OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - The James Perry Fyffe Letters (Civil War) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darrold Crites DCrites642@aol.com July 16, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO: (No Envelope was shown) Head Quarter 59th Rgt O.V. U.S.A. Dec 11th 1861 Willa Dear I have written to night to Uncle John and having just returned from visiting the sentinels and seeing that they were vigalent and alert, I have concluded to write you a letter to send day after tomorrow as Uncle Johns goes in the daily mail tomorrow. This is one of the most lovely nights I ever experienced thus far north in Dec. The weather is soft and delicious with a glorious moon appearing to sail majestically along in the blue upper air ocean, and the stars twinkling, and glimmering from their far off localities across the great gulf, the vast expanse of space that seperates them from us, but I am brought down from my Starical flight, by the Band playing "Old Folks at Home". This is the first time they have favoured us with that tune, although I requested them to learn it some time since. Now they are playing, "The Girl I Left Behind Me" while the murmuring sound of the songs of the soldiers all over the encampment is heard, they are in fine spirit. How strangley sometimes I think we are ------------, and in view of the indiference manifested by the men, after hearing exciting news, I recall the words of one of Byrons heroes I believe it was, at anyrate a lover was parting with his lady lover, who unbeknownst to her was her fathers deadliest foe, and who expected to meet him in battle shortly, in view of this, the lover expressed some doubts about meeting her again which she understood to be an account of the danger and risk he ran, that it was the danger that would deter him. He repeats the word "Danger" and then breaks forth to this effect Danger when little knowest what he will dare Who born, and must, mid dangers brink Who sleeps with head upon the sword His feverish hand must grasp in waking But I have wandered off into the half remembered wordings descriptive of a passion, the deliniaton and Hero of which "no sound can eer wake to affection, or glory again". I believe the tune selected, and played by the Band tonight have affected my spirits, so I will lay by my pen, and wait until tomorrow to finish my letter. Dec 11th, after "Taps", which is 9 o'clock P.M. There has nothing of a warlike interest transpired today and I have come to the conclusion to retain my letter to you over another day. The force above us on the Cumberland River does not seem to be moving. I can only account for their hesitancy on the presumption that if they crossed the Cumberland to attack this point, they are now deterred by the arrival of reinforcements from accounts they crossed the Cumberland the very day I got here with my Regt. If they had been 3 days sooner than they were, or, if they have the force represented, had they come right on here, my regiment, with what is here, could not have saved this place, but yesterday the 19th Ohio Col Battery came up and others are coming, and we begin to breathe freerer, but for two days I thought we were gone sure and I cannot yet account for our escape. Maybe tomorrow will explain the matter. The only item occuring in the Military line since I wrote Uncle John! was a company of Cavalry went down the road to a town where a Company 110 strong of Sesesh had been, but they left one half hour before our Co of 70 men got there but I will close for tonight. Dec 12th 4 o'clock P.M. There is nothing new as to Folicoffers movements yet that is reliable, one of a Company of "Home Guards", 60 strong who have been guarding a bridge 15, or 20 miles from here, came in this morning, and reports the guards were attacked from both sides of the stream last night, and all killed but himself, his little boy among them. The bridge is between here and Somerset. The Tennesseeans still pass our camp in bodies of greater or less numbers every hour telling the same heart rending story of pillaged farms, stolen stock, insult abuse, and death and still they ask , how long oh! how long befor will it be befor our friends will cross the line to our relief? 5 o'clock P.M. A portion of the force was ordered to commence entrenching today on a height near the town and I have just been informed by the Genls aid who brought me the countersign that the Genl sent for me at 2 o'clock to ride out to the height with him but I did not get the message. The fact is I begin to believe some of the dignitaries here are not well posted as to what the enemy are, about his force or much else relating to them. A man may be a very clever and able civilian and be perfectly lost in the military movements very soon if not versed in these arts. Last night was a bitter cold night. I suffered more from cold than I have any other day since leaving home allways excepting that night I went to Cin. 6 o'clock P.M. I have just learned Genl Wards Brigade has moved up to Green River about 12 miles back from here for us to fall back on if overpowered. But, as already stated, I am getting skeptical about being attacked. I will now close presuming that this is for me a very extraordinarily long letter. I have not a word from home since leaving. Good by Willa Dear I write you affectionately Jas P Fyffe