Letters courtesy Jayne Rhoades, H.W. Woods great-granddaughter. Franklin, Indiana. October, 2004. Spelling and punctuation preserved. Letters are presented in chronological order. [[Double-bracketed references, all referencing Co. K, are by William G. Schmidt]] [Harvey W. Wood, age 24 at enlistment] ----------- Nashville, Tennessee Nov. 15, 1862 Dear Father & Mother, Tis with pleasure that I shal endevor to write to you. I left Camp Dennison on the 6th of this month went to Cincinnatti and from there to Louisville then to Bowling Green then to this place. I found the regiment encamped on the bank of the cumberland river but John Henry [[John Henry Wood, age 19, Harvey's brother]] wasn't with them, he was left at Danville, Kentucky, he was not much sick but just woren out and Lo Spirited perhaps he is at Louisville as I saw an account in the paper that a great many of the sick and wounded from Danville were sent there. I think he will come up pretty soon. If you hear from him let me know. My health is better now than it has been since I have been in the Service. I think I shal be able to stand it now pretty well there was about 40 Convalesence of us that went throu to Nashville. We only drawed one days ration at Cincinatti which lasted til we ware at Bowling Green from there we had to beg and forage our way through. We had no trouble to get meet but it was pretty hard to get bread. We generaly beged that, some times we went in and compelled them to bake us cornbread. When ever we wanted meet we would kill a hog and skin him. I enjoyed it very much. We also had plenty of good persimons to eat and some chestnuts. From bowling Green down is the most destitute place I ever saw in places the fences ar all burned and houses and barns all in ashes. When ever an old cecesh opens his mouth they take every thing he has and burn his house and barn and is very often shoot him or hang him. The is foriging parties goes out every day after corn & hay for the horses and mules they just go in an old sesch cornfield and fill their wagons and then drive off there cattle and hogs for the army so there is scarcely any thing leaft nearer than 20 miles. I do not see how some of the poorer class can be kept from starving unless Uncle Sam feeds them, flower is $12. per barrel and coffee $1. per pound. I intend to trade or sell my Coffee when ever I can. Every fellow draws his rations seperate now and cooks it him self. Yesterday I cooked some beans and burnt my fingers like forty I think I will soon make some improvement. I like it very much better than having a negro Cook. There is a great many soldiers here now but there will be no battle here as there are no rebles near. I think the next battle will bee at Chatinuga as the rebles are concentrating there. We will be apt to leave here as soon as the railroad is open through to Nashville. The rest of the boys are well and harty and begin to like Soldiering a great deal better. General Rosen Crance was here and review us yesterday he is a fine looking officer. I must close but not with out asking you to remember me in your prayers that I may be conducted safe through the war tel the rest to write direct to Nashville from you unworthy son, H.W. Wood (write when you can) ---------- Murphers Borough, Tenn. Jan. 12th, 1863 Dear Father & Mother & Kellie, I received three letters yesterday evening from home, they being the first I had heard for a long time. They ware from Clarrie, Clate and you. I was truly glad to hear that you ware all well and getting along as well as you are as for me I have saw some pretty hard times since I last wrote. We have been in two battles one at Nolansville whare we fought all day throug the rain and mud knee deep the other was at Murfrees Bourough the details of which you perhaps know to well .. it was beyond discription .. the iron hail flew so thick and fast round me I could hear them strike together and yet I came out with out even receiving a scratch which is a great mistery to me and always shal be and for which I am very thankful. There was two killed in our company with fourteen wounded .. us boys all came out safe .. I came very near being taken prisner thise and was cut off from the main army and escaped in a Cedar thicket whare the reble cavalry could not follow but did not get back for several days .. John Henry has been back for some time and is getting pretty stout again .. my health is not very good at present as I have been laying out so long without any shelter or blankets but we have got our tents again and are fixed up prety comfortably again .. rations are very scarce and we sometimes had nothing isued to us but ears of corn which we parched or ate so .. meet is very plenty as we kill every thing in our reach .. we are out of bread now and do not know when we will get any more. We are encamped in a reble camp now and are expecting an attacts from them at any moment and if they come will be apt to clean us out as our boys are all tiered of fighting and say they will fight nomore .. as for me am willing to quit any time as I have saw more than I wish to see again. As regards selling Old Lead .. I do not wish to part with him all thow I never expect to hunt with him much any mor but wish you to keep him for the good he has