Letter frm William Samuel Reavis
Sunday Evening
December the 23rd, 1862
Dear Sisters
This find Sunday Evening affords me the pleasure of writing you a few lines to let you know that we are all well and enjoying ourselves fine. I expect both of you have thought hard of me not writing to you more, but I have done the best I could. We have been on the march so much that I hardly have time to get a bite to eat, and when we do stop I am so tired I don't feel like doing anything, and what I do write I generally have to do it in such a hurry that nobody can read it after it is wrote. I will give you a short sketch of our travels since we left Louisville on the 17th of last December frm Louisville to Bardstown frm there to Lebanon frm there to Mumfordsville, Ky.. frm there to Bowling Green, Ky frm there to Nashville, Tn, frm there to Columbia Tenn., frm there to Savanah Tenn, from there to the Battlefield of Shiloh from there to Corinth from there to Tuscumbia Alabamy from there to Decatur Ala. frm there to Moorsville Ala. from there to Huntsville Ala. from there to Shelbyville Tenn. from there to Winchester Tenn, from there to Manchester Tenn. from there McMinnville Tenn. from there to Murfreesborough Tenn. from there to Nashville again from there to Bowling Green again from there to Elizabeth Town frm there to Lousiville again from there to Bardstorn again from there to Springfield Ky. From there to Perrysville where the Battle was fought from there to Danville fromthere to Crab Orchard Ky. from there to Camp Wildcat from there back to Crab Orchard from there to Columbia Ky. wheree our new recruits got with us, from there toGlascow from there to Scottsville from there to Gallatin Tenn. from there to the Silver Spring from there to our present camp which is 8 miles from Nashville. These towns and cities that I have named are the principle ones. There are lots of small towns we have passed that I do not recollect the names of them. According to my count we have marched since we left home twenty seven hundred and forty six miles counting scouts and all the scouts. I have to guess at bur I think I have placed it at a low figure.
I do not know whether you can read my hand write or not. If you can't get Pat to read it for you so you will understand it. Tell Mother we gog the socks she sent us and are proud of them. They are so much warmer than what we draw. We will get new clothes here so they say. We need them badly.
I would be glad to see you all but God only knows when I shall ever see any of you again, you have no idea how bad I want to see Martha Jane and all the rest of my little friends. Oh how often I do think of the pleasant fires that I know are shining bright at home when I am cold and shivering along the road or away in some lonely place, but the time is coming when those of us that are alive will reap the reward of our hardships. The God of mercy will never let our toils and suffering go unnoticed. You have no idea how glad I was when Jo got well. How often did I think of having to leave him beneath the sod in an enemies land with nothing around him but an old blanket, but the prayers of righteous ones and the mercies of God Almight he is well once more. It is now nearly one year since we took our leave of you. No one can tell what another year may bring around but its more than likely some of us will have to take our final leave of this unfriendly world and try the realities of an invisible world unto us. Its not likely that a family connection so large as ours can all escape the jaws of death for any great length of time. I am listning for every letter I get to hear the sad news of the death of some firekdn, but may God grant that we may see you all once more this side of eternity, but if it should fall our lot to meet each other mo more on earth may we meet in that city not made with hands eternal in the
heavens where wars are unkknown and all is peace and quietude, where angels sing songs of praise to God and the Lamb for ever and ever. I sometimes think that I am one of the lost children of the house of Israel. I have seen so much trouble in this world of sin and sorrow that I am almost willing to die, but we must learn to have patience. I must now bring this badly written letter to a close. May God Almight bless you is the prayers of
Your brother
W.S. Reavis
Write soon as possible
These letters pub Dec 1996 Gibson County, Indiana
New Newfreesboro Tenn. Jan 5th 1862 (should have been 1863)
Dear Brother
We have had a hard fight here and no doubt you are anxious to hear from it. It grieves me to have to tell you that Jo is no more, poor fellow. He was shot through the breast and fell dead on the spot. He was killed last Wednesday morning and lay on the ground till yesterdayy evening. We went and buried him. I will send Mother a lock of his hair. I know it will nearly kill her to hear it. The Rebels held the ground he was on for a while and robbed him of all he had in his pocket. I cut his name and Reg on a boad and set it at his head and marked the spot where he lies so he can be taken away as soon as possible. I wrote a few lines and sent to you a few days ago. I said he was shot in the head. That was a mistake. He was shot through the breast. He was in an old crib when he was shot. I was slightly hurt, but I am nearly well now.
You can tell Sue that Aleck is killed dead. I saw Capt Cochrum and he told me that he was killed. Jimmy is not hurt. Jim Drysdale had his leg broke. Jo David was wounded in the thigh. George Burchfield was shot in the shoulder but not dangerous. There was four killed in our company and sixteen wounded. I have not time to give the names. I have given all of our Frisco boy's names I believe.
This lock of hair, give it to Mother. I tell her a braver boy never fell on the field of battle than Jo. I examined his cartridge bos. He had shot about thirty rounds and fell dead.
My fingers are so cold I have have toclose. You must write to me as soon as possible for I feel so loneosme here without Jo. So good bye Patterson for the present.
frm your brother
W.S. Reavis
Letter frm Fed Arch & used in NC Civ War Documentary by Yearns and Barnett: To H.W. Revis frm wife
Marshall, Madison County, NC July 20 1863
Dear Husband: I seat myself to drop you a few lines that me and Sally is as well as common, and I hope these few lines will come to hand and find you well and doing well. I have no news to write you at this, only I am done laying by my corn, I worked it all four times. My wheat is good, my oats is good. I haven't got my wheat stacked yet. My oats I have got a part of them cut, and Tom Hunter and John Roberts is curring today. They will get them cut today. I got the first letter yesterday that I have received from you since you left. I got five from you yesterday, they all came together. This is the first one I have wrote for I didn't know where to write you. You said you hadn't had anything to eat. I wish you was here to get some beans for dinner. I have plenty to eat as yet. I haven't saw any of your pap's folks since you left home. The people is generally well hereat. The people is all turning to the Union here since the Yankees has got Vicksburg. I want you to come home as soon as you can after you git this letter. Jane Elkins is living with me yet. That is all I can think of, only I want you to come home the worst I ever did. The conscripts is all at home yet and I don't know what they will do with them. The folks is leaving here, and going North as fast as they can, so I will close.
Your wife, till death
Martha Revis
Source: South Atlantic Quarterly 16 (Jan 1917)
"The Relief of Soldiers Families in NC during the Civil
War" Frm Mrs. Louisa Reavis of Vance Hill in Panther
Branch District, Wake Co" by letter to Gov. Vance
(in behalf of self and 3 sm chn, pleaded with him to
direct the local committee to allow provisions for
herself and three small children)
November 11, 1863
"My husband, has bin serving 18 months and I have never drawed anything at all I have tried the committy
and they wont do nothing for me without leaf frm you or the cort and I am without meat and I can't get one mouthful..."
