Letter – William Moore, 23 July 1863

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Copy of letter written by Private William S. Moore of Company B, 40th TN Infantry, to his wife from Tuscumbia, AL. At the top of the letter is a note written by Moore’s granddaughter, Elsie Moore Guinn, stating that this is a copy of the original letter sent to her grandmother the day before Moore was executed after he was convicted of being a spy for the north.

Moore informs his wife that he is sentenced to be shot the next morning, and that this will be his last letter. He writes that he is not yet ready to meet his God, but will spend what few hours he has to live praying. He has requested the provost to leave his body where his friends may retrieve it, as he wants to be buried with his siblings. Moore vehemently declares his innocence and signs the emotional letter, “Wm. S. Moore, a condemned soldier.”

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Tuscumbia, Alabama

July 23rd, 1863

Mrs. W.S. Moore

Dear Alcy:

It is through a great tribulation and aching heart and trembling hand in order I take to write to you this evening and inform you of the condition I am in. Dearly and much beloved Alcy, how can I bear to pen down to you this evening that I am condemned to be shot. Dear Companion, this is the last letter I expect I shall ever have the chance to write to you in this world. You must do the best you can for yourself and our sweet little children. I shall never see them nor you any more, nut I want you to remember me when i am gone and not bring any one over our little children.

You can bring them up in the way they should go. Tell my blessed old Father and Mother to remember me when i am gone. This will be great terror to them I know, but there is no remedy for me. I must go. Farewell vain world, I am going to my long home in a few hours. Dear friends, it is impossible for me to describe my feelings at this dread and awful moment; as yet I am not satisfied to meet my God, but what few hours I have to live, I shall spend in praying and supplication to Almighty God. I feel like there is a change with me, but I want to feel more reconciled to my God, the Great I Am, of Heaven and earth. I want all my friends and relatives to live in the discharge of their duties that are enjoined upon them and try and make their way to Heaven. I am sorry to leave you all, I love you so well, I love you dearly, but I shall never see you again.

I requested the provost to have my body placed where my friends could get it. I want to be buried by my brother and sister. Oh, how I long to be with those in health is more than I can describe, but woe, woe is me.

Long before this you can see, I’ll be in eternity. Great God, can it be possible that a poor innocent man must be killed! O, God forbid that these things should be.

Dear loving Wife, I want you to try and take care of all those things that are left, and apply them to yours and the children’s benefit as best you can. I want you to love them and teach them to love one another, and educate them as well as you can. Oh; dear loving Wife, the great of great of my affections, how often I have

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thought of you since I left you last Thursday morning, and the tears I have shed since then is almost a fountain; and how often I have thought of my thoughts and feelings.

Dear Love, when I shook hands with you, I felt like it would be the last time, and now I am sure it is the last time. Farewell, Dear Wife, remember me when I am gone. Oh, if I could be with you a little while and commune with you, what satisfaction it would be to me, Alcy. I want you to move back to the old place, and tell Father I want him to see that my children do not suffer for anything to eat.

I must close my last words to you; it breaks my heart, children, farewell. Farewell, loving wife, farewell father and mother, farewell, brother and sister.

William S. Moore

Oh, how can I quite writing when this is the only way I can say anything to my blessed wife and sweet little children that are so near and so dear to me.

Oh, wife, tkae care of this letter, and read it often for my sweet children that have been so good to me, and so kind to me. Oh, dearest kindly Wife, I shall remember you to the last moment of my life. My heart is broken. I am sick and faint. My doom is nigh at hand.

Farewell, beloved wife and sweet little children that are so near my heart. Farewell, farewell, to Alcy Moore and Family.

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Wm. S. Moore

A Condemned Soldier

Tuscumbia, Ala.

