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Civil War Letters of Robert Bowlin


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I thought I would post some of my GGGrandfather's letters he wrote during the war. In transcribing Robert's letters, I have retained all the mis-spellings and lack of punctuation. However, for clarity and ease of reading, I have added interjections and sentence breaks.

 

First, some background...

 

Robert Bowlin (Bowland) was born in Hocking County, Ohio, on February 10, 1839, the third of sixteen children of William and Elizabeth Bowlin. Robert and his younger brother David were the only sons of age to go off to war. Sometime before the start of the war Robert and family moved to Perry County, and like so many in this part of the state, he made a living farming. There, he married Catherine Allen, the oldest daughter of John and Mary Allen. Robert and Catherine had been wed not quite five months when Robert enlisted in August 1862. To leave his young bride to serve his country was perhaps the most difficult decision he ever had to make. He had joined up for three years, and with the way the war was going for the North, he knew he could very well be away this long, if he was to come back at all.

 

Fortunately, several of Robert's letters written during the war have been preserved. Although many others have long since been lost, enough of his words survive to allow one to understand how he felt about such matters as family, friends, and country. Concerns of home are expressed in each writing. Ironically, as the war progresses and Robert experiences more and more of its ugliness, he grows more determined to see it to an end, even if it costs him his life. Robert's sense of patriotism also leads him to have words with his father.

 

 

On July 2, 1862, President Lincoln called for 300,000 three-year volunteers. The war had been going poorly for the North and it was evident that the conflict would not be won in a few weeks or a few months as first thought. It will be another month before Robert enlists but he writes to his brother David of the inevitable. Few young men from the county would avoid service. David enlisted in December 1861, in what became Company K of the 58th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Eight months later, Robert would find himself a member of Company G of the 114th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

 

July the 12th 1862

 

Dear brother

I take this opportunity of informing you that I am well at this present time and also the rest of the folks in general and we hope that when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you all in good spirits/ I have not rote you for Some time/ I thought that I would wright a few lines to you/ I have bin away for three weeks and have Just got home and have now Sit down for the purpose of writing to you/ I have cradeled 12 days at $1.50 per day/ I now Sit down again for the purpose of finish my letter/ I did not get finish my letter on last Sabbath for we heard that you had gone to verginia {Virginia} and did not know where to wright too and I got a letter from you yesterday eavening and I have Sit down this morning to finish it/ I have nothing of any greate importance to wright about

 

Weltys got a letter from you and one from John and Samuel got one from you yesterday/ David I would like to See you But in view of the prospect of this present crisis I am low to believe that you will not get home very Soon/ Dr Thomas is trying to raise another Company annd they have commenced Drafting and it is alltogether likely that we will all be in the service before long/ Tobias Rickey cut off your wheate and him and me was moing {mowing} there

 

Your folks is all well and the folks in general/ we are all pretty near done harvesting/ David i have nothing much to wright about and I am in a hurrah {hurry} for Thomas is going to Bremen and he is about ready to go and I want to Send this letter with him/ I will do better next time

 

R. Bowlin to Mr D. Bowlin

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When Robert penned this letter he had just completed eight weeks of drilling at Camp Marietta, Ohio. During this time he received news of his brother David who had become deathly ill while in camp. David had been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, for forty days, suffering from chronic diarrhea and typhoid fever. Although he was supposedly improving it was decided he should be sent home to recover. On November 19, he was issued a medical discharge. Simon Poling was a neighbor of the Bowlins in Perry County and had a number of sons in Company K of the 58th OVI. Jacob and Elijah Poling were both given medical discharges at the end of the year. This letter indicates that Simon traveled to St. Louis to bring home his sick sons, along with David Bowlin.

 

Camp Marietta Washington Co ohio

November the 18th AD/62

 

Dear father I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at this present time hoping that these few lines comes to hand that they may find you all injoying good health/ I was sick for about a week but I have got a bout well/ it has bin very disagreeable in camp at this time/ it has bin raining for a day or two/ well I could not get to go home on last Friday but I thught that I would wright you a few lines to find out whether Simon Poling got David and his own boys and if he got David I want you to wright to me and let me know how he is and if he wants me to come home and if he desires to See me/ I think I can get to go home/ I am not home Sick only to See David if he has come home and if he come home I must See him before we leave here/ I want you to wright rite of {right off} and let me know wether Simon got David and wether he is dead or a live and I would like to know how granny is getting along/ I would like to be getting a letter from you/ I have not got a letter from you Since I have bin in Camp/ Allen rote to me to See if he could get my corn/ he Says that he will not have enough of corn to do him this winter and I want to know whether you will have enough corn to do you this winter or not and if you have why let him husk it him Self what he gets annd you keep enough to pay you for husking it and if there is enough to pay Jackson Smith why pay him but I want you to keep enough to pay your self/ Allen Said something abot one of them hogs of mine bin with pig and he Said that you would take it and give me another one/ well if you want it why you can have it and give her one in the place of it/ it makes nothing if it is not as big as mine is/ tell Louis Poling that I Sent that letter of his that was at Marietta and tell him that I would like to Know who it was from/ tell Pach to rite to me and all the rest of the folks/ tell Moses Mcginnis that I am very much oblige for his letters that he wrights to me/ no more at present but remain your friend

