59th Illinois Infantry

Item LTR-9300

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages, written in period ink.


Headquarters, 1st Division
2nd Army Corps
Murfreesboro

March 1, 1863

Friend Frank,

I have some time this evening and think that I will write you a few lines. It has been a long time since I have heard from you. Though, I do not think that it is my fault that any correspondence has been interrupted this long. And I am in hopes that it will not again be interrupted. We were friends for many a long year when we were together and I was in hopes when I left there that our friendship would continue though we were separated. I always considered you as one of my warmest friends and thought strange that you did not answer my letter before you did. I rather thought at the time and in fact continued to think for some time even after I received your last letter that you did not care to correspond with me. And when your letter came, though you answered it merely out of courtesy and those impressions were not dispelled from my mind until a few days ago. It was done by a letter that I received from a friend of yours and think of min. and I came instantly to the conclusion that I had misjudged you and that I would immediately answer your letter. And I am in hopes to hear from you as soon as convenient. If God spares me during this war, I think that I shall soon see Pittsfield and I hope to meet you as a friend. If it should be the will of God that I fall, you will at least think of me as a friend and one who was trying to do his duty and what little he could to save his country from destruction.

From what I hear from Pittsfield, I am afraid that the Pittsfield boys that have joined the army are not doing their duty as they might. I do not mean all of them by any means. We had about as hard a battle here at Murfreesboro as has been fought during the war. We had fighting more or less for seven days. I acted during the battle as Aide de Camp to the General and had a good opportunity to see the whole battle. I think that if you had been here during the fighting that you would have been entirely satisfied with war as was the case with a good many of our officers. They got sick immediately after the battle and tendered their resignations by the bushel. Rosecrans has a way that saves them the trouble of tendering their resignations. Those gentlemen that cannot stand battle cannisters and shells and keep from running get their straps taken off without much ceremony. Which I think is good thing.

We are lying here in the mud as comfortable as anyone could imagine himself to be in a mud hole. No prospects of a move at present. There ain’t one bit of news so it ain’t much use to attempt to tell any. I had one of the gayest times about two weeks ago that I have had since I have been in the army. This Division made an expedition to Franklin. Attempting to cut off Whaler’s retreat from Fort Donelson. We remained in Franklin nearly two weeks. Long enough to get acquainted with a good portion of the good-looking young ladies. And I tell you that it is a splendid place. We had any amount of secesh music for nearly every hour. In town had a piano and they know how to play. They gave us Dixie, Dandy Doodle, short run orders, Berry Blue Flag and others to numerous to mention.

But I must close. Let me hear from you soon.

Truly Yours,

Frank Clark