July 23rd, 1863

Wm. S. Moore

Letter – J.P. Graves, 5 November 1864

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Letter written by Private J. P. Graves of the Warren County MS Light Artillery, Army of TN, to his sister, from Tuscumbia, AL. Graves writes that he has been scouting recently, which he likes better than artillery service. They get better food, and he gets to travel all over the country on horseback. Hes mentions that Lieutenant General Stephen D. Lee’s Corps is across the Tennessee River, while Major General Cheatham’s and Lieutenant General Stewart’s Corps are camped nearby. Graves expects they will soon move into the middle of Tennessee, and writes of a rumor that Richmond, VA, has fallen. Graves is hoping to get furlough for Christmas.

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Tuscumbia Ala Nov the 8 1864

Dear Sister

I thought I would write to you this morning as all of the boys has gone off ond a scout except a few. the last time I wrote to you was at Jonesbourough I believe; you must excuse me for not writing to you sooner as we have had so mutch scouting to do. I like scouting better than Artilery service; we can get more to eat and travel all over the country I rode my horse down so I will have to get me an other one but that is very easy don as their is a grate many Tories in this county we can get horses from them We drawed clothing yesterday I drawed a jacket a pair of pants and shoes; we expect to draw blankets and overcoats pritty soon. we need them right mutch as

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the weather is getting pritty cool Bud came over to see us yesterday he is well and enjoying fine health. Lees corps is a cross the Tennessee river; Cheathams & Stuarts Corps is camp a round this place I expect a move will be made in to middle Tennessee pritty soon frome all appearances. The troops are all willing to goe as they have been clothing and shoeing up the army. It is reported hear that Richmond has fallen; It is all so reported that the troops refuse to charge; that can never be said of the army of Tennessee! we have all ways had double numbers to contend with. all the Generals made a speach to the troops the other day amongst them was Beaureguard he tole the boys he would be with them in the hour of battle I am going to try and get my furlough a bout christmas so you must look for me in a bout

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two months. Tell Sunny Clem he must have his dogs well train by christmas, so we can goe opossum hunting. I have got a splendid burnside rifle it is a breech loading gun I can shoot a partregs [partridge] head off evry time with it, it was captured frome the yankees. I must close as it is getting so cold I cant write give my love to Ma & Sallie and tell them I will write to them as soon as I can Believe me as ever your Brother

J P Graves

Direct your letters to Shannons scouts in care of Col. Cofer provo marshal Gen

your Brother

J P Graves

J.P. Graves enlisted on March 20, 1864 in Dalton, GA in Captain Swett’s Company L, the Warren Light Artillery. He survived the war and is shown on a muster roll of Confederate soldiers paroled at Greensboro, NC on April 26, 1865.

Report – Henry Bryan, 2 February 1865

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Report of Confederate Major Henry Bryan, staff of General P. G. T. Beauregard, from Montgomery, AL. The report is addressed to Colonel George H. Brent, Assistant Adjutant General. Bryan recently inspected the Artillery of the Army of Tennessee at Columbus, MI, and found that they were in desperate need of horses. There were enough horses when General Johnston was in command, but the number lessened under General Hood in Atlanta. The march to Tuscumbia and Nashville wearied them due to harsh weather conditions and lack of forage. Bryan describes how the horses were lost during the retreat. The close proximity of Union troops forced a march through the mountains, and many weaker animals were left behind. Major Landis saved several hundred mules and brought them to Clinton, AL where they are to be exchanged in charge of Captain Rumble. Bryan mentions that the quartermasters, Captain B. M. Duffie and Captain McIves, supposedly escaped to Richmond but have not sent a report.

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Montgomery Ala Feby 2d 1865

Col. Geo. H. Brent, A.A.G.

Colonel

In my recent rough inspection of Artillery of the Army of Tennessee at Columbus, Miss., I found the most pressing want to be horses. It was a mooted question whether mules could be successfully used to pull the caissons instead of horses. I presume we shall be forced to depend on them. For mere hauling on the roads, they are better, but when wounded they may run away & smash up everything; at least this has happened so.

I tried to make an enquiry as to what had become of the horses belonging to this artillery & append to this a statement of what I gathered, not added up, because the reports I asked for were not sent in uniformly or complete.

