Mouth of White River Arkansas Oct the 18th My Dearest Elizabeth I seat my self this evening to drop you a few lines to inform you that I am well & harty hoping this comes to hand in due time & finds you well the latest to you is the 13 the latest from you is the 27 of Sept We are looking for a mail boat due evry hour this morning early a boat caime down from Memphis in 12 hours time bringing the news that Talor had atacked Memphis & was fighting when they left so thare was 5 or 6 steamers laying here & the Inftry immeaditly boarded then & left for Memphis leaving there tents all here I am inclined to think that old Talor will not have a Banks to fight this time you ought to sea my litle shanty Mart Mann & me stays in it together it is so snug with a litle fier place to it I washd my clothes yesterday mabe you would wish to know what I washt a pare of pants which I have to patch as soon as they get good dry 2 shirts 1 pare of drawers 2 pare of socks one towel we drawed new clothes yesterday I got two pare of the pritest Drors you ever sean I have plenty of clothes now. wel Lizzie I have become to be an old soldier I have been in the servis 2 years & 2 months & 5 days & I am not dishartend about the progress of the war I think I am fighting in a good cause & I am well satisfide altho I would love to sea my litle family once more or be with them & above all things I would rather take care of them but I cannot say that I am tierd of this war us soldier has been so rongfuly represented such as dieing & fainting by the way side tierd of the war & willing to make peace on disonerble terms all this sort of thing til we have dubled our resolution & now let me say for the soldier not for the cowerd or trator ( we are not tierd of this war we wil fight it out to its biter end thare comes the (Idahandy) let me go and see her for she has a mail I will finish after we sea if a mail comes } yes the mail came & I received one letter from you of Oct the 9 & a lot of news paper envelops & the central of the 12 from St. Louis hurah buly for that hurah for Lincoln how I love to get letters from my sweet lady & Litle children when I opend the letter the lilte paper fel out & of corse I picket it up to sea what it was & I red it the first time for in [this page and its reverse were seperated from their original over time and I believe belong to this letter of Oct. 18th. It was a half sheet torn from a whole sheet and I believe added as an insert to the letter] holding it up to the light I [torn] see the shape of the stamps wasent that bad I couldent help it tho I thank you for your nice gift of the paper Envelops how nice they they are what a prity Kiss you sent me you must not send all of the kisses down here for I must have some when I get home there was a man that servd 3 years in the 24 Ind & joinde the veterans & the other day he or she had a baby ( a girl I supose) he or she was a corprel dont you say buly for the litle Corprel she is to be discharged. Posey has bin all over Ky on a scout he sean Brother Aps & his wife I would send it but I supose he has writen to you be this time [over] The City of Alton is coming down she will bring a mail two I wil send you the 28 & bitime you reciv it your paper will come to you The lady that wrote to me from Shady lawn is by name Mrs Tomlin she sent me a paper the other day the Northwestern Advocate - the 124th Ills took a vote the other day resulting in 502 for Lincoln & 19 for McLelan that is about the way Mac runs among the soldiers Posey has drug me in to politics we are writing some buly letters now I beleave that is all thare is no prospect of leaving here I wil not nead any more paper stamps as you wil get the paper by mail I am ever yours truly Mac to Lizzie [text continuing on the back of the Oct 18th letter] There is three steamers come down from Memphis after troops the rebel forest is reported moving on thare with 14000 men & Captain Coon has orderd every man to be ready to move rit off tho I do not supose that we wil go thare is no talk of us going any way I wish that we could go two I do not want them (the rebels) to have another victory for to elect thare grate champion McLelan the river is very full here & troops is in a stir I am yours truly Tuesday Night 8 Pm Mac you may have this as a keep sake & all other such letters as this Mac I am in fine helth good spirits nice humor & full of love for you & the children Mac with this I send my best love to you & Alice & George Mac Direct to M A Hooker Co A 87th Ills Mtd Inft Cavel Forses West Miss & while you think me here you may say at the right hand loure corner Mouth white R Ark dont forget to make your 87th plain so it wil not look like 80 or 81 I get my leters beter than some do your Mac Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

