CIVIL WAR LETTER - 5th Ohio Cavalry - Guerrillas in Tennessee, Battle Shiloh Etc

Description

CIVIL WAR LETTER
CIVIL WAR LETTER - Written by 5th Ohio Cavalryman!
This Civil War soldier letter was written by Andrew Boggs Drum (1842-1906), the son of Capt. Simon Henry Drum (1807-1847)—a West Pointer who was killed in the Battle of Monterey in the War with Mexico in 1847—and Elizabeth Boggs (1809-1881).
Andrew initially enlisted in the 16th Ohio Infantry but later reenlisted as a private in
Co. C, 5th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry
where he rose to the rank of sergeant.
He served “with signal bravery” in the Battle of Shiloh and “during the trying siege before Vicksburg. He mustered out with his regiment at the close of the war and returned home to Ohio where he married Julia Kershner (1849-1927) in 1874.
In the final fourteen years of his life, Andrew had the honor of serving as the Superintendent of Arlington National Military Cemetery.
Unidentified troopers of the 5th Ohio Cavalry with horses and mountain howitzer (LOC)
Transcription
Germantown, Tennessee
March 13, 1863
My Dear Aunt,
You and cousin must indeed be anxious to hear from me. Since I last wrote you I have been almost everywhere in West Tennessee & even away up to Columbus, Kentucky—nearly halfway home. I confess I am just a little bit tired of soldiering, In fact, we all are. But the thing must be did. This rebel concern will have to be done away with before we go home.
We moved down here from Moscow a few days ago. It rained nearly all day as it generally does when there is any moving to be done, & we went into camp on a low piece of ground. The mud was about a foot deep.
Soldiers find a remedy for everything. Having got our tents up, we made a splendid charge across a field a half mile in width and surrounded a fence and captured the boards to floor our tent. What do you think of that, my dear aunt? Tearing a good strong fence down to get the boards to sleep on?
We thought when we left Moscow we were going to Memphis, but that prospect has all died away. It puzzles me to know why we were sent to Moscow a short time since only to come poking back here right away, through the rain and mud. I suppose it is all for the best if it is not very pleasant. We are getting tired of this part of the country. We know it all by heart. It would be quite a pleasant change to be sent to Vicksburg or over into Texas.
Albert Lindley Lee commanded the Cavalry Brigade that included the 5th OVC at the time of this letter.
There has not been much to do lately but the fine weather is coming on now and we will be kept busy enough cleaning out the many guerrilla bands in Tennessee. The 7th Kansas and the 4th Illinois Cavalry whipped a lot of them two or three days ago. I should have liked first rate to have been along. The guerrillas are such mean rascals. We are in a Cavalry Brigade commanded by Col. [Albert Lindley] Lee. We were in hopes we should be attached to our old Fourth Division. We were in it from the Battle of Shiloh until Grant advanced down into Mississippi, but that seems to have all fallen through.
I should like to have had my horse at Uncle Joe’s corn crib yesterday. He had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours. That’s a way we cavalry have of fattening our stock. We only allow them to eat anything six months of the year. Remember me to Uncle Joe & Aunt Sophy. My health is good & I am pretty lazy. Nothing new is it? Please let Mother know when you receive this or she will be uneasy. Tell me about everything when you write.
Goodbye. With much love. Your runaway, — A. B. Dunn
TERMS
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