It seems that the horses were in good order during Gen. Johnston’s Administration of the Army of Tenn., but deteriorated under Gen. Hood at Atlanta for want of forage, & were wearied by the march to Tuscumbia. They suffered in the advance into Tennessee somewhat, but more at Nashville for want of good forage. On the retreat they got very little to eat & this with bad weather broke down most of them.

Major A. L. Landis, Inspector of Field Transportation, collected many unserviceable horses & mules at Columbia, Tenn. & sent them across the Tennessee River. At the crossing of this river on the retreat about Dec. 26^th Maj. Landis by order of Gen. Hood, thro’ Major Ayer stopped all unauthorized animals & unserviceable artillery horses to be sent to the rear for protection & recruiting. He got there & on the retreat about 150 horses (some 600 animals of all kinds). Many of these horses were lost on the south side by the gross negligence of the guard under Lt. ______of Nixon’s Cavalry Regt., & only 116 could be found on the morning of the 28^th Decr. & were started for Clifton, Ala. in charge of Capt. Hays. Between Bainbridge & Leighton, Ala. some Confederate cavalry (command not known) met these horses on the march & took violent possession of quite a number of horses & mules. The enemy

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being in close proximity, a forced march was made to the mountains, during which many of the weaker animals were left. Part of these with a lot of mules 268 in all were saved from the general wreck by the agents of Major Landis & brought to Clinton, Greene Co., Ala., where they are to be exchanged or recruited in charge of Capt. Rumble, agent for Major Ewing. Capt. Rumble is said to be incompetent, or careless in the care of horses.

(The quartermasters, Capt. F. M. Duffie & McIves, in charge of the pontoon train, escaped but did not make any report to the Inspector of Field Transportation, & are supposed to have gone to Richmond; 80 pontoon boats were supposed to have been lost.)

In the artillery, many officers were riding government horses under an order issued by Genl. Hood at Florence. Many of these officers could not buy horses at the high market rates. They should be authorized to purchase at low rates under certain checks, the use of public horses, by them[now] forbidden.

Very respy. yr. obt. svt.

Henry Bryan

Major & A.I. Genl.

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Approximate Statement of what became of Artillery Animals belonging to the Army of Tennessee during the Retreat from Nashville

Battalion	Corps	Killed in action	Saved from battle of Nashville or on hand at Nashville	Now on hand	Died on Retreat	Abandoned, exhausted & captured on Retreat	Taken by or turned over to Maj. A. L. Lanais, Insp. Field Transportation	Turned over to Q. M. Dept.	Turned over to other Batteries
Eldridge’s	Lee’s	7	112	9	7	30	4	38	12
Johnson’s (sent to Geo.)	“		142	48	10	10	22	28	24
Courtney’s	“	17	112	9	2	40	12	19	3
Turner’s & Cobb’s	Cheatham’s			14			14	(114 Horses belonging to these Battlions were either killed, captured, abandoned on Retreat or turned over to Capt. O’Bryan Regt. 2 Q. M. as unservciable)
Hotchkiss; (sent to Georgia), Capt. Bledsoe, Cmdg.	“	2	119	28		62	16	11
Storr’s	Stewart’s			52	52		“a great number”
Truehart’s	“		50	12	2	7	15	14	29
Myrick’s	“	19		30	7	10	8	5	8

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Montgomery Ala/ Feby 2d 1865/ Henry Bryan/ Maj. & A.I.G.

report on what became of artillery horses, Army of Tenn. on late retreat

Letter – William Shafter, 19 December 1864

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Letter written by Colonel William R. “Pecos Bill” Shafter of the 17th U.S. Colored Troops to his sister Ann Shafter Aldrich, from Nashville, Tennessee. Shafter is writing to his sister after the death of her husband, Captain Job Aldrich, at the Battle of Nashville. Shafter found his body on the field the next morning and will send Job’s belongings home. He also mentions that Captain Gideon Ayers was killed, along with 110 others.

