Robert & Linda Malseed
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Henry's Letters
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Letters of [14 Jan 1863]  [2 Nov 1863]  [9 Dec 1863]  [29 Dec 1863]
[24 May 1864]  [9 Jan 1865]  [29 Apr 1865]  [16 May 1869]


Henry Shubert letter to his sister Eliza Malseed 14 Jan 1863

Arkansas Post Arkansas River
January 14th 1863

My Dear Sister

As it has been some time since I have had a letter from you I will take the present opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am enjoying excelent health and have since I have been in the service and I hope that your health is improveing    well here we are in Dixie and a fine we have of it    I will give you a sort of a journal of our trip from Cape Giraradeau to this place    perhaps it may be interesting to you we left the cape Dec 8th and came down the river to Helena at which place we arrived Dec 18th    we went into camp & remained until Dec 22d when we joined the expedetion to Vicksburg but we did not get there we went up the Yazoo River within 6. miles of Vicksburg   Dec 27th the troops where landed near the enemy position    on Dec 28th we moved forward to the enemys pickets when they where driven in by the 13th Illinois Vols.    we camped the same night in the woods in a heavy rain    Dec 29th moved forward to the Chickasaw Bayou the rain of the preivous night haveing made the roads almost impassable    the Bayou that we had to cross was near waist deep but onward our gallant army went through it    the rebels taken advantage of our postion while crossing the Bayou opened fire on us from their Batteries killing and wounding a great many of our men while in the water    after we got across heavy skirmishing took place between our forces & the rebels    our Brigade was ordered to make a Bayonet charge which was done in fine style turning the rebels postion on the Chickasaw Bluffs where they where strongly posted in riffle pits & behind Breast works    we took one of their Batteries but could not hold it thier force being 2 to our 1.    the result of the engagement was a defeat and a heavy loss on our side in killed wounded & missing    our killed & wounded lay on the field until January 1st when we buried our dead under a flag of truce    the rebels striped our men of all thier clothes and every thing else that they had about them    my feelings on going in to battle caused me to have a curious sensation for it aint very pleasant for to have booms shells & Bullets flying around & whizing about a persons head    I dont mind the cannon Balls for a person can dodge them    we left the Yazoo River January 5th and went up the Arkansas River with our fleet under a convoy of gun Boats    on the 11th the Boats opened fire on the fort troops where landed & the ball opened about 10 o clock in the morning & after some hard fighting for near 6 hours the rebels pulled down thier flag & our forces took possesing of all thier fortifications and about 6000 prisoners and their arms & accourtrements    it was a real splendid sight to see about 30000 blue coats into the rebels fortifications to the tune of Yankee Doodle    they had a very nice place here    they where quartered in log cabins but we took possesing of them & after staying in them for a couple of days when we got orders to leave here but not without first destroying any every thing that would be any Benefit to them here    after we burned all of there cabins & Tents I went out on a forageing party the other day into the country & you just ought to seen the road for the rebels in their hurry to escape throwed every thing that was in the way such a provison printing presses clothing guns knapsacks &c    this is a splendid country but every thing appears to feel the effects of the War    the Plantations are all deserted & no men to be seen except those that are to old to go in the army    the weather is very fine down here    more like our northern springs than Winter    our Regt was not engaged in the Battle at this place    we where detailed to guard prisoners that where captured at Chickasaw Bluffs    I dont know where our destination will be but I expect that we will try Vicksburg again    I dont believe that it can be taken unless by seige for the rebels are strongly fortified on the Bluffs    well I have told you all of the war news & I will go on some other subject    I have not had any letter from you for some time    I had a letter from Lissie yesterday and she told me that she had written to you and also the letter that I wrote to you before I left home had been returned to Linn Creek after being in the dead letter office    I hope this one will have better luck    I have had but one letter from mother and Georgia since I have been in the service    I expect that they forget that they have a son & Brother in the army    it is so much Satisfaction for me to hear from you all it aint at all times that I can write for I have so much work to do for the company since my captain was wounded in the Chickasaw fight & another thing is the army mails are so unregular    the rebels captured our mail Boat last week & I expect that there was some letters for me on the Boat    I had a letter from Garrett some time ago    he was well when he wrote    I had a letter from Lissie yesterday    they where all well at Linn Creek    little Henry had been sick    Well I will have to bring my letter to a close for I am out of paper    Give my love to Andrew and tell him that I should like very much to hear from him    I expect that George is nearley large enough to go in the army    tell him that his uncle has been in a fight and come out all right    answer this soon and oblige your affectinate

Brother
Henry A. Shubert

excuse the writing for it was done in a Hurry

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Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 2 Nov 1863

