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I. ANDREW BECOMES A SOLDIER: THE CIVIL WAR JOURNAL OF You must tell the world the story; When the boys in Blue are gone.” ―John Hendricks, Last Surviving Veteran of the 89th Indiana Volunteer Infantry   Andrew's Scanned Handwritten Letters 1 through 7.• Scanned Letter 2a & 2b ― 21 Sep 1862 • Scanned Letter 3 ― 28 Sep 1862 • Scanned Letter 4 ― 13 Oct 1862 • Scanned Letter 5 ― 04 Nov 1862 • Scanned Letter 6 ― 13 Nov 1862 • Scanned Letter 7 ― 17 Nov 1862 | |
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Letters #1 - #7: In response to President Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers, Andrew Jackson Nickell enlisted in the 114th Regiment, Company E of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry on August 22, 1862. The 114th O.V.I., Company E, was mustered into service at Circleville, Ohio on September 8, 1862. The Regiment was ordered to Camp Marietta, OH, on September 19, 1863. In addition to Pickaway County, the 114th also included men from Perry, Fairfield, Fayette, Hocking, and Vinton Counties. It comes as no surprise that in his letter of September 28, he refers to the 114th as "one of the best that ever was...".
The new 114th O.V.I. was then ordered to Camp Marietta, Ohio for basic military instruction. From Circleville, the 114th O.V.I. hiked southward along the Scioto River to Kinnickinnick, then took the eastbound rail cars to Marietta.
In his two and a half months at Marietta, Andrew began writing regular letters to his wife Isabella "Bell" and his family back in Pickaway County, Ohio. His letters always expressed concern for their welfare. It was during this time that Andrew began using the closing, "To His Beloved Wife and Children".
In his letters from Marietta, Andrew tells Bell that he is attending church services, and that he received leave to visit family and friends in nearby Vinton County, Ohio (where he and Bell had grown up). Andrew communicates the excitement caused by Confederate canon fire across the Ohio River at Parkersburg, (West) Virginia. Andrew also expresses a strong sense of pride in his Regiment, and speculates on where the 114th O.V.I. might be sent.
But the future of the 114th and other regiments at Camp Marietta had already been determined. President Lincoln, his advisors and generals believed that "Vicksburg is the Key" to dividing the Confederacy, and to gaining control of the southern Mississippi River. Andrew and thousands of other soldiers, north and south, would soon be committed to the Vicksburg Campaign.
Letter #1: Original Text (exactly as written by Andrew Jackson Nickell) September the 17 1862 Dear loved one I cood not get to go home to sea you and the childearn I was promist to go home to day but this morning our captin got orders to pre pare three days rashens coocked in mess boxes but whare we are going to we dew not no but the orders is to be redy by six o clock this eaving we have got our guns and they ar a feching boxes hear to day and they say that our clothing is in them so we cant get a ps even to go to town to day but they have sent for the boys that ar at home now I have heard since I have ben writen that it is on serten a bout us agoing at this time but I want you to dew the very best yo can and not for get to pray by the way we have prear meeting hear every eavning I wanted to go home the worst way but I cood not get to go atall with out we dew not go for a few days yet I want you to take good care of the childeren and rais them by prar if we dew not go I will come home as quick as I can I have had no chance to get them brest pins fixed yet and I dew not no wheathe I can or not so good By A. J. Nickel To Mss I. F. Nickel
September the 21, 1862 Camp Marietta Washington County Ohio Dar wife I have taken my pen in han to in forme you that i am in good health at this time and hoping that theas few lines may find you in joying the same blessing we started from Camp circelvill friday morning a bout six a clock and marched to kinckick and toock diner and rested two ours and then to the cioto and then had super and then marched to the cars and got a bord and started for this place and got to marietta and got their about 8 o clock th next morning & got breckfist & then marched one mile up the muskindum river to the camp the boys stood the march fine how to direct your letters to Camp Marietta, Ohio in care of Capt. I. M. Abraham, Co E 114 Regiment O.V.I. Direct it in this way and it will follow me where ever I go. This is bad spelt ant and Badriten.