 

R Bowlin to W Bowlin son rite

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In the ten days since his last letter home, Robert has yet to hear of David's return home. Robert is also clearly unaware that David had been discharged when he suggests that he transfer to the 114th OVI. As Robert states in the letter, the 58th OVI has been heavily reduced in number and its members are "all scattered off." By then, Company K, alone, had lost more than three dozen men. Most were casualties of Shiloh and the diseases ravaging the camps. Sadly, David died on December 2, 1862, four days after Robert wrote this letter. He left a widow and two-year-old daughter.

 

Camp Marietta Washington Co ohio

November the 28th 1862

 

Dear mother I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at this present time hoping that when these few lines come to hand that they may find you all well/ well mother this is the first time that I ever took my pen in hand to wright you a letter and I thought that I would wright you a few lines before we left Camp Marietta and it may be the last time that I will ever have the Chance to wright you a letter but I hope not/ if david come home that is one leaving and another coming home and it may be that we will never get Sight of each other again in this world but I hope that I may live to get home Safe to meet my friends again/ I would like to be there and go to old Harmony {Harmony Church} again/ tell granmother that I wish her well and would like to see her and if david has come home tell him that I would like to See him but circumstances will not permit me to See him/ tell him that I am going rite where he was {Union forces under Sherman were concentrating at Memphis in preparation for a move on Vicksburg.}/ tell him that I expect to See John Mclaughlin and A. Brown {both members of Co. K 58th OVI}/ tell him that the 58th is all Scattered off and they think that it will never be formed again and tell David if he does not get his discharge tell him to come in this regiment/ I would like to have him to come in with us/ tell M. Mcginnis that I will See John Middach/ he is Some place close where we are going

 

Now mother I have writen a bout all I can think of at this time/ i will close for the present by bidding you all goo by/ nomore but remain your Son until death

 

R Bowlin to Elizabeth Bowlin his mother

 

we leave in the morning at Seven Oclock for memphis tennessee/ we go by cincinnatti and we expect to be there two or three days/ tell Some oto come down there and See us

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When Robert writes to his father this time he does so as a soldier who has "seen the elephant." The 114th OVI participated in the disastrous campaign at Chickasaw Bayou, where it sustained three dozen casualties. The regiment was also at Arkansas Post but did not take an active part in the assault. More telling on the unit was the loss due to illness and disease suffered while at Young's Point. According to one history, the regiment lost one hundred men in a span of six weeks.

 

Youngs Point Louisiana

Feb the 3rd AD 1863

 

Dear father I again esteem the privilage of informing you that I am well at this time hoping that when these few lines Comes to hand that they may find you all enjoying good health/ well father I thought while it is raining I would wright you a few lines but it is hard to wright and never get ann answer/ I have never had a Scrach of a pen from you Since before we left Camp Marietta and I think it about time that I was getting a letter from you/ I will try it again but I Suppose you wright evry week or So for I know how it was when I was at home and David was in the Army/ he thought that we did not wright to him/ I have not had a letter from home since the 20th of Dec/ well in the first place I will try to give you a little hystory of the war and our travels Since we left Memphiss Tennessee/ we left Memphis on the 20th of Dec and Come down to vixburg and went into a fight {Chickasaw Bayou} and got a thrashing and left and went up the river into Arkansas and there we had another fight {Arkansas Post} but we did not get a thrashing/ we whiped them there and took about 7000 thousand {7,000} prisners and a lot of arms and Several big guns and now we have Come down to vixburg again and I cant tell how this will Come out but I hope that we will Come out Successfull but I tell that it is going to be a hard fight for they are well fortified/ I have bin Close enough to take a view of theire breast works and theire big guns planted in theire forts/ I have Seen the town/ it is a nice town but I have an idea that before three weeks that the town will be laid in ashes/ I was with the 58th for about 5 or six days and we went down below vixburg about 10 miles and helped to Capture a boat {steamer "Fair Play"}/ the boys in the 58th all well/ John Mclaughlin is well all but his leg that hurts him yet and the boys in this regiment {114th} is poorly/ there is about 30 men of our Company fit for duty/ this is a hard place here on the Sick/ if I get Sick I Should like to be Sent home/ I Should like to be at home now/ I would like to know how my horse is getting along/ well father I must be briefe for I have to go out on picket guard and it is a pretty hard looking time for it is raining the hardest kind/ I tell you that Soildering life is a hard life to live/ well I must Close for the present/ rite Soon as this Comes to hand/ Direct to Memphis Tennessee 114th regt Co G in care of Capt E Brown

