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The below are from Jehue Deeds (Book Five)
Old Letters Reflect Tragedy of Civil War
By John F. Walsh
Reading Eagle Staff Writer - 1959
Letters remastered to their full/original content by Brett D. Deeds
Letters and Pictures Courtesy of Brett D. Deeds
The Deeds of the brothers Deeds - Thomas, Jehue and Albert - in the Civil War, set forth in down-to-earth letters written on battlefields almost a century ago, keep a living memory of the War Between the States for Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Deeds of 315 Pear St, Reading, PA.
Although Thomas was the grandfather and Jehue and Albert were the great-uncles of Isaac Deeds, it was Mrs. Deeds who gathered from various relatives and preserved the letters written by the brothers Deeds to their sister, the late Ellen Deeds, later Mrs. John Kratz, at Rahns, Montgomery County.
Thomas is buried in Charles Evans Cemetery; Albert rests in Pottstown's Edgewood Cemetery, while the body of Jehue, who died at the age of 24 in a southern prison camp, reputedly of starvation, lies in an unknown grave below the Mason-Dixon Line. (grave found - buried in Andersonville, GA)
All three Deeds, who served in the Union Army, wrote many letters to their sister, Ellen, but only one letter from Thomas and five from Jehue have come down to the Isaac Deeds. There was more family interest in preserving the words of Jehue, the only one of the brothers who did not come back.
A seventh letter was written by a friend of the brothers, Joseph H. Wolf, who wrote to Albert Deeds, relating the capture by the enemy of Jehue, who enlisted in the Union Army in August 1862 for two years.
The local Deeds have none of the letters written by Albert Deeds, but he is mentioned frequently in the written words of Jehue, who sometimes referred to his brother as Albert, but more often by the nickname of "Birt".
John Deeds, a cousin of the brothers, who fought in the same company as Jehue, was killed in 1864 at City Point, VA at the age of 19. He is buried at Evansburg Cemetery, near Collegeville.
Reading over Jehue's letters, the thought is inescapable that "GI Joe" of World War II could have penned almost identical words. The time, the war, the terrain are different - but the thoughts, the hopes, the hardships, the lack of funds with which to come home, and the fed-up-with-war attitudes are the same.
About the only striking difference is that there was less army censorship of mail in the Civil Way than in World War II.
Although he had little education and frequently misspelled words, Jehue had knack of graphically presenting the cold, hard facts of war realistically - in a down-to-earth manner that reminds one of the war writings of late Ernie Pyle.
In his first letter of Nov. 15, 1862, sent to his sister, Ellen, from Camp Carroll, near Baltimore, MD, Jehue wrote:
"Dear Sister
I sit down in the ould tent to let you know that I am well and hearty at this present time and I hope these few lines may find you all the same. Dear sister if you send me about six dollars until next Thursday I will come home on Saturday next - for I dont believe we will get paid and then I cant come for I wont have no money to come with and so if you send me some money to bring me home I will come on next Saturday - if you have got it to send - why be carefull and direct your letter wright - so it will come wright through and as soon as you get this letter if you have it to spare why send it wright away. So I will get it till Friday - me and Lewis Preston is coming together.
There was one poor fellow who died here today with the tifort (typhoid) fever and there is about twenty in the hospital sick - but thank god I have ben as hearty since I left home - as could be thare hasent nothing aled me atall since I left home - the most of them as ben sick on thare stomachs but I havent ben sick on my stomach.
Let me know weather Albert has went yet or not - now mind and wright a soon as you get this letter - sit down and wright wright away for I wont get it any to soon and I would like to come home before the weather gets cold. I can stay a week before I haft to come back - but I cant stay more than a week for the captain said I would haft to be back in camp in a weeks time - and so if you send me six dollars to come I will come. I can get clothes to come with only if I had the money - I would be all wright - it will take about six dollars to bring me home - it cost four dollars from Baltimore to Philadelphia.
This is a great regiment. I wouldn't be much surprised if it would break up, for the Colonel don't know much more about drilling than I do. When they come to pass examination - I don't believe the one-half of the officers will pass. I believe this is all I got to say now. I will tell you more when I come home.
From Your Brother Jehue."
Jehue's next letter of Jan. 16, 1863, came from Point of Rocks (believed to be somewhere in Tennessee). It read:
"Dear Sister
I received your kind and aff letter on the fifteenth of the month and I was glad to hear that you were all well. I always feel glad to hear of you all being well. I am also in good health and hope these few lines may fiend you all well and I hope you all will stay so.
