1863 Letter Sergeant Neil A. Baker Company F, 50th North Carolina

Civil War Soldier, N.C. Regiment

Camp Near Goldsboro, North Carolina—February 1863

Dear Jane—

Having a good opportunity of sending you a few lines by N. T. Watson, I embrace it. This leaves me in my usual health, hop[ing] this will reach you and the babies enjoying the same blessing. Mr. Watson goes home on furlough for 14 days also Jack Thomas and Sgt. John Godfrey. Again I am acting Quartermaster Sgt. Vice [for] Wm J. Kelley [who has] gone home upon furlough for 14 days.

Again, I am acting Quartermaster Sergeant,“Vice”. William J. Kelley [has] gone home upon furlough for 14 days. John B. McFarland got an indefinite detail (for not stated time) to work in Goldsboro upon Guns for Government and I am pretty certain that he will get a furlough too, to go after his tools. One man for every twenty-five gets furloughs, but you see, Sgt. Kelly or J. B. McFarland furloughs has nothing to do with the furloughs of those of the Company.

We have a good many visitors, Rob, David Thomas and wives and mother. Absolum Kelly and Getty Cox came today. John Buchanan and daughter and Jasper Thomas’s wife came last evening and some others that came before.

We have good news! In today’s paper, our little Navy pitched into the blockading vessels at Charleston, South Carolina and cleared the Ranch—raised or opened the blockade without any loss on our side. I still have very flattering hopes that we will soon have peace again in our land. I have a very strong opinion that in a few days, the number of furloughs will be increased for because if they are not, you see one for every 25 men, it would take nearly or quite all the year for all to get home at that rate. If there is no threatening movement of the enemy soon, I am confident that the number will be increased. I want to go in this or the first of next month if possible.

Nothing more worth your attention.

…Yours truly, Neill A. Baker 

Source PastVoices.com: http://www.pastvoices.com/usa/baker63.shtml

The letter is addressed to Mrs. Sarah J. Baker of Chatham County, North Carolina. There is an additional notation on the envelope which states, Favor of N. R. Bryan care A.A. Harrington. Neil Baker mustered into Company “F”, 50th North Carolina on May 27, 1862. Sergeant Baker was the only one of his Regiment wounded on December 9, 1864 during the siege of Savannah, Georgia. Poor Baker only lived a few short days. He died of his wounds on December 16, 1864. Baker also had service in “G” Co., 17th Mississippi Infantry. He was promoted to Sgt. On or about January 15, 1863.

1862 Letter From Confederate Soldier Andrew Jackson Bass in Camp Lee Virginia

Soldier

38th Alabama Infantry, C.S.A.

October 31, 1862

Camp Lee, near Richmond.

Dear wife it is with pleasure I seat my self down to inform you that I am not well at this (time? ) [unreadable due to water damage] to be up I hope these few (lines?) may reach you soon and find you and the children all well. ?

I can say to you it would be more satisfaction to me to be at home with you and my dear little children. That is all so (?) and dear to me than it (unreadable) Confederate States is (worth ? unreadable) to me though I am here and (unreadable) for me to get off.

I was supposed to be examined yesterday. Dear wife, don’t grieve for me it will do no good but let me say to you pray for me with all your heart that if we never meet on earth again that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more.

Go to meeting as often as you can and take the children and tell at this point it ends and takes up on another page, sentence unfinished) Dear Wife let me say to you content yourself as much as you can. I think if peace is not made by Christmas I can get a discharge by then any how:

I will say to you we may be hear 2 or 3 months all that had had the measles was carried on to regiment the rest was left hear to stay til they have them. We are living on half rations. Here corn is 8 dollars a bushel sweet potatoes 6 dollars.

I can say to you I landed here this day was 2 weeks ago .I have been a waiting thinking I would get off and I will keep a trying for it . I don’t think they will keep me very long. I will say to you I want you to rite to me as soon as you can when you get this letter. Direct your letter to camp lee near Richmond in care of Colonel Sheets to the 3 Ala conscripts.

