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2,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/2,"William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., June 13, 1862","United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865^^United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865)^^Soldiers--Conduct of life^^Corinth (Miss.) -- History -- Siege, 1862","William Reynolds writes from New Orleans to his friend James McCracken in Ledyard, Conn. Reynolds describes camp life, loneliness, disease and the ships and weaponry passing upriver following the siege of Corinth.",,,,1862-06-13,,,,,,,,,"Camp Parapet
Carrollton Louisiana
Friday Afternoon June 13th/62
Dear Friend:
Your kind letter of the 15th
came to hand June 10th and as I had
already a letter on the way for you,
I have deferred writing until the
present time; although intend to
answer all letters as soon as I
receive them, for I like to have
them in circulation. I have received
only two letters & four papers, which
accompanied your letter - since I have
been South; & you may be sure those
have been read & reread several times
over. My health continues good up to
the present date, & all the Led[yard] boys
I believe are improving: and with one
or two exceptions all able to be on duty
Your brother Chas received a letter last
[Page 2]
night from home, which contained the
knowledge of your purchase on the Hill.
When I get home I guess I will tend
store for you as I shall be too lazy for
anything else. Isaac C. I see is
bound to be a great man - “no doubt” a
professionable one; but I hope his pro-
fession will be more meritorious than his
fathers, I presume it will be or he would
not have to study any more. “Not a bit”
Have you seen anything of Cephas of late?
It was a sad thing that I could not find
him after spending so much time in look-
ing for him. It would make my duty
so much easier! I was glad to hear that
my folks were well and all in that vi-
cinity but I guess they are not overanx-
ious to hear from me or they would
answer some of the letters I have
written them. I have written them
three or four & received none, and no
signs of any. I shall write another this
afternoon & see if I cannot get an
[Page 3}
answer. The weather continues dry here &
extremely “hot”. The River has fallen about
two ft. & continues to do so, and the water where
the land has been flooded is drying up which
makes it very disagreeable & is a source of
much sickness. The hospital is pretty
well filled up with invalids at the present
& a few days ago there were three fu-
nerals besides the death of a Provost mar
shal who’s was set North. Tell Bridget
I am a thousand times obliged to her for
filling up that blank leaf in your letter
as I like to have long letters as well as
to have them often. Her news, too, was of the
right “stamp” - about the girls” - which she
knew would interest me most. That is right,
keep me posted in the “Girl” department if you
fail in all others. I think if I was at home
“digging in the dirt” Bridget & the war was
over I should like it very much but I
want to see the end of this rebellion if my
health will permit. I am surprised to hear
that Capt. Brown & Lyman Gallup are
getting to be intimate friends. Well Mary
[Page 4]
will find a well furnished home I suppose &
a plenty of money. I suppose I shall make enough
off of this cruise to get married myself when I get
home if I don’t bring home one of these Creoles down
here with me. We are occupying the same old
place we were when I last wrote to you but are
all very anxious to move as soon as possible.
War news are very interesting down in this sec-
tion & I should think Beaureguard was about
ready to yield from all accounts. New Orleans
papers say that he told his troops they must
take care of themselves & I think this would
have been policy in the first place. Thirteen
mortar & some gun boats have passed by
our camp up the River since last night
probably to give them a few shells up to
Vicksburg or in that vicinity. Hallick is said
to have taken their whole fleet in his last
battle in the vicinity of Corinth & is using
them up in quick time. James, I want you to
send me one dollars worth or thereabouts of pos-
tage stamps & father will give you security.
I cannot get them here, even if I had money
& I do not like to send them unpaid. Write to me
as soon as you receive & report me to my folks up to
this date if they don’t have a letter the same time
You & your folks have the best wishes of
your friend
Wm. H. Reynolds
Com. K 12 Reg. C.I.
New Orleans Louisiana
Care of E.H. Abbott
P.S. I hope you will be fully recovered of the cough when this reaches you.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/files/original/e08f6c4f659ed821a4e4fac71d9d2760.pdf,Text,"McCracken Civil War Correspondence",1,0
4,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/4,"William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., July 21, 1862","United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865^^United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865)^^United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--African Americans^^Racism ","William Reynolds writes from New Orleans to his friend James McCracken in Ledyard, Conn. He describes the camp, news and rumors, and preparing for battle and complains about local African Americans and his abolitionist general.",,,,1862-07-21,,,,,,,,,"Camp Parapet
Carrollton Louisiana
Monday P.M.
July 21st, 1862c
Dear Friend:
Your letter of the 4th
was received a few days ago by your
friend, and its contents afforded me
such pleasure. I have received from
you and father forty postage stamps,
which was a very precious gift to
me and I don’t know what I should
have done without them; for I have got
no silver or gold money which is neces
sary in order to get them out here.