[written sideways across the top of the letter] I am going to write a political letter next time yours Mac Mouth of White River Ark Oct the 6th 1864 My Dearest Elizabeth I received yours of 27 of Sept 1864 yesterday it made a quick trip being mailed the 29 of Sept John Clarke got one the sametime & he said it was quick anough for a letter & said that if he was to get one any quicker he would let it alone a day or two befour he broke it open I would love to get one as soon as you get don writing it if posable yours of the 27 was a good letter you said that you had bought a hog from John Mann I have just got thru building a new house for winter some are expecting to stay here all winter you sea that I cant write the cause is that I have bin at work hard the last day or two building me a shanty I drawed some new clothes yesterday a new cavelry jacket & a new wolen blanket & pare socks I have on hand 2 blankets 2 pare of pants 4 shirts pare boots 2 pare of drawers 2 hats 2 pare of socks plenty for the winter & I have my last winter over coat you may sell that coat at home if you want to I told you to once befour but I never herd that you did. I have just washt my neck & put on a wolen shirt & it scraches me so I dont like knit shirts much til I get used to them Mart Mann says they are lik a new wife they want to keep to close to a felow there is only 6 men in No 1 now Lee Gosudge has gon up White river to Blacksmith for the two Companys that is up thare the Regt is in 3 parts now & I do not care if they never get them to gether any more I received a letter from M J Ashby yesterday and he told me that old onkle Peter Ashby was dead he died some time ago of consumption it was sad news to me when I read it the tears came in my eye to think of the old man pasing from this world to I hope a beter one he was a good old man & served the Lord long & earnest he suported the ministry & don many good things & furnishd 3 sons for the defense of his cuntry we wil say pease go with him & may the Lord bles the bereafed family think for a moment thares your Father onkle Peter Ashby onkle Henry all gon & soon onkle Jesey wil pass off realy we hate to here of thoes old veterans passing off gut one thing sirtain all have to die Lizzie I am mity harty & galey & in good spirits yet my mind is often drawed on serious things look at the widow & orphans made by this war how solum = but this subject I must quit for I am not doing my duty on it & some time when I get a good chance I wil give it calm consideration & now as I have let you sorter ease down on the political question I must tel you who I am for & I think when I write you the next leter you wil go with me you know that I was a McLelans man at first but I cant swallow the Chicago Convention to save my life & the plat form wont go in my mouth atall I would as soon undertake to swalow a cows head horns & all as the Chicago Convention & the platforms is moulting to a soldier & I am fighting the same kind of men that made it The Chicago Convention was the best republican cuter I ever sean it cut thousands & thousands evry day since it met 6 months ago there was only 3 Lincoln men in Co A now there is 25 I speak of this as a fact not for any man to Lectioneer on for no person should make a big blow about any thing for I have learnd that the least said is the easiest mended since I have been in this war. War is abroad in our land & we should not be so radical & all secret lodges & partyism is ruines to our Contry thare is plenty of good men going for McLelan & plenty of good men going for Abe & Andy I dont recon tho that we wil come home to vote I here no talk of it now the vice president runing under McLelan said that he thankt his god that he never voted for a Dollar to pay me for exposing my self in the Army nor for a man to help me to fight & put down this rebelion Can I suport him know I will not go no such thing I am a war man all over & never for peace til we can get an onerble peace Can I go for a man that evry victory goes against him that our grate Army atcheaves Know God for bid can I be for a man that whoes frends said that inspite of the Captur of Atlanta they would elect McLelan Know Can I vot for a man that if the rebel Army over here was to come here & whip us or kill all of us would make in his favor & help to elect him Know but thank God we must go for the man that is for us & does all he can to help us if our Army gains a victory it is a Deth blow to McLelan if the Rebel Army gains a victory over us it makes in his favor the Army is ruling the Nation do you not know that if I had it in my power I would hang Valanying Powel of Ky Fernando Wood & a few other trators who is suporting Mac you say for me to vote for McLelan do you think that I would fight one way & vote rit the other how curius think how I would look going arm in arm the the pols to vote with a man that calls me or Lincoln hierland Nigar freer Abolitionist & all this sort of thing but what is the use of me talking so you may know that I am no rebel simpathizer remember two that I am for Abe & Andy Johnson of Tenn but I am more for the war than any thing else & if I had no family I would reinlist the first chance dont talk of peace until all rebels is put in prison or cut off from our land as they so justly deserve I do not want a man to call me a Lincoln hierland after me doing all that I have don thinking two that I was doing my duty & now it is don I will suport it rite or rong & the first man that curses me for being a soldier had beter pick out his place to die for I am pade to kill trators & I would rather kill a copperhead any day as a rebel soldier I am not tierd of the serious nor dont espect to be I am your truly Mac Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

