CIVIL WAR LETTER - 42nd Ohio Infantry - Uses Spy Glass to View Rebel Artillery !

Description

CIVIL WAR LETTER
CIVIL WAR SOLDIER LETTER - Soldier in 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI).
This Civil War soldier letter was written by Jasper Stansbury Ross (1841-1923), who first served as First Sergeant of Co. A,
42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry
(OVI). Ross served in this capacity until mid-1862 when he was offered a commission as 2nd Lieutenant of the company. He later (May 1863) rose in rank to be its Captain and Adjutant for the regiment. He mustered out of the regiment on 30 September 1864 after three years service.
Jasper was the youngest child of Samuel Iverson Ross (1810-1890) and Margaret Stansbury (1812-1843) of Carroll county, Ohio. After the war (1867), Jasper returned to Ohio to teach at his alma mater—the coeducational Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (later Hiram College), then married Mary Louise Buss (1849-1929), and became a clergyman of the Disciples’ or Christian Church.
A late-war tintype of Jasper Stansbury Ross wearing civilian clothes.
At the time Jasper attended the Western Reserve, just prior to the Civil War, James A Garfield was serving as the Institute’s second President. Readers will recall that Garfield left his position to assume command of the 42nd OVI in which Jasper served.
I have searched the internet for other Civil War letters by Lt. Jasper S. Ross but have only found references to a couple of pieces written by Ross that were included in a 1912 publication entitled, “
Continuation of historical sketches of the campaigns of the 42nd OVI from Vicksburg to the close of the war
,” housed at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus. Ross’ two pieces pertained to the Battle of Champion’s Hill and the Battle at Black River Bridge, both penned during the Vicksburg Campaign.
[Header image is some of the boys of Co. A, 42nd OVI. Courtesy of Hiram College Archives]
The 42nd OVI departed Camp Chase in mid-December 1861 and proceeded to Catlettsburg, Kentucky, arriving there on December 17. They quickly advanced with McLaughlin’s Squadron of Ohio cavalry and with the 14th Kentucky to Green Creek, Kentucky. On December 31, 1861, the entire Union force moved towards Paintville, Kentucky, occupying this community on January 8, 1862. On the following day, Colonel James A. Garfield led 1,100 infantrymen, including the entire 42nd, and six hundred cavalrymen in pursuit of retreating enemy forces. On that evening, the Northerners briefly engaged the enemy, driving the Southerners from Abbott’s Hill. On January 10, 1862, the Union command continued the pursuit and engaged the Confederates at Middle Creek, three miles from Prestonburg, Kentucky. Despite being outnumbered more than two-to-one, Garfield ordered his men to attack the center and the Confederate right, prompting the enemy to withdraw from the field after a prolonged fight. On the following day, the Northerners occupied Prestonburg, before returning to Paintville. On February 1, 1862, the 42nd OVI boarded boats and sailed up the Big Sandy River to Pikeville, Kentucky, where his letter was written.
Transcription
Camp Bones
May 29th 1862
Friday Morning 10.5 o’clock
Dear Brother Enoch,
I have thrown off my neck-tie (the same one you handed me from Pap’s show-case) and unbuttoned my shirt collar, and opened my shirt bosom in order to feel a little cooler, and set me down to write you a letter, which I do with pleasure. But notwithstanding the heat, I am sending forth the cooling volumes of tobacco smoke, and the gentle breeze that is moving carries it right over my shoulder out of the tent. The morning is bright and very warm, just such a day as we often see in wheat harvest at home.
Since I wrote to Pap and mother on last Sunday, we have moved our tent up onto the hillside further than it was and cut a level place for it. From the company tents up to our tent is a very steep bank, in which we have cut steps, and at the foot of this bank is a stream. There is a woods all around us except right in front, as you go down the bank and a little space to the left.
I am well and enjoying my soldier calling. We have four hours drill each day. I drill the company—two of them, and sometimes the whole four.
I was up on a hill about a mile and a half from here a few days ago from which, with a spy-glass, you can see the Gap. I saw the tents, their breastworks, and even the embrasures in which their guns rest—that is, their cannon.
I received a letter from Mary Ellen on last Tuesday night and you may tell her that I will answer it soon. Well! Enoch, I suppose from several accounts I have had of your lyceums that they are really good ones, well attended, and well conducted. I should like very much to pass an evening in th hall to see the performance, see how deep it is, see how much talent the society has got. Have you discussed any yet? I suppose hardly. You have not practiced writing essays and declaiming quite long enough yet. But Sir, Labor Omnia Vincet—Labor conquers all things. This Latin maxim is a noble and a true one. Live by it, Enoch, and think of it everyday. Play heartily and with a good free spirit. Never think of your studies when you play for your hours of play are sacred to heath. Be gay. Be jovial. But when you come to study, do it with a zeal and an earnestness. Remember Sir, that when you have seen a few more years, you will be Mr. Ross [and] the world will call you a young man. I mean in the extended sense of the word for no difference how ignorant or degraded one is at the age of eighteen or nineteen, he is called a young man.
Now Enoch, it is for you to say whether you will be a young man that the best of the other young men around you will be glad to see, glad to be seen with you, glad at times to have your advice, your opinion. It is for you to say whether they next four or five years shall make you a young man that old men will be glad to see if you absent for a time, or they are; a young man that they will willingly talk with an hour, and not try to get away from all the time; a young man that those who have gained something of an education ay not turn away from as ignorant and of no account, but a young man honored wherever he is known. And being known for this every year, and his influence increasing. This kind of a young man you may be. And oh! how I do want you to be such. But I must speak of another thing.
I have just passed over the four or five years on which you are now starting. I know something that it may do you good to know. Along between the age of fourteen and eighteen and nineteen, and later still, some young men think in order to keep up their respect in the circle in which they associate, they must be dashing, they must not appear to care for anything, they must take a dram occasionally, they must get off a full oath once in awhile, the must show their spunk and offer to fight (perhaps some noble young fellow who will not condescend until he is forced to) or they will sit in their circle and now and then tell a low, fowl, blackguard story. Now Enoch, the young man who thinks he is gaining or holding friends by this conduct is deceivedl he is sadly, deplorably deceived.
He is losing hold on every good and worthy friend he has every time he engages in one of these things. The honorable folks of a community think less of him everytime they see him or hear him do anything of the sort. And he thinks less of himself. Now watch over your conduct, act nobly, speak nobly, think nobly. Now think of this Enoch and while you grow strong mentally, grow also in many, upright spirit.
Now I must close for this time. You will excuse me giving you advise but I thought a few words from your soldier brother might help you some—not that you have failed in anything but for fear you might.
Evenig 8 o’clock
Well! Enoch, dinner and supper are over and two hours drill. The evening has come and the bugle has sounded tattoo, and the boys in the tents below are singing some tune together.
I rather expect a letter from you tonight when the mail comes which will be about one hour from now. I am detailed as Lieut. of the picket guard tomorrow, to be out twenty-four hours. Well! I will close and send this tomorrow. Give my love to all. Kiss Etna and Flora, Write soon and regularly.
Your brother as ever, — Jasper
P. S. There is some expectation of our being attacked tonight. If we are not attacked, I will not add anything more. If we are, I hope I may tell you something about it.
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