MS 797 - Benjamin Basil Jackson Family Papers Transcripts (September 1874)

Oscar Allen Correspondence

January 3, 1863

Jan the 3th/63 Benton, Ky

Dear Cousin

It has bin so long since I saw you or heard from you I thot that I would write you a few lines and tell you whare I am and how I am giting along I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you injoying the same grate and good blessing it is raining hear in old Ky and is giting very mudy I have just bin eating a peace of a appell from Ohio and it tasted like homw but I am a good wase (?) from home tho We are guarding a bridge across Cruises Creek on the Kentucky Central Railroad we have good times hear e expect to be atacked on this road before long by old morgan We don't care mutch if he does cum when we git our block house up I have got a map of this place, in old Kentucky thare nothing but hills and hollows I have bin over sum of them I have binn as far as 709 miles back in old Kentucky I have had the sore throat byt I am over it now I got a letter from Uncel John Wolfley thay was all well I believe except Aunt Hetty She has not had her helth very good this winter All of our folks is well at home thay was anyhow the last letter I got Uncle Jed Allen is maried and his wifes name is Mary I would like to hear whare Silas and James is and if thay are well and what rigmatn thay are inSo I must close
Direct to Kenton po
Kenton Co Kentucky
Truly yours
Oscar Allen

To his Cousin Hetty Brackney Write Soon

January 19, 1863

Benton Ky Jan 19th AD 1863

Dear Cousin Hetty Brackney

Your letter came to hand about a week ago. I was glad to hear from you and happy to hear that you was well. I am well att present and harty as a buck but cant jump quite as far. I hope that you are the same. Well I will tell you about the deep snow in old Ky what has binn a very deep Snow hear it commenced wendsday about midnight and snoed all that day and the next day and all night and the next day and all that night and the next day till Noon I began to think that it was not agointo never quit Well the snow is over two feet deep in the Shallerst place the folks in kentucky says that is is the deepest snow that thay ever seen in Ky you just otto see us catch rabits thare is one rabit to evry fence corner we scar them out of thate nests thay will give one jump then we pick them up I am siting at a privet house one of our boys is sick he has bin sick about three weeks that is the resen I am hear wate on him he has had the mesels and something else I have forgot but I am about run out of gass it is robert gouge that is sick I rote James a letter but I have not got any anser yeat that is the reason that I did not ansure your letter any sooner than I did I would like to see you very well (now turn over)We have very good times hear at this Bridge and I thin k that we wil stay hear all winter I hope so any how O Yes we are a gointo draw our Spondulex to morow I would like to come home then and see all of the folks but the Capton says that thare shant another man come home I will try and git around him if I can he is a truly good Capton I think he will let me come I will give you the number of our regment it is the 118 regment Company I O.V.I. an dour capton's name is Somers We have very good grub crackers and beens rice sugar coffee and old Sow belly about forty years old I gess that it was sum that the Soldiers had in the revolutionary war one of the boys that brot the meat said that he wanted a guard to keep the buzards off But we had sum good meat the other day three of the boys concluded that thay must have sum fresh meat so thay went out and came in with Sunthing it had neather hide nor hair on we oculd not tell what it was So we coocked a fine lot of it when we was eating one of the boys that helpt to kill it ast if we noed what for meat that was we told him sheep or hog then thay laft and said you are badly fooled it is goat that was the first goat I ever eat So I must close my letter So no more for this time I send my love and best to you and all of my friends and write as soon as you can and I will try an dwrite sooner than I have this time I remain your affectionated Cousin Oscar D. Allen

Direct as befor to
Kenton Kenton Co. Ky to his cousin
Farewell for this time
Hetty Brackney

March 3, 1863

Mar 3th 1863 Benton Kentucky

Dear Cousin

It is with plesure that I seat my self to let you know that I am well and hoping that when this comes to hand it will find you the same We have a snow this morning about three inches deep and the whole woods is coverd with the white flours of frost it is just sun rise and nothing can be herd but the Sweets Sings of the Owl and the Soft nots of the Crow and the rattling of the telagraph wire I expect that we will be Musterd for our Shin plasters we was to be musterd yesterday but the Magor did not com e I expect he will come today we hafto take out our gun and knap sack haver sack Canteen and every thing that we have we have to put on our best every day go to meting close but these is now Church hear but a Catholick about three miles from Camp I have not bin to Chruch for about four months or over the people hear thinks nothing of a man if he does not Swear Kentucky is one of the most desolate places that ever I wan in in my life We was musterd to day when the Colonel come instid of the magor the colonel come when I was writing at this letter when he had musterd us fore of us prest a hand car and took the colonel & capton up to demolsville to muster the rest of the company and I have just returned and I feel very tierd it is not very much fun to run one of them little cars I would like to see you very well if I could git a furlough I would see you too but I hope and trust that I may return safe home and see all of my friends and injoy helth peace and happyness like I did when I was at home Well I have run out of gass I must bid you good night I remain your cousin til death