White River Lang Ark October the 1st /64 My Dearest Lizzie For fear you should claim the prize of sending me the first October letter I shal write you one to night not but what I hope that yours of Oct may be lucky anough to be toren open first the day is peasant anough tho rite mudy as resent rains has made it so we had quite a storm on the night of the 29 Aug & yesterday it raned all day tho nearly clear to day yours of the 19th & 20th of Aug came to hand day befour yesterday a good letter & I do not know whether it is worth while for me to tel you how I love to get a letter from you or not but let me ventur to say Oh how charming is evry sentance or every word I took the litle scrip that you wrote last & the letter that Alice sended to me & put them in my pocket book for keep sakes. I am sory that you have to buy all your meat next year & may advice is not to buy any for a long time that is put it off til late as a change for the beter is likely as gold is falling all the time & to my opinion bacon will be as cheap next sumor as pork is now & I would prefer buying my meat as I neaded it I think it best & you will not be so apt to looze any weight I would recomend an other cow but they are so hie & then you have not feed for them dont let speculators make you think that if you do not lay in your meat early that you will starve for its not likely atall I recon you think that I can write all sorts of letters since you received the last I was rather sober that evening & I shal not apologise any in this for I think you wil charge it all to my sober & canded reflections of home & the exigences of the times. you must let all them sows run awhile any how as I wish a start of Hogs or we are brok up sirtain this year is the worst of all I knew that at first & you wil have a harder time of geting along as all of my labor has been exhausted & you are thrown on your owen resorses with the litle earnings that I send home there is big talk now of going home to vote as to the election you may say is it so I reply that I do not know some say that Generl Denis says that 75000 troops is going home & Col Crebs says that we are going but some how I do not think so I would love to have a short resess & visit home & loved ones but would not this be a grate blunder rite now while we have the Rebelions by the throat I think so but I am willing if Onkle Abe thinks he can spare us I shal Aquess = John Clarke is on picket to night he give me a chew of tabacco to day & said that a Lady in Illinois sent it to him & then he said that he had the best wife in Ills (that was a big asersion was it not) I chewed the leaf a litle then I spit ( then fumbling in my pocket as if fealing for something) then said that I didnot beleav a word of it & he nead not tel me so tho I had to acnoleg the chew of tobacco good & changed the subject to something else as I dident wish to quarl I was out at Arkansas river to day with a scout & Mart Mann & me stade back & did not come in with the scout & hunted muscasdine & grapes & soforth after we got anough we took out our revolver & had a shooting match at a tree I beat him a litle if you had one bin close you would have thought that we was fighting a litle batle there was no danger of rebels or we would not have bin out thare 6 milds from camp shooting at a tree we do prity much as we please here we never have any role call or drill nothing but picket the two Cos up White river got in a litle fight the other day & I supose you have herd eare this of the fight at Morganza we lost 35 kild wounded & taken prisners of the 87 Ills vols our two Cos up White river come off best in there litle fight they kild one Lieutenant & taken 7 prisners our loss one man wounded if I get scatering in my thought you may charge it to me wanting tobacco so bad as I have non now & when I want a chew I cant hardly set still I will get me some in the morning I am nearly barefooted I signed for a pare of boots at Morganza & they have not come yet tel ant Hulda that I will have to have my letter printed for her to read & she may read that letter in the central that I sent you the other day as it is as much to her as any body I will send you some muscadine sead in the next leter for you to plant I would send then in this but it is to big to send any thing in plant them by an old stump in a warm place they are sorter like a grape vine now Lizzie I must close by saying to you to write soon I am well & harty yours truly Mac Mac I have promisst & have thought that I would write on the suject of the Bloomer dress I have no nice Ilustrations to send I wish I had as also the speaches of some smart ladies & gentleman two on the subject showing how much helthear it is than the dress now worn of nowadays by ladies the weight being suspended from the sholders tharefour making it much helther as the weight would as is be hung from the waste & of corse has to be tied as lased tight enough to hold up the dress the dress is not only much helther but would be a check to the many percular deseases of Ladies that is so prevalent in our Contry the dress is much warmer much easeer to travel in & much more adapted to a ladys repeeted steps over the house or yard than the old clownish garb worn nowadays by thoes who should have if posable a preferance at least in some things I would hail the day that this fashion would be adopted by our Feminon Companions thare is of corse some objections for one that of Ladie puting on the briches but as they have to act any way now I think it no more than there right & if we never regain them any more we can congatulate our selves a litle on the down fall of the 15 yards sistem & rejoice a litle over the thoughts of not quite so much cloth theas hard times so saying I am yours truly Mac to Lizzie this pictur that I send is not very good tho it is the best I have & wil do for you to look at Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

White River Landing Ark. Sept the 20th 1864 My Dear Elizabeth yours of August the 24 came to hand this morning it found me well & harty I was on picket last night & this morning when I came in thare was two letters for me one from you & one from B F Ashby Atlanta Georgia Ben was well as also all the boys that was thare at that time your litle wee letter was short sweet of but few words but full of Love & simpathy the suposition that I wont become sad & weary so far from home & frends is with out suport as I am not accustomd to eather but the oil that is required to make a weak lamp burn will not hurt a strong light so send on your soothing compliments & thare is no danger of doing other harm than to make me want to sea you worse & Love you beter I was on post last evening & thare was a Lady as rather two Ladies come to the line or post & said that 3 soldiers had come to there house & taken the last litle calf that they had & that they was coming on with it they was scared & I felt sory for them the soldiers soon come up with the calvs & I took the calvs from them & give them back to the women & told them to take them back home & I took the 3 men in to the Generl & he took them & put them under gard & so I gess that they will pay for taken a calf yet I allways have protected & defended the Ladies & children & I intend to do it still I have never taken any thing from them & I wil sufer befour I wil do so my mother & sisters & Companions was Ladies & I must not make war on such as them & if the Enemy ever goes to my home I hope that they wil treat my family with due respect we are doing nothing here only picket duty how long as when we wil leave here I am not able to tel thare is some talk of us going back to Morganza La I hope so (it is to cold here) you must be sirtain to have 5 or 6 acres of wheat sowed this fall & I hope to be thare to thrash it any how I said that yours of 24 found me well but I must call some of that back as I have bin unwell for a weak I taken a bad cold & makes me feal very bad The nights here are very damp & cold & does not agree with a Louisianan much Samuel Richardson Oscar McGhee & Martin Mann is gon over the river on a scout in the state of Missippi Peter Leak Rathbone & my self makes up mess No 1 now & Rathbone is sick we have a black boy to cook for us his name is Jo Martin Mann has bin rejected in domestic circulse but let me tel you that there is but few such felows I mean as good natured felows I can shure you of that two for I have bin with him long anough to tel that some of Hamilton girls who spite him wil hardly do beter I luk on him as being an exilant yong man some folks who are secret enemy of the Contry say that the Army will demoralize a man & make him unfit for society but let me tel you that rite in the Army is the place to get the rite kind of men whole souled felows who are not faint harted chicken harted & all this sort of thing in the Army I say there is the place to get deep men thare is the place to find deep Love not shalow musharoomer stuff that pases off with the first month of a mared life. Talk to a soldier who perhaps a few days ago scrambled over the dead as dying & fought thru fier & smoke & never trimbled talk to him & you find a kind voice pleasing look unblemished continence he talks freely speaks properly tho canded & firm if required he laughs meryly oftain have I been pleased at the mery laugh of the soldier talk to him more closely ( if he is yong which is genrly the case) ask him of his family if any if not talk of his mother or sisters & you find his hart soft & very excesible yes his talk is tender & the large tear that coms to his eys now starts down his cheek & thare you have a soldier that fears not the roar of the canon clash of arms or cryes of wounded men I say who fears nun of theas you sea him wipe away a tear & find him weeping not that I am perticular oposed to any who has not come in to the Army but I do say that when they say that thoes men that goes in never wil be fit for civil society any more they state false yes as false as satan him self give me the man that is not afeard to take his gun leave home & fight for the princaples which he advocates give me the man that is not afeard to stand in the hous of perel & fight for his contry & not stay at home & try to excuse there cowardice by saying this is an unholy war & they acted smart in not coming out let a man ever tel me that I was not sharp anough to keep out and I say that I come out Know never My time is now roling on & wil soon be out & I must say that not that I feard the Laws of the Land or of being made come know I knew beter but it was a good pretext & I come because I felt it my duty so to do & I done it thru patriotic fealings I feal like I am doing a good work I am in a good cause defending the homes of thoes that say I am hobeld in this war & that I get kild & so & so I am defending the homes of thoes felows that say I am in an unholy war as well as my owen if we did not stand gun in hand here at the front your homes would be burned & all distroid stil you all say how prevoking this war is & we must have peace on rebel terms Shame shame shame shame shame shame M A Hooker Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

