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Letter written by Captain David Woodman Norton of Company E, 42nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, to his father Joshua Norton, Jr., dated August 22nd, 1861, from Camp Douglas near Chicago, Illinois. Norton has recently been promoted to captain, and was presented with a sword, belt, sash, and an undress uniform. Norton has immense support from the men in his company, which he says makes all of his hard work worthwhile. He writes that he has spent most of his time in camp, usually drilling squads. He concludes the letter by writing that he must “fall in” with his company for the regimental drill.
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Camp Douglas
Near Chicago Ill Aug 22nd /61
Dear Father
Your last was gladly received. I feel in better spirits than when I last wrote you for since then I have had a sword – belt – sash & an undress uniform presented to me. Mr. Haskell and some other friends of mine subscribed and paid for the above articles for me. I have had good luck in another respect too – I am a Captain of one of the Companies of this Regiment. The Company is not quite full but is fast filling up and the men all tell me that they shall elect me as captain. One of the privates told me that if I could take every man in the camp who wanted me for Capt. that I should have a company of at least 500 men. That make me
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feel as though all the hard work I have done for this Regiment had not been wasted. The Col. appointed me over the company I now command and told me that he would rather see me a captain in his Rep. than any other man in the Camp. Wasn’t that a compliment from my Col.? I guess I begin to feel a little proud. I have hardly been out of the camp for 3 weeks and am always at work drilling squads.
I saw Haskell’s family last week they were all well.
We cant tell when we shall leave camp for the field. I must not write any more now as I must “fall in” my comp’y for the regimental drill. I will write again as soon as I have any thing new to tell you.
Give my love to mother & the rest and write as often as you can.
Your Affect Son
Capt. D. Woodman Norton
Douglas Brigade Chicago Ill.
Major David Woodman Norton was born 31 January 1838 in Chelsea, MA. He had two other brothers (Joshua and John) who also enlisted and served in the Union Army. He enlisted with the 1st Zouave Regiment of Chicago and was then promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of the 42nd IL Infantry then Captain on July 22, 1861. He eventually joins Major General John M. Palmer’s staff as acting Assistant Inspector General. He was killed in action near New Hope Church, GA on June 2, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign.
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Letter from 1st Lieutenant David Woodman Norton of Company E, 42nd IL Volunteer Infantry, to his father Joshua Norton, Jr., from Chicago, IL. Norton writes that his regiment received marching orders for Washington, D.C., though it may take a few weeks for them to fully prepare. He mentions that he is 1st Lieutenant of his company, and may have a chance to be captain. There are many men on the muster roll, but Norton worries that some may have gotten tired of waiting and gone out with other companies. They are attempting to get Major Slemmer to be their colonel. Norton is glad that one of his brothers has returned home, as having two sons in the service is enough for one family. Norton mentions needing money to outfit himself and organize the company, but cautions his father not to let his mother worry that he will go without anything.
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Chicago. July 25th /61
Dear Father
Your letter dated the 21st inst was received this morning. I was glad to hear from you of course.
My Regiment received orders to muster and march for Washington with all possible dispatch. The orders arrived on monday. We are mustering our men as fast as possible and hope to have the Reg. full in ten days or two weeks. We have been waiting so long that it is hard work to get our men to-gether. It may take us three weeks to get ready to march, but I hope not so long.
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I am 1st Lieut. of my Compy. with some little prospect of being captain. How I shall come out in the end I don’t know. We have more men on our muster-roll than we should want if they all would come up – but some have got out of patience waiting so long and have gone with other companies. However I have little fear of not being able to get my comp’y to gether as soon as any of the others.
We are trying to get Major Slemmer (Pickens) who is now here to be our Col. and there is a fair prospect of success. He would make a Col. under whom one might be sure of winning honors.
I am glad that John is coming home unharmed &
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I think he had better stay at home now as he has done his duty and as our family is to furnish two soldiers without him – that is enough for one family. I shall go for the War and I suppose Joshua is also. That is as much as one fmaily can be expected to do. try and keep him at home for Mother and you will have anxiety enough about Joshua and myself.
I hope you may be able to send that money to Tobey very soon for there is now no hope that I shall be able to pay it for I can’t see how I am going to raise money enough to pay my necessary expenses in organizing my comp’y. to say nothing about fitting my
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self out. Don’t say anything to mother that will make her think that I shall not have every thing that is necessary for a Soldier for I may be able to get more than I know of yet. I will write you more of the particulars when we get better organized and I know more of our condition.
