A Letter From Florence, Alabama
Title
A Letter From Florence, Alabama
Subject
William muses that if he could receive a furlough he would simply not return to the Army, because military service is like slavery, and because does not believe the North can defeat the South.
Creator
William Standard
Source
William M. Standard Papers
Publisher
Atlanta History Center
Date
October 30, 1863
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Digitized Manuscript
Identifier
October 30, 1863 letter from Florence, Alabama
Coverage
American Civil War, 1861-1865
Text
Florence Alabama Friday 30th October 1863
We reached here last night and camped west part of the city. I was nearly tired to death, not being very well. It was hard work with me to march. We marched 17 miles yesterday. Many gave out by the wayside. It rained here last night and it is cloudy here this morning.
Well Jane while I was at Iuka I made an application to the doctor for a discharge. He consulted with the head medical director and they told me there is no chance to be discharged at this time. But the doctor gave me some encouragement that I can get out as soon as we get settled for winter quarters. I gave as a reason that I had served my country for a year, and I had lost my health in that time and having a broken shoulder before I entered the army, thereby rendering me unable to carry my gun and cartridge box so as to disable me for the service any longer. The doctor said my reasons were a good one, but that it was not a good time to make an application for a discharge. Enough of that.
Well Jane this is a splendid nice country down here. We passed by some of the nicest country that I ever seen, and this is a nice town, about as large as Canton. I want you to find out where your old aunt lives down here in Alabama and let me know where they live, and what all their names are. I may meet with some of them. I would be glad to see some one of your folks down here. We can’t be very far from them. Your mother told me where they live but I have forgotten.
October 31st 63 Mustered for pay today. Strained hard.
You said in one of your letters that you was glad that I had come to the conclusion not to desert. Well Jane I don’t know what to do but one thing I do know[:] if I was at home on furlough they would never get me again if I could raise means enough to get off with. I do not say this to dishearten you. I would rather be banished from my native country than to be ruled over by a set of tyrants that never had anything until they got into the army and got a little office. I don’t believe that we can ever conquer the South, and therefore I don’t want to fight them. I intend to get home in some way between this and next spring, certain that I am bound to do anything. Even death at home is preferable to slavery here in the army, where a man has no chance to redress his wrong abuses.
Nov. 1 63 I am not very well today but am going about. Am still on duty, but if I don’t feel better tomorrow will have to go to the doctor to be excused from duty so as to not have to work making fortifications.
Well Jane there has been several deaths in the regiment[,] among whom was Benjamin Gardner, Uncle Ben you know they called him. He died at Memphis since we left there of inflammation of the bowels.
We reached here last night and camped west part of the city. I was nearly tired to death, not being very well. It was hard work with me to march. We marched 17 miles yesterday. Many gave out by the wayside. It rained here last night and it is cloudy here this morning.
Well Jane while I was at Iuka I made an application to the doctor for a discharge. He consulted with the head medical director and they told me there is no chance to be discharged at this time. But the doctor gave me some encouragement that I can get out as soon as we get settled for winter quarters. I gave as a reason that I had served my country for a year, and I had lost my health in that time and having a broken shoulder before I entered the army, thereby rendering me unable to carry my gun and cartridge box so as to disable me for the service any longer. The doctor said my reasons were a good one, but that it was not a good time to make an application for a discharge. Enough of that.
Well Jane this is a splendid nice country down here. We passed by some of the nicest country that I ever seen, and this is a nice town, about as large as Canton. I want you to find out where your old aunt lives down here in Alabama and let me know where they live, and what all their names are. I may meet with some of them. I would be glad to see some one of your folks down here. We can’t be very far from them. Your mother told me where they live but I have forgotten.
October 31st 63 Mustered for pay today. Strained hard.
You said in one of your letters that you was glad that I had come to the conclusion not to desert. Well Jane I don’t know what to do but one thing I do know[:] if I was at home on furlough they would never get me again if I could raise means enough to get off with. I do not say this to dishearten you. I would rather be banished from my native country than to be ruled over by a set of tyrants that never had anything until they got into the army and got a little office. I don’t believe that we can ever conquer the South, and therefore I don’t want to fight them. I intend to get home in some way between this and next spring, certain that I am bound to do anything. Even death at home is preferable to slavery here in the army, where a man has no chance to redress his wrong abuses.
Nov. 1 63 I am not very well today but am going about. Am still on duty, but if I don’t feel better tomorrow will have to go to the doctor to be excused from duty so as to not have to work making fortifications.
Well Jane there has been several deaths in the regiment[,] among whom was Benjamin Gardner, Uncle Ben you know they called him. He died at Memphis since we left there of inflammation of the bowels.
Files
Collection
Citation
William Standard, “A Letter From Florence, Alabama,” A Yankee Soldier's Struggle With The Union Cause , accessed May 18, 2024, https://timroberts.org/civwarletters/items/show/5.