Many of our family have left us a legacy of personal writings (Bible entries, diaries, letters, memoirs), which help us to visualize their daily lifes. We have attempted to collect as many of these letters as possible. By strolling downward, you may slowly linger over each one or quickly jump to a particuliar group - click on category below. Have a letter to post, please e-mail Freida Wells or myself, Ann Brown.

1. 1861 - September 30, Dee's Letter to his parents
2. 1861 - December 3, Dee's Letter to his parents
3. 1861 - December 6, Dee's Letter to his sister
4. 1862 - April 23, Dee's Letter to his brother

September 30, 1861 - Dee's Letter to his parents

Background of Letter

Randy writes:

This is not the first letter DeWitt wrote while in the Confederate Army, but the earliest that was saved. Jacksboro is in Campell County on the Kentucky line in what would be considered to be the Western edge of East Tennessee.

Probably being his first duty station, he is bored with caring for the sick in the rear.

The original letter is located in folder 13 of the Homer Pittard Collection at Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro.

 (upside-down at the top of the page)

    Dont Write until you Here from me 
soon I Remain as Eve yo Son D.S.J
 
  Jacksborough
                        Spt the 30/61

Dear Father

    ti is Sunday Evening 
I Have nothing to do I Will Write 
A few lines I am in Jacksborgh 
yet I Have ben left Her to Wats on the 
Sick our Reg left Here three Weeks 
Ago for Cumbeland Gap they 
Have ben in A fight at 
Barbrville Ky there Was 250 yankes 
and in Ambushoud and fird on 
our men Wich Was 600 in number 
there Was but two Company of our Regt 
Present Cap Rucker & Cap Rice 
there Was two Company from Every 
Regt and two Comp of Calvry We lost 
one man Kille two Wounde Fin & 
Powels of Clo Coming Regt Was Kill
not one of our Regt Was hurt 
learnd this morning that our Rgt Was 
maching to take Som Sault Works 

in KY I don't know when I can 
get with them again 


    I Have no news to Write Except 
I am Well Tell Ma I Weigh 155 bls and 
bathing Every day I Haven't Ben sick cince 
I left Hom Pa I expect you can Send 
me some Clothes if you Will Send 
them up to College grove Mr Hall 
tells me That the Ladis Was Makig 
Clothes for our Companey I Would 
like to Have A pair of Pants and 
vest & Socks Mr Hall Has ben up Here 
two Weeks He came up to Cary His Son Home 
Who Has ben very sick but is Well 
Enuf to go Home Pa the Cothes Will 
be put in Care of Commons and Sent 
to us I Expect I will Start to the 
Regt in Six or Eight days Pa I Would 
like to Know What Has becm of Ben I
Go A letter from Him and He and He Scoldd
me for not Writing I had Writand to Him 
and Have Written to Him cince but Have 
not Heard from Him yet you Need 
not Expect to Hear from me often 
you may Cuncider me Well
my love to all my sister & Muther  

D. S. Job


 

December 3, 1861 - Dee's Letter to his parents

Background of Letter

Randy writes:

This was by far one of the toughest transcripts I've ever done.

DeWitt probably only attended 3-4 years of school and spelled phonetically. His handwriting is weak, never closing the tops of his "a" or "g". Misuse of capital letters and no punctuation is common in this period.

Also note the envelope. His rank is "Corp". All known records have him as Private.

The original letter is located in folder 13 of the Homer Pittard Collection at Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro.

   Cumberlan River near Montcillo

   Dec 3th /61

Dear Pa,

    I Have a chance 
of Sending a letter I Will Write 
a fiew lines I Would Have Written 
befor now but We Have been marching 
Ever cincn I went befor Pa I am 
Asham to write So maney letter I hav 
got any chng cant get arne Here
we can send our letters by Puttig our 
Names on them We have been fighting 
fur two days abofe the river onley 
With Cannon but our Rifle Commons Was
two much fur them the fell
Back there Was no Body Hurt on our 
Side theer Guns Was two short for us 
We are nine miles from Where the fireing 
Was done I think We Will Cross the 
River in a fieu days and atcetk the 
Enemy their force is unknown to me
We Have a Regt & 3 Bartaliun of Cavelry & 1 Battery 
of Artliry of 8 guns the Wether is very 
could it Snowed all Sediday and it very 