White River Landing Ark. Sept 14th 1864 My Dear Elizabeth I am well & harty to day hoping that this may find you & all the family enjoying good helth I received yours of sept the 4th this morning & it was a good letter two I was sory to here of my litle girl being sick I hope she is well betime you sea this I received a letter from Eliza to day she writes well & talks lik she was going to get along if she kept her helth. I do not recon that the hot wether will hurt much up thare I mailed a letter to you last evening it is a political one & it is more than I have said on politics in 6 months & it is the last for me I tak the central advocate ( a religious paper & I have turnd my atention to religious pursuits & writing on such subjects & if you had this paper probly you woud sea some of my articles as a new beginer the central is a buly paper & it does me good to read the soldiers letters of diferent Regts & infact all the reading is so good that I can pass off my time beter reading it than any of the papers I was imused to read your political news & I laught out rite when you suspected that I would call you a copperhead Caling pepal hard names is not my practice our company is nearly all for McLeland thare is a few Republicans & both parties claims me & I do not claim any party I do not know that I wil be aloud to vote as not if so I do not know that I would vote atall and I beleave as you seam warme in the cause you may have my vote & do as you like & as I do not feal much interested I shal not say any more on the subject thare is big talk now in the 87" that we are going home to vote whether that would do any good or not I am not prepared to say but mabe as we are laboring for the rizing generation ( and have our work nearly don two ) it is time they was coming on to enjoy the blood bought tresure I was on picket last night & it came to my time to go out at 9 & stay til eleven at night I got on my horse at 9 P.M. & rode something like 200 yards down to the bank of White river whare I found a man seting on his horse I rode up to him & asked him if he had sean anything & he said nothing but a dog he then left me & I comenst thinking & thinking about bears & panthers & wildcats & coons & oposoms & you know that I was always afeard of varments My horse would look & snort & this aded to my teror I thought of this and that & tother & of the time that I would cover up my head when a henn would squall & if something had squalled close to me I would have shot the first thing that I could sea biger than a niger baby I then brot a long sigh & wonderd whare I was then I thought that I was in Arkansas then I thought of injins (indians) then I stratend up my bridel & wonderd if I was a soldier or what then I came to my self & found that my horse only wanted to be relieved he has not got as much pations as I have for as soon as he got out thare he wanted to be releived by now he come more calm & I thought that thare was not half so much danger of varments as I first anticipated I then got down & seated my self on a stick of cordwood that lay close by lokt down lokt up at the brit moon that seamed to take a delight in vanishing the darkness that would prevale in her absence I then lokt to my horse & he was standing still & then I lokt at my revolver & gun & sean that I was well armed should a coon come that way but all was silent & then I noticed to sea if I was all rite & I found that I was enjoying the seans around me well & realy I felt happy then I fel into a deep study about the past & the prospects of the futur & the beautiful thoughts of (when this civil war is over) was passing thru my mind when a man come to releave me & roused me from my slumbers then mounting my horse & as I rode to the post I thought that Arkansaw (Arkansas) was not such a bad plase after all then I lade down & slept well til morning I felt well when I roze with exception of a few pimples made by musquitoes during the night M A Hooker I can not tel you whether we are coming home or not I doubt considerble yet thare is strong talk of us going & I shal not say that we are not coming for fear we do = I was a litle diverted at you teling of your lamp & how prity it was & then you know it costs nothing that was the best of it steamboats Boats run regular now from St Louis to New Orleans also up Whit river this place is nothing but a lilte Negro town containing about 100 acres of open land planted in coton for the Goverment but the troops campt in the coton feald & spoiled all of it it had just begun to open with its white heads it was befour being cut & piled as hie as my head on a horse = some of it is standing yet but not much that is one time the goverment made a raid on its self. two of Co A 87 fel out the other day while talking on politics & resulting in one geting two cuts on the head & sholder the two was S L Loven & A. C. Johnson the later geting the wounds two companys has not come yet thare being no room when we came so they have not ariven yet Give my respects to all enquiring frends & save all my Love for your self I am yours M A Hooker Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