So nothing more at present only remain your loving and affectionate 

Notes: Andrew Jackson Bass was born 1830 in Blue Springs, Barbour Co, Alabama. He married Ellander "Ellen" Davis born July 28, 1839 in Abbieville, Henry Co, Alabama. They married September 17, 1857 in Barbour Co, Alabama. Their children were all born in Barbour Co. Children: Thomas B. Bass abt. 1857 Henry Wilburn Bass 1859 Andrew J. Bass,Jr. June 1861 Ellen had 2 children after her husband's death. Elsey Bass abt. 1865 John Jessie Marion Bass February 02, 1869 Ellen Davis Bass died abt. 1916 in Barbour Co, Alabama.

This letter From Andrew Jackson Bass to his wife, Ellendar Davis Bass Dated October 31, 1862 Written from Camp Lee, Virginia. He was in a hospital at Camp Lee, near Richmond, Virginia. He had contracted measles and died on November 20, 1862, just 20 days after this letter was written.
Source:http://www.pastvoices.com/usa/bass1862.shtml

Betty Johnson of London to Hugh Walter Dickson in Rosemont Kansas 1917

15 Birley Rd
Whetstone Middlsex, No. 20
Nov. 29, 1917

My Dear Uncle Walter,

I am sorry I have been so long in answering your very welcome and interesting letter First of all Jack returned to Canada on the 25th or August this year to be discharged owing to wounds. He has had four wounds, been passed. The last time wounded was in the capture of Courcelette and advancing when a German jumped out of a shed hole and shot him at close range through the right shoulder and fractured the shoulder blade. He was in the hospital nearly a year and cannot lift the right arm from the shoulder. The wound wouldn't heal. He brought the Hun's helmet home that shot him which I have here with many other trophies.The matron of the hospital where he stayed asked me if I had heard about his triumphal entry into Shrewsbury when wounded and I said, "No, I hadn't." Apparently he was perched on the top of a Red Cross car wearing the helmet and looking very dilapidated when everyone cheered him. Large numbers of people meet the Red Cross trains and welcome the men in many ways. A French custom seen every day at Charing Cross now is to pelt flowers into the cars at the men. It is very impressive and pathetic.

Jack is in Montreal. He spoke of coming down to see you and of taking trip to New York, but he will wire you before he comes. His chum killed the German and his hat was the only thing Jack said was worth saving. This was about the time of the Somme attack and Jack was in the Hospital in France at Rouen. At that time Alice's husband "Jack Thacker" had to take draft of men from England to Rouen, and as he had several hours to spare before returning he sat on a seat outside the General Hospital here little dreaming Jack was inside.

About 14 days before Jack was wounded I had a field card from Bert saying, "I am wounded and in the Hospital." I felt thankful one of them was out of it as I had been worrying very much. The Somme push was just starting. About three hours later I received the following wire: "On His Majesty's Service." "Regret to inform you A. V. Dickson 10222 is seriously wounded at 22 General Hospital Commiers France. He may be visited and should you be unable to bear expenses you will be sent out at public expense. Wire whether you wish to go and whether able to bear expense or not at once." I received my passports and papers within 24 hours and about eight hours afterward was by his bed. I went on a troop ship. We were sending 3,000 men a day at that time and I had a Y.M.C.A. car to meet at Boulogue (an ordinary passport takes 3 days). He had been shot through the head by a sniper and was blind. The bullet passed under the shrapnel proof helmet in behind his ear and out at the temple. He was shot from behind while stooping to pick up his rifle, being very tall his head was above the trench. He was in an American hospital, the whole staff was from New York and they were all extremely nice and kind to me. I stayed in a Y.M.C.A. Hut behind the lines and close to the hospital for 8 days when I returned home. His temperature caused the greatest anxiety. A second operation performed while I was there and at which 14 surgeons were present, removed some pressure from the brain and restored his sight. He has recovered; however, but is deaf in one ear has attacks of giddiness. He is acting instructor at a military school now in the north of England. Since I was in France this hospital has been bombarded by enemy aircraft, and some of the staff killed.

