Note: Charlie’s letters get pretty infrequent for the rest of the year, so they’ll be posted in the near future instead of on the appropriate days. In this missive, we learn of the regiment’s strength as campaigning begins, an interesting packing list, and fish habits near rebel prisons. I haven’t had any luck with the locations that he mentions as yet, they should be somewhere near his home in Connecticut.

Murfreesboro, May 31st, 1863

Dear Parents,

I have been waiting to hear from you the last week but not a word, not a line, not a syllable has come from you. And I should perhaps have thought you all had got Conscripted if I had not got a letter from Julia today with the news that you were still in Status quo (There’s latin for you). I don’t wonder at not hearing from Johnson if he is as near gone as Julia represents, for she gives a woeful account of his doings with the gals, and from her writing I judge he will soon be labeled as “Benedict the married man.” Well poor fellow I pity him. I suppose he does nothing but sit in the moonlight and dream of his simmatora, his board must prove a good speculation for you, if he lives on moonlight and poetry after the fashion of young fellows in love. If you haven’t plenty of moonlight down there, send your patient down here to pasture. The moon is shining almost as bright as day now, and almost makes me ready to fall in love, the only obstacle is, the absence of any fair being to waste my affections and romance upon, —

I expect to start (I speak for the army) I expect to start on a campaign to-morrow and the Lord only knows when it will be terminated, you need not be frightened if you don’t hear from me for the next two weeks, as I shall not have a chance to write while out on the war path. The men are only allowed to take a change of under-clothes with them, and so I shall have no letter stock along. If we get back safe however, and I have no doubt of it but we shall, you may expect to hear of something to our advantage; The fourth cavalry is only three hundred strong in the field but every man is in the Davy Crockett style, and they will do something if they get a chance.

Our regiment is as well known in the southern army , as the old sand peddler who used to drive an ox was to the denizens of Woodbury, Cat-swamp and Weekeepeemee. I have not had the satisfaction of painting my sword with southern blood yet, onlys a pig which I transfixed at franklin was a southern, so I am a little anxious to get into a fight.

I had an awful pain in my right shoulder last night, but the Doctor painted it with iodine (my shoulder, not the pain he painted) and now it’s among the things that were. The Doctor said ‘twas a sort of wet rheumatism brought on by the rain of the last two days. He has however “warranted me for one year without repairing.” I am sorry to leave this camp and yet I am glad to go, sorry because I leave all the nice mulberries and strawberries behind, glad because the flies will a good share of them be left with the berries, and besides I want to see more of the country. I have no desire of pushing my researches quite as far as one of our Regiment did who got back to us today. He was taken prisoner last December and has been in the Confed’s prisons since. He tells pretty much the same story as all returned men about times in Dixie. He says while confined at Jackson they managed to procure a fish hook and line, and commenced to indulge in visions of fries, roasts, and stews, to accrue from their labors in the pisctory profession, but on trial found the fish would not bite; the evidently smelled the Yankee, and kept shy. I have to make up for the sleep lost last night by the shoulder and as its after Tattoo

Goodbye
My love to all
Charles E. Bates

Johnson may have use for some poetry in his wooing allow me to recommend the following to his notice

The Devil thought to injure me
By cutting down my apple tree
But he did not injure me at all
For I had apples all the fall

Note: the battle of “Verd Creek” that Bates refers to appears to be the April 10th battle of Franklin or Harpeth River. The regiment captured Freeman’s Battery, which was subsequently recaptured by Forrest’s cavalry. They lost five men killed and 18 wounded in the engagement. The regiment’s sergeant major killed the battery commander in the capture of the guns, which was the source of subsequent animosity the regiment and Forrest’s command.

I found Bates’ observations on the differing miltary legality of “foraging” in Virginia and Tennessee interesting as well.

Murfreesboro Tenn April 16th/ 63

Dear Parents,

Though it is some time since I have written to you I shall not try to excuse myself — “You know too well the story of our thralldom; We are slaves.” For nearly two weeks I have not had time to swap jack-knives even if I wanted to do it. The company has been in a pretty sharp fight since I wrote the account of our advance to Snow Hill, and we have distinguished ourselves as the complimentary order of Capt McIntyre says – “To the list of your brilliant actions you have added the name of Verd Creek, a name which will be brightest among the many.” I suppose you have read in the papers before this of the affair and I can give you no particulars for I was like Bob Acres at the battle of the Nile, — “There all the while, off about seven mile” but the firing was very rapid, and lots of prisoners were taken, lots of hats lost in the charge, and I am very sorry to say, lots of lives lost in the regiment.

We had plenty of poultry, pigs and sheep on the last trip, and the soldiers here are allowed to confiscate anything which appears disloyal or dangerous. A pig if he shows any disposition to bite, is summarily punished, and chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and such, have to take the oath, or die!! I say the soldiers are allowed to confiscate but must qualify the assertion, in this regiment, and indeed throughout the western army the officers instead of watching the men to catch them Jayhawking, turn their heads and let the men go in. The result is Virginia where the men have not been allowed to take an ear of corn without being court-martialed is secesh to the backbone, while Tennessee is rapidly getting union. I thought when on furlough that the fighting was about all done, but have changed my mind. Before long there will be one of the greatest battles of the war between Murfreesboro and Nashville, or I am mistaken. I have no doubt but Rosencrans will win but twill be a long pull, and a strong pull.

