Monthly Archives: May 2014

31 May 1864: “The smoke has cleared away. The wild clash of the battle has died out…”

Item description: Letter, dated 31 May 1864, from Leonidas Polk to his wife Sallie.  He discusses the aftermath of battles in Virginia,  injuries, and how much we would like to receive a letter from her. [transcription available below images] Item … Continue reading

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30 May 1864: “…every hour of the day the poor mangled fellows are being hauled into this place in wagons without springs over bad roads, a distance of 12 to 15 miles, the sun burning hot and the roads ankle deep in dust…”

Item description: Letter, dated 30 May 1864, from Joseph Semmes to his wife.  He discusses engagements in Georgia, caring for wounded soldiers, prisoners of war, and Sherman’s scorched earth tactics against the families of Confederate soldiers. [transcription available below images] … Continue reading

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29 May 1864: “One colored regiment at each place to hold against great odds these important positions, which the army is fortifying.”

Item description: Sent from Acting Rear-Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee to Gideon Welles, who was U. S. Secretary of Navy, this telegram discusses military movements in the Fort Powhatan and Wilson’s Wharf region of Virginia, especially that of African American Union … Continue reading

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28 May 1864: “A negroe wedding”

Item description: Diary entry, 28 May 1864, written by Samuel Andrew Agnew. Agnew grew up and attended college and seminary in Due West, S.C. In 1852, he moved to Mississippi, and thereafter lived in the northeastern part of the state, chiefly … Continue reading

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27 May 1864: “But the answer was Oh no you cant stay here you’ve got to go to the Front.”

Item Description: Diary entry, 27 May 1864, written by Henry K. White, describing being sent into battle from the hospital and differences in treatment of enlisted men vs. officers. White was mustered into the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on 21 September … Continue reading

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26 May 1864: “AN ACT to provide Passports for Senators and Representatives in Congress, when traveling in the Confederate States.”

Item Description:   Confederate passport issued to James G. Ramsey and signed by Judah P. Benjamin, Secretary of State for the Confederate States of America (1862-1865).  James Graham Ramsay (1823-1903) attended Davidson College and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.  He practiced medicine … Continue reading

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25 May 1864: “This fight has been going on 21 days and I suppose that Mr. Grant says he will fight ninety days or take Richmond. Well for my parte I do not know whether he will take it or not but I know he will have some hard fighting before he gets Richmond.”

Item Description: Letter, dated 25 May 1864 from H.C. Fogleman, a Confederate Lieutenant, to his cousin Martin Moser, describing his participation in the Battle of the Wilderness. Moser was a farmer in Alamance County, North Carolina. [Item transcription available below … Continue reading

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24 May 1864: “My telegram of 22nd was as follows – v d f . h m. y j b l f t d. n e a y. k. w. k l g g. y s f. g g u. y x n d y y a. h r o c. f u s g. l. v.”

Item description: Telegraph, dated 24 May 1864, from Louis Hebert to Genl Beauregard. The telegraph is in code, and an attempted deciphering appears at the bottom of the page. The subject of the message appears to be the departure of … Continue reading

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23 May 1864: “We are guarded by negro troops, who are as mean as hell.”

Item Description: Diary entry, dated 23 May 1864, written by Louis Leon, a Confederate soldier in the North Carolina Infantry. At this point in the war, Leon has been imprisoned at Point Lookout, Maryland.  In this entry, he describes an incident … Continue reading

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22 May 1864: “[…]I hope I shant hear of any more deaths but I am afraid I shall if they don’t get rid of the small pox a round there[…]”

Item Description:  This letter, dated 22 May 1864, was penned by Eldridge B. Platt to his parents Enoch Platt and Sallie Bronson Platt, in Waterbury, Conn.  Platt discusses camp life, receiving payment, and fighting “rebs”.  He also expresses his concern over … Continue reading

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