Write me as soon and as often as you can, and remember me as
Your Affect. Son
D. Woodman Norton
Major David Woodman Major David Woodman Norton was born 31 January 1838 in Chelsea, MA. He had two other brothers (Joshua and John) who also enlisted and served in the Union Army. He enlisted with the 1st Zouave Regiment of Chicago and was then promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of the 42nd IL Infantry then Captain on July 22, 1861. He eventually joins Major General John M. Palmer’s staff as acting Assistant Inspector General. He was killed in action near New Hope Church, GA on June 2, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign.
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Letter written by Sergeant David Woodman Norton of the “1st Zouave Regiment of Chicago,” to his father Joshua Norton, Jr., from Chicago, IL. Norton comments on his brothers’ recent decisions to enlist. Norton is a 2nd Sergeant of Company E, but feels that he should have a higher rank. His colonel however, shows favoritism to the older members of the Zouave Company. They have orders to go to Cairo, IL, which Norton describes as “the most important post to be held west of Washington.” Norton inquires after his mother, saying that she should not be worried about her sons, as they will all return safely and with honor. Norton mentions a package of letters he would like returned to their sender, Miss Mary T. Dodge, if he dies in the war. He also asks his father to get him a commission if he can, as Norton feels he would do well in any position.
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Chicago April 29th/61
Dear Father
I received your letter some days since and was not at all surprised to hear that Joshua and John had enlisted in the glorious cause of our country.
I am 2nd Sergeant of Comp. E. Zuave Regiment of Chicago. I should have had a higher rank but for the favoritism shown by our Colonel to the older members of the Zuave Company. As it is I have a great deal of the work of drilling the men thrown upon my hands. We have got them into pretty good marching drill and have begun teaching the manuel
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of Arms. Our uniforms are not done yet, thought we expect to get them in two or three days.
We are under order to leave for Cairo or to go into camp to night or to-morrow. I hope we may go to Cairo, as that is the most important post to be held west of Washington, and we may expect some hard service there for the south must come there to get food or starve. Three Companies of our Reg. are there now.
I am glad that John was with the 1st Reg. that saw service Was he hurt at all? Has Joshua gone yet? What are the numbers of their Regiments? Mine is the 1st Reg. of Zouaves.
Mother must not feel badly to part with her sons in such
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a cause as ours, even if she should be called upon to part with any of them for this life. She will meet us all again where there are no wars! But she must not expect to lose any of us. We shall all be come home safe and with honor. If we have any good fighting I mean to have a rank higher than at presant, if there is one to be had by doing one’s duty.
I have left my trunk in care of Mr. Haskell. If I don’t return I should like to have a package of letters you will find in it returned to the writer. – Miss. Mary T. Dodge Dodgeville Wisconsin
When you write to me send the letters for the presant, to care of Box 2555 and address to Sergeant DW Norton Comp. E. Zouaves Reg. Chicago, I will write again as soon as I get time and a chance. I am
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not quite a novice, in military matters. Don’t forget if you can get a chance to get me a commission, that I feel sure that I can fill any office I should be likely to get, if perseverance and application are of any a/c [account].
Write Soon and tell the others to do so too. Give my love to all and write soon to
Your Affect. Son
D. Woodman Norton
Major David Woodman Norton was born 31 January 1838 in Chelsea, MA. He had two other brothers (Joshua and John) who also enlisted and served in the Union Army. He enlisted with the 1st Zouave Regiment of Chicago and was then promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of the 42nd IL Infantry then Captain on July 22, 1861. He eventually joins Major General John M. Palmer’s staff as acting Assistant Inspector General. He was killed in action near New Hope Church, GA on June 2, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign.
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Letter written by Captain John S. H. Doty of Company E, 104th IL Infantry, tohis brother Francis, from Chattanooga, TN. Doty writes about the weather conditions in Tennessee, and how he was recently paid and sent money home to Illinois. Confederate troops are nearby, but have not “attempted anything warlike.” The Confederates are stationed atop Lookout Mountain, which is several hundred feet higher than the Union’s location on Moccasin Point. He expresses the Union’s need to take Lookout Mountain, comparing the situation to the story of David and Goliath. Doty inquires after a friend, Sergeant Homer Wilson, and mentions how two of his own men are to be tried as deserters. He writes about the severity of General George Thomas, and states that Thomas and General Ulysses S. Grant are both good leaders, though General William S. Rosecrans (“Old Rosy”) is loved throughout the army.
