Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum

Letters from Home: Permilia Gordon to her husband Samuel.

On this Valentine’s Day we present a handwritten Civil War era valentine written by Permilia Gordon to her husband Samuel who fought in the 118^th Illinois Infantry Company C. Below, you will find a transcription of the valentine:

Your Valentine

your steps are so light your movements so rare

Wouldn’t wonder a bit if you lived in the air

Remember me When this you see

Roses red and Violets blue

Sugars sweet and so are you

If this paper should chance to roam

Box its ears and send it home

Samuel Gordon appears to have had a very loving family. You can read a letter written to him from his daughter, Ella, here.

Letters from the Boys In Blue: General Grant had no political aspirations

Ulysses S. Grant was building momentum in the Civil War, having won victories in April 1862 at Shiloh and earlier in 1863 at Vicksburg and Chattanooga. As a result of his military victories, General Grant’s political star was starting to brighten, although he did not realize it at the time. In December 1863, Barnabus Burns, who was the chairman of the “War Democrats” in Ohio, sent Grant a letter asking to present the general’s name as a presidential candidate at the Democratic Convention. You’ll find General Grant’s December 17, 1863 response below:

Chattanooga Tennessee,

December 17^th 1863,

B. Burns, Esq.

Chairman Dem. Cen. Com.

Dear Sir:

Your letter of the 7^th inst. asking if you will be at liberty to use my name before the Convention of the “War Democracy”, as candidate for the office of the Presidency is just received. – The question astonishes me. I do not know of anything I have ever done or said that would indicate that I could be a candidate for any office whatever within the gift of the people. I shall continue to do my duty, to the best of my ability, so long as permitted to remain in the Army, supporting whatever Administration may be in power, in their endeavor to suppress the rebellion and maintain National Unity, and never desert it because my vote, if I had one, might have been cast for different candidates.

Nothing likely to happen would pain me so much as to see my name used in connection with a political office. I am not a candidate for any office nor for favors from any party. Let us succeed in crushing the rebellion, in the shortest possible time, and I will be content with whatever credit may then be given me, feeling assured that a just public will award all that is due.

Your letter I take to be private. Mine is also private. I wish to avoid notoriety as far as possible, and above all things desire to be spared the pain of seeing my name mixed with politics. Do not therefore publish this letter but wherever, and by whatever party, you hear my name mentioned in connection with the candidacy for any office say that you know from me direct that I am not “in the field,” and cannot allow my name to be used before any convention.

I am, with great respect,

Your obt. Svt.

U.S. Grant

Soon after this letter was sent, Grant would be promoted to Lieutenant General and given command of the entire Union army. Four and a half years later, in late 1868, the Confederacy was no more, President Lincoln had been assassinated, and the general who stated “Nothing likely to happen would pain me so much as to see my name used in connection with a political office” was elected to his first of two terms as the eighteenth President of the United States.

Letters from Home: Eleanor “Ella” Gordon to her father Samuel

On the first of October in 1863, Private Samuel Gordon of the 118^th Illinois Infantry Company C sat in a camp near Berwick Bay, LA and wrote to his wife Permilia. Ten days later, Permilia wrote back to Samuel and in the letter included an additional letter from their eldest daughter Ella, who had just turned eleven years old.

Hamilton

Oct 11 1863

dear papa

I thought I would write you a letter. I have put those apples you spoke of up for you. I keep your room in order. I go to school to Miss Safford I like her verry much I wish you would come home very much

From your daughter

Ella Gordon

Samuel Gordon would muster out of the Union Army on October 1, 1865 in Baton Rouge, LA and return home to Hamilton, IL. Ella grew up and would go by her given name, Eleanor. Eleanor Elizabeth Gordon became a teacher, a minister in the Unitarian Church, and a leader of the Suffragette movement in Iowa.