White River Landing Ark. Sept the 8th 1864 My Dear Elizabeth I calmly seat myself to night under my newly fixed up litle tent with my paper on a litle cracker box & with a candle britly burning clerly at my side as if to assist me all in its power to write you a letter I shal not give you any pertickulars of our trip to night prefuring to leave that for future imployment tho I wil say that after 4 days on the steamer we arived here safe at this plase whare we have been imploid to day fixing up tents our camp is a few hundred yards below the mouth of White River & about 500 milds above Morganza thare is afew Negros living here but it is mostly woods as a thicket & swampy we get a mail to day & of late date showing that our letters wil come much quicker here than at Morganza I can not tel you how long we wil stay here thare is no rebels close here it is not more than 30 or 40 milds up to Helena Ark. this leaves me well & harty hoping to here from you soon John Clark was sick coming up but he tels me to day that he is geting well again I will write you a long letter as soon as I have time or chance So I close by subscribing my self your truly M A Hooker [reverse] M A Hooker Co A 87 Ills Mtd Inft Cavl Forses White River Landg Ark Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

On Board The Steamer "Nebraska" On the father of grate waters between Natchez & Morganza. this morning the 4 day of sept finds me well we struck camp yesterday evening at 4 o clk & went on borde & this morning at 5 o clk the fleet started consisting of 9 or 10 steamers into the river our horses are all well cared for & I have got a good place to sleep but our rations are short as our mess did not bring enough of meat or rather we put it in a box with our cooking utensils & the box is on another boat so we shall have to do or act catholic a few days til we draw anyhow & that is 3 days Good by to old Morganza oh how I love the plase we stade thare longer than any other plase except Shawnee & many scouts have I taken and many pickets have I stood & I am beter acquainted around thare than I am at home as regards the contry as to the pepal of corse I do not know them by name yet I am acquainted with a good many of them I supose we are going to the mouth of the White River about 500 milds up the river I do not know exactly whare it is tho it is between Vicksburg & Memphis somewhere I expect we will go from thare to Little Rock Ark but that is gess work & all I can say now is that we are geting along up the river tolerble fast now I do not know where I will mail this tho til we stop I hope you will be composed & if we should go on an expedition towards Texas you must retain all your hopes still for the dangers of a soldier is as grate one plase as an other & now we are looking to be fierd in to & a man could be kild just as easy here as in Texas I beleave an expedition will go to Swervesport this fall but whether we will go or not is not for me to say but I thinks we will You may expect "stiring news from Ark" shortly Hurrah for Canby this time So now I close hoping to have good luck this fall & hoping that this may find you all well I shall write when I get off the boat You may direct to me as before only omitting the Brig as the 3rd Brig is torn up M A Hooker Co A 87 Ill Mtd Inft Cavelry Division Dept of Gulf I am yours truly M A Hooker Co A 87 Ill Vol written on bord the steamer Nebraska sept the 4th 1864 to Elizabeth Jane Hooker [separate sheet in the original] Still on board the steamer Nebraska youngs point sept the 6th 1864 wel Lizzie we are stil travling up the river we stopt a while at Natchez but shoved out at 8 o clk & run all night & all day yesterday & got to Vicksburg at 4 P.M. thare we stopt for the night & we was aloud to go ashore for a while to limber or joints alitle Vicksburg is the same old ruged place & aperd to be in a dull state what a change in the last twelve months when thousands on thousands of troops crowded this place when we left 14 months ago the roar of the canon was constant now all is stil as deth how solum but stop here we are passing youngs point whare we not to camp the place is desolate nothing going on now to disturb the sleeping thousands of our dead that is departed thare yes some of Co A is bured out thare in the bank of this maks us think how scaterd are the few dead of Co A 87 Ils some at Willsons Hill New orleans Vicksburg & Jackson & here at this place Memphis and other places these are serious thoughts to yor corespondent I supose we are to stop at white river 200 milds futher up we have now past around the bend & Vicksburg is no more I hope to vs during this war while I write we are runing like all fog the boys are all scaterd over the boat Captain Anderson is laying beside me reading in a news paper & cursing the copper heads of Ohio & other Notes = I supose he wil go home when we stop again I like the Captain well anough as he always treats me lik a Gentleman & when a man that has a much power over me as he has treats me kindly I respect him for it You will be puzeld to read this so I close for to day hoping to have a good days run up & safe trip Your truly Mack __________________ Captain Anderson is John Turrentine Anderson, Captain of Company A, his lieutenant was Warner Pleasant Anderson, his younger brother. Their pictures are on Carol's Web site Yesterdays of Hamilton County. Captain Andersons father and wife died while he was in Louisianna and his young son was being cared for by his wife's family. Warner was not married at the time of the war. Warner's son Chester would marry McAllisters daughter Amy and thus is how these letters passed to me. I do not have all of them some of the early ones have been scattered among family members Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