 

Farewell Father

Robert Bowlin

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This is without a doubt the most poignant letter written by Robert. His loyalty to his country is clear, his sense of his own mortality plainly evident. Although now encamped at a "healthier" location along the Mississippi River, disease continues to thin the ranks. Five of the eleven men named in this letter will not return to the company--two will die from their illness and the others will receive medical discharges. Robert at this time is on detached service as a teamster for the division.

 

Milaghens {Milliken's} Bend Louisiana

March the 15th 1863

 

Dear father

I again imbrace this present opportunity of informaing you that I am well at present and further to let you know that your letters come to hand one dated Feb the 20th and the other one March the first/ they come to hand one on the 11th and the other on the 12th of this month and I also received Samuels letter at the Same time and one from my woman {Catherine} and one fromRebecca Thomas and you better believe that I was glad to hear from home and to learn that you was all well and enjoying yourselves/ well well father that is what a many a one in this army is not doing injoying there Selves/ well for my part I try to do the best I can/ I dont to Say feel homesick but Still give me home/ yet I just feel this way about the matter/ I think that it is my duty as well as any other one to leave home leave father and mother and Sisters and brothers and wife to go to protect our country/ I hope that the time will Soon arrive when our goverment Shall be restored and we permited to return to injoy the Society of our loved ones at home/ you Spoke about hearing from me done you good/ that is the Same way withe me/ father I have not forgotten you yet though many miles apart/ when I lay down at night on my bed to rest my mind will Steel its course back on the near ones I have left behind/ father do not trouble yourself about me/ I will try to do the best I can/ father I know one thing that if we are never permited to See each others faces again on earth that if faithful we Shall meet with David in the good world/ I am trying to live a christain {Christian} here where they are droping all around you/ what few boys there is left in the Company G is well/ there was eleven Sent off up the river four or five days ago/ I will try to tell you there names Edward Thomas Nathan Poling Daniel Stoltz Joseph Stemen Thomas Hays Thomas Park Jacob Green William Wolf Joseph Randolph Aaron Alexander Isac Fowler/ those are the ones that are gone up the river/ I cant tell where they will go/ to Some of them to their long homes {death}/ I am afraid when we Started out we had 95 men and now dead and missing and away from the company 44 men/ that is counting all living and dead that are not with the company/ I for my part are not with the company/ I am at division head quarters/ I See the boys evry day or two/ I am driving a team/ I get $20 a month {rest of letter misssing}

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Affairs at home are always of concern to Robert. Here he instructs his father to pay off a note owed on a horse and to see that his wife receives part of his pay. Robert seem particularly upset with his friend John who has married but did not inform him about it!

 

Millikens Bend Louisianna

March the22nd1863

 

I again Seat my self in order to wright you a few lines informing you that I am well at this present time and hope that these few lines may find you all well/ well father as we have bin paid off Since Charley Gray left and we have no other way to Send our money than to Send it with Philip Bastain our old Setler {sutler}/ he is going home/ he lives in Lexington/ I will Send $25.00 with him and I want you to give Catherine five dollars of the money and then you pay of {off} that colt note with the corn money and what I Send you/ we got about three and a half months pay/ well father I have nothing {to} rite about of any importance/ tell old John to take care of that guile {Giele?} woman/ Since he has got her tell him that I am not very well pleased he maid {made} a bridge over my nose getting married and not letting me know any thing about it/ I did not Slight him that way when I was married/ tell him it is all rite now with me only I want him to take good care of my woman/ now then I have writen about all I can think of at this time/ I will close by Stating to you that the boys is well at this time/ Nathan {Poling} has gone up the river and I know nothing about him/ well I must close for this time/ give my respects to all inquiring friends/ no more/ rite Soon/ farewell Father