September 22 We had a quite exciten time last night for we had orders to be ready at a minets warning for it was re ported that their was can nading at parkers Burg a bout twelve miles below hear at parkers burg but it was a fug for we went to bed and slep till morning ant was not bothored frank funk fell from one of the top bunks in his sleep about 8 feet on his head but he says it did not hurt him mutch I dew not no how long we will stay hear nor how soon we will leave but we have not got all our a quip yet want our canteens and knap sacks and dress coats and over coats nor aminition but the curnel sayd last nigt that he would have it to day or to morrow the boys ar arin god health in generel I saw one steeam boat go up the muskingdom river this morning for Zainsvill and yeasterday their was sume of our boys went over the river in to virgina they give a boy five cts a peace to take them over the river and back a gin When you wright direct your letters in the care of Capton abreham one hundred and fourteenth regment compney E and it will follow me till it will come to ham and i will right whe ever I can I beleave ther is nothing more at presant But remains your affectionnet hus aBant un till I come home A. J. Nickel To I. F. Nickel and famly
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September 28 1862
Camp Marietta washingtom Dear beloved Wife I im prove the present opturnity to con verse with you to let you no how I am a getting along in and th rew the god ness and merseys of god and hoping that theas few lines may find you in joying the same blessing my health is good and has ben we had meeting in the camp to day at nine o clock and then I went Marietta to metheds chirch and hard brother foster and then we had a good class meten & then the class leader took me home with him and gave me m dinner I would like to come home and see you & the children if I cood get a furlow but they will not give one now we have not had any thing strange in the camp since I wrote before the boys is all well our regiment has the name of bearing one of the best that ever was hear it is a getting too dark to write
So Fare well at present
Direct your letters to Camp Marietta 114 one hundred and fourteenth regment Co E OVI in the care of capt Abreham
October the 13 1862 My dearly beloved Wife It is with a trobeld mind that I take my pen in hand to in form you that I am well at presant and hoping that theas few lines may find you in beter health than when you writen your first leter for I was sorrow to hear that you was so bad with a pane in your side when you writen I have tride to get a furlow but I cood not get one and I did not like it for they give one to Jacob Watson but they said that he cried before he got a furlow and then he got one for six or seven days but I think that I will get one soon for I in tend to go as soon as I can but dont fret after me but try to be com posed in your mind and cast your care ond the the lord I still try to prey you an my dear children and for my self for by prair we can bare up under triels and tribulations and Co E is the best there is some men in the regiment (Co C) has got furlows and gone home and I find it is the best way to be patient I have writen a letter to father and one to M. m Nickel and three before this to you and I have got but one yet I looked for one last Saturday but I did not get any Their was a good many draf ted men came in to camp last weeak and their was 16 teen left yesterday for the seventy seventh regment OVI and I hard our magor say that their was a bout three hundred in nobel county that said that they would not come in to camp and there was a squad of the caveldry men went out af ter some of them David Davis got a leter from his brother fletcher that said that they had heard bad news from Iry davis but did not say what it was and if you no tell me in your next leter we still have prair meeting in the camp all most every evning and preachen sunday we may stay hear a long time and maby all winter and may not go any further if what I heard was trew for I gorgi and north carolina has laid down hur arms and that texes is callin home hur troops I heard that this news was telegraphic news and came to marietta last saturday eavning but I do not no wheater it is so or not and I have heard that their was a call for three hundred more men but we get a daily paper in the camp but I have not seen it in the paper yet so I want you to tell me in your next leter if you have heard it or not So no more at presant but remains your affectionet hus Band till till we Meat a gane A J Nickel to his beloved Wife and Family