We have got it pretty hard this while past. We have to be out scouting very nearly all the time, but I have a good horse to carry me along. We come to soldiern, and we have to do it. The weather has been warm all along yet - but we have a good bit of rain here - but I keep comfortable. I sleep warm and if I am out on a scout in the rain - I have got an oil cloth coat to put on and I don't get a bit wet if I am out all day in a big rain. You needn't fret about me I can keep myself comfortable enough.
Your letter states that Albert is agoing to Cints Garrets to hall flour. I ges that is the best thing he could do - it will be nice job for him.
John Getty was here yesterday to see us. He come to Noxville (Knoxville) to bring Boby Cox some horses and he stopped to see how we whare a getting along and poor Faincus is dead I wont get to see him anymore. I wouldn't care if the war was over. I would like to bring my horse along with me, for he is nicer than the Sorrel was. I am learning him to shake hands. If I tell him to give me his foot he will rais it up and giv it to me in my hand. I would like to bring him home. He would be a good horse to huxter with.
(written in pencil)
I must stop with my pen for it is good for nothing - you must excuse all wrighting for I hav a poor place to write. I send my love to you all and all inquiring friends - wright to me often and I also will to you.
I think again next summer sometime the most of the solgirs will be at home. It will never be fought out - and another thing, sometime next May a good many of the solgirs time will be out. All the two-year men and the nine-month men's time will be out. The most of the people now want the war settled. And if they don't try and settle it the soldiers say they will go home.
There was a regiment called to go into battle the other day and they wouldn't do it. They said if it wouldn't go better and try to end the way pretty soon - they would go home. I think a most they will try and settle it sometime between now and next May (1864). There is a good bit of talk of it in our papers here. The people and solgirs and all want it settled. If we had another President in now besides Abe Lincoln I think it would be ended - pretty soon. But he is a little spunky. He won't settle it without he must - but I will stop now and see further but I think you will hear tell of them of trying to make peace this winter yet (1863). The solgirs say it is only a money war and it got to be stopped before long - I think if I live and keep well till next may I will see you all again. I hope I may - Take good care of your selves and I will do the same - hoping I may return back safe again. There will be about a hundred thousand men agoing home in the spring that has stayed their times out - some was enlisted for two years and some for nine months and all of them will get thare discharge in the spring sometime. That will make the army pruty small - I think wen thay get discharged that will be pruty near the last of the war - now I will stop about the war but I think you can look for it to be settled until the next first of May if everything goes as we think - now maybe we may be mistaken but that is the thoughts of the people now here - I don't know what the people think around thare - that is the opinion here with us. The end of that.
We have taken a good many prisoners since we been at Point of Rocks - some of our pickets shot into some of the Rebels the other night and shot one of their horses. Thare was about 20 of them and out pickets run into camp and told us about 1 o'clock at night and we saddled up in a hurry and went out after them, but we couldn't see nothing of them. They had skedaddled some whars.
Dear Sister when you wright again to me I want you to wright me a long letter - tell me all the nuse that is going - tell Tom to write to me to if he has time and let me know what his a working at - Sis I want you to take care of my wagon and harness. Take the harness in the house and I would like you to take care of them - being Albert has gone away (Union Army). Read this letter carfuly onlee you wont understand it for it is wrote very poor - I rote the most of it in the dark. I like solgering very well - we are happy together - sometimes we never think of home. We have plenty of fun together. We have plenty of music in the camp, but still for all of that I would like to see the war come to an end. I believe this is all at present - try and take care of yourselves till I see you again witch I hope I may - so good nite.
From your aff Brother
Jehue
wright to me soon"
Before Ellen was to receive the third letter from Jehue, the Deeds back home were to learn that Jehue was taken prisoner, in a letter from Wolf to Albert sent from Winchester dated March 29th, 1963. It read:
"Mr A Deeds Sir
I received letter yesterday and take the first oportunity to answer it. Jehue was taken prisoner in the battle and was not hurt in no way as far as I can find out, but I suppose you have heard from him before this time for he and Ed Custer were paroled right away and sent to Parole Camp at Anapolis, Maryland. We received a letter from Ed Custer yesterday and they were all well, but wished themselves back to the regiment. They had some pretty hard times since they were taken.