Kent, does this book have anything about a James Johnson who m. Maryann Lydia Chrisel? Neva ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kent & Deborah Johnson" <kentndeb@onemain.com> To: <ILHAMILT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 9:39 AM Subject: [ILHAMILT-L] re: Mary Rose Johnson > Judy: > > According to Early Johnson's of Hamilton County, Illinois by Rev. William James Dupree (Dec, 2000), Mary Rose JOHNSON was the daughter of Robert JOHNSON and Martha Elizabeth (Betsy) LEWIS. She was the 9th of 13 children to this couple (William Wilson JOHNSON, the 7th of those 13, was my 3x great grandfather). > > The book has considerable information on Mary Rose's parents, as well as her family. It also references a Page family history that is apparently available. If you would like, reply directly and I can provide more information and direct you to the source of my information. Early Johnson's is 676 pages, and has been extremely helpful to me in my ancestry work (being a JOHNSON and all). > > Kent Johnson > kentndeb@onemain.com > > <<<<<Seeking any info on Mary Rose JOHNSON, b. Hamilton Co. IL 13 Apr 1826 and > d. in Hamilton Co. IL 25 Mar 1868. She was m. to James PAGE on 7 Nov 1844 in > Hamilton Co. IL. After her death, her family moved to Pulaski Co. MO. They > had 10 children. > > Believe she connects to my line of JOHNSON. Would like any info on > parents/siblings. Very interested in her father's name. Any help > appreciated. Will exc info. > > Thank you, Judy in TX>>>>> > > > ==== ILHAMILT Mailing List ==== > Listowner, Michael L. Hebert mailto:mhebert.usgw@charter.net > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Visit Carol Yarbrough's Yesterdays in Hamilton County, Illinois at: > http://www.carolyar.com/Illinois/HamiltonCounty.htm >

September 4th, 1864, the Regiment embarked on the steamer Ohio Belle for White River Island. Here it remained until January, 1865-three companies having been detached for duty at St. Charles, Ark. In January, 1865, the Regiment moved to Helena, Ark., where it remained doing scouting service until mustered out June 16th, 1865, and ordered to Springfield, Illinois, where it arrived June 24, 1865. The regiment was paid off, and disbanded at Camp Butler, July 2, 1865." Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

[heading omited to avoid confusion] My Dear Elizabeth Jane Hooker I hasten to drop you a few lines in answer to yours of august the 13 received a day or two ago & had just writen one & did not immeaditly write I headed this letter for sept thinking that probly I would not write til next month but to day I thought that I would write to you we have orders to take good care of the horses for the next two weeks for we are to start on a march the Col. commanding says that we will start in two weaks some place & you ought to here the boys conjecture & profacy for as usal you sea no one knows whare or when some say to Alabamy some say to Mobeal some say to Virginia & to Tenn & to Ark some say to make a rade to New Iberia or Appalouses La. but it all does not amount to any thing but I forgot to say that the most of the talk is that we are going to Southern Illinois to stop the Coperheads from rizing & killing the union pepal some of the boys says that the Generl said that he was going to send us thare & asked the Major if he could comand us at home & the Major said that he could march us rite thrue our owen yards & we would not leave the ranks now says you I wonder if they (the 87") will come home to fight & as I belong to the Regt mabe I can answer that question beter than a man at home I will say I hardly think so not no how about 12 months the 87" is coming home not sooner I do not think I received a letter from Susan L Ashby the other the other day she tels me that she is going to be mared soon to I do not know who all was well thare & all of them is beging for my photograph they say that they have forgot how I look I could tel them that I (look out of my eys ) my opinion is that we will not go from this place or from the river to stay any length of time we may go on a rade & return but not to any other portion of the Army tho we may it is not imposable yet I think it is not proble if you sea Davey Groves tel him that I think that hanging him brot him to a sence of his duty I hope spirituly & I think temperly & now the old proverb all is well that ends well we had one of the largest ranes that I have sean in La night before last & it thretend to capsize my litle house oh how it pored down my tent shelterd me tho & after it quit I got up to sea how the wether lookt & when I got off my bunk it was knee deep in water I slunged around a litle & got back to my nest satisfide to stay til morning at least it made me think of the night that you likd to drounded & I could not help laughing to think what a soldier you would make let me tel you a funey circumstance the other night I went to turn over about midnight & down caim my litle bunk curthrash & I thought in a moment of the night at slat[?] and so near equality I sorter leveld it alitle & then lay down tickeld at thoughts & more than ever convinst that to turn over is sufisiant to thro down a bed or to be near proper a bunk not withstanding a man will be accused rongfuly when to my sirten noleg his is inocent Mart Mann has got my botel of ink & I am using this blue ink in plase From what I can learn it will be in the winter befour I can draw any more money tel Enoch to read the story of (western yarn) & then laugh rit big for me tel George to look at the long necked man tel me how he like them (returnd) Kiss all the children for me & remember me for I am sirtanly yours obediantly until deth M A Hooker Co A 87 Ills Mid Inft My Papers white My ink is blue my love to you is very true Mac to Lizie adress to M A Hooker Co A 87 Ills Vol Mtd Inft Cavel Forses Dept of Gulf the 3rd Brig is broke up thare is no Brig now it must be Cavel Forses or Cav Div Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