Letters Home: Knowlton Howard Chandler to his mother

Captain Knowlton Howard Chandler of the 19th Illinois Infantry Company F sent this letter home to his mother in Chandlerville, IL. One of the highlights of the letter is Captain Chandler’s description of how he was heating his tent. The whole letter can be found below:

Camp Anderson, Oct 24^th 1861

My Dear Mother

In haste I seat myself to answer your favor which reached me on the 21^st. I was glad to here from you, & hope you will write often. I was sorry that the mony I sent you would not pass. I have changed the bill here for the Gold, without loss. it is concidered to be the best mony in the state, & I supposed it would be good in Illinois. to day is a great day with us. it is Pay day. our Company are to be Paid this afternoon which will prevent my writing much. we have been at this place 3 or 4 weeks but will probably leave here tomorro such a rest we have not taken before since our start from Chicago, we are going about 12 miles nearer the Enemy the only fault we find is that we cannot go much nearer to them, I still enjoy myself, & have good health. the weather is getting quite cool, but I have made my tent comfortable by a putting into use my mecanical engenuity. I dug a trench through my tent & under the curtain covered it with stone & dirt procured a joint of stove pipe & set it up at the end of the trench on the out side, Built a fire in the Tent, at the other end of the trench & I can tell you that it warms the tent finely I would like to have you look in upon us some cool evening & see how comfortable we are. the word has just come for us to go & draw our mony so I will Bid you good By for the present. I send you 1 $5⁰⁰ Bill United States Mony which is good as the gold. I hope you will get it. do not fail to ask for more when ever you want any give love to all Friends. Please tell Emma that I have written to ~~the~~ Dr. Lippincott three or Four times, but have receive no answer. tell her to mention the fact when she writes to him. give my love to her, tell her that I often think of the good meals & the Pronunciation of (Euphratise)

From your son with much love

K H Chandler

Letters Home: Charles Brush to his parents following William’s death

Previously, we posted letters from William Brush to Charles and subsequently, the letters from the boys’ father H.L. to Charles regarding William’s sickness and then, death. In the letter below, Charles writes to H.L. saying, “…little did I think when I bid him good by at the depot last fall that it was for the last time on earth.” The full letter can be read below:

H(ea)d Q(uarter)s 53^rd Ill Vol

Memphis April 18^th /63

My dear Father and Mother,

Your kind but

dreadfully sad letter ~~letter~~ of the 14^th inst was received about noon today. I

would not write to night but I know that in Your sad berevement that You are

anxious to hear from me. You only, who alike with me are afflicted can immagine

with what surprise and anguish I read the sad news of Dear Williams death, and

even now I can hardly realize the fact but little did I think when I bid him good by

at the depot last fall that it was for the last time on earth. and although I was

not permitted to see and be with him in his last hours, I thank God that You was

there and that he did not die among strangers alone and I pray God that we may

all bear up under this load of grief and affliction and be reconciled to the will of

~~him~~ our Heavenly Father. O, I would have given any and evry thing if I could have

seen him before he was consigned to his last resting place, but it is now too late,

it is hard for me to think of, but a kind providence ordered that I should be here,

His will be done. I am content to stay where I am but on Your accounts it would

give me pleasure to spend a few day at home but is seems impossible I hope and

trust that You Dear Father and Mother will not give way in this hour of affliction.

I fear it will make Mother sick and almost dread to see the next letter. May God in

his mercy be with You all to keep and strengthen You My friends in the Regt (they

are not a few) many of them friends and acquaintances of Will) deeply

sympathise with me in this berevement , but I can not write more now. I am

quite well. love to all of You. it rains very hard to night. write soon and often.

Affclly Your Son,

Chas. H. Brush

Letters Home: Hiram Roberts to his young daughter Nellie

Hiram P Roberts, Chaplain, HQ, 84^th Illinois Infantry, sent this letter on Christmas Day in 1863 to his five year old daughter, Nellie.

Papa’s Log Cabin

Whiteside Tenn

Christmas Day

Darling Nellie

Your little letter came to me the other day & I was glad to get it. Tell Emma I thank her for writing it for you. I suppose you are having a good time to day. Did Kris Kringle bring you anything last night? I don’t believe he comes down this way at all for I haven’t heard anything about him. I haven’t anything to send you for a Christmas present so I will put in 25 cents & you may get what you want or what mama thinks is best.