We had a pretty hard fight with the Rebels - their was about eleven hundered Reblels to four hundred of our men and we killed more of them than they did of us - for I don't think their was more than 4 or 5 killed of our men and none out of company and only 4 of our company wounded and we were in the hotest of the fight - we were so close to them that we could hit one another with our sabres.
Jehue's box came week before last and we opened it and almost everything was spoiled. We made use of all that was eatable, for you can bet your life we can pitch into anything that is good. I nust now bring my letter to a close. I am well and hope you are the same.
Yours Truly
Jos. H. Wolf
P.S. If you have not received any letter from Jehue you can write to him by directing your letter to Jehue Deeds, Co. H - 13th Penna. Cavalry, Camp Parole, Anapolis, Maryland."
Jehue was back with his company, after being exchanged for a Rebel prisoner on Oct. 17, 1863, when he wrote from a camp near Fairfax Courthouse, 10 miles below Washington D.C. He wrote:
"Dear Sister
I once more take the pleasure by informing you that I am still well and hearty and hoping these few lines that I enclosed to you may reach you all well and in good spirits. We was in another fight at Jefferson and Sulpher Springs - and it was a very hard fight.
The 13th and 4th Penna. Cal (Cavalry) done all the fighting the first day, and the both regiments lost heavy in killed and wounded and prisoners. There was only three wounded in our company, but there was a good many killed out of the regiment. I expect Tom Kelly, Harry and Joe Wolf and Ed Custer taken prisoner. They got cut off from the rest of us.
Half of our regiment was killed, wounded and take prisoners.
We only got about one hundred and seventy men in the regiment now. Our army has fell back a good bit in a week's time. The battle is going on now at the old battleground Bull Run but I don't think they will whip us thare this time. I dont believe our regiment will get into any fights for a while - it will haft to recuruit before it will do for the fields. Thare is some talk of us a doing Provoee duty in the Sixth Army core.
Lewis Preston is at the regiment again and was in the fight and got through safe. I wrote to Birt for two or three dollars - I dont know weather he received the letter or not, but tell him to send it as soon as he can for I am out of money now. I expect we will get paid again in abut three weaks or so. Direct the letter as same as you always did. I haint far off from Washington now.
I think the cavalry ought to lay back now and let the infantry do some of the fighting, for the cavalry has done very near all the fighting that was done this somer, except at Gettysburg. The infantry done some of the fighting thare. I think this will be the last battle for this fall and winter - for it is getting pretty late in the fall. The cavalry has been on the front all somer - but it is a falling in the rear now.
There will be a big fight at Bull Run before long, but I don't think much of the cavalry will get into it. I don't believe our regiment will get into it anyhow, for they hain't men enough to go into action. The 13th has got good praises for fighting by General Gregg (Maj. Gen.. David McMurtrie Gregg, a native of Berks County). He said it is as good a regiment as he has in his division. Only if the regiment had some more better officers to lead them in action, they wouldn't lose so many men. The 13th Regiment has been in three battles and a good many other crimigis and has seen hard times other ways. We know what hunger is and what being sleepy is. This is all at present, good by, wright soon, dont forget
I still remain your aff brother
Jehue
Praing wen this cruil war is over - praing we shal meet again."
Jehue's letter of Oct. 23, 1863, came form Camp Caroll Baltimore. It read:
"Dear Sister
I received your kind afenate letter on the 23 and was glad to hear from you ware all well at present and I hope poor Albert may return home safe - I hope we may hav a rejoicing time someday - and that even me and Albert can come home if the lord is so kind to do so - which I think he will if we trust him - I would like you to right ofner. Since you right a good many letters I dont only got two letters since I ben at Camp Carroll - you must take care and direct them right or else they wont come.
Edwin Custer got a letter from home today. It said that John Reed went as a substitute for Johnson and got five hundred dollars (you could hire a substitute to fight for you in those days) that is doing pretty well.
If it is so I want you to tel me now in the next letter you send me - I would a liked Albert to come in the regiment whar I was - but if he dont want to why I dont care he can go for nine months that wont be so long. But still I would like to hav him with me. Wen you right to me again right to me wat Albert done with the horse and if Bill Evans will take my wagon and keep it for me till I come back - I wish he would thare it will be kept right - it might not be safe ware it is - thare will be nobody about thare but you - and maby somebody steel it - and over at Bills it will be safe and he wont use it anyhow.