The order of the night is for every body to be ready to start at a moments warning and perhaps we shall be “off for the wars” before morning. I am so used to getting up o’nights now that I don’t mind it much and would as soon start for Chatanooga now as eat my supper. And as for fighting, the Regiment is so used to that I believe they would cut a mans head off as cool as cut a ration of beef. General Rosencrans is imitating the policy of McClellan in digging and ditching, and wherever there is room for a fort or ditch in this neighborhood, one is built or in course of building. The men all like him but I don’t, for this reason he has a Priest with his staff, to say mass night and morning. At least the boys all say so, and what every body says must be true.

I want you to send me some postage stamps for none are out here. I am going with the company the next time it goes to the front and shall perhaps have something interesting to write. All the prisoners taken at the Snow Hill scout were retaken by guerillas while on the road to Nashville, mine among the rest, I shant try to take any more if they cant be kept after the taking. Give my love to all for I have not time to particularize.
I remain affectionately
Charles E. Bates

Note: This is the last of Bates’ letters from the Eastern Theater, and the last for the month of February 1863. It appears that young master Bates will be a bit busy for the next week or so with the move, given his new position.

Port Tobacco Md
(Undated)

Dear Parents,

I was just thinking of the remarkable and interesting Widow Bedett and her “Kant Kalkulate” stanzas, this morning’s sun rose on as here at home and with no thought of leaving for the summer, but to-morrow’s will find us on our way to Tennessee to join the army of General Rosecrans. I have only a few minutes to spare in writing but it is quite sufficient to give you all the news in it amounts to this.

1st an order from General Halleck came in this morning directing us to go to Genl Hookers Headquarters and turn our horses and equipments over to the Quartermaster there, and then proceed with as little delay as possible to the Army of the West there to join the rest of the regiment now serving with Genl Rosecrans, we start from here at six oclock tomorrow. And if nothing but good luck overtakes us we shall be in the field with the remainder of our boys in a week.

We caught Captain Harris, the man who burnt up the Island belle of our navy and then deserted to join the secesh; he had a sort of curiosity to see his old home I suppose, and came over from the land of cotton to make a visit. Upon his person was found a pass signed by a General in the Southern army at Richmond, giving his rank as private in the rebels, he was arrested by a Sergeant of ours today.

I am acting as Commissary Sergeant today and probably shall remain in office while we are on our trip to Tenn.

My time is run out so good bye, my love to all.
Affectionately
Charles E. Bates

Note: In which we find out that Charlie’s managed to get in trouble again, although not exactly why yet.

Camp near Richmond
June 13th 1862
Dear Parents,

Two Sundays have passed and the third has arrived since I last wrote to you. I have received two from Johnson within that time, one of them I got yesterday, the other over a week ago, but I have been in durance vile (underlined) since the first of the month until last Friday so I had no chance to write before. I suppose you were anxiously looking for letters every day, and thought I had been put out of the way by some evil minded rebel, or else had forgotten you, but accidents will happen, and I was the victim to the extent of fourteen days confinement. I was consoled in my captivity by a visit from Ammi Hull. What ever change may have come over the rest of creation, he is the same old-fashioned Ammi. We had a long talk about old times and new times.

One remarkable effect of my confinement was a change of mind. I have determined not to reenlist until I try citizens life for a while. I have been trying to imagine how I could go home next September but have not hit on a plan yet. Perhaps I might get a furlough, but it is only perhaps, yet.

You need not keep that money for me. I sent it home for you to use and I want you to do it. I shall have as much as I want to when I am discharged, all I want to do is just to send enough money home to pay my board and lodging for a few weeks when I come home and a little to spare if I have it.

I wonder if the weather is as hot down your way now as it is here now. I feel like taking off my flesh and sitting in my bones in the shade to keep cool, I don’t see how the soldiers manage to work on the fortifications this day for it is just about boiling hot.

The Officers are getting better now. Instead of putting a guard on the secesh cherry trees and strawberries, they let us eat all we want, bully for them. The rebels are sure of whipping us here but our boys are just as sure they won’t, and I think the same. It will be some time before the trial comes if the secesh don’t attack us first.

I have been having a sort of day-dream about home, trying to think how everything will appear when I see it, but can’t form any idea. I can remember how it was the last time I was at home but there has been changes since. It is nearly seven years, one third of my life almost. I think if I could go up to Herds Hill after berries, and through the fields by spruce bank and down there awhile, it would do me a thousand dollars worth of good. If I don’t come home till January, Mother must have lots of apple sauce made for me.

I have to stop writing now but shall write again in two or three days so
Goodbye
Charles E. Bates

I received the postage stamps. I also send you home more money, use it.
Charles E. Bates