Be a good girl & mind mamma & I shall love you all the better.

A Merry Christmas to you from

Papa

Letters Home: The Brush Family Letters

When we last left the Brush family, William had written to his brother Charles on March 28, 1863 and spoke of good health and problems with a Colonel in his regiment. Almost two weeks later, on April 10, William and Charles’ father, H.L., wrote to Charles about William, “…I feel he is very sick…” Three days later, on April 13, 1863 1^st Lieutenant William E. Brush of Company D, 104^th Illinois Infantry, passed away.

In the lengthy letter that follows, H.L. writes again to Charles with details of William’s death including allegations of poisoning by someone in his regiment.

Ottawa Ap^l. 16^th/63

Dear Charles

I wrote you 14^th of Williams sickness and death. I can hardly realise that so kind, so good, so young, so endeared a Son, one in whom so many hopes & desires were centered, one for whom I would have cheerfully sacrifised even life itself, has left us forever, evry hours increases my regrets, and magnifys my loss. The poor Boy when he saw that he was struck down with his sickness appeared to be overwhelmed with grief that he could not go with the Regmt. (they had that afternoon rec^d orders to leave for Murfreesboro,) His disease also was very singular & violent & rapid in its course, typhoid is generally protracted continuing sometimes weeks, but he was attacked on dress parade Thursday P.M. & died ¼ of nine Monday morning. Yesterday his remains were followed to his last resting place, by a very large procession. They^Young Ladies wove and surmounted the Coffin with a beautiful garland of flowers. The singing at the grave was most beautiful, & melting, Mother says she never was at a funeral where it seemed so pleasant & yet she is almost stricken down herself & heartbroken, I am almost tempted to make you a visit, that I may relate to you the scenes of his last two days. Yet after all the respect which has been paid to him and the general regret expressed at his sudden death, it all appears as vanity, for it cannot alleviate our sorrow, nor heal for a moment the wound in our hearts which his death has made. I feel that if you both could have been in the same Regm^t. that this sad and sudden termination of his career and usefulness would not have happened, you could have attended to him when sick & called to his aid good counsel, but why these vain regrets, as the choir sang, “peacefully lay him down to rest, so may we hope that he rests in the bosom of his Saviour that his rest is eternal glory. He was very much respected by the Officers & men of the command in all the Regmts, those who knew him spoke warmly of his virtues, his exemption from “every bad habit-as they expressed it. He made rapid proficiency as an officer & had gained despite of his persecuting Capt. the confidence of his C^o. even The Capt. had asked his forgiveness & commended him warmly to the Company, acknowledging that his conduct towards him had been wrong. I have no doubt but that his sickness was caused by his indefatigable endeavours to merit & win a high position, & put down the prejudice which an unprincipled man had maliciously raised against him. He neglected no duty, & would not even come home although Colⁿ. Moore gave him permission, for fear they would draw unfavorable inferences I do not believe there ever was a case where a kind hearted patriotic & gifted young^ officer was so maligned & shamefully treated and by a man pledged to be his friend, and who was under obligation, to him for his position a man too infinitely inferior to him in every sense & position—Mother is very anxious to have you resign & return home, she fears that you will be prostrated by that enervating climate. In fact if you can honorably do so, It would decidedly be my counsel & choice. You have received what benefits there are of any growing out of a military life, a southern climate, & active exercise, and it is a good time if you can to return and resume the study of the law. Cook is so decidedly your friend that you will do well with him, and by resigning you stand a better chance for some office that may yet spring up, and although I was very much gratifyed to hear through Clark that Colⁿ Earl has the highest opinion of you as an excellent & efficient Adjutant. Yet you must bear in mind that Mother & myself bereft of another Son, we should go down broken hearted to the grave, and that you are incurring risks in that climate, even in Memphis, and you may be ordered farther south, where evry northern man or a large majority fall victims to the fatal fevers of the South, a man to successfully withstand them but possess a firm & excellent constitution. Now can you not so manage it as to leave the profession of arms, resign & come home. My dear William had sent me sometime ago 400$ $145 to repay my advances the balance on his own & I found in his wallets over 200$ which he had drawn day before up to the ? ^th March He was so overpowered by his disease, that he was much deranged the Friday after he was taken sick, only a few hours, he had only intervals after I reached that his faculties were clear