done .. I think you have done pretty well hunting considering your old age .. I do not know that I have much more to write at present .. you can give this to the rest to read and tell them to write often as we soldiers love to receive letters .. I received those stamps for which I am very thankful .. John Henry also received the money sent him. I close and am your unworthy son, Harvey W. Wood (direct your letters to Nashville) ---------- Camp Drake, Tenn. Jan. 20, 1863 Dear Mother, I had intended to write you long before this but by some means or other have not done it. When ever I would attempt it there would be somethin turn up to prevent me but this Saturday evening after washing three shirts two pare of socks and one of drawers and having a good drill I at last shal make a begining if I never be able to finish. Well Mother since I have been in the army I have saw a great deal learned a great deal and heard a great deal & I hope will be the means of doing me good. I am not tiard of soldiering yet and would rather be here today than at home and the war going on as it is I want to see it settled honerably and if I am still alive when I want to come home to enjoy my freinds & society in peace .. I some times think it would not do for me to be at home now when the butternuts are so plenty they would have the fun of putting me through or I would make some of them git in a hurrah. The deserters atre being brought up of late prety fast .. some of them are brought with hand cuffs on .. there was several brought to our campany in that manner .. there has also been a good many shot .. there was one shot today .. I have not witnessed any deaths in that manner yet .. it looks to hard for me. We have a very nice camp here at present .. we have poles up and brush civered over them to shade our tents which makes it very cool .. that we have beds to sleep on .. they are of our own manufacture and are raised about one foot from the ground . . we then have one blanket for a chaff bag and one for a coverlet and our knapsacks for pillows .. George Hoffman [[George W. Hoffman, age 18]] and I are Bunking to gether at present. John Henry and McCarter [[ Corporal John L. McCarter, age 18, killed June 1, 1864 at Dallas, GA]] ware staying togather but John is sick now and in the field Hospital .. he had fever but is getting better now and will be with the regiment again before long .. Charley Johnson is at bridage head quarters. He is assistant Book Keeper in the comissary department. Lieutenant Brown went Home from here to attend his fathers trial at Dayton .. I sent a small box (about four inches square) with him with a fiew little fixings in that I thought might be a little interesting for some of you to see .. you will find it at Detrich's the Drugist in Fathers name. Enclosed you will also find ten dollars which you may give to Father or apropriate it your self and tel him to give me credit to that amount .. we are all well at present .. my health is very good now and I hope it may remain so .. John Henry is all okay to (as the boys say) .. it does not seem much like soldiering here at present every thing is so quite .. if duty would permit I could go to church three or four times a week and to sabbath school once but sometimes I do not get to go once in a week .. we built a shed here this week for a church .. well Mother I must close for the present .. I want you to write if you get time .. well Mother I am trying to live as good as I can and be a true soldier & may I ask you to remember me at a throne of mersy that I may be spared to return home and may I here after be a comfort to you, Harve (tell Pa to send me some more stamps) * give my love to all the little children * tell Clarrie I have been looking for that long letter she was going to send me ---------- Soldier's Letter Surg. In charge Hosp. No. 3 Murfreesboro, Tenn. [note: This letter was sent from Murfreesboro on Jan. 22, 1986 with $0.03 due.] Mrs. Saloma Wood Little York Montgomery Co. Ohio Hospital No. 3, Murfreesboro, Tenn. Jan. 20, 1864 Dear Mother, I thought that perhapse I aught to write again that you might be ancious to know how I was getting along and as I feel prety well this afternoon it perhapse will not weary me mutch my health is prety good at present. My wound is about as it was when I wrote last it seem as it wont heal up however I am gaining strength in my limb and could most kick a fellow if I was to get made but there is no use in getting mad here. The weather here is verry pleasant at present a little cold at nights we had a big rain and about 2 in. snow but it is all gone now. I here by a soldier just from Ohio that you have plenty of snow and verry cold weather. I suppose you all feel the effects of it .. if I was there now I reckon I would freeze. I believe Mother I have never told you about the good Lady that is here at the hospital .. her name is Miss Lada and is from New York State. Tis surprising the work she does and how well she keeps her health .. gets up good meals for about 25 men three times a day and talks to and encourages the worst cases very much .. she is verry religious and it seems her hole Sole is in the work she is doing. I long shal remember her for her kindness to me. The Christian commishion ain