Write soon

Oscar Allen

To his Cousin Hetty Bracnkey

March 22, 1863

March 22th 1863 Kenton Ky

Dear Cousin

I received your letter of Mar. the 21 and was very glad to hear from you how do you do this morning I am well and harty and all of the boys is well I believe except robert L. gouge and he has binn sick for about 2 months he is at Lexington now he is not abel for the service I think he will git his discharge I have not heard from Silas and James for over one month or more they are about Lexington sume whareWe are glad to be paid off tomorrow or next day and I think that I will git to come home for thare is furloughs to be had I wish this ware was closed so that the Soldiers Could Come home and live in peace I am giting tierd of this way of livingI believe that the news is that old morgan Sayes that he will have Lexington before Friday night and eat his super thare but ii think that he will have some work to do if he gits his super it will be of led Yesterday thare was a train of Soldier went up and last night thare was a batry went up thare is a gointo be sum hard fiting done in Kentucky before this war is closed Well I must close till morningWell it is morning and it is raining like sixty (?) The river is vary hi and the mud is very deep Well the capton has come and he sais that one of the obys has deserted and he lows to send me and 2 other boys over west to see if we can hear of him Well I must go nowWell I have returned and it is night I will tell you something about our tromp we started in the morning about 9 oclock and went on till noon thare we came to a house and stoped and got out dinners Then we went on till we came to the Covington pike we folowed it to the end Then we started back for the Camp and of all the rods I ever saw that was the meanest and hillest We traveld till we got in about 3 miles of camp their we found the back bone of kentucky and we got on top of that back bone and all the way to git down was to slide down the ribs the back bone is about 4 hundred feet hiWe have a new genral it is gineral burnside he is coming in kentucky with his hole core The rebs is agointo make a nother rade in kentucky I think that will be thare last pitchWell I believe I have no more news So I will close I remain your cousin

As ever
Oscar D. Allen
To his cousin Hetty Bracnkey
So good bye I send my best respects to all of you

July 26, 1863

Benton Station Ky July 26th 1863

Dear Cousin Hetty

It is with much pleasure that I seat my self this Sabeth morning to try to ansure your kind and welcom letter which came to hand about a week ago and was read with plesure I am well at presant and hope that you are enjoying the same blesing I was at the Sity the other day and I got sum fotgrafts taken and I will send you one of them they are not taken vary well but it lokes a little like me I guess I would like to come home if I could and I expect that I would binn home now if it had not binn for the morgan raid in ohio that stoped the furlough bisness but I think that it dun sum of them Buter nuts sum good don't you think so for he stole horses from them as well as any other man that day I was at the Sity I saw two boat loads of old Johns men thay was ankered in the midle of the river the rebs is a gitting a general flogging now every whare I think that this Rebellion will sone be scrached out

I remain your cousin
Oscar D Allen
To his cousin
Hetty S. Brackney
Write soon

October 5, 1863

Loudon Bridge Tenn

Oct. 5th, 1863

It is with pleasure that I seat my self this Sabeth morning in my little pup tent to try to answer your kind letter which I received yesterday We have had fogy rainy weather hear for about three or four days and had the rebs to fight at the same time The 45th regt was in the fight the first day the rebs had them surounded and they had to cut there way threw They shot their guns and revolvers empty Then they went into them ruff shod with the buts of thare guns The rebs got about 65 or 70 of them prisners and we took as many or more of them There is agoijng to be a prety hard battle here if the rebs don't run for Burnside is hear I saw him yesturday He is moaving on themWell hetty I saw James and Silas about 3 weeks ago and they was well then I cant find our wheather they are taken prinsers or not I expect that the ball will open tomorrow but they say that the rebs is retreating Well I think that the rebs is about played out any howWell I will tell you how I voted I voted the hole union ticket that or nun but some in our regt. Voted for Vall. There was 169 votes cast for Vall and 496 for Brough and the 45th Regt went all for Brough I don't see how a man can vote for a rebel and fighting them at the same time Well Hetty I have pretty slim living now we only draw about quarter rations I had nothing to eat this morning but a little parched corn and not much of that You said you wished that I was there to eat diner with you Well I wish I could stop over and take dinner with you I am shure it would not spite me a bit Well I must quit now and go and drill Yours with respect