On Sunday about 11 A.M. he wished me to sit on the bed with him & hold his hand, he placed his other hand on my shoulder It was then he expressed his love for the Savior, his trust in Him& desired me to pray with him. He did not hold his mind on any thing long, but was overpowered with the violence of his disease producing a terrible sense of weakness he appeared to have no wish as to the disposition of his effects, in fact I believe he did not think of dying, when wandering he was in Battallion drill or dress parade or some of his duties. Oh how heart— rending it was to me to see him grapple with the King of terrors to see him breathe his life away—Oh that I may be spared another so heart rending a scene—His friends feel that Collins’^sinhuman conduct was one cause of his death. Some suspicions are entertained in which I cannot share, that poison was administered to him. Doctr Hopkins is terribly excited, when he heard from Bassindale his sergeant, & friend to the last, his relation of the symptoms & also what I knew, he declared “it was foul play Somewhere,” but Doctr Wing, stated that such rapid & violent cases occur in Military life, never in Civil—How is this, what does Surgeon Welch say, does the typhoid exhibit symptoms of insanity first ____?_, burning in the throat, marking its commencement, great thirst vomiting, and in less than 15 hours involuntary discharges in the bed, eyes red & watery, countenance ghastly are such the characteristics of typhoid. If they are I prefer civil life. The Doctor wrote to Davis yesterday to come down & make a Post Mortem examination. He has not yet come but that justice may be done all parties, we shall insist on a Post mortem examination. I presume they will find that Doctr Wing is correct, but should poison exhibit itself, then I am well satisfyed, who is at the bottom of it, & nothing can save him—But you know how little things are magnifyed and the examination will bring it all right and under the state of feeling is proper & necessary, yet I believe they will not find poison. I write this fearing you may hear something exaggerated from some other source, do not intimate any thing I have written, as it is a dreadful suspicion even as against a Rebel & if true, secrecy is absolutely necessary to detection do not permit it to disturb your feeling, for I think the result will be as I have stated if not will write you immediately I hope you will not go into a Black Regmt you will incur tenfold exposure to malarious climate. They will be ordered on most extra hazardous positions a sort of forlorn hope. No compensation increased tenfold would induce me , remain if you will not resign, with the 53^dIf you need any thing will send it, in Williams valise, do you want any of his effects, he had just purchased a fine Poncho, his blankets are very good ones if you should remain & want them will send them to you, he had no sash, I found your Pistol & his, Moore Revolver in his satchel, everything all right, I found when we had taken him from the camp quarters (on his straw tick) to Professor Sawyers house, we then placed him on a good feather bed, with two good mattrass under it, happening to look down on the straw tick I saw something in the hay which I found to be his wallet, with his money—He had just purchased a very fine dress coat, which Lucy said became him very much. I purchased a fine pair Pants & Gloves and he was laid out in these. He looked very natural and calm. I found a letter in his valise from you. How little did we anticipate this sad result. How it admonishes us to be always, by a correct life and a living faith in the Saviour, ready & willing to obey his summons, write me how you get along, do you have any of that old cough. Mr Cook left last Monday for Chicago to find me he expected to meet me at Chicago but I had gone with Lucy after the corpse had been escorted to Depot to Mr Dickinsons & have not seen him as he is attending court in Chicago I shall not receive any money which I have furnished you heretofore you must accept of it as a gift. hope if you buy one you will get a reliable horse. I will get you a saddle if you want, But would prefer to have you ride homeward on a Steamer, we are all well except Allie who had croup yesterday is better this morning. Send you Republican- Mother and all send Love, & sympathise with you for the loss of your best friend & dear Brother

Afftly yr Father

H.L. Brush

Letters Home: H.L. Brush to his son Charles

In our last post, 1st Lt. William Brush wrote to his brother Charles. Towards the beginning of the letter, written on March 28^th, 1863, he mentions, “…my health was never better in the world.”