My husband was in the battle of the Somme and did not get wounded. He held a wood with the remnants of 4 regiments for 48 hours and until reinforcements came for which he was afterward mentioned in Dispatches by Sir Douglas Haig in the New Year Honors. He has a much safer post now and it is in the Royal Engineers. He was transferred owing to ill health, but has entirely recovered now. He has met a number of the American staff and likes them immensely. He had a terrible tale to tell of his experiences in the Somme attack. He was a Town Major for a short time at Amines. A sort of Lard mayor but military representative and is responsible for the town. He nearly went quite crazy and said he would rather be a "town crier." Every complaint is made to the Town Major. If the military want 3,000 bullets at five minutes notice, if the dustbins are not emptied, if soldiers have misbehaved in billets or stolen a chicken, they all come to the poor Town Major. Charlie is in Egypt and has had injuries three times, he has just returned to his unit fit again and the last time was only back 8 weeks before being taken ill again. Alice's husband is in the Royal Garrison Artillery and is in France. Being a heavy gun he is about eight miles behind the front lines. He is Captain (acting Major) and said when he was home a few weeks ago that in September alone he sent 600 tons of shells over the Hun lines. I'd like to write 2 pages on how I hate Germans but the paper is too precious.

The food question here is very serious and people are eating anything on bread. Alice has just written she hasn't been able to get any butter for three weeks. I have been for weeks without sugar sometimes. I did get one-fourth pound of butter yesterday but do not know when I shall get any more. Also I believe the country is being skinned of cattle to feed the armies; so I do not know where we should be if it wasn't for America's help. I usually see my husband twice a year and he was home last, two months ago. I hadn't seen him then for seven months. We had an air raid nearly every night whilst he was home and he said it was worse here than behind the lines in France. After about five nights of little sleep the children were all looking worn out. I know when the guns close to me are firing, enemy air craft is pretty near. It isn't until these guns fire that Newton wakes up, generally I sit in the safest corner of the house in a corner where middle walls meet. Open stairways and near glass or doorways are very unsafe. I listen for the nearer guns to fire; and can tell if the firing gets nearer, which course they are taking. I can tell if they are driven off, because the guns gradually die away. When they are close I can hear the engines overhead and the perpetual firing makes a dreadful noise. The shells screech as they pass over the house mingled with a noise like rattling stones on corrugated iron which really is the small pieces of shrapnel rattling down the roof. The warnings have made an immense improvement as every one with common sense takes cover. I was out in the west end once when a warning as given, and I sheltered in a theater I was passing as the first gun fired. Since we have decided taking reprisal it has been much better in fact we have only had the once which were brought down by the French. The bombs have nearly all been dropped in poor quarters where I believe the panic is great partly owing to the large number of aliens. We had a day raid once when the boys at Newton's school were placed in the basement. It was only a tiny preparatory school, but one boy fainted and another was taken ill.

The shoulder strap is of a German of 111 regiment removed after he was killed in the Somme. I have a number of different regiments, --- regimental, l always marked --- the shoulder. I wonder if you will be kind enough to allow cousin Bertha to read my letter I owe her one; and am very sorry I have not answered but hope she will forgive me. It will save me writing two long letters. I work very hard and get little time for letter writing. This is about the 6th letter I have started to you. I spent Christmas with Alice, we shall both be alone. I only wish now that some of our boys had joined the navy instead. I hope Walter meets Jack in America. Newton is simply mad to join the navy. He wants to go to Osborne but my husband thinks it is no career for a man as the pay is so bad. I will send some snapshots a little later. I have some recent ones but none printed.

With much love. Believe me.
Yours very affectionately,
Betty Johnson 

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