Nashville Tenn

Dec 19^th 1864

My Dear Sis,

For the first time since the fight of the 15^th inst. I have had time and opportunity to write you[.] It is useless to attempt by words to soothe your sorrow, and though you are the sorest afflicted, believe me when I say that you have shed no bitterer tears than I when I found poor Job. He was as dear to me as either of my own brothers. It was an awful battle, Sis, and we are of the many who are called to mourn. Job seemed to have a presentment that he should die, and the night before the fight wrote you a letter, the most affecting I ever read. He left it with Hattie [Col. Shafter’s wife, who was visiting Nashville] to send you if anything happened. Hattie will bring it to you in a day or two with the rest of his things. I hope his boys will remember the last words of their father. Job never knew what hurt him. He did not suffer an instant. May my last

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end be like his! He died for his country, than which there can be nothing more glorious. He left all his money and valuables in camp. Hattie has them. The circumstances were these. We were ordered to drive the enemy out of a piece of woods and take the battery on the other side. We drove them from the woods, but there was just in front of the battery a deep cut (r.r.) at least twenty feet deep. We went to that and had to stop. Job was killed there. We had to leave him. I was on the right side of the regt., and did not know he was killed till we had fallen back, or I should have seen him off. We got the ground in the morning and I was the first to find him. He lay on his face. The Rebs had taken all his clothes, everything. I had him taken up and sent to town. I had to go on myself for another fight. We have been in [the field] two days since, and last night the regt. left Franklin for Murfreesboro. We go from there to Tuscumbia, Ala. I came back after ammunition and leave at daylight tomorrow. I hope I shall get through safe. Jim is sick and can’t go. Hattie will be home in a day or two.

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I will get Job’s things all fixed up without a bit of trouble to you. Be of good heart, Sis. I feel for you from the bottom of my heart. I will write soon again.

Love to all,

Your aff. Brother,

Bill

Col. Wm. R. Shafter, 17^th U.S.C.T. letter Dec. 19, 1864 – 2

Capt. Gid[eon] Ayers was killed at the time Job was. He was left on the field, did not die for an hour or two. The Rebs stripped him while yet alive, and begging them not to hurt him so. One of the wounded men lay right beside him. Our wounded that were left were not hurt, but all the dead ones were stripped. 110 of my men & several officers were killed and wounded.

Bill

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The good die first, while those whose hearts are dry as summer dust burn to the socket.

Colonel William Rufus Shafter, enrolled as a 1^st lieutenant in the 7^th Michigan Infantry on Aug. 22, 1861 and mustered out Aug. 22, 1862. He was appointed major of the 19^th MI Infantry on Sept. 5, 1862, and promoted to lieutenant colonel on June 5, 1863. He was captured at Thompson’s Station, TN in March of 1863. Shafter became colonel of the 17^th USCT on April 19, 1864, and received a brevet to brigadier general, March 13, 1865 for war service. He mustered out November 2, 1866, but was appointed lt. col. of the 41^st US Infantry, July 28, 1866, colonel of 1^st US Infantry, March 4, 1879, brig. gen. May 3, 1897, and maj. gen. of volunteers, May 4, 1898. He as dubbed “Pecos Bill” while commanding the V Corps during the Spanish American War. He was awarded the MEDAL OF HONOR June 12, 1895 for his actions at Fair Oaks, VA on May 31, 1862. After a long and distinguished service Shafter was retired as a major general of volunteers July 1, 1901.

Job Aldrich, the owner of a hardware store at Galesburg, MI, enrolled as a 1^st lieutenant and adjutant in his brother-in-law’s regiment, the 17^th USCT, on Dec. 21^st 1863 at the age of 35. In October 1864, Job was appointed to a vacancy in Co. G as captain. He was killed instantly by gunfire on Dec. 15, 1865 at the Battle of Nashville. He and his wife, Ann Eliza Shafter Aldrich, (married to Job November 5, 1856, remarried to William Decker, July 1867) had three children: James H. (Dec. 3, 1858); Hugh S. (May 30, 1861); and Willard S. (June 27, 1863).

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Letter – William Moore, 23 July 1863

Letter – J.P. Graves, 5 November 1864

Report – Henry Bryan, 2 February 1865

Letter – William Shafter, 19 December 1864