take it to you sooner than the mail would. I have at last succeeded in getting a picture of Baby & Mary. I was almost discouraged I went so many times to the daguearian [rooms?] before I could get them. I will send them by Gagan, he starts next thursday I believe. I received yours of the 25th this afternoon. I do not get all your letters, & I presume you dont get mine, all of them I mean. Mrs. Dr. Johnson has had but one letter from her husband since he went away, & a number of others are the same. I guess their husbands are not a thoughtful as mine. Continue reading →

Bro. Joe,

I now write to you at mothers request, as she says there is no one else has time to write.

You will perceive by the date of this that I am now at home. I have been off duty for about two weeks, the regiment to which I had been assigned having disbanded. I was sent home to await orders. I am informed by the [Serg?] Gen that I will be called to duty this week, but do not know where I shall be sent to, though I expect with one of the drafted regiments, I will not be able to go this week if I should be called upon on account of an accident I met with on last Saturday a week ago. Continue reading →

Pontiac Ill. Oct. 21st /1862

My Dear. Frank

Yours of the 12th I received yesterday It you mailed the 17th I believe, & one has never come so soon before I am still at Mothers Jonnie is a very little better he is wasted to a perfect skeleton the poor fellow is talking about going back already when he can scarcly help himself in the least he sat up an hour sunday & that is the longest since he came home. Sammy came home last week, he has grown quite tall. Baby is quite well Mother is holding him while I am writing Our folks all call him “Little Frankie” it would be hard telling what name I give him the oftenest. Continue reading →

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Frankfort, Ky., Octr. 21st 1862

Dear Wife

I wrote to you last night & told you I should return to Camp to-day. I sent the train given in my charge, & not being able to get teams enough, I am ordered to load the bal. on the Cars, & going by way of Louisville, take them to Lebanon where wagons will be furnished. ((While J.F.C. was at Frankfort, General Buell, learning that the Confederate armies had passed beyond London, started McCook’s and Gilbert’s corps for Lebanon, the first stop on their march to Nashville. The Lebanon Branch Railroad linked Lebanon with the
Louisville & Nashville Railroad, 40 miles to the northwest. The Frankfort & Lexington Railroad connected Frankfort with Louisville. General Buell, like other Civil War leaders, whenever possible employed railroads to ease the problem of supplying his army.
The 129th Illinois broke camp at Crab Orchard the morning of Oct. 19, 1862, and started for Lebanon by way of Harrodsburg, Danville, and Perryville. On the night of the 21st, the regiment camped on the Perryville battlefield, and one of the soldiers observed, “It was a horrible site. Our men were well buried but the secesh some were covered with straw, some with brush and some was pretended to be buried but there heads and feet were sticking out.” Letter Books, 129th Illinois Infantry, NA; Through the South with a Union Soldier, p. 31; Grunert, History of the 129th Illinois, pp. 9-10.)) So I shall be in Louisville to-morrow if nothing happens. I have only one objection & that is getting so near home I feel an earnest desire to go there, but, before you get this, I shall be in the Southern part of Kentucky again. Continue reading →

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Frankfort, Ky., Octr. 20th 1862

Dear Wife

I arrived here about noon to-day in charge of our Brigade train. I am Acting Brigade Quarter Master for a few days & came here after what was left, not having sufficient wagons to transport. ((When the 38th Brigade marched from Frankfort to Crab Orchard, the wagon train had been left behind. Lieutenant Culver, as acting brigade quartermaster, had the responsibility of forwarding the train and supplies stockpiled at Frankfort to the command.)) I shall start for Camp at Crab Orchard sometime to-morrow. Continue reading →

Pontiac Ill. Oct 18th 1862

My Dear Frank

I am still at Mothers Jonnie is no better but constantly growing weaker We fear that his days are few on earth Dr. Capran still attends him We have sent for Sammy and if he continues to grow worse Thomas must come home too I never saw any one grow so weak and so poor in so short a time he is nothing but skin and bone If our worst fears are realized is there any possibility of our recalling you? Still we hope for the best and trust in God I cant think that he will die Continue reading →