November the 4 1862 My dear beloved it is with pleasur that I take my pen in hand to let you no that I am well at presant and pray that theas few lines may find you in Joying the same blessing Father came with me to Eli dunkels and then I walked to Paps and got my dinner and then pap went with me to the cars and then I got on the cars be twen two and three o clock and got to the camp a bout seven and Jest after I got in the camp I met with our second leiutennant and asked him if he was redy to take me to the gard house and he said he was and he took me by the hand and started to wards the gard house and went a bout three steps to wards the gard house and then he stoped and said that my whiskers was too red and he would let me go I heard to day that we had three chanses one to go up the kaney river or down to kentucky or stay hear but what we will dew I dont no yet what I want you to rite soon and let me no how you got home father told me that he wanted to go out next week if he cood get a way and stay as long as he can that snow that we had their was ondly one inch dep hear so no more at presant but remainds your friend untill I get home Andrew J. Nickel to his wife Isabell F. Nickel
November the 13 1862 My dear beloved wife It is with pleasur that I take my pen in hand to in form you that I am well at presant and hope that theas few lines may find you in Joying the same blessing in and threw the mersy of god I got your leter last night which gave me much sates faction to hear that you was all well but was dis satisfied about the way Maccaferty had talk and said that he had been told that I was satesfied until I would get a leter from you I never said so you no that that the the things that was promest to me was not dun as it was promist as it was promist to me before I in listed and you said that he wanted you to go on the other farm but he promest me that you mite stay their and thomas murphy told me that they boath told him that you mite stay their till I came home if you wanted to but I dont no what is best for you to dew and thomas murphy al so said that they said that you said that you thaught you would go to vinton county but you may dew as you think best for I am not with you so I will not control you in that mater and say for you to stay whare you ar not satesfide and not treted rite but if you do go to vinton co dont leave anything their but take them to david davis if you can but I would rather you not sell the bed stids and cairs and I think that you had beter not sell your hogs untill you see how you will get your meet but if you dew sell any thing sell for cash and dont sell to any person that we owe for I donot in tend to pay any one untill I get home I want you to tell me how to direct A leter to John Shively I can not right any more at presant but their is many things I would right but my mind botherd From Andrew J. Nickel To his Wife Isabella F. Nickel
November the 17 1862 My dear wife I have taken my pen in hand to in form you that I am well at presant and hoping that theas few lines ma find you in Joying the same blessing I received your kind leter with one dolar in it but it is raning to day and I can not get my picture drawed to day but I will get it as soon as I can and send it to you I am sorow to hear that the old mare has lost hur coalt for that was 25 dolars out of pocket but it can not be helped now for them that has must loos as the old woman said when whe lost hur hen I was down to chirch in point harmer yesterday and heard a good sarmend tell dock and roby that I am glad to hear that they have got their new clothes but I am sorrow to hear that dock can not ware his boots I have heard that the friends of the ninthes regment called the 114 regment davi tods pets but we dont care for that They may call us what they pleas so that we get a nuff to eat it will be all right but wear redy to go when ever we ar orderd to go I dont no what to say in regard to wha you said in your first leter a bout leaving their but you will have to dew as you think best for you have a har der time than I have had yet and dew the best that you can for your conscince but I think that harriett had beter stay with you as long as you stay their but if she wont I would like if Elen would if she thinks that if she can but you and hur will have to fix that So no more at Presant But remainds your afectionate hus Bant till I get home to stay with you A. J. Nickel to his beloved wife I. F. Nickel November the 17 1862 My dear sis ter am hapy to take my pen in hand to in form you that I your leter and to hear that you was well and had got home with frank safe I want you to rite to me and give me the directions how to direction leters to John for I have for got his captions name I have heard that they have had harde times and tell m what he said in his last leter that you got from him and tell me how he is a getting a long my pen is so bad that I must quit So no more at present but remains your friend till death A. J. Nickel To Mis Elen Shively
Frank I want to get one leter from you every weak whe you ar well and if you ar sick give me two or three |
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I. Andrew Becomes a Soldier... |
II. Headed South... |
III. The First Fights... | "THE CIVIL WAR JOURNAL OF ANDREW JACKSON NICKELL" "Battle Cry of Freedom" -- Charles W. Harrison (1878 - 1965) -- Public Domain mp3 | |