Morganza, Louisiana August the 23rd/64 My Dearest Elizabeth once more I am permited to drop you a few lines in answer to yours of Aug the 4th which came to hand yesterday you said that you had just received 2 letters from me & one a love letter some times when I feal like writing I can write beter & I beleave you can two for some times your letters have a mery tone while at others they have a fretful aperance & I presume that I am subject to the same defects yours of the 4th had a lovly aperance & realy it is a sweet letter & deserves more prase than I can be abel to give it now owing to inabilitys I have nothing interesting to communicate to you to day more than comon things I have not binout eaven as far as the picket line for 2 weaks being on other duty in place of picket to day I was at the boat landing unloading a boat load of hay as that is 10 days forage for our horses I did not have to work more than two hours tho one of my eys hurts to day it is a litle sore a bug flew in it when I was going to water my horse & made it soar my horse is as fat as a buter ball & he looks nice sometimes when I get on him he kicks & rares up with me & makes out lik he feals his oats ( beter off than I am ) Twelve months from the 13th day of this month we are to be musterd out of servis of the No 1 John Clark has come up here talking about going home to vote for president bare footed & with one gallis[?] & I told him to get to his quaters & not talk to me about going home to vote he is as talky as ever I do not think that the 87th is going to veterans much we are all anksious to be free once more thare is no talk of leaving here soon I would not move that fence in much for George Michel crowds the monky thare any how to much tel Bety if she taks that land that I want 10 acres of it leaving her 40 acres & she may live in the house as long as it lasts I wil pay my equal part all payments I received a letter from George Carey the other day thare is about 15000 troops here & they are stoping all steamboats coming down the river now & that looks like an expidition was on foot probely to Mobeal I do not think tho that we will go if thare is for they have to keep some cavelry here & there is not much here now Col Crebs has bin detaild from us he is at N. Orleans on duty thare at the camp of instruction some think that we are going to the city as to Natchez but shaw this plase is good anough for me = I am well & harty hoping that this may find you well & now my Honey I have no more to tel you only for you to remember me & you must do by the farm as you think best or proper I am aware that my complyments are of a cold natur but it is for the want of words to express my feelings & not but what my fealings are of the depest kind I would eaven trust my life in you hands beleaving that you would preserve it Lizzie your charge is heavy this year & you must bare up under it with soldierly fortitude & ever remember to do your duty at all haserds let cuts go as they will & now good by I am yours truly the gurilers thought that Davey Groves was dead but he come to life again as I learnd to day from pater they went in Ashlysburg & took 3000 dollars worth of goods good good good good I wish they had taken old hare & hung him I am yours truly til deth M A Hooker to Elizzie Jane Hooker M A Hooker Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

Morganza La. August the 6th/64 My Dear Elizabeth yours of the 15th of July is at hand last mail hurah 2 letters for me one from Elvirah Ashby She said her & litle Mack was well & was looking for Jo home evry day he was wounded in the thie at the late fight before Atlanta slitly he is abel to walk abut she said that the gurillers had hung Davey Groves ( such as that maks my hart fluter ) I am sirtain to fight them every chance you say that you are atempted to scold me a litle for not writing not a weak passes now a days with out me writing 2 or 3 letters & in a comon way I write 2 to where I get one tel Martha that it is as much as I can do to get as confiscate as much milk & buter as I can eat when I am out the donation that Eliza speaks of I do not understand did I write home any thing about it let me know - again Frank Moris is mistaken about me geting it in your letter about the corn another letter lade off on our sholders Frank & me is pertickular frends his head was fused tho & I think juging from Shawneetown occurances that he lacks a litle in the uper story which his father must take in conciderations I shal write Mr Moris a letter asking him to forgive you of a sin that you did not commit [written upside down across the top of the page] Frank Moris is going to rectify that mistake he says it was not in my letter [continuing with the main letter] you grumbel a goodeal about your writing & you are looking for me to scold you for your scribling I can give you a remedy for your bad writing not with standing I can read your letters but if you want to write nice & prity & not make K's in the plase of H's & in fact learn to be a thrue person you must practis more for practis makes perfect & then in the plase of you listening to here of me grumbling for geting to many letter you will receive may harty thanks for your many kind letters letters are in good demand now down south I never sean a soldier get half as many as he wanted so send on your letter & you shal receive in return a soldiers complaments The talk of an atack has died out & all is quiet again = I am in beter helth than common the wether is mild (that is reasonable but) river low no news of importance = our duty is not so hard now & what is not on picket is lazly laying around camp last night we had a litle gust of wind but no rain & Morganza is a dusty & dry plase watermellons & ice & other nurishments is plenty my horse is as fat & slick as a mole & he is the pritest litle horse you ever sean his name is ball he knows me from any person else tel George to learn fast & you must all do the best you can & try and be agreable til I get home do not talk to much & try & get along without neighberhood quarls remember me give my love to bety & Eliza Martha Mack Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

Morganza La August the 2nd/64 to day thrue some neglect I have not mailed your letter and I shall write some more the wether is warm nothing of importance is going on only on thing that maks us feal interesting pains run thrue our bows that is some sick men are geting furlows Martin Daley & George Smith is got furlows to go home as will get them well it is true that sick men gets to sea the best time & I supose they ought for if I was sick I think that I would love to go home & as it is I would love to go but I am thankful that I have good helth & I shal bare all that is put me with fortitude I would love to go home but it is out of the question & so it is no use to talk A man can play off & take medison & pretend to be sick til he will injure his helth on that he may get a discharge as sick furlow but I beleav I pre fur staying in good helth rather than have the name of playing off & pretending to be sick not that I acuse any person of it yet I know more than I am wiling to tel so you nead not look for me to come home on a furlow unless I realy get sick I would rather go hom at the end of my time knowing that I have don my duty as a soldier than to have tens of thousands of discharges or furlows I remain yours truly til deth remember me yours truly til deth remember me Morganza Louisiana Yours truly M A Hooker to Elisabeth Jane Hooker Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