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Chattanooga, Ten. No 18/63
Dear Bro. Francis
As yours came to hand last night and was very glad to hear from you all & that you were well, as I am very well at present, and this was as nice a day as ever you saw. It looks like the springtime in Ills. But yet we have had some very disagreeable weather here already – rain, mud, and cold. We were paid on Sunday last, and have sent part of my wages home to John, and suppose he has received it, or will by the time this reaches you. It will come by express from Springfield, Ill., as we sent by this way of an allotment roll from here to Springfield. From here we have an express office, and that was the only safe way we have of sending money home. The Rebels are here yet, but they don’t attempt anything warlike, except send a shell occasionally, and that is about all the little creatures attempt to do to us. They have wasted a great deal of ammunition, for they have fired from the [Lookout] mountain every day, or all
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most every day since we have been here, & I don’t think they kill a man once a month, or at least I have not seen them. You see Lookout Mountain is very high above us. It is only (2,700) two thousand seven hundred feet above the river, which runs up to the bottom, or foot, of it, and it is very uncertain business shelling from such a height. When we get on our highest hill or mountain [on Moccasin Point], they are still about 700 or 1000 feet above us yet. It stands there like a giant laughing at us. Although it is high as Goliath was above David, still he was reached. And with shell we can reach, and have reached 100 and 200 feet above, as you may call it, giant Lookout Mountain. It seems that their shelling from that mountain does not amount to much, or has not so far. Still, we will have to take that little knoll, as it is an important place for observation, which you know is a good thing where there is an army. And you see the R.R. runs by the foot of their mountain, and we want to use the road to bring our supplies to us, although we are doing very well at present, for we have possession within 3 mile, and can get the rations
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by the way of steamboat & wagons. But we must have that hill. We will say as David the poet said to Goliath of old: With a little stone I will make you fall. So our cannon will say to Lookout Mountain: We can throw shell so fast you cannot count them, and proud Rebels there on that little knoll, I will make you some day hunt your hole, and get down out of that, or some of you might get hurt. Excuse my poetry, for I did forget myself. You see a fellow gets to writing sometimes loses the subject. Frank, do you see Sergt. Homer Wilson in Ottawa, and how is his arm? It seems that it would be about well by this time, or is he in the hospital at Chicago? If he is well, he should be here, for it is not right for him to be back there if he is able for duty. Two of my co. are to be tried as deserters – Debolt & Dunn. It will go rather hard with Dunn, as he was arrested and returned under guard. But Debolt returned voluntarily. Genl. Thomas is rather severe. Give me Old Rosy yet, for I would just as soon trust him as any of them. Although Thomas is good, Grant is good too, but Rosecrans is, or was, loved by his men all through the army.
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John Parrott, a member of my co., is trying, or at least I have been trying, to get him a furlough to go home for a while, as he is not or has not been well for some time. The doctor just handed me an order to make out the discharge papers for one of my company, Thomas Abbott, as he is broke down. Tom was a very good soldier, but he is used up for some time now. Frank, you wrote me that Kate and Rebecca was going to write to me. Good, for I like to get letters from girls & they are just the very two or three I would like to hear from. Well, it is about time to close as news is scarce, and there is no use to write about nothing, is there? As this letter is of little importance on account of things. I will stop by saying give my love to all & tell them to write to me. Oh, I forgot to tell you I bought a new vest today, as I have been without one for about four months – for there was none to be had. But there are some here just came on. That is all, I believe. Write soon to me and I will ever remain your obdt. bro.
Capt. John S. H. Doty
John S. H. Doty was born at Carlisle, PA, and worked in Ottawa, IL as a carpenter. He enrolled at age 23 in April of 1861 with a three months’ regiment. He joined Co. E of the 104th IL Volunteer Infantry as a captain on August 27, 1862. In the 104th’s first combat at Hartsville, TN Captain Doty was captured, but soon escaped. Doty served throughout the 1862-63 TN campaigns, and soon after this letter was written led his company in the famous assault on Missionary Ridge. He was killed in action on July 20, 1864 at Peachtree Creek, GA, being shot five times. His last words were; “Tell my father that I die for the flag. Good bye boys.”
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