Chaplain the 90th Ohio Infantry writes of Hood’s retreat and Confederate dead after Franklin

The following letter was retrieved online on October 6, 2018 (Cowan’s Auction)

William C. Holliday(1838-1921) was born in Adams County, Ohio. The Minutes of Ohio Annual Conference of Methodist Episcopal Church described him as a “local preacher” as early as 1855. Holliday enlisted on December 21, 1863, as a chaplain and was commissioned into Field & Staff OH 90th Infantry. Holliday mustered out on June 13, 1865 at Camp Harker, TN.

Franklin Tenn Dec 18, 1864
1st Division Hospital 4 AC

Ma

Yesterday morning we moved easily in the AM. Our troops had moved rapidly after the panic stricken and fleeing rebels about four miles. It was night. They slept on the mud and under the rain. It rained all day – but this Army is so flushed with victory that they did splendid marching – though tired and worn from two days incessant fighting and almost sleepless nights. We came about fifteen miles. Rebels are still going. It is the greatest victory of the war….”

And writing to his wife from the Field Hospital ….

Six Miles North Columbia Tenn.”[Dec 19]

Mrs. Holliday,

It is about 7oclock PM. I sent you a very brief letter on the 18 at Franklin. On this same day we marched about 14 miles through the rain. At Franklin I had an opportunity of circling over the battlefield. The rebels suffered terribly. They assaulted our works and were killed by the hundred. I counted on one side the pile over three hundred and fifty graves. There were as many on the other side…”

Source: Cowan’s

 

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Union surgeon (Landis) writes of working in Hospital #1 in Nashville, late 1862

Dr. Abraham Hoch Landiswrote to his children and detailed his day-to-day activities in Hospital #1 (Nashville).

U.S. General No. 1 (Volunteers) – 936 beds, led by B.B. Breed.

December 15, 1862 letter reads, in part:

“All the churches in town and many other buildings are used for hospital purposes. The sick soldiers that I am attending are in three large rooms. Every morning when I get up and get my breakfast I go into a room and find from 10 to 15 sick men. I go from one to another and write on a piece of paper what kind of medicine each one needs, and the paper is taken to the hospital steward and he doses out the medicine. When I get through one room I go to another room until I get done. One house in town is used to keep rebels in. I went to see them one day. They were hard looking cases. It would scare you to see them, there was so much dirt on the floor that I could hardly see it and their shirts looked as if they had not been washed in a month.”

Source below: HA.com

[Union Surgeon]. Dr. Abraham Landis Archive.A large archive of over 450 letters relating to Union surgeon, Dr. Abraham Landis, with approximately 189 letters from Dr. Landis, dating from April 5, 1862 – April 24, 1865. Many of the letters are accompanied by their original transmittal covers. Landis’ early letters detail about his medical work in Tennessee near Nashville. In 1863, he was captured by the Confederates at Chickamauga and was taken to Libby Prison, and the archive has two letters from his time there and one immediately after his release. About half of the letters then cover his service in the Atlanta Campaign, the Battle of Resaca, movements on and around Dallas, Georgia, and on Kennesaw Mountain. Landis was then seriously wounded at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and his letters that follow are about his recovery in hospital.

Abraham Hoch Landis (1820-1896) joined the 35th Ohio Infantry in November 1862 at the age of 41. However, before he was mustered into the 35th OH, Landis was already helping the army in a medical capacity.

1st Michigan Engineers, Co H. writes from Hospital #13 in Nashville

Nashville Tennessee
Gen’l Hospital No 13

Sept 27th 1863.

