Private in the Army of the Cumberland. The letters are written to his wife, Mary, who lived in Macomb, Illinois. (There are 46 manuscript items plus 5 printed items which include 3 newspaper clippings.) Magie also held the position of Brigade Postmaster while stationed in Franklin, Tennessee. This position allowed him to make frequent trips into Nashville, where he bought newspapers for 5 cents each and sold them in camp for 10 cents. He frequently discusses his profits and cautions his wife not to let anyone else know how much money he is able to send her. At home Magie was a co-owner of the Macomb Journal. He sold subscriptions for the Journal in camp and frequently worried that his partner would run the paper into the ground. He hoped to make enough extra money to buy out his partner and secure his family's future.
Magie writes most of the letters from Franklin, Tennessee and often discusses the fighting near that location (#18, 19, 31, 35). Of particular interest may be the letter dated 7 March 1863, which mentions that a general was arrested for a blunder which occurred during the battle of Franklin, 3-4 March 1863 (#18). Magie mentions the fighting near Franklin, Nashville, and Fort Donelson as well as an unidentified battle in July. Other topics touched upon in the collection include contrabands, an accidental shooting in camp, and a soldier who was sentenced to execution for "desertion, stealing and using threatening language." Magie also laments the destruction of civilian property and expresses his shock at seeing two white girls and a black teenage boy riding on a horse.
- GLC#
- GLC05241
- Type
- Header Record
- Date
- 1862-1863
- Author/Creator
- Magie, James K., fl. 1862-1863
- Title
- Collection of James K. Magie, C company, 78th regiment, Illinois, infantry [Decimalized .01-.51]
- Place Written
- Various Places
- Pagination
- 51 items
- Primary time period
- Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
- Sub-Era
- The American Civil War
Showing 20 of 51 records