De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
November 9th, 1864
My Dear Mother,
I have nothing to do, so why mightn't I write a few lines home. I am in good health and in fine spirits.
Yesterday, I think and hope, saw Lincoln re-elected. Among all the troops that voted at this place I don't suppose that McCellan got two dozen votes. The 42nd Ohio cast near 250 votes and out of the 250 I think McClellan got one, but I am not certain. There are three Mc men in the Regt., but I was told that two of them wouldn't vote at all because they were so much in the minority. Lincoln went heavy upon the Iowa troops. Illinois troops would go for Abe if they were allowed to.
Mother, as soon as you get a paper of any kind that gives a true account of the way the different states go, won't you please send it to me.
What is the reason that I don't get any more letters from home, I wonder? Let me see, (said the blind man), I got three letters, two from your self and one from Sallie in October, and nary a one this far in November. I can't think but what you write to me - or if you don't, you have good reasons for not doing so. We have mails tolerable regular. Please try and write just a little bit oftener and ask Father if some day he won't take time and write me a short letter. I will answer Sallie's last as soon as possible. No news at all. Love to all.
Yours Very Affectionately,
Thos. R. Brown
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
November 19th, 1864
My Dear Mother,
I have nothing at all to do this morning and I don't see why I shouldn't write a few lines home. Sam Bandy got back day before yesterday and by him I received the gloves you sent me, and I thank you very much indeed for them. They were not exactly what I wanted, but they will do fully as well as long as they last. The kind I wanted was a pair of woolen home knit ones.
The boys are all well, but some of them would like to come home this winter pretty bad (present company not excepted) but I guess that it is a slim chance.
When do you folks expect the war to close? Any time soon?
I suppose that ere this time you are certain of Abe Lincoln's re-election. While we don't even know how Vermilion County went as no letters since November 1st. While some have as late as November 10th. We have the Danville papers of the 10th, we expect another mail this morning and maybe I will get four or five letters and maybe I won't get any, There is no news to write about. Love to all.
Yours Very Affectionately,
T.R. Brown
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
December 5th, 1864
My Dear Mother,
I can write but a very few lines for I am unwell. I don't know what is the matter; nothing serious I think and hope. Yesterday I was confined to my bed with a severe headache and sickness at my stomach. Feel better today. Will be all right again soon.
Your kind and welcome letter of the 23rd ultimo came yesterday. Your reasons for not writing are perfectly satisfactory and acceptable. A good long one from Sallie came yesterday, also. I will answer soon.
Those shirts are just the things I wanted. The hat suits well. No news. Boys are all well. Love to all.
Yours Very Affectionately
T.R. Brown
P.S. Tell Coz Jack to write and I will answer.
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
December 10th, 1864
My Dear Father,
Yours of the 28th was received a few moments ago. You say that you are going to sell out. Yesterday I wrote and proposed a plan, by which I might get out of the service, and if that plan should work (and I haven't the remotest idea but what it will), I could get home along in February or March, in plenty of time to take all of the Spring labor off of your hands. I think that I am fully able and competent to carry on the business after being in a month or so. And if you can get help this Winter, and will try the plan I spoke of, I think that you would do better by holding on to, at least, the stock of goods. Do as you see proper though. This is only my opinion. Please write as soon as possible and let me know what you are going to do.
Affectionately Your Son,
T.R. Brown
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
December 13th, 1864
My Dear Mother,
Your last kind and welcome letter, dated at home Dec. 4th, was received this morning. I wrote Father a couple of letters a short time ago, but they have hardly had time to get there yet.
He is talking of selling out, but I hope that he won't, for it would be such a good chance for me to get a start in business.
I received a letter from Mary and George this morning. Business is rather dull with them. The boys are well. Myself included. I commenced a letter to Sallie sometime ago, but for some cause or other I have never finished it. Am all right and in good spirits. Will write again soon.
Love to all.
Your Affectionate Son,
T.R. Brown
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
December 24th, 1864
Dear Father,
It has been several days since I wrote last, but it couldn't be avoided very well.