doing verry much for us now .. they bring in papers once in a while and ocationly I get holt of an old Advocate which gratifies me verry much as it is our home paper .. we get a good deal of Methodist reading here but it is mostly old. I believe that Methodists go ahead of any other denomination in the army. Well Mother I am getting tiard and must close soon. Soldiers here are getting well and going home most every day. I dont know when I shal .. come today is four months since I was wounded. I hope it wont take me four months more to get well any way .. the small pocks are here not verry bad I believe. I would be glad to hear from you Mother but then you cant write .. give my love and respects to all. I am your ering son, Harvey (P.S.) direct to hospital No. 3 Ward G not E as before ---------- Soldiers letter S.G. Murzris Surg. In charge Hospital Dis. No. 1 Chatt. [note: letter sent from Chattanooga on March 20, 1864. $0.03 due.] Mrs: Saloma Wood Little York Montgomery Co. Ohio Dear Friends at Home, As John Henry is writing a letter home to day I thought I would try to write a few lines also. I will write to all of you as I am not able to answer any of the letters I receive. I suppose you all are verry ancious about me and would love to hear from me oftener than you do. We cant write so often as we would like as John Henry has not got time oftenwhile. When I get better you will hear from us often. I think my wound is doing as well as can be expected under the sircumstances the greatest trouble is lying in one position all the time. I get verry tiard and Sore. I could set up but the splint on my leg won't allow it when that is taken off I will get along much better. I suppose you would love to know what we get to eat, well ... Bread, Coffee, tea, choclate, Beef, Beef Soup, hash, onions, dried fruit and some special cases get cherrys, currants and other micnacs for them. Some of the boys complain of the grub but I always get enough. This morning it went the hardest with me. We had Coffee Bread and Bread pudding but Il get along. I received two letters yesterday one from Clarrie and one from Malissa. I thank Malissa verry much for those little things she sent me. I also recieve letters from Eli, Shaw & Father (and five dollars). I would love to be at home verry much & to see you all once more but I hope through the mercy of God to be permiitted to see you all again and enjoy the comforts of home and the good society of friends. I suppose you heard the good news that I now make a profeshion of Religion. Yes I saught and found the lord precious to my soul but since then there has dark clouds gathered ore my skye but then I still put my confidence in him & pray for mercy and a seat at God's right hand but this morning I have a strong hope and believe that if I must die that all will be well. Pray for me much that I may meet you all in Heaven if on earth no more. All of you write to me and il write when I can. My love to all of you Harve (P.S.) Tell Malissa to save a big apple and eat it for me. ---------- Renssalaer, Ind. Oct. 21, 1895 J.H. Wood Columbus, Ohio Dear Brother, Taking it for granted that you ware not at Chickamauga I thought I would write you a letter. We left Louisville on Sunday morning, arriving at Cattanooga at 9 P.M. same day. Did not stop over going or coming, as no one in our Company wished to. Had a nice trip of it, got as far as Tulahoma by dusk, where there was 50 or 75 Jonnies with banners to welcome us. One inscription was "Welcome G.A.R." The train stopped about fifteen minutes and we had a jolly good time shaking hands & congratulating each other. One of the songs sung was "Rally 'Round the Flag Boys." We made our stopping place at Fort Wood, with a man by the name of Wood. That part of the Battlefield was built up with fine residences. Paid $0.25 for bed and $0.50 a meal or go elsewhere if we wished. Were quartered in a large dwelling with all modern Conveniences. All being G.A.R. men made it very pleasant. (RR cable-trolley) There ware many interesting features in this trip, but the only sighns of war was where the reble batteries ware. In one place the powder magazine remained still in remarkable good preservation. It was easy to see why they did is little harm from that point, as they were too high up. In the afternoon we went to Nat. Cemetery. Think it was the nicest one I have yet visited. It was locat-ed where Fort Nagly stood. Off tward Orchad Knob, was a camp of the U.S. troops. Fine looking fellows, but not very well drilled. Was not over to Orchad Knob, or Mission Ridge, as that would have taken one more day than we wanted to stay. Spent two days at Chicamauga, went on RR & returned at night to our sleeping place. $0.50 round trip, got off 1st day at "Battlefield Station." Next day at "Crawfish Springs," had a drink from the spring & ate all the ripe persimmons from a tree near its bank. Brought seed home and planted them. At this point could not recognize any thing. Do not remember of being there during the fight. Think we ware further East. First day we went over to "Snodgrass Hill", where Thomas made his famous stand. Then down East hunting after our 1st line of battle where we ware on Saturday, but got on the Sundays line. It is designated by a row of