Cold tdye Tell Ma to send 
my coat if She can I want fur her 
to send it by Sam Weekley but I 
dont think She Sewd it send me 
Some Draws & Shirts I have no idea wher 
We Will tak Winte quarte if anney 
I am so cold I cant Writ I am very Well 
no Sickness in cap 


    Writ Soon you son


     D S Job


PS

    Dirct yu letter to Knoxvill
    t be forwd to the 20 Regt TV

 

December 6, 1861 - Dee's Letter to his sister

Background of Letter

Randy writes:

DeWitt is writing from Mill Springs in Wayne County. In just over a month, he will be captured during a battle there on Jan. 19. It is also called Fishing Creek and Logan's Crossroads.

(Dewitt was short on stationary, he also wrote on the back of the envelope he received from his sister.)

This Confederate loss opened up Tennessee to Union occupation. The Rebs were using Flintlocks that wouldn't fire in the cold rain that morning.

The original letter is located in folder 13 of the Homer Pittard Collection at Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro.

            Mill Springs
                  Wain Co KY
                  Dec the 6/61

Dear Sister

    I Reseved your letter 
yestiddy I Was very glad Hear 
you are all well I Havent 
Heard A Word from home 
in two  mounths I thought 
you Had conclude not 
to Write anney more 
Sister Kate you can Cut 
my coat in the militar Stile 
and fraction larger than the 
one I Have on if you Have the 
Patterne if not Cut it A frock 
or anney thing you Pleas 

Pleas send any clothe as quick 
as you can Tell Pa I am A 
thousan time oblige to Him fur 
the Kindsness He Has offered me 
I won't need anney thing 
Put two Side Pockets in on coat 
an some Goos quils in one of them 
 
(sideways up the left side of the page)
and Pins and Needls in the other and a long letter 
in another
  

We are corssing the River
to day the Enemy is on the other 
side ten miles from us a big fight 
in A fiew days I do not Know ther 
number it is thought Six or Eigh 
thousan We have About that numbr 
We have 2 thousan Cavelry our 
Pickets took 8 Prisner yestidy one 
wagon one Captain one Private
they neve fired a Shot at our men
We Will Whup out the yanKees and tak 
Witer quarter on the River 
I got A letter from Ben this Week 
He dont Know anney thing About 
Soldiers life He dont never go tow or 
three days with nothing to Eat but 
Beef and irsh potatoes and that without 
sault I was Braging on my dinner to 
Him He told me Wat He had for dinne 
it Was better than I Ever Expect to 
see

    My love to all the family
    Pleas send my Clothes as soon 
    as you can

        I Remain as Ever yor Brother

                     D S Job

December the 7th/61


    Sister one word 
more I have no Paper 
to Write on Every 
thing We have is in the 
Wagons I write this to 
tell you to send me 
a Small towele and 
a Hankerchief if you 
can convently I Have
to Wip on H 

(I Have to Wip on H was scribbled out)

Pleas send mee Sum 
Goos quils We Hill 

Have A fight to day or 
to morrow

you Brother

   DSJ

December 6, 1861 - Dee's Letter to his brother

Background of Letter

Randy writes:

Dewitt has been a prisoner of war for 3 months and writes to his brother Benjamin Avant Jobe who is home on sick leave from the 18th TN Inf. CSA.

Note how DeWitt speaks of Confederate money not being any good.

The original letter is located in folder 13 of the Homer Pittard Collection at Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro.

    Camp Chase Ohio

            April the 23th/62

    Dear Brother

                        I saw Mr
Wood the other day I Was surprise to Here 
you Were at Home I learned from 
Cap. Butler th you Were in Bad Health 
I Hope you Will not Remin so long 
I feel Thankful that I can say that 
I am very Well Cap Butler 
is at Sanduski I Was very glad 
t see Mr Wood & Hear from Hom it 
th onley Tim I Have Heard from Home 
He offered me as much Money as 
I Wanted but it Was Tenne money it 
is 50 Persent dicount I didnot take it 
I Would like t Have some Money 
if you can Send it Convinley I Have 
no news to Writ Ben tell Ma 
that I am doing very Well We have very 
Cormfortable quarts My Respects 
t my friend Pleas Write soon direct your 
letters t Camp Chase Ohio Prison 3 Room 49 
to a Prisoner of War    

 yur Brother   

D. S. Jobe