In this letter, written just two weeks later, from the Brush brothers’ father H.L. to Charles, H.L. writes of William, “…I fear he is very sick.” The whole of H.L.’s letter to Charles is below. What will become of young William Brush?

Ottawa Ap^l 10^th / 63

Dear Charles

Yours 5^th & 6^th was rec^d todays mail

and we were very glad to hear that you was well, sorry the

old mare has taken to her tricks & ran away, if she comes up

this way I will advertise her, Same mail brot letter from

William of 9^th They had been out on drill & he was taken with

a chill, & hot at same time, he had two days before wrote

that he had a cold, says he was very hoarse, and to day

I rec^d dispatch that he was sick typhoid fever, & to come

up tonights train as the Regmt. was under marching

orders to leave tomorrow, I am all ready now 11 P.M to take

the 1 oclk train , I fear he is very sick but know nothing

further, he is very ambitious, has had a great deal to do, &

much to trouble him, he writes that he would not have

had it happened for any thing, but so it is, will write you

from Chicago—I think that the Negro Regmts, will be

ordered into the most sickly part of the country, and if only

about one in about ten are good for any thing, they will prove very

unreliable, always brot up to obey & fear their masters, they

will be very likely to fly from their bayonets, I would not

accept a Brig. Gen^l Commission in such a Regmt with the

Presidents salary, but men differ. Capt. Bill Strawn

told me yesterday he had a notion to get one, & that Collins

had proposed to join him, but he remarked that the depart-

ment was overun with applications from officers for higher

positions in such Regimts, Luke is with us & can manage

things very well I think, I hope to be able to bring William

down on a cot, but fear I cannot for several weeks.

The Officers except for Collins were unwilling to leave, so soon

as many of the men are sick and absent, whereas the

65^th Scotch Regmt. are all in readiness but Colⁿ Moon

writes that through wire pulling they have been

favored, he says that Gen^l Ammen is an Ohioan & is

prejudiced against the 104^th because I suppose they

fought well at Hartsville, while the Ohio Boys run

without discharging their guns, As mother will finish

this letter and I must go to the cars I will say good night

don’t send up any money, use it for yourself I do

not want it, we have planted out quite a large patch

of Wilsons Albany Seedling Strawberries they are not bad to take

with Sugar & Cream, wish we could send you some, but

of Wilsons Albany Seedling Strawberries they are not bad to take

I suppose the South produces other as desirable fruits

which will not mature up here north—Affty yr Father

H. L. Brush

Letters to home: 1^st Lt. William Brush to his brother Charles

1^st Lt. William Brush was mustered into the army on August 27^th, 1862 in Ottawa, IL, and served in the 104^th Illinois Infantry. On March 28^th, 1863 he sent this letter to his brother Charles.

Camp Douglas Chicago March 28^th / 63

Dear Brother

Yours of the 24^th just rec’d with much pleasure. I had begun to think that you had not rec’d my letter becaus I did not hear from you. my health never was better in the world. I have had the entire command of the Company every since we came to Chicago with the exception of six days that I was down home.

Col. Moore is in command of or Reg’t. in spite of all that man or any other man can do. (before the Col. came back he was at work with all of his might. One of the boys told me that he hurd him say that if he could get Brush out that that would be one big stone out of the road. that he would try his best to do so, before that I always tried to do my best to pleas him and do what was right, but since I have sworn that if I ever got an other good chance at him I would improve the chance. he has told lies to the Co. about me and to the Commissioned Officers. I will pay him back in som day in his own coin. Now just look at it it he would never of been Capt. of a Company if I had not gon in with him when I went to LaSalle to see him he had ben recruiting two week’s and only had seven names on his roll. I went in with him and went to recruiting we raised 1.41 men and we gave him the office of Capt. I took the next best. now just becaus I was sick he tried to take the advantage of me. he went around with a paper pretended to have the nomber of days that I was sick ~~on it~~ he said that I was of from duty 96 days. now that is a down up lie. I lost 6-7 days in all, even if I had ben sick all of the time it is nothing to him. I write this to show you what kind of man he is. When the Coln came back I went to him and we had a long talk with him. I told him what I was a going to do if he did not back water. I told the Col. what I cold sware to. ~~The~~ Moore told me that he would not take a word from him that he would sock it to him if he did not keep cool. if he brings charges against him he is agoing to bring me in as a witness. if I ever com up on that case I will do it justic (now mark what I say) I have my friends in the Co. & he has his he has some that he has told that he would promote providing he got me out. Clark is 2d Lieut. You spoke to me about calling on our folks in the City I have called upon Mrs Patterson Lucy is at her house I took dinner at her house last Sunday she is a very fine lady. Have not called upon Mr Dickerson’s family or Mr Gould will try and go and see Hattie next monday. I am detailed as officer of the guard to morrow. I com on duty every fift day that is not very bad. I dont think that we will stay in this camp a great while we have had orders to prepair to march but when we have to march is another thing. I am afraid that ~~they~~ we will be ordered in to Kentucky I hope not becaus marching is plaid out. I hope we will go to memphis.

