1862 SHILOH CIVIL WAR LETTER & ARCHIVE 12TH MICH. VOL. CAPT. TENNESSEE ARKANSAS

Description

[CIVIL WAR, BATTLE OF SHILOH, PERSONAL ARCHIVES]
On offer here is a nice
ORIGINAL PERSONAL DOCUMENT ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN CIVIL WAR CAPTAIN WILLIAM E. STEWART OF THE 12TH MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS.
Stewart's personal archive features 25+ letters and documents relating to the 12th Michigan Volunteers including a nice
1862 letter by Stewart written 5 days after the Battle of Shiloh.
Also interesting is an
1862 CONFEDERATE discharge document for a soldier from W.W. McNair's  Arkansas Mounted Riflemen
.
The 'Shiloh' letter written by Stewart to his 'friend Emma' is notable in that its written shortly after the battle had settled and he had gathered his thoughts. He was also writting a 'female for the first time on foolscap' indicating this was the young soldiers first time pouring out his feelings to a woman in a lengthy letter format.
The text of the letter reads:
Camp Prentiss Tenn. In the field
Headquarters 12
th
Regt. Mich. Inft.
1
st
Brigade Sixth Division
Army of West Tennessee
April 12, 1862
Friend Emma:
I remember that I was to write you an account of my thoughts and visions in the Western wilds. I have seen many interesting things since I saw you, and some that I can hardly call interesting. More particularly among the latter is the deadly contest that raged among the two combatant sides last Sunday and Monday. I presume you have heard before this of the (indiscernible) of Pittsburgh Landing or Corinth. I don’t know which name the Northern papers will give it. Our Regiment was in the first of it and saw what some would call lively times. Gen. Beauregard marched the flower of the Southern Army against us and had entirely the advantage of us for we were preparing to move forward to Corinth and attack them never thinking they had courage enough to attack us or we would have given them quite a different reception from what we did. It took them fourteen hours to drive our forces to the Landing, only three miles, and when we commenced the fire Monday, it was with the determination of the Union men to conquer or die, and they conquered. We drove them the three miles in less than six hours, but oh, oh Emma it was awful. You never can imagine what a Battle is, nor the sight of a battle-field. It is a mystery to me how so many of us escaped with our lives. This is about all I can say of it for a description of it would not make an interesting letter and you know I had rather write the bright side of life in these woods.
[end of first page]
We have quite a pleasant place here and lots of fun. We have been ready for a fight. Four times since we came back here Monday, I acted as Aid to the Col. Twice and liked it first rate. I had a nice little cream pony. There was a bay horse came into camp three or four days ago and I caught him and ride almost every day. Almost all of the boys are unwell, caused by change of climate, but I think they will be all right this next-week. I am with the Adjutant yet but think I shall be promoted to Order of the Co. E. for the Orderly was wounded and will probably never take the place again. I shall take it if the Colonel and Adjutant will let me.
Captain Gephart and men have just arrived. They looked first rate to us. I have heard nothing from Niles since I left but presume things move as they always did. I would like to get a good long letter this week. I think one or two more fights will end the campaign in this part of the country. We would have ended it Tuesday if our Generals had followed them up. They drove us through our camp Sunday and stole every thing except what we had on. I have seen enough of the Rebels to justify me in shooting them as fast as possible when we are with them and I am going to hit the first man that ever says a word in favor of them after I get home. I think we will be home after we have a little more fighting, though we know not when that will be. I hope soon, if ever. George is well.  I don’t know whether he has written to Jennie or not. I presume he has for he more time to write than I have.
This is rather short letter, but enough to let you know that I am well. Give my respect to Maggie Dougan, Stella Johnson, Sarah Reynolds and Jennie and all friends. You can show this to them if you wish. Write soon.
Your Friend,
Wm. E. Stewart
Direct your letter to me at Co E.  12
th
Regt Mich Inft, 1
st
Brig. 6
th
Division, Army of West Tennessee and they will follow me. Remember me to Alec and your sister, and to Emma Crocker. Make somebody write me a letter. Tell or have Alec tell Mr. Kiruplton (?)
[end of 2
nd
page]
to write me immediately if they have not already done so.  This is the first letter I ever wrote to a female friend on foolscap but I am a Soldier now and have to take things as they come. There are no stamps in camp. I offered a fellow 20 cents for four yesterday but he would not sell them so we are compelled to have our letters franked. None of the boys from Niles were killed Sunday, though all of us heard bullets whistle. Frank Hurd & Billy Williams were among those taken prisoners by the bloody Secesh; they were the only ones from Niles so far as I know. The 12
th
lost 24 killed, 79 wounded and have 109 missing. It is a mystery to me how any of us escaped. I will tell you some of the incidents if I ever see you again.