I am at Brigade Hd. Qtrs., now in the Provost Guard and have a very pleasant time. Boys are all well.
I received a letter from Mother a few days ago and will answer as soon as possible.
Tomorrow is Christmas and I am going to Little Rock on business. Will Reed goes with me.
Father, if you can spare me twenty or twenty five dollars won't you please send it to me by mail the first chance.
I am "dead-broke" and we won't get any pay for at least three months. There is several articles that I want to get, and need, and everything costs more here than it does at home. I will remit the amount when we are paid again.
There is no news. Please write and let me know if you have done anything in regard to that other matter of money.
Very Affectionately
Your Son,
T.R. Brown
DeValls Bluff, Arkansas
December 27th, 1864
My Dear Mother,
Of late I have written home very seldom. But really I haven't had a good opportunity to write very often. I wrote to Father day before yesterday. The boys are all well.
I received the shirts, hat and gloves in due time and am well pleased with all of them. Receive my hearty thanks.
The city of De Valls Bluff is dry in the extreme.
I had a good Christmas dinner. A friend took me to a restaurant. We had turkey, eggs, bread, coffee, butter, potatoes, roast beef, onions & enjoyed it very much. Am a little "home sick". Will write again soon.
Your Affectionate Son,
T.R. Brown
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
January 1st, 1865
My Dear Mother,
Nothing to do so why shouldn't I write a few lines home. I am off of duty for awhile on account of a sore leg. Yesterday I got to fooling and cutting up as boys always will, and I ran my leg in contact with an axe that one of the boys had in his hand. It cut a gash about an inch and a half long - not quite to the bone, just missing my knee cap, passing below. It isn't anything very serious, I hope, and think it will give me a stiff knee for a short time.
Boys are all well. No news. A dry New Years. Will write again soon.
Yours Affectionately,
T.R.Brown
Camp of 37th Illinois, V.V. Infty.
Near Germanville, Louisana
January 18th, 1865
My Dear Mother,
When I last wrote I told you that we were going to New Orleans, but we are not quite there. We are camped on the river about 13 miles above. Germanville is the nearest town. It is 2 1/2 miles above this. We are camped in a very pretty place. I belong to the Provost Guards at Brigade Hd. Qtrs. and we are on the prettiest kind of yard on a big plantation. Col. Black still commands the Brig.
There is an expedition getting ready for some place, but nobody knows where. The general supposition is that we are going to Mobile and I hope that it is so.
My leg is healing up nicely and will be well in a week or so, I think.
The weather here is regular fall weather at home, warm during the day and cool at night. I will write to John soon. Love to all. Write often.
Yours Affectionately,
T.R. Brown
Near Kennerville, Louisiana
January 20th, 1865
My dear Mother,
Your two kind and welcome letters dated at home on the 1st and 9th inst. was received last night. I wrote to you a day or so after arriving here.
My leg is about well. Am enjoying extra-ordinary good health. Was down to the city a day or so ago and enjoyed myself hugely.
So Father has sold out, has he? Has he got out of the notion of building an ore mill yet? If he hasn't, where is he going to build? In what part of town? Has he bought any property yet, and when does he intend to build?
We all think that peace will be declared in a very short time. Every thing looks brighter than it ever did before. We think that the best sign of peace is that the rebels are getting dissatisfied with Jeff Davis. There is to be a big draft here the 15th of next month. One man out of every seven. We are here to keep everything quiet. I saw John Palmer when I was in the city. He looks well and hearty.
About those recommendations, I have only got them from Capt. Black, but can get others any time and good ones, too. But what is the chance? Has Father got any particular thing in view? There would be only one way for me to be detailed in the state and that would be by order of the Secretary of War. But that could be done, if they were a mind to have it done, at Springfield. I will get the recommendations ready to send by the next time I write.
The news you send me are generally pretty old before they get here. We get the city papers every morning. Will write again soon.