pine logs, tablets, markers & monuments. Think I could locate the very spot where I was wounded. Picked up a memento, a petrified Pine Knot from the log of the tree I helped to chop down Sunday morning for breast works. The marks of the battle was very strong here, the snag of the Old Oak Tree, that had the top knocked off was stil standing. Our Regimental Monument was on 1st line about 1 1/2 miles East. Had hard work to find it, did not get to spend much time here as it was so hot & I could not well stand the pressure. I consider this one of the grandest trips of my life and still hope that some day we will be permitted to make this trip together. The Confederates were getting round over the B.field about as thick as we were and were much elated to think that the Government had done something for them. I saw 5 teams driven by Jonnies, with their families, a bunch of stripped corn leaves to feed there bony horses, going along after each other, about as they did before the War. I did not see as much improvement in the "New South" as I expected although at some places there was considerable. The "Darkey" had made the most improvement at Chatt. Was well behaved and enjoyed the situated. The town itself was going back. Many houses being unoccupied. Saw Charley Maning [[Charles H. Manning, age 17, Musician]] , Drummer of Company K, has lived there 17 yrs., has wife & 11 children, is truck farming. Was much interested in you. Stil has your picture. Says he was shot twice, stabbed once, and had an other fight on hands, since living here. Saw Geo. Pressler [[George Pressler, age 21]] at L., had just lost his 2nd wife, he seemed much discouraged. I found him by his Regt. Badge. At L I was resting along the street, a comrad found out I was from Ohio, asked me if I was acquainted at Little York. I said yes; do you know any folks there by the name of Wood, said yes; then he began to look at me a little suspicious, and I told him I was the man. He was an old Hospital friend by the name of John M. Guardner. Was with me at Columbus, Ohio, & Camp Dennison. He now lives at Van- Wert, Ohio. Many little surprises like this were continualy accuring among the boys, but I have written enough of this trip. Hope to see you before long and talk it over. Bro Eli is sick with the Typhoid Fever and we hear very bad. I almost dispare of his geting through, and I am not able to go and see him. Yesterady was Mothers birth day. My wife toock Roast Turkey with other things I went down. Mollie was at Eli's but Mother seemed resigned to what ever might happen. We all hope & pray that Eli may got through. The weather is nice but gradually getting cold, children all going to school. Am feeding 28 Steers and one cow. It takes lots of corn, but it is cheap, but makes more work than I care to have on hand. Will have to quit the cattle trade & manage a little different. Hog Cholera is all round me, but I have only 22 head but cannot afford to loose them. Cut up all my corn, mad about 1300 Shocks, 12 hils square & that with about 25 tons of hay, is all the roughness I have to feed with, expect to keep selling off until I can get through the winter. Hay is very scarse & worth $10 1/4 per ton, but Blue Grass is better than I ever saw it & Stock fields will be plenty. Land excitement is still high, with farms selling all round me. Will close as my Rheumatics is begining to Object. Love to all, write, Your Bro H.W. Wood (Oct. 23d) ---------- Notes Notes from Harvey W. Wood to his brother John Henry Wood: 28th of Sept. 1863 was wounded in the 'Battle of Chicamauga' lay there in hospital for three months or until after the 'Battles of Lookout Mountain' and 'Missionary Ridge' never was able for Service again. Was not mustered out of Service until the close of the war for he needed medical attention all that time. We moved from Chicamauga to Bridge Port, from there to Murphysborrough. Was then able to go home on Furlough, then was in Camp Dennison until close of war 9th April, 1865. Was mustered out, went on crutches a number of different times until the year of '74 or '75. From Chatanoga to Murboro, from Murfo. - Home, then back to convalesent Hospital at Columbus, Ohio. Had to leave to make room for Gettysburg wounded men. Then I was at Camp Dennison until close of war. [* Note: Two pages of pulp paper written in pencil, folded many times and very faded, I'm not sure of the name of the above hospital. Word eligible in letter.] Written by Harvey W. Wood on a pre-addresses envelope in pencil about his brother Eli Wood: Eli Wood was born Mar. 23rd, 1836 near Dayton, Ohio. Died June 7th 1923 at home of his daughter Clara Raudle, in Yakima, Washington. His wife Rebecca Wagner Wood proceded him in death 7 yrs. Ago. [July 9, 1946] 6 daughters were born to this union. They came to Indiana in 1858 lcating near Rensselaer, later going to his farm near Lee, Ind. After several years, retired from farm life & moved to Monon. Still later went to Washington State where he died: body brought back to Monon and buried beside his wife. Shot three times in battle of Chickamauga battlefield. Was badly wounded on Sunday, Septermber 20th, 1862. Was in three different battles. 3 color bearers were killed at same battle. [Eli was 2 years older than Harvey.]