Civil War Letters of Jeremiah Shumway

November 18, 1864 - April 6, 1865

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#1 Rochester. Nov 18th 1864 

Dear Wife:

I am in Rochester yet as you will see by the date of this. I am agoing to be a soldier boy. There is no chance for me to come home unless I stay here untill there is enough reports [i.e. enough other conscripts reporting] from the town to fill the town's number, but I was drafted first and I will not have it said that any one went to fill my place. Capt. See has kept me along, told me not to report, but if I had known how the thing was aworking I would have gone with the Boys, but I expect to find them at Fort Snelling. I will not write much, I expect John [Robinson? Albee?] will go home and he will tell you all the news. I expect Duty [Paine] tonight, if he does we will get a chance to go to the fort together, if not I shall report in the morning. I want you to take good care of your health and the children's, not to send them to school unless they are well and the weather is good. I sent Herbert a knife by Norice [Norris?]. Tell him to be a good boy, tell Viola and Evey to try to be good, tell Edmund that his father will be to home next summer. Try to keep up good courage for I shall get along very well. I will not write any more tonight. I will write a few lines in the morning after I get my soldier clothes on. Good night.

Nov. 19th - Well, I am a Boy in Blue. I expect to be sent to the Fort tomorrow. It is not so bad as you may think, we will get along first rate, keep up good courage, I shall fetch round all right in a year. Take good care of your health and the childrens. John will tell you all there is to be told. I will send you a line every chance I have. As soon as I am where you can write to me, I will let you know. Duty has not come yet so I shall not be apt to hear from you till I see him up to the Fort. I expect John will start for home soon, so I cannot write any more. 



From Jerry

#3 Nashville Dec 12th 1864 

Dear Wife: 

I write you a few lines, we are getting along finely. Rufus, Arnold and Everett and myself are in one company and mess together. We are in front of the enemy in plain sight. There is picket fighting all along the lines, has been ever since we have been here, we expect an attack every moment. That seems to be the wish of the boys, they would rather fight him here than to follow him. We are well fortified. You can find out the position of the armies better from the papers than I can tell you. If you do not have time to read ask John McNelly. He will keep you posted. George [Shumway] is here. I seen him every day. His health is not good yet. He is not put on duty yet. John Robberson [Robinson?] Boys is close by here. I have seen the Waterloo Boys. When John joins his Reg. I want him to bring all the news, you try to see him if you can before he comes. I want you to write as often as you can. Tell all my friends to write. I want to hear as often as once a week. Take good care of yourself, take good care of your health and the children's in preferance to anything else. My year is fast passing off. 'Twill not be long before I shall be at home, if 'tis the Lord's Will. I will try to get this in the office if I can, we are under marching orders. We are liable to move any moment. Try to get your summers wood cut as soon as you can. I have wrote 3 or 4 letters, I do not expect one from you yet, but now you know where to direct your letters, I want to get one a week, if you do not get my letters you can hear from some of the others. Rufus, Arnold, Everett or myself will try to write almost every day.

Direct your letters to

Nashville, Tenn, Camp A

5th Minn. Reg.



From your affectionate Husband, J. Shumway

#4 Five Miles from Pulaski, Tenn Dec 25th 1864 

Dear Wife:

I take this first opportunity to write you since we left Nashville. We stop here today the first time we knew that we were agoing to stop an hour since we left Nashville. We left Nashville the 15th day of Dec. We commenced fighting as soon as we left, fought all day the 15th and 16th. Everett was killed the 16th about 3 o'clock. I took his money and covered him up in his blanket, the next morning I went back and burried him. I wrote to John Mc. [McNelly] all about it and sent him some of his hair. For fear he will not get the letter, I will send you some to give his wife. Rufus was left to a farm house two days ago, he was not able to keep up; he will be apt to have good care. I stand the march very well. I received a letter from you direct[ed] to Fort Snelling. That is all I have heard from home. I shall expect to hear now soon.

Write and tell all my friends to write, I do not have a chance to write. You said Green wanted to take my farm. You do the best you can with it. You have friends that will tell you what to do. Tell Viola to write all about Christmas what the children all had in their stockings. Viola wrote that Evey was agoing to be a good girl. I am glad of it. Tell Edmund Father will let him have all [the] pie he wants when he gets home. I sent Herbert some money so he will always have some. Tell Wate to write how my stock is agetting along and all about things, but not [to] expect a letter from me till I get in camp. You do not know what a treat it is to have a letter from home. The boys will gather around the camp fires every night and read old letters over and over again. Tell everybody to write to me. I do not think a description of our life will be interesting to you. We do not know where we are agoing to, we expect the Tennessee River. We are afollowing Hood up, but I think he is againing on us now, but the cavalry is afollowing him up and bringing in prisoners every day. Take good care of yourself and the children's health. My year is fast passing away. I shall soon be at home if 'tis the Lord's Will. The mail is agoing out, I must close.