I was very sorry to learn that
Calvin was seriously ill; as it is a very
bad time for farmers to be sick at this
very busy season of the year; but I hope
before this letter reaches you, he will re-
gain his health, and be able to be about
[Page 2]
his daily business, which I suppose is
mowing. If he was out here he would
get rid of that job as there is none of
it to be done in this part.
I am very happy to report myself well or
nearly so at this time which I suppose
will be very consoling to my mother who
is always borrowing trouble
about that which will be of no good
to her. Am occupying the same old
place as you will see by the heading of
the letter but are under marching or-
ders, and was in hopes when the order
was first issued that we should
leave in a short time, but now
it looks as though we should be
here for some time to come.
The New Orleans papers of Sunday
stated that the rebel Ram Arkansaw
had come out of the Yazoo river on
the morning of the 15th and whittled
our fleet at Vicksburg all to pieces
and then run in under cover of
[Page 3]
the rebel guns. The news seemed to
have foundation and was generally cred
ited here at camp. Consequently our
Pickets received instruction to fire
an alarm if they saw a light coming
down the River. A light appeared
and the alarm given, and we were
turned out in line of battle, just
for nothing at all, as we have been
for a great many times since we
have been in camp. We have been
fooled so much in that line that it
has become an old story and I think
by and by we shall not be so particular
about turning out to a man, as we have
been. The papers of to-day say there
is no truth in the report.
I am sorry to say James that we
have an old grey headed louse of
an abolitionist for a Gen. Brig Gen Phelps
and consequently our camp is full of
“n*****s”. Besides those in camp, he
has allowed them to take the land of
[Page 4]
loyal citizens just inside of our Picket &
there are now from six to eight hundred
I should think there supported by the
government. O it is a cursed thing
and I think the Gen will have to resign.
All our officers are down on him & Gen
Butler is death on his love for n*****s.
Our Major has written to the Secretary
of War and I think when he makes his re-
turns the n*****s will have to leave and I
hope Phelps with them. I don’t know what
the old Devil is going to do, for I see he
is organizing a Reg. of n*****s and they
travel about in companies every day
I understand they are going to be drilled
with arms and I don’t know but they will
be put into the Regiments that are not
full. The soldiers are all death on them
and on the General; so I think there
will be some fun here in a few days
I wouldn’t blame the Louisianans
for rising upon this Brigade or any other
which takes their n*****s after this style.
The last account from Richmond were fa-
vorable to McClellan I should think and
I am very anxious to hear of its fall.
Write soon to your friend Wm. H Reynolds
Ja. McCracken P.M. Com. K 12th Reg. C.I.
New Orleans La.
I shall write to your wife and will endeavor to close in good shape",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/files/original/88bff0098510b0b39582fba89f538151.pdf,Text,"McCracken Civil War Correspondence",1,0
5,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/5,"William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., July 28, 1863","United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1862-1865)^^United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865^^United States. Army--Pay, allowances, etc.","Reynolds writes to his friend James McCracken about the recapture of Brashear City, La. and the work of rebuilding after the Confederate retreat.",,,,1863-07-28,,,,,,,,,"Brashear City La
July 28th, 1862 [sic, 1863]
Friend James
Having a few mo-
meets of leisure, I will endeavor to
answer your letter of the 6th inst
which I received with pleasure.
