Epperly, Christian M. (1837-1904) [A Confederate Assessment of the War]
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02715.067 Author/Creator: Epperly, Christian M. (1837-1904) Place Written: Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 15 August 1863 Pagination: 4 p. Order a Copy
Mentions the high price of food. States that he believes the Confederacy is doomed. "I beleave [sic] the South first started on a just course but our wickedness and diobediians [sic] has brought us to what [where] we are: and I dont think the South will stand much longer."
The four days between July 1 and July 4, 1863 marked a major turning point of the Civil War. Beginning in mid-May, Ulysses S. Grant's troops had begun a siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi, Vicksburg allowed the Confederacy to control river traffic between Memphis and New Orleans. The day after the defeat of Lee's army at Gettysburg, Vicksburg surrendered. Five days later, Union forces captured Port Hudson, Louisiana. These victories gave the North complete control of the Mississippi River and isolated confederate territory west of the Mississippi from areas east of the river.
After the defeats at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, southern morale began to sag, as the following soldier's letter reveals. Yet despite military defeats, inflation, shortages, desertions, the flight of thousands of enslaved people, and flagging resolve, the Confederacy continued to fight for another 22 months. The following letter, written by a private in the 54th Virginia Volunteers, gives a poignant expression of flagging southern morale.
Camp Near Bells Bridge Tenn.
Aug the 19, 1863
My Most Dear Companion
I am happy to say to you that I am well and have a nother opportunity of answering your cind letter which came to hand last eavning which gave me grate pleasure to hear from you and to hear that you and the Children was well you dont no how glad I am when I hear you ar so favorable blest with health I hope god will stil bless us with such grate blessings while wee hafto be apart and I hope the time not far distant when wee will have the pleasur of meeting on [urth] again: you dont no how glad I would be if I was just thar with you this morning to see the sun rise over the hills in Virginia again for everry thing seames so sad and desolate here this morning: it seames like the absens of dear friends and the presant condision of thing has [2] Brought deep refletion and sadnes apon every heart: and ar groing weary and geting out of heart and leaving the Army every day: I cant tell wheather it will be for the better or wheather it will make thing wors: but I hope it is a way god has provided to bring this war and time of sorrow to an end and to give us pease in our land again: Thoug I beleave the south first started on a just corse but our on wickedness and disobedians has brought us to what wee ar: an I firmly beleave wee will be bound to give up to subjigation I dont think the south will stand much longer: and I am sorrow to say it for wee will be a ruind peopal while time ma last: but wee aught to submit to any thing to have this awwful war ended: and I pray to god it will end yet this fall I dont think it can be posable that wee will hafto stay out a nother winter yet befor it will com to an end [3] Dear Mary you wrote int your letter that I should write wheather wee got plenty to eat or not: wee can make out on what wee get by bying things at a verry high prise: wee drew a pound of meal a day without beeing sifted and a pound of beef or 1/3 of a pound of bacon that is all wee get only what wee by the meal is verry [sarren] and indiffernt it makes verry bad bread Potatoes costs us six dollars a bushel an beans a dollar a peck and you no wee cant by maney at that prise as to other things they ar so high wee cant by atall Mary Wallter Holt was out here to see us he left yesturday I sent a pack of envelops by him for you and allso a bout a pint of mellon seeds. I want you to take good care of the mellon seed I hope throu the the cind providens of god I get home to plant som next spring I think I shal com sooner I hope I will get hom yet this fall: I will send you eight needles in this letter I would of sent you som [4] papar but I havint the money to get it with I now have barred 20 dollars sins I have been out here I barrowed 10 dollars of Sollomon Cronk when he drawd It I will try and make out on that til I draw som I hafto spend mor money than I wish to but no cant get along without If you have to money to spair pay Elisabeth Cromk that which I barrowed and when I draw money I will send you som: I must soon close time is peasieble here in Tenn I dint hear aney thing sed about a fight I hope they wont fight aney mor: befor pease is made I hope god will meet with you all and bless you as the prairs of your tru Husband and shal be til I di so I bid you Farwell for a While hoping to see you soon yours truly.
Write soon and give me the news of Floyd.
Tell Uncle Josephs that }
Isaac is well and hardy }
and doing well.}
C. M. Epperly To
Mary M. Epperly at Home
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.