I ges thare is a big time about the draft Speshly Fromefield - I only wish Harson Peters would a ben drafted instead of Fromefield or Birt - maybe it would a brought Lerine down a little bit - still I ges it is all right the way it is or else it wouldnt a ben so - thar is some talk of getting our other bounty in two or three weeks - we havent got any monthly pay yet either - but I ges we will get that wen we get our bounty - it is a geting dark I cant see the lines amy more but I am going to finish the letter tonight.
If Albert writes to you, why let me know were he is so I can write to him, for I would like to hear from him and how he likes soildren. I hope he will try and take care of himself and trust in the lord to see him safe home again - if you get a letter form him sen me word how he is and when you right to him - tell him I said he should trust in the lord and bring him back safe and sound and tell him he should by himself a prayer book for himself and pray wenever he has time - I have got one and I look in it puty often in a day and pray to the lord to bring me and Birt home safe and dear mother and sister - I pray for you that you may keep your health - that me and poor Birt may see you again and I hop Birt will pray for you too and himself - if he does it won't be no harm to him. It will be a good thing in the long run for them if we should happen to be killed - why we would be prepared to die - but dear mother and sister I hop tha wont be so - this letter I am wrighting to you and mother both - Sis I want you to read this letter to mother - mother dear I think you pray for me and Birt every night and I pray for you and I ges Birt to - I sen in your letter that John Fromefiled was agoing to brake up house keeping and his wife was going home and I see that poor Tom is down at Chester a working at a hospitale - I am glad that he didnt get drafted I seen the hole list the other day and I didnt see Toms name but I seen poor Alberts - I ges you had better leave the horse at Worts this winter any how without Tom has use - then he can hav him he mit get at something that he might use the horse - he can have him for my part if Albert is agreed he can keep him till we come back that is if it is like I said before - if god spares us.
Tom Kelly has come home and I told him that he should go and get my sutzin close (citizen clothes) and then if they don't give me a furlough I will take a French one (AWOL) like Tom Kelly.
If we come home without our uniforms or without a furlough, they will take us up for deserters and locked us up. But, if we have sutzin close they won't know we are soldiers, but I would sooner come home with my uniform on but the Colonel said he thought he could give us all a furlough this winter by leaving eight or ten go at a time. So I will get home before long - there is a good many of us going on a French leave if he don't give us one, and so I would like to have my sutzin close. I ought to have them anyhow, so I have them to put on while I get the others washed.
Dear sister and mother the next time your wright to me wright to me wright a long letter for I always you a pretty long one - if you would want to send me a box you can send it by Adams expres it wont cost much - maybe Bill would like to send me something it would cost you about twenty five cts for a box about two foot square.
Poor Birt I would like to be with him but I hope I will be with hime before one year roles around - we have plenty to eat. We have bakers all the time and beef and coffee. So we can't complain. It has been pretty cold down here already - thar has ben a puty heavy frost here already but we sleep puty warm - we have two blankets and a heavy over coat and we ar dressed warm besides - so we can keep wram - only if poor Birt keeps warm and sleeps warm.
John Kratz (later to become the husband of Ellen Deeds) is close by us in another regiment. He hain't more than four or five miles off. Tom Kelly was up at the regiment the other day and we seen him. He is well. When you write again I wish you would send me some postage stamps. Dear mother and sister it is almost nine oclock and I must bring my letter to a close for the present I ges Bill Evans is glad that he didnt get draughted (drafted). We have a song now called "We Are the Boys That Will Never See the Draft".
Dear mother and sister my love to you and my inquiring friends - mother thar are some puty hard caces (cases) in the reidgment but thank god we haint got no such caces in out tent. I have Snyder and Cox in the tent that is all now - Sam Shap has gone out of our tent and gone in with the quarter masters - Snyder is a nice young mane. Me and him sais our prayers every night and we sing to Cox - he sweaars a little but he is a puty nice feller - he has been sick a good while but he is getting better now - I was going to stop my letter longo but I could hardly stop for I think I cant hardly wright a nough - I no you lik to red and so I thought I would wright a good bit but now I ges I must bring letter to a close for to night it is time I go to bed - good night dear mother and sister.
From Your aff Son
Jehue
Try and keep that fifty dollar bill for me if you can - but don't starve yourselves
this is the way
I want you to direct your letters
Camp Carroll Bal Mary
Company H 13 Penn Cal
in care of Cap Heline"
The last letter from Jehue, dated Feb. 7, 1864, came from a camp at Warrenton, VA. It read:
"Dear Sister,
I will sit down to anser your kind and aff letter by leaving you know that it reached me well and hearty and in good sprits. I got the letter that was in Prestons box, but I havent received an other one from you this long while or any of you. But I hope these few lines reach you all well and hearty and in good sprits.