I was at Donaldsonville - up the
Miss River - when I received your note
but was then under marching orders
& could not well attend to answer-
ing letters. We embarked at that place on
the 21st inst., left New Orleans on
the 23rd & arrived at Brashear on
the 25th after a short passage down the
Miss. & in the Gulf. Here we found
things quite different from what they were
on the 9th of Apr. last when we left the
place. The same desolation & ruin which fol-
lows the rebel army is here manifest in
the most affecting manner. Small forts
& rifle pits are thrown up at various
[Page 2]
points along the Bayou in which are
left some of the artillery spiked which
they took from our troops when they captured
the place & were obliged to leave on their has-
ty retreat. There are two engines left here
well torn to pieces & a great number of cars
burned upon the track. The smoke of their
incendiary deeds is yet visible & small
fragments of our clothing & treasured
articles scattered about the streets. The
13th Conn. Regt. is with us here & we have
commenced clearing off the track & getting
new timber together preparatory to laying
a new track. All the bridges are destroyed
from here to LaFourche crossing, where
our troops were lastly defeated & driven
back to the city; but when Old Dick
Taylor heard of the fall of Vicksburg &
Port Hudson he thought best to put off
the recapture of New Orleans & be making
tracks into Texas which he was not long in
doing. Our Gun Boats & troops did not
arrive here in time to intercept them
in their hasty flight across the country
& so they have gone on their way
[Page 3]
rejoicing. Had we not achieved great &
important victories since we left here we
might feel saddened at the sight & prospect
before us but as it is our losses are hard-
ly thought of. The road is being repaired as
fast as possible & it will not be many
days before the train will be here from
the city - new troops will arrive - the
place be built up & the comforts of life
again be restored to us. We have accumu-
lated a great many bords [sic] & slabs with which
we have made a bit of covering for us
from the rain & sunshine. The weather
is “hot” - well suited for mosquitoes at
night when they begin their pretty songs
to us. Our nets we had to sleep under
were captured with our clothing here &
there is no peace to the wicked here in
the night without them. Since we left here
they have not troubled us, so now they bite
with renewed appetites. We have received
no pay since the 31st of December 1862
so we are as moneyless as we are destitute
of everything else. I had a plenty of postage
stamps in my knapsack but they are gone
[Page 4]
with the rest of my things & I hav’nt any
thing to pay the postage on letters so I
am obliged to get them franked. When
communication is reopened to the city we shall
probably get some money again & then I
shall go to the city on a “spree” and get
some of the necessary articles in the line
of writing. Our Regt. is now quite small
- not half so large as it was when we
left here in April perhaps - some have
died from disease - some from sounds - others
have been killed & some taken prisoners
but we are as determined as ever to main-
tain our former reputation ain the field
when called again into active service to
remember our slaughtered ones, in re-
cent battles & strive to vindicate the
principles of American soldiers. Your
brother Chas was taken prisoner at
this place - paroled & sent to Ship
Island with the rest of the prisoners taken
around here. All the Ledyard boys in
this Regt. are in usual health like
myself. Port Hudson was not taken on
the 5th as you heard but surrender its
whole garrison on the 9th at 7 o’clock a.m.
I like to hear from you all often, so please
write when convenient & your letters
will find an early answer. remember me
to your wife - my folks & inquiring friends
Yours Respectfully
W.H. Reynolds
Co. K. 12th CI
New Orleans La",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/files/original/d570de36c21a1efeed911bc0fb654e73.pdf,Text,"McCracken Civil War Correspondence",1,0
6,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/6,"William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., May 14, 1863","United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865^^United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865)","William Reynolds writes of the march north from Brashear City, occupation of Alexandria, and members of the company who had been killed, wounded, or captured.",,,,1863-05-14,,,,,,,,,"Alexandria Louisiana
May 14th, 1863
Friend James
As I have a few mo-
ments of leisure I will improve
them in answering yours of the 15th
Ult. which is before me. Was glad to hear
of your continued health & also of the
friends in that vicinity. As to myself my
health never was better.
Our Army left Brashear city on the
10th of Apr. on an expedition to Alexandria
for the purpose of cutting off rebel supplies
from Texas to port Hudson & Vicksburg as
Maj Gen Banks had withdrawn his troops
from Baton Rouge for the purpose of trying
another route for the reduction of the former
place. At Opelousas we staid about two
weeks during which time I went back
to Brashear city on business for the
Company & while there put a letter
[Page 2]
into the office for your wife giving
a few particulars of our expedition to
that place. Since then we have been none
the less successful on our way to Alexandria.
Perhaps our present expedition has been
one of the most important ones of the war.
We have not only placed the rebels at
Port Hudson in a starving condition
but have taken immense quantities of
cotton, sugar & molasses to say nothing of
other confiscated articles of immense
value. At Governor Moore’s, about
seven miles from Alexandria we hal-
ted & obtained a beautiful secesh
flag which we still hold in our pos-
session. The old Governor was not at home
but his “n*****s” said he had “done gone
to Pine Hills” to avoid being taken
along with us. While here we have
made a short expedition to Pine
Hills to see what then was there. Saw
dissolving views of the rebels & considered
it not worth the while to further pur-
sue them as we have followed them up
[Page 3]
closely ever since the battle of the Teche.
We are now in camp on the banks of the
Red River two miles form Alexandria
in the rear and are only stopping for
some rest & then we are off for Port
Hudson. We are under marching orders
& shall leave this afternoon or tomorrow
morning without doubt. I tell you James
we are a “used up” set of fellows; have
made some of the longest marches
known in Ancient or Modern history
and in this warm climate at that.