August the 1st/64 you must do the best you can & try to get along as best you can til I get home our regt has not had any chance to reinlist yet & the talk is that we are not going to get the chance & some of the boys dont like it as they expected to get to go home soon on a furlow troops has bin coming in here for a weak or more & it look like a move of some sort is on foot I understand that the rebels was leaving atchafalaya I hope so I am your must rept til deth we make our own buiscust now we have bacon & beans = write longer & beter not but what I can read it but in order that you may improve Mack Monday August the 1st/64 Morganza Louisiana 1864 My dear Elizabeth to day is lonsum & all is still & warm this morning finds me well as also I hope that this leter may find you well as also all the family thare is nothing going on in camp & the wether is warm & dry the boys in camp is laying round some are reading yesterdays paper some are writing some are talking some are gon on picket some are gon on fating[?] duty yesterday was sunday but we only know it by heresay as by counting as the the day is never disignated by a change of buisnez some times of a sunday we scout or work all day & on monday do nothing but lay around since I rite the above I was caled on to garde one of our boys while he dug up a stump for not going on picket this morning some of the boys cuts up mitty when they have to do somthing that they do not like to do but I find that the best way to do is to just go on & say nothing hoping that the day will com some day that we will not have a master I have a pain in my head to day & do not feal like writing as much as usial the mail come in to day & thare was nothing for me & now do not consider that my letter is a emblem of my love for you for it a much difers from it that thare is no comparison I hope tho soon to get a long & sweet letter from you & the children Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723

Hi, If you are planning a trip to Hamilton County this spring or summer save this web page to check the weather forecast before you go. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/forecasts/ILZ082.php?warnzone=ilz082&warncounty=ilc065

There are a bunch of Hurley's in Greene County Tennessee. Are you related to these Hurley's? I believe Tilman is a common name there. Theresa Kingsley

IL Public Land Sales says a Tilman Hurley purchased land in Sangamon County: HURLEY TILMAN FD W2NE 26 15N 06W 3 80.00 1.25 100.00 MALE 02/14/1831 SANGAMON 068 093 SANGAMON IL Statewide Marrriage Index says he was in Randolph County in 1844: HURLEY, TILLMAN SHREUSBERRY, ELIZABETH RANDOLPH 06/06/1844 Sharlene Meyer wrote: > I am searching for any information on Tilman HURLEY, b. before 1815 and married Jane Ann COONS on July 29, 1840. I have been unable to find any trace of him/them after the 1840 census. > > Does anyone know anything about the HURLEY family? I have looked in surrounding counties, but nothing. I thought some of you great researcher had come across the name at some point. > > As always, thank you for your help. > > Sharlene > > ==== ILHAMILT Mailing List ==== > Listowner, Michael L. Hebert mailto:mhebert.usgw@charter.net > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Visit Carol Yarbrough's Yesterdays in Hamilton County, Illinois at: > http://www.carolyar.com/Illinois/HamiltonCounty.htm

Judy: According to Early Johnson's of Hamilton County, Illinois by Rev. William James Dupree (Dec, 2000), Mary Rose JOHNSON was the daughter of Robert JOHNSON and Martha Elizabeth (Betsy) LEWIS. She was the 9th of 13 children to this couple (William Wilson JOHNSON, the 7th of those 13, was my 3x great grandfather). The book has considerable information on Mary Rose's parents, as well as her family. It also references a Page family history that is apparently available. If you would like, reply directly and I can provide more information and direct you to the source of my information. Early Johnson's is 676 pages, and has been extremely helpful to me in my ancestry work (being a JOHNSON and all). Kent Johnson kentndeb@onemain.com <<<<<Seeking any info on Mary Rose JOHNSON, b. Hamilton Co. IL 13 Apr 1826 and d. in Hamilton Co. IL 25 Mar 1868. She was m. to James PAGE on 7 Nov 1844 in Hamilton Co. IL. After her death, her family moved to Pulaski Co. MO. They had 10 children. Believe she connects to my line of JOHNSON. Would like any info on parents/siblings. Very interested in her father's name. Any help appreciated. Will exc info. Thank you, Judy in TX>>>>>

I am searching for any information on Tilman HURLEY, b. before 1815 and married Jane Ann COONS on July 29, 1840. I have been unable to find any trace of him/them after the 1840 census. Does anyone know anything about the HURLEY family? I have looked in surrounding counties, but nothing. I thought some of you great researcher had come across the name at some point. As always, thank you for your help. Sharlene

"Descendants of Robert Page and Rachel Brockman" states that Mary Ann Johnson was the daughter of Robert Johnson and Elizabeth Lewis. Hannah Isabelle Johnson, sister to Mary Ann, married Hosea Brockman Page, brother to James Nelson Page. James Nelson Page, Hosea Brockman Page and Silas Mercer Page (brothers and sons of Robert Page Jr and Elizabeth Smith) migrated to Pulaski County, MO. I am descended from the eldest brother, Sanford Rhodes Page, who remained in Hamilton County, IL. JMJE36@aol.com wrote: > Seeking any info on Mary Rose JOHNSON, b. Hamilton Co. IL 13 Apr 1826 and > d. in Hamilton Co. IL 25 Mar 1868. She was m. to James PAGE on 7 Nov 1844 in > Hamilton Co. IL. After her death, her family moved to Pulaski Co. MO. They > had 10 children. > > Believe she connects to my line of JOHNSON. Would like any info on > parents/siblings. Very interested in her father's name. Any help > appreciated. Will exc info. > > Thank you, Judy in TX > > ==== ILHAMILT Mailing List ==== > Listowner, Michael L. Hebert mailto:mhebert.usgw@charter.net > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Visit Misty Flannigan's Hamilton County, Illinois Genealogy Resource Page at: > http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5807/