Adieu,
Ed.
A rough inventory of the archive :
-
Two & half page letter from William Stewart dated April 12, 1862 from Camp Prentiss to ‘Emma’. In this letter he tepidly relays his first feelings in his first letter to his female friend in the wake of what was the worst battle on American soil to date; the Battle of Shiloh.
-
Three-page letter from William Stewart dated August 13, 1863 from ‘Duvalls Bluff’, AR’ to ‘Emma’
-
Four-page letter from William Stewart dated June 5, 1864 from ‘Little Rock, AR’ to ‘Emma’.
-
Undated (1863 ?) four page chronology detailing his activity between July 30 to August 14. He mentions travelling by horse to both the headquarters of General Sherman and General U.S. Grant.
-
Undated 2 page narrative detailing battle events on light yellow stock paper.
-
1864 ‘Muster in Roll’ Promoting Stewart from 2
nd
Lt. of company K to 1
st
Lt. & Adjutant of same unit.
-
1865 ‘Muster in Roll’ promoting Stewart from 1
st
Lt. & Adjutant to Captain of unit. (two copies of same promotion; two substantially identical documents.) Both signed by Dwight May (later Governor of Michigan)
-
Large (18” x 23”) document dated September 1, 1865 detailing all the uniform equipment returned by
all 62 men
of Co. ‘D’ of the 12
th
Michigan Volunteers. It’s worth noting
each member of the unit has signed the document.
-
Loyalty Oath – For State of Arkansas – dated August 20, 1865  for Stewarts friend Emma, possibly humorously sent to her from him. He has written on the signature line ‘Sign it Here’.
-
‘Inventory and Inspection Report’ completed by Stewart and signed by Major Phineas Graves. Not dated, but mid 1864 – to mid 1865 as Stewart’s rank is still 1
st
Lt.
-
‘Final Statement’ for a deceased soldier dated 1865. Accompanied by a bit of pressed clover presumably from where the soldier fell.
-
‘Abstract of Articles Extended’ dated 1866 and signed by then Capt. Stewart (after he re-enlisted). For Paraclifta, Arkansas.
-
‘Inventory of Effects’ dated 1864 and signed by Captain Claflin for a ‘John Sullivan’
-
‘
Monthly return of Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage’
Dated April 1865. Signed by Capt. Henry R. Newcomb.
-
‘Monthly return of Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage’
dated March 1865.
-
‘Monthly return of Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage’ dated August 1865.
-
Flyer for the ‘UNION HOUSE’ and the Clarkston Band from June 1863 in Romeo, Michigan. (measures 6” x 8”)
-
Captain’s ‘Return’ for Captain Clafin dated December 1864.
-
Death inventory of the effects of Isaac Stevens who died at Gayoso  Hospital  in Memphis, TN January 1864.
-
Letter by Capt. Lyman Richardson (on Quarter Master’s Office – River and Rail Road Transportation letterhead)  requesting ’60 men and 4 days rations’ to help load ship ‘Leonard’. On letter verso are several other disparate messages all in different hands and signed by at least 5 different officers including Gen. C.H. Dyer, Gen. J.R. West, Gen. Frederick Steele, and Col. Graves. (an interesting document worthy of more study)
-
AN INTERESTING
CONFEDERATE
‘Soldiers Discharge’ document printed on light blue paper stock for a ‘F.M. Crawford’ who served in Company ‘
B’ of W.W. Nair (McNair) ‘Ark. Mt. Riflemen’
. Dated April 16, 1862. We believe Stewart got this from a deceased or surrendered Confederate soldier following the Shiloh battle. According to the usual custom of the time, the Confederates in the mounted units would enlist for a year and then re-enlist for 3 years. We do not yet know if ‘Crawford’ was captured or what circumstances had this document fall in Stewarts possession.
-
William E. Stewart’s Postmaster appointment for South Haven, MI signed by D.M. Key, US Postmaster General. Dated March 1878.
-
PRESIDENT RUTHERFORD B. HAYES’
postmaster appointment for William Stewart dated January 1879. This document is signed by D.M. Key and also
signed by President Hayes at lower right
. Document with minor staining and fold separations but presentable. With gold foil seal & ribbon at lower left.
-
Two business cards for William E. Stewart (one on white stock, the other blue stock) as ‘Editor and Proprietor of the ‘Sentinel’ newspaper (‘Since 1868’) of South Haven, Michigan. Both feature his photographic portrait prominently at right.  Probably date from about 1868 based on how similar Stewart looks compared to later images of him.
-     Several genealogical notes and a few other notes on military stationery dated 1863.
Please email any questions -