Decatur, Tenn.
Nomber 21th 1861
Richard Stewart
Dear Brother
We received a letter from you today dated the 13th and was glad to here from you and here that you were still improving we are all in Tolerable halth at this time Mother has a very bad coughf there is a great deal of excitement here at this time the Union Men is getting very badly scird they have been treated them very rough since they burnt the Bridges they are disarming them all and taking a great many of them Prisoners and Kiling some of them I have taken two trips but got no fight I went down on the river to Jeff Mathes but found nobody there I then went to rhea to Crossroads it was reported that they was gathering up there at Sale Creek Campground but they left the night before I got there I thought I though when I got there we was agoing to have a fight the pickets come in this as I got there and reported that there was a thousand Linkinites there and they had fired on our pickets and Kiled one and wounded one you ought to have heard them holering and purrading their Companies but when we got there it was a Alabama regiment come up on the boat and got of at the mouth of Sale Creek and fired at our pickets they shot one of them through the foot so I will close noing that you will here all about it before this comes to hand give my best respects to all your affectionate brother.
M. B. Stewart
Records of East Tennessee, Civil War Records, Volume 2, Prepared by the Historical Records Survey Transcription Unit, Division of Women's and Professional Projects, Works Progress Administration, Mrs. John Trotwood Moore, State Librarian and Archivist, Sponsor, Nashville, Tennessee, The Historical Records Survey, June 1, 1939, p. 182. TSLA
"the miserably poor water we have to drink, a northern cow would hardly drink it;" Frank M. Guernsey's letter home.
Camp Howe, 32nd Reg Wis Vol
Memphis, Tenn., Nov. 21st [1862]
My Dear Fannie,
This is a warm beautiful day and for a wonder we have had no drill so that I have a little time to myself. Your very welcome letter was received today, and you may be assured that it was read with no small degree of interest, it had been over three long weeks and I don't know but four since I had received a word from you, and you know that is a long while.
Your letter found me feeling first rate. I had been quite unwell for several days owing no doubt to the change in the climate and to the miserably poor water we have to drink, a northern cow would hardly drink it, yet we are obliged to or go dry, there is a quite a number of sick in our Regmt. I think on account of having to such drink such water, there has been but two or three deaths in the Reg. since we came south, which I think is doing pretty well considering everything, but the rainy season will soon set in and then of course we shall have more exposure and hardships to endure, but let them come, we will meet them as soldiers.
The expedition which left about the time I last wrote you has returned all safe and sound they brought back about one hundred mules quite a number of horses and about fifty negroes they sacked one town of Secessionists and burned several house we make a point to punish all Rebels severely there is but very few that escape there is but few good union men in this country there may some of them be secessionist from a pecuniary motive but they are few, most of them are Rebels at heart.
You said you wanted my picture to send to your brother. I suppose I shall have to send it, but he probably don't want to see it. The one I send is the last of some that I had taken in Berlin, it is difficult for me to go down town long enough to get any; more taken at present so I will send you the one I have.
Last week I received a letter from my mother and one from Mrs. Richmond., I had not heard from either of them since I enlisted until then so you can guess how well please I was. Mrs. Richmond enquired very particularly about you and sent her regards, she has been quit sick she wrote but was better then . if I ever return from this war about the first thing to be done will be to pay them a visit.
Glendenning was just in he says tell Fanny that that I am all right, he is a good boy I like him well come to get acquainted with him, we have some pretty god times together, but I see that I must think of closing letter as my sheet is nearly full. Now dear Fanny write soon and good long letters. I shall write again in a few days, as often as my time will permit please give my regards to you people and to kiss B. good by accept much love and believe me
Yours,
Frank M.G.
P.S. My address will be as before until I give you notice, have you seen any of the Poetry yet.
Gurnsey Collection, UML
21, Andrew Johnson's reply to his son Robert's resignation
Nashville, Nov 21st 1863
My dear Son,
Your note of the 17th inst is now before me— My sources of grief and care have been enough without your adding to them at this time— I have been determined that no act of mine Should be an excuse for your recent course of Conduct and do not now intend to depart from it— You tender your resignation, predicated upon my wish for you to do so, and as I obtained the Commission for you have the right to require you to resign and therefore you do resign— I have not indicated to you by work or deed any desire or wish on my part, that you Should resign your Commission as Col of the regiment: but on the contrary have expressed myself in the most emphatic terms, that I would rather See you once more yourself again and at the head of your Regiment going to your own native home than be possessed by the highest honors which Could be conferred upon me— In this so far I have been doomed to deep disappointment— I have said and now repeat that I feared you would be dismissed from the Army unless you reformed and took Command of your Regiment and give Some evidence of determination to Serve the country as a sober upright and honorable man— I have also said further, that your own reputation and that of an exiled family, required one of two things, reformation in your habits and attention to business, or to withdraw from the Army—one or the other is due yourself, the Regiment and the Govnt— This is what I have Said, it is what I now feel and think— Though my son I feel that I am but discharging the duty of a father who has devoted his whole life to the elevation of those he expects to leave behind him—
In your letter you Say my will is the law with you in reference to the resignation—I do most sincerely wish that my will was the law in regard to your future Course— I would be willing this night [to] resign my existence into the hands of him who gave it—
Your devoted father,
Andrew Johnson
PAJ, Vol. 6, p. 485.
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