Jones, Joseph (fl. 1862-1865) to Nancy E. Jones
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02739.084 Author/Creator: Jones, Joseph (fl. 1862-1865) Place Written: Chattanooga, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 10 November 1863 Pagination: 8 p. Order a Copy
"It is nothing to a soldier to here of the death of a friend or comrade for he has enough of such…that he cannot mourn for the dead." He describes the Battle of Chickamauga: "For two long days we fought the brave men of longstreets corps from Richmond they having two to our one…many were to be he[a]rd crying for help as we would have to walk over them and turn our ears to their cries." He wants to send her his diary of the past year and is keeping one for this year as well.
Nov 10th 1863
Chattanooga Tenissee
Once more i take my pen in hand to write a few lines to my dear wife, i received your letter last evening of the 30th, of oct. my dear wife which gave me grate satisfaction. i received one the evenining before last from you dated, if i mistake not the 27th, of oct, i got one from T.J. Walker last evening, which i will try and answer to day, for they are beging of me to write them letters down there, i would write to al if i could get the things to do it with but it is a hard mater to git enough to eat to say nothing a bout paper and envelops, and ink and sofourth. [2] we are living on half rations yet of hard bread [strikeout] and beef, and salt and shugar and coffery we dont drawany thing else, at all, such as meat and beens and rice and such things, we have lived this way now for two months, but we look for full supplies of evry thing soon for we have got our line of communication completely opened out now, well my dear you are more enxious perhaps to know firstly, something concerning my health i am stil enjoying good health except [previalga] and weekness in my back, i am as fleshy as i ever was, and stil able to keep my head up and my face heavenward, but i meet with many sore trials and discourgement, i was sory to [3] here in phebes letter that permenus lick departed this life. but thusands like him must fall evry day, it is nothing to a [strikeout] soldier to here of the death of a friend or comrad for he has enough of such before his eyes continualy to harden him so that he cannot mourn for the dead, i i was with you i would tel you some war storyes, (and i could tel some strange storys), but i will not attempt to write storys about the war in my letters, but i must say that i never could have expected to have seen such a sight and went through such a batle as that of chicamauga, for two long days we fought the brave men [strikeout] of longstreets corps from richmond, they having two to our one, [4] our brave boys failed not to do their duty and sand up for the glorious old union, while many fel by by the fire of the musket and roaring distructive canon of traitors. two days we fought back and fourth over this one batle field, while many were to be herd crying for help as we would have to walk over them and turn our ears against their cries, not having any time to loose, but stil pour our lead in to the ranks of the strong foe, and give them blow for blow un til our general could consentrate his forces as he desired to do, O may god bring [strikeout] an end to this distructive wore is my prair, i think i have receive the most of your letters, i have had a number to come to hand of late, as for my sellf i will not fail to write to you as long as i can [5] we will git money in a few days, and i will send you money as soon as i can, i hope you will let me know how bad you [strikeout] nead money and how mut[text loss] i will draw fiftey two [strikeout] 9-2 dollars this time. i hope you have had money enough to git your clothes and provision. for i want you to have a plenty of clothes and i would be sorry if i knew that our poor litle children did not have a plenty to eat, and i hope you will not think hard of me, for adviseing you so mutch about raiseing the children carefuly for i feel very anxious about them, i do hope and i expect to find the good and manerly [6] children when i come home for i know that you can do a good part by them, and i know that you will not fail to do your part, so i stil feel satisfied haveing this confidence in my dear companion hoos prairs is and has bin herd and answerd by hin that liveth a bove, my prairs for you and the children, and as for my self i stil feel determind to live for god and be an honor and not a disgrace to my litle family, if i was to throw my self a way as some men dos, i never would show my face to my wife and friends, i feel that i have done some good for the lord and for his cause, but yet i have to say that i have not done as mutch as i should have done.
[7]i could name some boy in our company that has commenced to live the good life, by my words and enducements such as was the worst of swarers, any one of our company would fight for me, i hope you will ask god for me to keepe me out of slipery places, for i am in dangeres places here evry day, and by my week eforts and your cincere prairs to god in my behalf, i will be preserved from the fall and ruin of the eveils, god is the rock the sure foundation and if we plead with him and [illegible] unto him daily he will surely not turn us a way, i have considerable of reading mater which is a grate help to me, but i nead agatedele more if i could get it, i would like to here from your corner of on our place. [8] whether [levi] made any thing or not, and whether he has taken good care of the place or not and whether he has taken good care of our litle trees or not, and the yard, and c, i git enough of stamps by you sending one or two in evry letter, i have got some things that want to send home but i have no chance, i have a dira of last year. that i want you to have, for i am afraid that i will lose it or git it wore out by careing it in my pockit, i have one of this year which i will have full at new years day, which is a direa kept from last new years, as soon as the year is out i will send it home, for you to keep, i must close this letter and bid you good by, [strikeout] my love to you and the children,
Joseph Jones
to Nancy E. Jones.
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