R Bowlin

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Unfortunately, there are no letters written by Robert during the Siege of Vicksburg. This letter dates two weeks after the surrender of the city and gives no details of the fighting. Rather, Robert's interest is turned toward his mother and father and their apparent support for Clement Vallandigham who has been nominated by the "Peace Democrats" as their candidate for governor of the State of Ohio. Robert has also learned that his parents have taken in a local boy who managed to avoid the draft and is of questionable loyalty. {See the letters of August 11th and 23rd, 1863.}

 

Vicksburg Miss July the 18th 1863

 

Dear father

I Seat myself this morning in order to inform you that your Letter of the 5th come to hand yesterday eavening and I was glad to Learn that you was all well and hearty and the neighboors two/ well father I had come pretty near to the conclusion that you had forgotten me but when I read your Letter I found that you had not forgot me yet/ well father I have not forgotten you yet though many miles separate us this morning yet my my mind finds its way back to my friends at home and wander {wonder} what they are at or wander if they are thinking of me/ well father I think by the way the thing is runing now that the war will Soon come to a close/ Vicksburg and port Hudson hath fallen and we have old Johnston {Joseph E.} Surrounded at Jackson and Rosancrans {William S. Rosecrans} is Chasing brag {Braxton Bragg} and they are giving Lee {Robert E.} hark in the east/ So I think that this thing must close Soon which I hope it will/ well father Some of the butternuts have got me a Secesh {secessionist} up that way/ I tell you if I Live to get home and they call me a Secesh I would just as Serve Shoot then as a armed rebel down here for they are equaly as bad if not worse then the rebs down here/ if it was not for them pups in the northern Sympathizers this is what I mean this war would have bin over Long ago/ well father what do you think about old Valandigham being nominated for govenor of Ohio/ well I think this much about it/ If I was in the State and he was elected I would think the Sooner I would get out the better/ well father I hope that you feel yourself above voting for him/ I hope that the news will not come to Like Some other news come that your father voted for an old traitor for you cant imagine how my feeling was hurt when I read that you and mother was not altogether the true bulue {"true blue"}/ well father we get paid of again today/ we are now camped on the bank of the river in vixburg/ we have left warrenton/ well I Suppose that Mr Thomas has Some big talk while at home about wanderous {wonderous} works he passed through/ he is as near no man as they get them up/ well you Said in your Letter that you wanted me to write what my ocupation was/ well it is teaming/ I StillLlike to work with mules/ I told Jacob Heidlebaugh about mycolt and he Said that you need not brag about it/ if he was at home you would not have him Long/ well I have writen all I can think of at this time/ will close by Saying that I am well and hope that when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all well/ So nomore but Still remain your friend until death

 

R Bowlin to Wm Bowlin his father

farewell write soon

Direct to vixburg

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For those who might be wondering, the Weltys mentioned are ancestors of the poet Eudora Welty, a former resident of Jackson, Mississippi. Turns out we are distantly related. I believe it was her great aunt who married my great-grandfather's brother.

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The next letter is the only one in the collection not written by Robert to his family. Rather, it is addressed to David Powell, a local boy who has been taken in by Robert's father. Apparently, Powell has avoided service by claiming to be a cripple, something Robert does not believe. His hatred for Powell, who he alleges has been expressing Southern sympathies, cannot be mistaken. Note that this letter is heavily damaged, with parts that cannot be read. Because of the very fragile condition, I do not want to remove it from the protective sleeve in order to scan it. {See the letters of July 18th and August 23rd, 1863.}

 

Vicksburg Miss August the 11th 1863

 

well friendPowell after hearing where you was I thought that I would drop you a few lines to you/ well David The word has ..................... that you was a Southeren ..................... well ............... Soon tell you all I have to Say the word is that you Should have Said that if you was not a cripple that you would be down South a fighting against the north/ well I Say this much that if I Live too get home that if I dont Shoot there hearts out So help me god for I would rather be at home killing Such men as you and Some of your comrades than to be down here killing them that is in arms against us/ I think this war would bin over Long ago if it had not bin for Such men/ I tell you that you could Stay about my house no longer than I could raise my foot and kick you out/ I close wishing to hear from you/ tell my father that I am well

 

Robert Bowlin

to Mr David Powell

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Contrary to rumor, the 114th OVI did not embark for Mobile. The regiment spent the next three months campaigning in the southern part of Louisiana. The affair was mostly uneventful. Robert continues to express his disgust of the Southern sympathizer, David Powell, who is still living with his father. {See the letters of July 18th and August 11th, 1863.}

 

Carlton {Carrollton} Louisiana

August the23rd/63

 

