7th Indiana Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER - Battle of Chancellorsville Content

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7th Indiana Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER - Battle of Chancellorsville Content :
$125.50

CIVIL WAR LETTER

This Civil War soldier letter was written byPvt. Theodore (“Dory”) Longwood (1843-1877) the son of Milo Longwood(1802-1883) and Rebecca Scott (1803-1882) of Aberdeen, Ohio County, Indiana.Indiana marriage records indicate that Milo married Rebecca Scott in May 1829though it should be noted that death certificates of their children record hername as Rachel Tumy of New Jersey so it’s likely this was her second marriage.

Other members of the Longwood familyincluded:

Mary Ann (“Molly”) Scott (1823-1892) was a step-sister to Dory & Morty Longwood, a daughter from Rebecca’s first marriage, born in Kentucky. In 1844, Mary Ann married William “Frank” Stevens (1821-1900), a merchant in Aurora, Ohio county, Indiana. Their children included Laura Ida (1846-1919) and Charles (1848-1906). Ida was a regular correspondent with her Uncle Dory during the war.
Sarah (“Sally”) Jane Longwood (1830-1907), born in Aurora, Indiana. She married on 23 April 1850 to William Elias Yonge (1825-1893), born in New York City. In 1880 William was a dry goods merchant in Vevay, Indiana. William and Sallie lost their infant son (named “Frank”) in 1863. They also had a daughter named Ada Carrie (1853-1917), a son named William (“Willie” 1852-1939) and a daughter named Alice (1865-19xx). Willie was a regular correspondent with his Uncle Dory during the war.
The Longwoods had at least two other children who did not survive childhood. These were Maria Louise Longwood (1840-1841) and Elizabeth Lenore Longwood (1845-1852).

Pvt. Dory served in Co.C,7th Indiana Infantry.Referenced in this letter is Sgt. Mortimer (Morty) Scott Longwood, Dory\'sbrother who also served in the 7th Indiana.

Dory\'s fate is described in the followingfamily history quip:

TheodoreLongwood was known as “Dory” to his family. He was five years younger than hisbrother Mortimer. Mortimer enlisted in the 7th Indiana, so Dory followed himone year later – being assigned to the same company. Dory was a private andolder brother Mort was a sergeant. Dory’s luck ran out on August 19, 1864. Heand brother Mortimer had been part of the siege of Petersburg – which lastedfor nine months. During that time the two brothers, along with soldiers frommany regiments, were sent to capture the Weldon Railroad which ran fromPetersburg to Weldon, North Carolina. Union Generals realized that they had tocompletely cut Petersburg off from any outside Confederate support, and therailroad was one of those lines of support. During that action the rebels underGeneral Beauregard put up a fierce fight. In the two day running battle unionforces lost 212 men killed, 1149 wounded and 2879 missing. Most of thosemissing men were captured by Confederate troops and spent the rest of the warin a prisoner of war camp – Dory was one of those unlucky men captured by theenemy… Theodore was always “sickly and weak” after the war. He married and hadone child but died early at age 34.

TRANSCRIPTION

Addressed to Mr. Milo Longwood, Aberdeen, Ohio County, Indiana

Near Falmouth, Virginia
May 9, 1863

Dear Sister,

I thought I would write you a few lines as we have an opportunity—the first one we have had for several days. I have not time now to write you a very lengthy letter but will perhaps be able to satisfy you that we are both well and that we have not forgotten you. I am quite tired so you will have to excuse a few lines from me at present. Perhaps you will see more particulars in the papers than I will be able to give you at this time.

We left our old camp on the 28th and marched 4 miles below Fredericksburg and crossed [the Rappahannock] on pontoons. There is the first place I ever saw any fighting. We took a good many prisoners and drove the rebs back to their breastworks and we took possession of the bottoms along the river. We throwed up rifle pits and stayed there 3 or 4 days. The rebs shelled us while we lay there. Then we recrossed the river again and marched up the river some 12 or 15 miles to reinforce the army up there. There we stayed 4 or 5 days within gunshot of the enemy. I never heard such firing before. We have been skirmishing 9 days before we come here. We retreated from there but I don’t know whether our army was whipped or not, or whether it was just one of Old Hooker’s plans. I know that we was not whipped where we was for we repulsed the rebs in every attack with great loss both in killed and prisoners.¹

The first time I stood on picket was on the battlefield only four or five hundred yards from the enemy. Their spies would come and roll up towards us like a barrel. There was two or three come up very close to me but the Lieutenant would not let me shoot them for our soldiers was so tired that he did not want to bring on an engagement. We stood all night with[out] being relieved. Mort nor I got hurt in the last fights. I do not know when we will have to cross again.

Now it is almost time for the mail to leave so I will have to stop but will give you more particulars at some more convenient time. We got 5 or 6 letters from you and [sister] Sally, [my niece] Ida [Stevens], and one or two from the rest so I will quit for the present. So goodbye all. Morty says he will write soon. Please look over this hasty letter from your brother. Morty sends his love to all. — Theodore Longwood

¹ An account of the Battle of Chancellorsville written in a letter by GeorgeA. Huron, the Quartermaster Sergeant of the 7th Indiana, states that, “Doubtless the northern traitors will preach a defect and try to make capital of Hooker’s partial failure, but there is not a soldier with whom I have conversed who thinks we were whipped. Through the cowardice of one corps—the 11th—the general plan was so broken that it would not have been prudent to have followed up our successes. Early in the engagement the 11th Corps took a panic and retreated in the utmost confusion, throwing away guns, accouterments, provisions & clothing, and leaving the 3rd, 5th and 12th Corps without support and their flanks exposed. The consequence was they were badly cut to pieces before reenforcements could reach them. The 1st Corps, the one the 7th is in was moved from the left to fill the gap left by the 11th Corps and this left Sedgwick’s left flank unprotected and when he stormed the fortifications on the heights, the Rebels came between his left flank and the river attacked him in the rear. This placed the whole Corps in a perilous position and they had cut their way out. Genl. Sedgwick masked his batteries and posted his troops so that he did the Rebels great injury. All who have spoken in my hearing estimate the loss of the enemy as twice as great as ours. They for once were not previously informed of our move and had all the troops performed the part allotted to them. Our victory would have been complete. As it is the greater portion of the army is in good condition and we don’t expect to remain idle long. The loss in the 7th has one killed & three wounded.”

TERMS

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