Center for Archival Collections

March 25, 1862

March the 25 1862

My Dear father I Take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well and hope that these few lines may find you well and harty. you can See the picture of Jeff Davis, if you cant see him, him self. there was a secess deserted up here[.] here we are expecting a battle and a [he] came here and gave him self up. he said that Jeff made a speech and he herd it. he Said, now boys, I want you to fight bravely, for if we get whipped here we are ruind for life. that was Jeff Davis speech. they are a getting a little down in the Mouth. The fighting is in every Direction at Island no. 10. they Say they have been a fighting for t[w]o days and a going at it this morning. there are troops for a bout 4 milds [miles] along the river here. we are at what they call butter nut landing in camp. our troops, this is that I Spoke of, one hundred and 60 thousand of our men. Eatables plenty, Such as it is. we killed an ox and it went like hot Soop [soup]. that is it did not Stand any chance a toll [at all]. I have Stood piquet Gard [picket guard] one night and that is all.

I have only got 3 letters from you yet and I are a lo[o]king every day for one to tell me whether you got my money or not. I Sent 25 dollars. I Suppose that our bord is gon up, no more talk of it any how. I think that one more month will deside the question. this is more like wrighting [writing]. to write with ink, though we cant very well cary it Some times with out Spilling it among my cloth[e]s. leutenant Skot [Lieutenant Scott] Said last night that they was a fighting up here where we had orders to go. I do not know why we are a laying here, if thout [?] it is becaus there are So many sick. there was forty boat loads of Soldiers went up the ten ase river [Tennessee River] to fight. they are a giving them hark....

My Dear brother i take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at preasant, hope that these few lines may find you In the Same health. I want you to wright [write] to me as Son as posible and Send all the news and what you are a doing and how the wether is. it is very warm here and the peach trees are in blosom. tell me when the last day of your School is. If we all live to get to get together we will have a good talk about tenase [Tennessee] and what I have Se[e]n here. well I must bring my letter to a close So Good By.

from Andrew Altman to John Altman and Isaac Altman and S. and M. and S. Altman

May 8, 1862

May the 8 1862

My Dear father it is with much pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and harty at this time and hope that these few lines may finde you in the Same health. I received your letter yesturday that was Dated the 17 of april, and was glad to here from you. I dont know whether this will go Soon or not. the [mail?] is stopped on the account of this battle at Corinth. we are in camp a bout 10 milds [miles] back, held back as Reserve and we think that we can here canonading this morning, we dont know for Surten. about the money, that is Safe then you got the whole amount of it, 25 dollars. Some did not draw the whole a mount [amount] that was Sent they Say but mine is all Sound. I would like to See uncle franklin Soucley when he comes out there. if you See him tell him to wright tome and I will answer his letter right off for I would be glad to here from him.

I Suppose that I have got two or 3 letters on the road now. they Say that the male[mail] is Stoped till this battle is over and then they will go again. I dont think that we will get in it. I dont believe that the 68 wil ever have a Shot at the Rebbels.

it Is nice and warm days and coald nights. the trees are leafed out at a large Size and we marched 5 mild [miles] this week and it took us 2 days for the teems Stayed with us and the road [was] bad the wagon would Stall and we would have to helpit a long and It rained till I got all wett. and we bilt up a fire and pitched tents and stopped all night. the next day we Stoped at our camping ground. we draw rations of whiskey and I had Some of that to warm me when I was wet and geting wet did not hurt me any but be fore I had the ague and fever and now I am Stout and harty as ever. uncle george is not very well at this preasant time. Squire Edwards Started for Cincinatti. he was sick and we have not herd of him Since. we think that he went on home though we dont know. george Booker, he is dead. he Started for there too, the Same time and died on the way there. and Andrew walker is dead to[o]. Samuel con Started for Cincinatti. he was Sick two. we have Sent our over Coats home and I Sent two Secession Coats home two [too], one for Isaac. the Smallest one and the other for my Self if I get home again, which I expect to and that prety Soon. and my mittens In the pocket and a Small pouder horn and Charger to[o] and Some of our nice fine powder in it. Just look of it once and See if you dont think it is fine, as fine as beens [beans?].

I must bring my letter to a close by biding you all good By.

From Andrew Altman to John Altman

to Isaac Altman, my Dear brother it is great pleasure that I take my pen in hand to tell you that I am well and my ear is well and I can here [hear] as good as ever. and are as well as ever and hope these few lines may finde you in the Same helth and Stout as ever. I Supose that you are a plowing by this time or a planting. how is the Spring there? this year it is very back ward here, the citizons Say more than it ever were before.

I must Bring my letter to a close by Bringing [bidding] you good By. write Soon as posable.

October 12, 1862

October the 12th 1862

My dear father it is with great pleasure that I once more take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at preasant and hoping that when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same health. father since I last wrote to you I have seen the elephant. for I have been in a fight at what they call Simsons ferry. I took it as cool as shooting squirls. I seen the rebels run and we yeld [yelled] and scart [scared] them very bad, there was not any of the old 68 got killed, but some got wounded. and you ought to seen the old 68 how saucy they marched there [their] prisoners in to bolivar [Bolivar, Tennessee]. it put me in the minde of brothers in Zion. keep your armor bright brothers in zion. make ready for to fight this night. I'm on my journey home a marching the secesh a long. for it was in the night that we marched the prisoners to bolivar.

we crosed over the bridge where many a grape shot mist [missed] us and as soon as we got a crost [across], we were orderd to lay down. we lay in the sand, shoe mouth deep to keep the enemys shot from hiting us. and was glad to get the chance to lay In the sand. and then we lay behind the artilery to suport it. and the balls would sing a past our heads and we could see the artilery a shooting at the rebels for life. and after the battle was over, the artilery boys said that they wished that our regt. could be behinde them every time to suport them, for we would not run.

So no more of that batle. to day Is a nice warm day. we was at grand Junction day fore yesturday and marched all day through the rain an[d] mud knee deep. and when we got back to bolivar I went right of and bought me a pare of boots and they cost me 5 dollars. but I dont be grudg my money. we will draw 4 months pay when we draw. So no more at preasant. So good by.

From Andrew Altman to John Altman

To Isaac if you had a ben at the battle ground to hunt it over while we were a fighting, you could a found lots of guns and revolvers and watches and ingen ruber [Indian rubber] blankets and coats and all most every thing. I got a Secesh blanket and got mine that I had lost and lost my coat to[o] in the fight. So Good by.

From Andrew Altman to Isaac Altman

MS 707 - Andrew Altman Papers | List of Transcripts
Manuscripts by Subject | Civil War Collections