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] Henry Shubert letter to his sister Eliza Malseed 14 Jan 1863 Arkansas Post Arkansas River 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 excuse the writing for it was done in a Hurry Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 2 Nov 1863 In the Field
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 Affectinate Husband Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 9 Dec 1863 December 9th 1863
Affectinate Husband 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 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 in the feild 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 affectinate Brother Henry Shubert letter to his sister Georgianna Gillitt 9 Jan 1865 Head Qts Co D. 29th Mo V. I 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 Henry A Shubert Henry Shubert letter to his wife Eliza Shubert 29 Apr 1865 Head Qts Co. D 29th Mo [Mil Inf]
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 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 --- Page last updated: 14 March 2007 |
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