I dont think it is best for an Officer to wride a very showey horse. if that old mare is good ~~tuff~~ tough critter I would keep her. not try to get a high headed gay horse one that is all the time dancing & prancin around. That is one thing that the Rebels blow so much about they say that our officers dress up in dark blue cloths and lots of brass buttons & straps, and fine horses, for them to shoot at. They say that they make a good mark. Now we lost our A, A, A, G at the Battle of Hartsville he was a son of Judy Golson of Cincinnatio very welthy he rode a black horse. and had on a dark over coat. They took him for Coln Moore. he was shot with two balls. I recd a letter from home to day the folks are all well. I have bought a coat paid 30.$ for it a pair of Boots 10.$ Poncho 8.$ I tell you it takes the money if in good style you wanted to know how much my board costs I have a darkey we have a mess in camp my board cost from 2,50 to 300 a week according to how many cans of oysters I buy

Write often

From your Affectly Bro

WE Brush

[Across top p. 4] Give my best respects to Ralph [upside down]

Letters Home: Colonel W.H.L. Wallace to his wife Ann

Birds Point_Oct.13, 1861

Dear Ann:-

This has been another beautiful & quiet Sunday_ making me think fondly of the stone house in the woods with its green lawns and rustling leaves, and that dear angel that makes the place seem like heaven to me_ How much I should have loved to take a stroll with you around the grounds this quiet bright autumnal sabbath! You, dearest, have enjoyed this, and I have almost enjoyed it in imagination, with the certainty that you my dearer self were there_

This evening is a beautiful moonlight, night_ very mild & soft_ About 8 o’clock I took our new band on board the steamer & with several officers & ladies, ran over to Cairo & up the Ohio river two or three miles to enjoy the bright night & music & show the Cairo folks what a band the 11^th has_ They do play magnificiently_As we ran along past Cairo the whole levee responded & applauded by clapping of hands_ The party enjoyed the ride & music very much & I did wish you were there to enjoy it too_

The officers have elected Mr Pearsons (who preached while you were here) as chaplain to the Regiment_ He is sick & we had no service today_ There was service in two or three of the regiments but I did not attend_ I spent most of the afternoon in going to Cairo and getting a furlough for a sick soldier from Ottawa named Hess in Capt. Reeds company_ His regiment is at Louisville & his brother was with him in the hospital here_ I got a furlough for both of them to go home_ I also gave Mr. Widmer leave of absence for ten days_ He has been sick for some days_ John Wardlaw has not got well yet_ He is still too weak to travel_ I had intended to have him sent home, but it would probably do him more harm than good just now_ He seems to be free from disease but is very weak_This favorable change in the weather will do him good I think_ The sickness generally is gradually but steadily abating & I hope that the next week or ten days will see our sick list greatly shortened

I had two letters from you dearest today_ How kind and thoughtful you are darling to write me every day even if it is but a short letter_ Blossoms letter was cunning_bless her little soul_ tell her papa will write her a little letter soon and tell her how much he loves his “little Blossom”

God bless you_ Good night & pleasant dreams my own, my darling wife

Yours

WHLWallace