Samuel Adkinson Letters

1864-1865

The following letters are available at the Duggan Library Archives, Hanover College (Hanover, Ind.). A finding aid is available.

Hanover students in GW144 "Autobiography: History" (Winter 2013), taught by Sarah McNair Vosmeier, transcribed the letters.

Samuel Adkinson, letter to Father and Mother, 6 July 1864, folder 2, box 1, Adkinson Family Civil War Letter, Duggan Library, Hanover College (Hanover, Ind.).
Transcription and note by Abigail Blake, HC 2016

Lighthouse Landing
July the 6th 1864

Dear Father and Mother

I received a letter from Effie yesterday and was glad to hear from you and to hear that you are all well [.] I have just got back to camp after a rade of ten days of the hardest marching that I ever have seen since I have been in the service [.] we marched day and night hardly stopping long enough to fead and make coffee [.] don’t think that we slept one night putting it all together [.] while out we cut all the railroad tracks leading from Richmond to north Carolina [.] we distroyed all of 35 miles of the Richmond and danvill road in that distance there is but few sections of the road that was not burned [.] it is givenup to be the bigest rade that has been made during the war [.] There was only the third division and five regiments of General [Coutes?] division along [.] we had some hard fighting and lost several good men  but it is believed that it done the enemy more harm than any two defeats that they have had yet as we cut of all supplyes untill they can repair the roads again which will take at least three weeks [.] it is generaly thought that they will have to evacuate Richmond before they can get it repaired [.] we followed the danvill road to within five miles of the Northcarolina line where we found a rather two [strong?] a  A force and then we started back we had infantry and cavalry to contend with before we got back they pushed us so close that we was compelled to burn our wagon train consisting of some twenty five or thirty wagons loaded with ammunition principaly but the hardest and worst of all was we had to leave our wounded in the ambulances [.] we left three of our company [Lum Vanasdall?] Spence Cunningham and Lige Brindly [.] it was hard to leave them but there was no helping it[.]  it was either that or loose the command [.] my waggon wentup amongst the number and I mounted a mule and fellin along with company A where I staid untill I got back to camp but am now with the train again as an extry hand and will have an easyer time than driving [.] Tom Lampson and David [Hascal?] and Fran Jackson of our company were captured [.] Jackson is the man that bought Joes horse and I suppose that his capture will delay the money for him a while but it is sure sometime [.] I am glad that Irvin went out and seen after Joes remains it seems hard that he must die alone amongst strangers but it is impossible for any ones friends in the army to go to see them after they get a few miles of [.] it would have been a great satisfaction to me to have went to see him but I couldnot [.] I never saw him after he was wounded [.] Levi saw him and helped to put him aboard the boat [.] he says he was cheerful [.] the boys seem to miss him more than any one we have lost yet [.] he was liked by all in the company  - -

with this I close and you wil have to excuse the bunglesome manner Inwhich I write for I feel considerable [off?] and [stif?] but am thankful that I and still enjoy good health [.] write often to your Sun [.]

Sam

We burnt two locomotives and several cars on our rade for the rebs.

Samuel Adkinson, letter to Father and Mother, 20 July 1864, folder 2, box 1, Adkinson Family Civil War Letter, Duggan Library, Hanover College, (Hanover,Ind.).
Transcription and note by Andrew Laubner, HC 2016.

Lighthouse Point Via
July the 20th 1864

Dear Father and Mother

I find myself seated in an old government waggon with the tale gate across my legs and have just fineshed a letter to Orinda so I concluded to pen you a few lines to let you know that I am still an hands and able for a tolerable allowance of government rations we had a fine rain last night and it is quite pleasant today there is considerable cannonadeing in the direction of Petersburg lastnight and today it is my opinion that there is going to be some hard fighting here in a few days as there is evry indication of it Grant has shortened his lines considerable whitch in a strong indication of an attact being made soon the gunboats are [pecking?] at fort Darling occasionaly I think that Lee was rather disappointed in his expectations in his last move into mayerland I think that he expected to scare Grant a little and cause him to fall back as others have done but all that it took from the field here was the 6th corps

General Grant doant scare at triflels like some of our commanders have done before I have been in hopes that before the twenty second of August we would have possessions of the reb Capital but it looks rather doubtful now but one thing you can depend on and that is that Grant will rout then before he quits them or loose all his army trying - - I have just been promoted to assistant waggon boss and am having a very good time as I have no team to bother with but something worse than a mule some stubborn drivers I doant keep any horse ride caral stock sutch as mules and turnedin horses

Levi is well and looks fine As I have nothing more to write I will close write often to your Sun

Sam