130th Illinois Infantry

Item LTR-6648

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink.


Cavalier Pass, Texas
Jun 29th 1864

Dear Mother,

Here we are still on the sound and no prospect of leaving very soon.

I received a letter from you a few days ago and would have answered it sooner but I had written one just before getting it. We hear that you are having very cold weather up there now. We are having splendid weather. It is just like summer only not so hot. The grass has begun to spring up and I found some wild flowers the other day while out after wood. Our winter ended with that cold spell about Christmas and New Years.

There is nothing new transpiring except an occasional scout, etc. The First Brigade of our division took a scout the other day up the peninsula to within three miles of the rebel force. The day Magruder has about thirty thousand men up there and they say they will fight to the last. There was a rebel that came in the other day and we got him into our tent and had a long talk with him. He belonged to the First Texas Cavalry and had to run off to save his life. He knocked an officer down and they were going to hang him for it. So he skedaddled. He says we will have a hard fight the first time we meet them and if we whip them there the rest will be a guerrilla warfare. I expect he is right too.

We hear that as soon as our force left New Iberia that the rebels came in and hung and shot several of the citizens and took all their provisions away from them. And then pressed every man that was able to carry a gun into the service.

I tell you such things does no more good than it does them. Mrs. Hendrick and family have moved to New Orleans. I received a letter form them this evening. They say they are thankful they got away before we left. They have got up quite a revival in cam here. The meetings are held in the 60th Indiana and the interest is increasing every night. They hold until ten and eleven o’clock and there has a great number professed religion. And a great many Christians that was growing lukewarm wakened up to a sense of their duty. There is a kind of church or society called the Union Band. It is a union of all denominations and the membership is very large. There is a hundred and seventy-one formed from our regiment. And then from others in proportion. I think they are doing a great deal of good and hope they will not slow the interest to die out.

I believe when I last wrote, we were down at the ship landing. We are back with the regiment now and have been shifted again. The 77th Illinois has been taken from our Brigade and put in the 1st. And the 13th and 15th Maine and 26th Iowa put in with us and Colonel Drew of the 15th Maine commands us. So we are under an eastern man. We don’t like it much either but can’t help it. We are putting on more while still here than we ever have yet. We have to have company and battalion drill every day and dress parade in the evening. And everything in perfection. We have Brigade Drill twice a week.

Some of our bags just came in form New Orleans and say the general opinion there was that the war would be over in a short time. I hope they are right but I’m afraid they are mistaken.

If I was to hear peace was declared, I would be so glad. I don’t know what I would do. I don’t think I would be like the Dutchmen though. I would be so glad I would burst, want to die. I don’t know whether I told you in my last letter that Lyman Fuller had got back or not. He is here looking well and hearty. Full as a buck. Well, my sheet is about full. Give my love to Father, Alice, We, Ellie, Kate, Fenner, and all inquiring friends and reserve a good share for yourself.

As ever your loving son,

Fielding

To Mrs. M. R. Phillips