Out regiment has seen hard times already since they have been out but we have got it pretty nice this winter. We have been in five pretty hard battles and a good many other little scrimmages, but us boys is all right yet. Yet we hav went throught some big fires. Already it was impossible most to get through without getting wounded or killed - but I am safe and sound yet. But some poor fellers in the ranks must fall. We was in the fight at Culpeper - the first calvary fight and when we advanced to the Rapadan we was into it again - and then after we fell back we had to go into it again at Sulpher Springs - and at Jeferson our regiment and the fourth PA cetched it puty bad thare.
Dear sister I ges if our regiment could a ben in the service a little longer I would a ben home on a thirty day furlough, but we haft to be in two years before we can reenlist and our company won't be in two years before next August and so we couldnt go as veterans But there is a few out of some of the old companys is gone home to reenlist for 3 years more but if we a ben in two years our rregiment would a come home and I would a ben a long that is shure.
Our company is very small now. I pity the poor fellers at Richmond. They must be very near starved for I know how it was when I was there, and I was there no time hardly toward them. I waid (weighed) myself the other day and weighed one hundred and seventy five lbs.
Soldiern agress with me first trate. Our company is on detached duty now at the Divisions Comisary under Cap Carson. I would like you to get me up another box puty soon and send it for ia am a a good place wen you send it. I will look fot it. Tell Birt not to forget the bottle of cherry brandy. Send a box about fifteen inches square and not so long as the other one and pack it right well and nail it. Put in plenty of good pies and cakes and pack it right well so it won't come open. Send me a box about as big as Prestons. I expect you seen that one. That was about fifteen or eighteen inches square. Send it as soon as can. It wont cost mutch to get it up and I might as well have another one as not. Tell mother she can look for $40 in a letter before long for we will get four months pay (pay rate was $10 per month) before
long for we will get four months pay before long.
Sis, when you send me another letter would like you to send me your likeness in the letter. You can take it out of the case and send in the letter and you can all send me your likeness in letters. The boys in the company often get theirs in their letters. I ges I will have to bring my letter to a close for to night. This is Sunday night. I am a wrighting this letter and I am thinking about whare I ust to be on Sunday evening out at the Methodist meeting.
When you dircect my box - direct it to the 13th Penn Cav Co H Second Brigade Second Division. In care of Capt. Carson Warenton and when you direct letters direct to Co H 13th Penn Cav in care of Capt R Carson A U M head quarters Second Division.
I will now finish my letter for the present hoping to see you all again - I still remain your aff brother Jehue - my love to you all and all inquires friends. The time is a sliping around - so good by be good to yourselves and I will do the same. It won't be long more before we will be two years in Uncle Sam's service. We are on top of the hill now. It won't take as long to come down as it took to go up. goodby. Jehue"
The goodby was prophetic. The road down for Jehue led to a southern prison camp - and death.
The last letter in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Deeds was penned on July 7, 1865, by Thomas to Ellen Deeds. It reads:
"Dear Sister
Glorious News
The 105th to be mustered out. The muster out rolls here now. They expect to have them done by Sunday or Monday. We expect to be mustered out. We expect to be discharged and paid at Harrisburg. I expect to reach home between the 15th and 20th of the month. All veteran regiments to be discharged I think Birt will get home.
Your Thomas Brother
Dear Sister
I received your kind and welcome letter yesterday and one from Less also. She is well and the children. Birt has not been to see me yet but I am looking for him. Bill Evans I pitty him - he had to go to the Oil Regins to make some money - poor fellow - and get you and mother to sleep with his wife. I generaly paid for my lodging when I sleep away from home. You advised me to keep in good heart we have always been that - if I have health I have patience healthy - I am I must say - Mary Ellen was a year old the first and I didn't forget that I knowed it very well but I dont think she will walk till I get home - when I stated witch I think I will I rote Less and told her as near as I could that I would be home by 20 - I can see a chance to wright from Harrisburg and can tell more about it - we expect to leave field on Monday - we may be detained at Harrisburg - I cant tell - dont know what to say about answern - being we move I may not receive it."
So ends the accounts of the deeds of the brothers Deeds in the Civil War.
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