We have made from 25 to 30 miles
a day & somedays 36 miles since
we started. Banks is celebrated I believe
for marching his troops to death as he did
the 5th Conn. in Virginia. It may be that
we shall take transports down the Red
River, but I rather think he will shove
us through on foot. You have probably
seen accounts of our expedition in the
papers & so I will not particularise
Co. A of the 12th which was captured by
the Confederates at the time our Com. B
[Page 4]
was taken by them on the “Teche” near Pat-
tersonville have not yet been exchanged
and they are at N. Orleans. Our 1st Lieut.
was mortally wounded as we suppose. saw him
at Franklyn as we came past on our present
expedition & the rebel surgeon who had charge
of him there said he could not live. have
since heard the ball was extracted & he on
the gain. The rebels had not time to pa-
role him before we took possession of the
place & all that was in it so he is free
from them. Our 2nd Lieut. Allyn left
us on the morning of the 13th of April very
much unwell & went in to the hospital
He was sick when we started & endured
the march as long as he could before
giving out. He was in the hospital at
New Orleans the last we knew of him.
Co. K. is therefore very unfortunate as we have
only the Capt. in command of us, and we all
dispise [sic] him except a few of his Westerly
Irishmen. He is a very ignorant, intemperate
fellow & cannot merit the respects of his
Company. Confederate money is the only cur-
rancy that would pass in Alexandria
when we arrived but is now rather depre-
ciating in value. It will soon “play out”
But I perceive I am taxing you to [sic] hard &
so I will close as you are perhaps wishing
me to do so that you may go about something
of more importance. Hoping to hear from you soon
I remain as ever your friend
W.H. Reynolds
Co K 12th Regt. C.V.
New Orleans La
J. McCracken",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/files/original/14c713c32f20a8cf10c70c5a686d3107.pdf,Text,"McCracken Civil War Correspondence",1,0
7,https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/7,"Charles McCracken, 12th C.V.I., June 27, 1864","United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865^^United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865)^^Corruption^^Blockade^^Operations rations (Military supplies)","Charles McCracken writes to his brother James of an aborted attempt to transport north toward Vicksburg, complains about corruption and blockade running among Union contractors and soldiers, and discusses matters in Connecticut.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"
1864
J 27th
Camp near Carrollton La
My dear Brother.
I received your very
excellent letter of 14th inst. yesterday
on board steer Ohio Belle
on which we had embarked
bound up the river for some point
in Rebeldom unknown to us but
supposed to be Vicksburg Miss. but
mans plans are often frustrated
& so these ones for we had not gone
more than fifteen miles up the river
before the Machinery gave out.
a Shaft was broken & cilinder [sic] head
stove & one man in his Excitement
jumped through a window &
severely cut his arm. two horses
were so much injured that we
had to shoot them to get them
out of the bay & the boat was put
[Page 2]
about & we steamed to our old
camp again where we now are.
& all seem to be engaged in visiting
of their friends. & no doubt some-
thing of any trip. how long we shall
remain here is unknown to me
as all movements are until we
are called upon to pack up which
has been often of late. for we have
been going & never seeming to get
anywhere this being the second
time we have started for Up the River
the weather is awful hot & we
landed this morning & just
got our tents up to shelter us from
the blazing hot sun & are enjoying
the best of a Soldier’s life. Camp-life.
& should feel better if Uncle Sam
would give us little better rations.
Something instead of Stinking
Salt Beef & hard bread but he is
not so much to blame after all
for its [sic] these miserable contractors
[Page 3] who are robing [sic] us & making there [sic]
pile off the army. I tell you Brother
this war is a big thing & blockade
running is a big business. Some
are driving fast [sic] hordes off the
profits of such business. Even
our Friend Reynolds has been
accused perhaps wrongfully of
helping to run the blockade over
to the lake while there. Well
that is the way. Some help to
put down the rebellion &
instead of doing their duty
aid the enemy. But I will not
enlarge on this point for truth is
mighty & will prevail. Sometime
or other. & perhaps such using is
their reward. I am glad that
you are all well & are prospering
for we need all of us prosperity. I have
no doubt Shall have it if we do our
duty I am very glad to hear from
you & always shall be & hope you will
[Page 4]
continue this corespondence [sic] so
well begun. Shall write as often
as I can & thus relieve the monotony
of the camp. I send my love to
you all. & here let me say that I
have my kind regards for Father
notwithstanding his obstinacy.
for I think it would be better for
him & us if he would hear us
but never mind. he no doubt
will go on in the old path. it
is barely possible that he is right.
I was in hopes he would arrange
with you to improve his land, but
it seems he has not. Dear Brother I
must close hoping for your health
& happiness & in the meantime
we will both do our duty to our
country. Sometimes I trust in God
to keep our powder dry relying on
Him for protection & a safe return
to home & friends.
I Remain
Your Affectionate Brother
Chas. S. McCracken