Dear Sister Harriet

As I have a few moments leisure this pleasant Sunday evening I will try to improve them by writing you a few lines. although I have nothing of any importance to write. I am here at Hospital 13 on duty as Commissary Serg’t and now as all the Hospitals are filled up with wounded and we have a large Hospital I have a great deal to do. Our Hospital is capable of holding between five and six hundred and I have charge of drawing and issuing all the rations, liquors, fuel so you can judge for yourself whether I am busy or not. but I have got an Asst now So that helps me a great deal but there is one thing that I am quite certain of and that is that I am doing more good here than I could in the field, although if I were ordered to the field I would go withut saying one word for I have always obeyed orders since I have been a Soldier and intend to but there is another very evident fact that is that these sick and wounded Soldiers (or Uncle Sams Children) must be taken care of and anything in my power to help them they will get. I can assure you that the Soldiers that are in Nashville in hopsitals are getting extraordinary good care taken of them(as they deserve) tonite we send alot of boys to Louisville KY those that are slightly wounded in the late battle in Northern GA for the purpose of making room for those that are daily arriving from the front that are worse off than these. I have talked with a number of the boys that have come in from the late field of action, they were all in good spirits and confident of the success of our brave Army of the Cumberland. In my opinion the ? Copperheads and the Southern Traitors will have to wait awhile longer before they have a chance to boast or crow over the success of the Rebels for they have not made anything in this last battle for our Army under “Old Rosy” have held their ground against greatly superior numbers. I saw George day before yesterday, he was with the Mr. Hoss, he was looking very well with the acception of his eyes, they continue to be bad. I rather guess worse than common. I have received two packages of papers from you written a few days for which I am much obliged for they looked so much like former better days. I sent you a Nashville Weekly Union a few days ago, which contained a short piece about me and my Asst perhaps you noticed it. I marked around it, but it did not come out to any particular sum. It was intended as a joke on us but rather fell through itself the cause of it was we had an invitation to call and see the ladies of the other building(one of which is a Mich lady) and because we accepted the invitation and some of the others did not get invited they were jealous and tried to be smart. but instead of accomplishing it, they made more enemies than friends in the operation ? is not going to require me in the least, anyway that is what the Surgeons of this Institution told me. I have been a little unwell for the past two days with a sore throat but am better tonite and do not apprehend any further trouble. I was out to see George last Sunday one week ago today, he has a first rate place with one exception that is he has to sleep in a tent which I should not like, although he has a very nice one, far superior to anything he could have in camp, still it is a tent and is not a house. the weather here has been quite changeable for the past ten or fifteen days, but it is now quite cool, which it makes it favorable for the wounded. I have not heard from Spring Arbor in so long that I begin to think the Follks have forgotten me, for my part I should really like to correspond with some “fair celestial” from that part of our beloved “America”but I do not expect any good luck as that for I have about made up my mind that they all got “Sweet Hearts” in the army or somwhere else for I shall not look for anything of the kind. I guess I have written enough of this nonsense, but no one but Home Folks will ever see it, I shall not care so much. I must write something you know and as I am one of Uncle Sams Gay and Festive Children it may as well be nonsense, as any other sense, or amy other man. Company H 1st Mich. Engers. & Mechs. were all usually well when last heard from. It is now bedtime and I have to be up in the  morning I will be under the painful necessity of closing hoping you and all the rest of the folks are well. please give my best wishes to Mary, Mr. Ward and Mrs. Ward and the young ladies, Mrs White, Mrs Haddock and all the rest of the folks. If any of them think enough of me to ask of me. I am looking over this letter I notice considerable bad spelling and some mistakes, but you must make due allowance for me as you know that I am young and “unsophisticated” but as you are pretty well posted, perhaps by a choice? you will be able to make it out, part of it suffice it to say that it all means well anyway, no more tonite, only write when convenient. I remainas ever

Wm Gavette
Gen’l Hospital 13 Nashville Tenn

Engineer Co. H 1st Rgt Of Michigan

eBay auction ended 1/16/13

1864 sketch of Fort Negley by Union soldier

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Fort Negley

This sketch of Fort Negley was down by an unknown Union soldier. Notice the troops camped on the slopes of the hill. Construction was performed mostly by freedmen labor.

German immigrant joins 183rd Ohio and faces the elephant at Franklin and Nashville

George Schuch of the 183rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Co E was at Franklin.

George Schuch(k) Spelled Schuck in most records Schuch on his gravestone and his family went by Schuch.

10th OVI I Co Sgt transfered to 10th OVI D Co as a Pvt Enlisted in 174th OVI then the unit was combined with 183rd OVI E Co First Sgt then reduced to Sgt after one month.

George Schuch was born in Germany in 1827. Moved to Cincinnati, Oh. Enlisted in the 10th OVI (3 month)  June 1861 and then 10th OVI ( 3 year) Fought in W. Va and then returned to Cincinnati in Dec 1861 Went AWOL and was later Declared a deserter. He returned to the Unit in May 1863 and forfeited all pay and allowances. He fought in the Tennessee campaign.