In the Field                
Near Chickasaw Ala
Nov 2d 1863

My Dear Wife

            I embrace this present opportunity to write you a few lines    for to begin with I am enjoying good health    we are now encamped about one mile from the toun of Chickasaw waiting our chance to get across the Tennessee River    I don’t know where our army is a going to but it is thought that we are a going to cross the Cumberland mountains to get to Genl Thomas    we had a very hard trip of it from Cherokee    we where 3 days coming 15 miles and it a raining all of the time making the roads almost impassable    we where mustered yesterday for pay but I don’t know when we will get paid    I had letters from all of the folks when I got back to the Regiment
Eliza wrote that Andrew is Aid de Camp to Genl Seigle    Sis Malseed has lost the oldest child with the Small Pox    Eliza said that it had to be wraped up and put in its coffin    also that Tom Lodge is dead    I will send you her letter as soon as I answer it    well pet I will have to come to a close for we have just received orders to get ready to march    So give my love to Bridget and kiss the children for me    give my love to all enquiring freinds    all of the Camden Co boys are well    So write soon [and] accept the love of an

Affectinate Husband
Henry A Shubert

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Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 9 Dec 1863

December 9th 1863


                I like to forgot to tell you that I Seen a great many of my old Philadelphia freinds after the battle of Ringold    among them was one of my cousins from West Philadelphia who is in the 29th Penn Vol    I had not seen him before for 12 years    Andrew has been promoted to Major of his Regt    I am now in hopes that Eliza will have a better time    we got paid of to day    I Receved $84.00    I will Send you $2500 in this letter and as soon as you receive it write imeataly and let me know if you got it and then I will Send you $4000 more    tell the children that they must be good boys    give Lide a heap of Kisses for me    well pet I must bring my letter to a close by Sending my love to all enquireing freinds    I have written 2 letters to George Since I have been back    give my love to Bridget and kiss the children for me and write Soon to your

                                        Affectinate Husband
                                        Henry A Shubert

All of the Camden Co. Boys are well    none of them was in the Battle of Ringold except Bayley and Crossland, who was Killed    let me know how Stovers wife is a getting along
                                                                        H A S

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Henry Shubert letter to his sister Georgianna Gillitt 29 Dec 1863

Woodville Ala    Dec 29th 1863

My Dear Sister

Your welcome letter of the 20th came to hand yesterday and found me in good health    we arrived at this place from Bridgeport on the 27th & I expect that we will remain here for a few days    we have had a very hard time of it a comeing through    it commenced raining on Christmas night and kept on until last night when it cleared up and to day the Sun is shining for the first since the 24th    you may well call Genl Sherman a marching Genl for his corps has done more marching and put up with more hard ship and gained more victories since the 1st of Oct than the Bread & Butter Soldiers of the Potomac has during this war    for I beleive if our US Grant with his western army was on the Potomac that he would soon clan them,    no I do not have to go into Battle I am with my Commisary train in the rear during engagements    I am mounted.   I have a splendid young Horse    I have not walk any since the 23rd of last July    you may well say that it is a sickening sight to go over a battle field    on going into battle it is expected that every one must try and save himself    the men does not think of being killed for the excitement is so great it is more like fun than any thing serious    for I believe that a Soldier killed in battle on our side is as sure of Heaven as one who dies in bed    for I beleive that the Almighty is with us and watching over our Armies    I had a letter from Garrett & Lissies yesterday    they where all well    I don’t know whether she will stay with Bridget or no this winter    I guess that you had a laugh over the mistake in the letter that I sent wrong    it did not make any difference I got my ambrotype taken in full uniform at Bridgeport and I sent it to mother and told her to get it Photographed and send one to you    I had a very dull christmas    we where on the march    my Christmas dinner consisted of Hard tack Bacon & coffee    wasn’t that a fine dinner    I hope that Harvey will escape the draft but I don’t think that there will be any for I beleive that peace will be made by spring    for the Soldiers on the southern army are tired of fighting    for my part I dont want to see any peace unless the Rebels lay down their arms and come under our old flag like Brothers     I think that President Lincolns last Proclamation is just the thing that will bring them back to these Loyalty    I would like to see you and the children    I wish that you would Send Lizzie these pictures    well I will have to come to a close    Kiss the children for me give my love to Harvey and accept the love of your
                                    Affectionate Brother
                                                            Henry

Direct
H A Shubert CS
29th Mo Vol Inft
2nd Brigade 1st Div 15 AC
                            in the field

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Henry Shubert letter to his sister Eliza Malseed 24 May 1864

PS you must not get worried if you do not hear from me for some time for we are to leave in the morning on a long march
H A S