From your affectionate Husband, J. Shumway 



Arnold is well

[# 18] Near Mobeal April 1 1865 

Beloved Wife & Children:

I take this opportunity to write a few lines although I do not feel much like it. We see war in good earnest. We have to work almost night and day. We have been afighting for over a week. Our lines now are within musket shot, the general opinion is that we have gone as far as we can. I do not think we will have to charge their works. I think we are fixing for a siege, but you can find more by the papers than I can tell you. Rufus and I are sound and well yet. Elery has been sent to the Hospital, he was struck on the leg by a shell, it did not break it, only a bruise. Do not worry about me for by the time you get this we will be apt to be out of this. I received two letters from you day before yesterday, one the 8 and one the 15 of March so you see I get your letters in two weeks. I am so glad to hear that you are all so much better, but you must have had a hard time. I am glad you have let the land money rent(1) so you will have it off your hands. I feel anxious to get another letter from you to hear if you are all still getting along well and to hear who was drafted. I hope no one will have to come off of the Prairie, but if they do have to come I hope they will come to this Reg. I wish you would write me what Evret [Everett] is agoing to have the land with Wait and how the winter wheat and Apple trees look, I am glad Wait is agoing to have the land. I think he will be capable of [caring for?] the apple trees. I wish the children would write to me. All the leisure time they have, they write a good many things that is interesting that no one else would think of writing. Tell Evy and Edmund that I will get them their book for taking their medecine good when I get home. I sent Evy a picture in Elery's letter. I am glad you write so long letters. I would write longer letters if I had anything to write about. My health is good, never was any better. Keep up good courage, be not anxious if you do not get letters regular for we may be where we cannot send them, but I shall try to write a line every week. I suppose the children will be able to work in the garden by the time you get this. I shall think a good deal about their gardening. I suppose they are having a good time today April fooling one another. I do not think there is much fooling going on here but try to have them enjoy themselves they way they can, perhaps by the time you get this we will be having a good time, but I have not time to write any more. May the Lord sustain and protect you.

From your affectionate Husband, Jeremiah Shumway

[#19] In the Trenches Near Mobeal April 6 1865 

Beloved Wife and Children:

I write a few lines to let you know that I am well. We have pretty stirring times here now. I am not with the Regiment now. Rufus and I have been detailed as sharp shooters. We do not expect to go the the Regiment again till we take Mobeal. We have rifle pits to shoot out of to pick off their gunners. I like it full as well as to be with the Reg. We have regular details so we know just what we have to do. We are on duty twelve hours and off twenty four. When I was with the Reg. I was on duty three nights running. We are digging trenches to get up to their works. We have to dig nights. Since we were detailed as sharp shooters we have no digging to do and it is generally understood if we make a charge on their works that the sharp shooters will not have to do any charging. We have been fighting ever since we have been here, but it is done mostly between the sharp shooters and the artillery. We do not know yet whether Canby will charge their works but I think it is doubtful. There is rumors every day that we will charge but I think it is doubtful. It looks to me that their work is quite a snag to run against. Elery has got back to the Reg. but is too lame to do duty yet. Rufus and I enjoy good health and have not got a scratch yet. I have not got any letters since I wrote before but expect one when the mail comes in. I feel anxious to hear from you, the children not being well when you wrote, but I hope for the best. There is quite a stir around camp today about peace, I think there is more prospects of it than there was last winter. I think that after we take Mobeal that it is about all the service that we will have to do. I hope it will be, for I do want to get home, but I shall content myself the year out if I have to stay. By the time you get this I expect the children will be to work in the garden having good times. I hope so; try to enjoy yourself and have them all you can. I would send the children something if I could get it but we are camped here in the woods and I cannot get anything. I send Evy 25 cents. I believe I have sent the boys some. I send Viola something as soon as I can get it. Do not feel anxious if you do not get letters regular for it may be so that we cannot send them, but I shall write every week, if I can.
Tell the children that they must not grow so fast but what I shall know them when I come home- but I must close my letter and get supper for we are on duty tonight. Remember me to all inquiring friends. O how I wish I could see you and the children for a few moments, but as that cannot be I bid you a good night. 

From Jerry.

1. rent for money rather than a share of the crop? 

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