Very Affectionately Your Son,
Thos. R. Brown
Barrancas, Florida
February 19th, 1865
My dear Mother,
A good ways from home again, ain't we? Seems to me as though we are. I don't know what we are here for, but Madame Rumor sends us up to Montgomery, Alabama to keep the rebs from getting provisions into Mobile. Again, she sends us around to Charleston, but there is no telling where we will go next.
We are camped at one of the prettiest places I ever saw in my life. In fact, it is lovely. From out in the bay just look over here and see the pretty white beach and the green cedar and pine trees and, now and then, a nice little cottage and the different forts. It is grand now, I tell you.
Yesterday a party of us explored Fort Barrancas. We had an escort (a negro corporal) to show us the different wonders. An d it would take hard fighting to capture it, me thinks. It is garrisoned by a Philadelphia Colored Regiment.
Tomorrow I think that I will take a stroll over to Fort Redoubt. Fort Pickens is across the Bay so I can't go there, but I would like to very much.
Today I took a walk over the towns, three in number, Barrancas, Warrington and Woolsey, all within a half mile of each other. Pensacola is about seven miles up the bay and the possession of the rebels.
I haven't had a letter from home since yours of the 20th ultimo. Please write as often as possible.
Has Father succeeded in obtaining the commission for me? I haven't heard anything about the recommendations I sent and don't know whether they were ever received by Father or not.
Health is good. Love to all.
Yours Affectionately,
T.R. Brown
Danville, Illinois
Mar. 8, 1865
Mr. Thos. R. Brown
37th Ills. Vet. Regt.
Co. "K"
Dear Thomas,
I believe that I am considerably behind in my correspondence owing to the fact that I have been on the wing for some time. Yesterday I got home from my trip to Memphis, have been gone two weeks. I found Jack all right, feet well, and he on duty at Brigade Head Quarters as orderly. I never saw him look so well. He has not grown in height much, but has in weight.
I had the misfortune to be robbed of my pocket book at Centralia, and all the money I had - 170 dollars.
I left your papers with Gov. Oglesby. I conclude that nothing has been done for you. I will write to Springfield and ask that your papers be returned.
We got news yesterday that Washington Ingraham was dead. He died in Savannaha with fever. Aunt Emma got back home to us this morning. We are having cold weather up here. Last Friday we had a snow storm, ground froze hard.
So the 37th is way round down on the Coast of Florida. I would like to know what you intend to try to do down there, unless it is to fight mosquitoes and catch bull frogs. Hope you will not remain there long as my ideas of the country is any thing else than favorable for health or pleasure - but I may be mistaken.
It has been a long time since we have had any letter from you and it is doubtful whether this comes to hand. You have got so far away from home.
If I was in command of all the forces - in that department I would say, "Now boys, this is too bad a place for us Northern Gentlemen to stay long - we must travel into Mobile and see what they have got there to refresh nature. And after a short visit we will resume our March towards the North Star." And my next point would be Montgomery, that haughty place, that was the first seat of the would-be President, Jeff Davis. And I would say, "Boys, you are at liberty to leave your mark at this place - that the citizens may ever remember that once the Northern Mud Sills were here." And about the 1st of March, I would say, "Now Boys, let us sing Old John Brown's Soul is marching on." And we will march up through the best section of county towards home - and you may help yourselves to all the country can afford for your comforts.
Remember me respectfully to Col. Black.
Affectionately,
W.H. Brown
Camp of Co. K, 37th Ill. Infty.
March 22nd, 1865
Lieut.
I have the honor to request that an order be issued reducing myself to the rank of a private.
Very Respectfully
Your
Thos. R. Brown
Corpl Co. K 37th Ill.
To: Geo. H. Merrill
Lieut. and Act. Adjt.
37th Ill. Infty.
Hd. Qtrs. 37th Ill. Infty.
March 22nd, 1865
Respectfully returned. Disapproved. If it becomes necessary to reduce Corpl. Thomas R. Brown after a battle he shall be reduced to the ranks.
By order of
Col. Chas. Black
G. H. Merrill
Lt. & Act. Adjt.