in the feild
near Kingston Ga May 24th 1864

My Dear Sister

Your welcome letter of April 24th has been received and it found me enjoying good health    I would answered your letter sooner but the day that I received it we where under marching orders so I concluded that I had better wait until I knew what was to be done    I suppose that you have seen an account of our recent victories in Georgia so there is no use of me a going in to the details of it    we are now encamped about 2 miles from the toun of Kingston waiting supplies    the army is ordered to take 20 days rations    that looks to me as if we had a long march before us    we get our supplies from Chatanooga by RR    the country that we passed through has been laid in waste by our troops and I pity the poor women and children    all of the growing crops has been destroyed so I cant see what they are to do for something to eat    there has been dispacthes received at our Head Qts from Genl Grant stateing that he had whiped the rebs in Virginia and was within 12 miles of Richmond    the Dispacth was read to the Boys just before makeing a charge on the enemeys works at Resacsa and I never heard such a cheer    it fairly made the hills of Georgia rings    it is reported that we are to move on to Montgomery Ala by the way of Atlanta    the Rebs are strongly fortified at the later place and I guess that the big Battle of the S.W. will be fought there    our boys are in the best kind of spirits and are marching in light fighting trim    our transportation is very limited we only have 3 wagons to the Regt    no tents or suplus baggage    every thing that was not absolutly nessesary was left behind    the weather is very warm we have not had but one days rain since we have been out    I seen Charley Shubert of the 28th Pa the other day    I recd a letter from Lib and Bridget to day    they where all well    B sent me Lides amtrotype photograph and it looks as natural as life    I can not write any more to day for the adjuant is ready to send off the mail so I must bring my hasty letter to a close    give my love to George and mother    I would like very much to have Georges photograph    answer this soon and excuse the mistakes & blots from your

affectinate Brother
Henry

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Henry Shubert letter to his sister Georgianna Gillitt 9 Jan 1865

Head Qts Co D. 29th Mo V. I
Savannah Jan. 9th 1865

My Dear Sister

                        Your welcome letter of Dec. 7th has been received and it found me in good health    I suppose that you have seen an account of our Georgia Campaign in the papers    we entered the city of Savannah on the morning of Dec 21st    it is a very pretty place indeed and our gallant army was warmly received by the Loyal population    the Union Sentiment is very strong in the city and steps are being taken to bring the State back to the Union    Govenor Brown has disbanded the Georgia State Milliti and the troops have returned to their homes    many of then uniteing in the work of redemption    Overwhelming Majorities were given in Several counties for the restoration of the US Government and the people are arming them selfs from the Secessionists who were denouncing the Loyalists and threatening their lives so you may look out for Hot times in Georgia between the two factions    I had a letter from Mother the other day and She told me about the new baby    I feel highly complemented by you in calling the new comer after me    I will get my photograph taken for you the first opportunity    I should like to have yours and the children    I think that the War will wind up this winter    at least I hope so    I wrote to Lizzie a few days ago and told her that She could use her own pleasure    either make you a visit or go to Philadelphia    I cant get no leave of absence until after we make another short campaign    we are under orders to move in the morning and I suppose that our destination will be either Charleston S C or Wilmington N.C.    So you must not get uneasy if you dont here from me for Some time but I will put my self under the care of the Almighty and Genl Sherman and I know that I will come out save    our Regiment was mounted before we left Atlanta and we had a good time comeing through
the weather is quite pleasant down here    every thing is green yet I went to See cousin Charlie Shubert to day    he is 1st Sergt of Co B 29th Pa    well I must Bring my short letter to a close    I have sent you some copies of the first Loyal paper that is published in Savannah    well give my love to Harvey and kiss the children for me and retain a share for yourself    hopeing to hear from you soon I remain your
ever Affectionate Brother

Henry A Shubert

        Direct
Lieut H A Shubert
Co D 29th Mo V. I. 1st Brig 1st Div 15th AC
        in the Feild

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Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 29 Apr 1865

Head Qts Co. D 29th Mo [Mil Inf]
Near Raleigh N.C April 29th /65


My Dear Wife

Glorious news   Johnston surrendered all of the Rebel forces South of the Chattaoochee River on the 26th   So now the war is at a end    our next campaign will be for home    we are to march in the morning for Washington City    it will take us at least 25 or 30 days to make the trip through so you must not get worried if you do not hear from me for a month or so    but I shall write to you every opportunity    if we get paid I will send you money so that you can meet me in St Louis    I will try and make mother a visit when we get to Washington City    I had a letter from her the other day    Eliza was sick when she wrote    I also had one from Georgia    they where all well when she wrote    Cousin Edwin Shubert has died    So has Anna Shubert and her father    the assassination of President has caused great gloom throuh out the army    well pet give my love to all at Lebanon    hoping to be with you soon I remain your
                                                                Ever Affectinate Henry A
                                                                Husband Henry A Shubert

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Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 16 May 1869

Philadelphia May 16th /69

My Dear Wife

I embrace the present opportunity to write you a short letter    I arrived here on Sunday and Supprised Mother and Eliza very much    they where delighted to see me    Eliza’s poor girl is in very poor health    I don’t think that she is long for this world    George grows very fast and he is so smart with his books    he is as high as he can get in the district school    he is a going to prepare for the high school ---
the city has improved very much    we are going over to West Phila this afternoon to see the folks    I called to See Mary Cornell yesterday    they have a family of 7 children    Joe Cornell wife has turned out very bad.    The weather is very warm    Cousin Will Shubert is a merchant on Market Street    [Hen] Barnes is married    all of the children are grown up so that you would not know them    well pet I hope to be with you in about 3 or 4 weeks.    I will send you money in a few days for to come to St Louis with    Well I must come to a close    Mother and all of the family sends there love to you along with that of your affectnite
                            Husband
                                            Henry A Shubert

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Page last updated: 14 March 2007


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