May 1864 Placed in stockade awaiting General Court Martial by his Commander. Charges unknown. He was acquitted of the charges but the stockade did not get the paperwork and he was held in jail for six weeks until he wrote the Judge Advocate asking to be told why he was being held. The Captain found he was acquitted and ordered his release to be sent home to be Mustered out as his enlistment had expired.

He enlisted again in the 174th OVI in Sept 1864 the 174th was combined into the 183rd OVI in Oct 1864 and he was appointed First Sergeant then one month later he was replaced as First Sergeant and reduced to Sergeant. He fought in the Spring Valley-Franklin-Nashville battles and later joined Sherman in the Carolina’s till the end of the war. He Mustered out in July 1865.

He returned to Cincinnati, Oh . He was admitted into the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Dayton Ohio in 1880 and received a pension of $10 a month in 1897 later increased to $12 a month for rheumatism and heart problems. He died in the National Home and was buried in the Military Cemetery at the home in Dayton Ohio.

Submitted by Keith Schuch
grunt087@yahoo.com

Stereoview: N.E. Nashville, showing Cumberland River and Edgefield, Tenn.

Edgefield sat across the Cumberland River near downtown Nashville and was a spot constantly used by Federal troops to camp within short distance of the city.

Artist	Giers, Carl, 1828-1877 — Photographer
Title	N.E. Nashville, showing Cumberland River and Edgefield, Tenn.
Date	Created: ca. 1870.Coverage: [ca. 1870].Digital item published 3-9-2006; updated 2-13-2009.

Source: NYPL

This lithograph, made in 1864, shows the camp of the 16th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

Nashville Female Academy serves as Federal Hospital No. 14 and shelter for refugees

Used as Hospital No. 14 by the Federals during the Civil War. Sketched by A.E. Matthews, member of the 31st Ohio Infantry. Besides being used as a hospital (No. 14), it was also used by the Provost Marshal and as a shelter for refugees.

The Taylor Depot facing the tracks of the Nashville and Alabama Railroad

Located at the corner of Summer and Broad streets, faced the tracks of the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad. It was erected by Union troops to funnel supplies to its armies in the field south of Nashville.

 

Hospital ship attends to Nashville casualties after battle

The U.S. Army Hospital Steamer DA January waited at the Cumberland River landing after the Battle of Nashville to transport wounded soldiers to either Louisville or Nashville.

The DA January was a side-wheel steamer that served as a floating hospital. Outfitted to allow for the best in patient care, it contained a surgical suite, baths, a kitchen, nurses quarters, hot and cold running water, and an ice water cooler. Windows circulated air through the wards, which held nearly 450 beds. During its four years of service, the DA January transported and cared for more than 23,000 wounded men. It regularly visited the cities along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

123rd Indiana soldier writes of fortified Nashville in March 1864

Camp near Nashville, Tennessee

March 28th, 1864

Dear Father,

I wrote to you last while at Louisville, but have never received a letter from home. I wish you would write sometimes, it does a fellow good to receive a letter. I have not received a letter since I left Camp Lindsey from anybody. We left Louisville last Friday evening at six o’clock, and arrived at Nashville last Sunday morning at 3 o’clock. We were just 33 hours running 185 miles. We are using the shelter tent, they are made for two persons, but John Matson and I and John Williams and Bob Williamson and John Goddard and Emit Goddard have spliced our tents and bunk together. I like the place very well, much better than Louisville, but we will hardly remain here very long. We are under command of Gen Hovey and he is not the man to remain inactive very long. In giving the name of the Colonel of our regt., I mistated it, it is Mcquiston instead of Mchiston.

My health is excellent, I was around the outskirts of the city taking a view of the fortifications. The City is very strongly fortified. There are a number of new Indiana regts here, they are encamped around the City, every place wherever the ground is favorable for a camp. Several regts have arrived and encamped near us yesterday and today. We are having a splendid times here, but I want to go to the front as soon as possible. I like soldiering not only as well as I ever thought I would, but much better. It seems to agree with me in every respect. We are a gay set, Father I wish when you write, you would send me some postage stamps, as I am out entirely, and have no money to get any with.

Give my love to all the family, tell Pres I would like for him to write to me.

Please write soon.

Your affectionate son,

John R. Miller

(to his father)

address

John R Miller

Company “F”, 123rd Regt. Ind. Vol.

Nashville, Tennessee

Source: web site