Dear father

I again imbrace this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at this present time and hope that when these few Lines reaches you that they may find you injoying good health/ well father this Sabbath day finds us about four hundred miles farther apart than we was about two Sundays ago/ we are now camped in Sight of New Orleans and are going to cross the Lake {Lake Pontchartrain} in three or four days/ we are bound for Mobile and I suppose we will have Some pretty hard old fighting to do before we can occupy Mobile/ well father I have not had a Letter from you for nearly two month/ I was just thinking that Likely I had offended you when I wrote to you about the way Some people Said you was/ I did not mean to affront you/ what I wrote I wrote in good friendship/ I cant tell whether you were offended or not/ I hope not/ I would Like to get a Letter from you or Some of the family once a month any way but would rather get half a dozen/ well this is a nice place down here but a Little too far from home to Suit me/ well father company G has pretty near played out/ there is only Martin Mericle and me Left from the nighborhood and I am not with the company/ I am teaming yet/ the whether is not as hot here as it is at vicksburg/ there is a good breeze going here all the time/ I hear David Powell is at your house and I hear too that he is a rank Secesh/ it would not do for him cripple as he is to uphold Secessionism/ if I was their I would kick him higher than a kite or any other man/ if I could not do it one way I could another way for that is just what is keeping this war up is these Northern Sympathisers {he means Southern sympathizers}/ well I Suppose that the draft has taken place in ohio against {again} this time and I suppose that John Miller is one of them poor fellows/ he will have to leave Polly and pup {child}/ well I have writen all I can think of at this time/ I will have to close for the present

rite soon

 

So nomore

But Still remain your friend

R Bowlin

to William Bowlin

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More than a year's worth of letters from Robert are missing. During these months he was detached from the unit as a teamster for the division train. In late November 1863, the regiment sailed for the coast of Texas, where it remained for five months. In mid-April, 1864, the 114th was ordered back to Louisiana. Once there, it endured a summer of forced marches, raids, scouting expeditions, and skirmishing.

 

As reflected here, Robert has received the sad news that his grandmother, Eleanor Hardy Bowlin (Bowland) has passed away. She died November 3rd. Robert also makes mention of the 1864 Presidential Election in which he voted for "Uncle Abe" Lincoln. As an historical aside, in this election, Company G voted unanimously for Lincoln. Interestingly, Robert asks his father-in-law, John Allen, a native Virginian, how he feels about Lincoln! His response can only be imagined!

 

Note this letter was written the day after the regiment was consolidated with the 120th OVI. It retained the designation 114th OVI, but Old Company G became New Company F.

 

Morganza La Nov the 28th 64

 

Dear father

I Seat myself tonight for the purpose of answering yourkind and welcome Letter which come to hand this eavening and father I was glad to heare from home once more/ I had come pretty near to the conclusion that they had forgotten me at home/ father I was a thinking just about the Same way that you thought in regard to writing/ father to tell the truth I have not got a Letter from you for over three months and had written two Letters and got no answer and I thoght perhaps you did not think it worth while to write to me and I did not write very often/ I wrote a Letter along about the first of the month/ well father I was glad to heare that you was all well but poor Grany She is gone/ father it made me cry when I read over where you Said that She inquired about me and would Liked to See me/ well father you know that I would Liked to have Seen her the last Grandmother that I had on earth/ well I trust that our Loss is her eternal gaine/ well father the Regiment has Left the old Bend/ they have gone up the River way above Vicksburg {to White River, Arkansas} and the Quartermaster would not Let me go and I cant tell how Soon I will get to the Regiment/ well I am getting pretty neare tired {of} Soldiering with out any pay/ we have not bin paid for Six months and no Likely hood of getting paid either/ well father to make a Long Story Short I will close by Saying that I am well and hope that this may find you all as it Leaves me/ my Light is about out and I will have to quit/ give my respect to John A/ tell him that a Letter would come very acceptable from him/ I would Like to know what he thinks of uncle Abe/ well you begin to find out that abe is going to hold his posish {position} at all hazards/ buly {bully} for him/ I Stuck a vote in for him as Long as my arm and if I would have the privilege of casting one hundred and ninety and nine I would have Stuck them all in for him/ father I am glad to heare that I have Such a good horse/ tell me in your next Letter if old fly is on the Land amongst the Living/ tell about Lewis Poling what regiment he is in/ tell me how times is in general/ I would Like to know whether you have got your place paid for yet and how the crops is and if you raised my tobacco this Summer/ well I will have to close/ I have writen more than I thought I would for I have nothing worthy of note/ tell mother I Send my best wishes and that I would Love to See her friendly face once more/ how glad She was to See me when I went home from Marietta and I expect that She would be Still gladder if we was to meet now

Nomore but Still remain your friend

farewell father

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