Oscar D Allen

Direct to Knoxville, Tenn Co. I 118th regt. OVI

December 22, 1863

Knoxville, Tenn, Dec. 22, 1863

Dear Cousin
it is with grate pelasure that I seat myself to try ao write you a few lines I recived your letter Sum time ago and was glad to hear from you I will tell you the reason I did not write sooner We was cut off from Communication 20 days and it was no use to writeWe have had a heavy old time with the rebs but we Cleand them out and left a good many of them in the ground at the Battle of Knoxville the rebs made a Charge on Burnside and our men throed Shels on them with there hands and kild about 200 rebs or more in 15 minits and we only lost one or two the blood stood in great pudels on the groundWell Hetty East Tenn is just blue with yankes We are living Sum better now but I did see the time when brand bread went buly The rail road is open now and we can git pelnty of evey thing that we want Well Hetty I have a notion to join the reglars for three years longer they git $400.00 but I belive I wonte for this is reglar anuf for me and to mutch so O I all most forgot to tell you that I am well except for a bad Cold We was payed the other day and I sent Sixty dollars home by the state agent Well I must close and go and git my grub yours with respect

Direct to Knoxville, Tenn. Oscar D. Allen
Co. I 118th Regt. OVI
1 Brig 2 Division 23st A.C.
Write Soon Good By for this time

Other Brackney Family Correspondence

November 2, 1862 [From Samuel Brackney]

November the 2 AD 1862

Dear uncle I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hoping these few lines ma find you enjoying the same the rest of the boys is well at present we have had a threw of bad Coleds but we are getting over that hancy had the quick step for a while but is well of them now I have bin to meeting three times since I came here it is well enough that we can go to meeting for we have a hard place I have herd more swearing since I came here than I did in three years before there is but thre in camp but what swears and that is me and henry tilery (?) is tow of tehm we do not no when we will leave here but I don not expect that we wil leave next week we have got our uniforms but we have not got our money yet we expect to get it before we leav her I have not stood gard yet but all the rest of the boys have stood gard but Jeseph Bauer we have to drill twice a day one our each time we have been on dress parade twice So no more at present

Samuel Brackney to Wilson Brackney
Excuse my bad spelling and writing write soon and let me know how you are getting a long

Direct your letter in
Care of Lieutenant underwood Co C
57 regiment

June 26, 1863 [From Samuel Brackney]

Camp in the rear of vicburg

June the 26 63

Dear uncle

I again seat my self to let you know that I am well at present and hope that thes few lines me find you enjoying the same I have not received no letter from you but I thot meby thet you did not get it and I thot thet I wood try it a gain we have seen pretty hard times for a whole they do not look any better yet but I still look for better times a bout the time that we get in Vicburg our men bload up one of there forts on our left they bload it up then they let in with our artilery and muskery our men occupys the fort now so they tell me and have cannons plented on the top I tell you now thet it made a beeg fog wne it went up the dirt flew a bout tree top high and I do not know how high the men flew but I expect that there was some flew pretty high they still keep a voley of musketry on our left but kin not tell you this time I will try and tell you more a bout it the next time for a fellow don't dare to stick his head up a bove the brest works I tell you now it is a kind of a uneasy life for a fellow don't know whenhe will get shot we are now deeging a ditch that runs right strate up to there brest works they had me out las night a deeging a fellow can deeg with pretty good heart for I had rather do that then to make any more charges over thes hills they throad a good many of our men in then too charges that we did make but I think if we have to make any more that we will have support nearly all the way we can in our ditches

Well I must close my scribbling for this time but write soon
Samuel Brackney to Wilson Brackney
I will send in this letter our colonel address after he got home well you must excuse me for not paying the postage for they have played out.

August 6, 1863 [From Samuel Brackney]

Camp Sherman Mississippi

August the 6th AD 63

Dear uncle

I again seat my self to let you know that I am well at present and hope that thes few lines find you enjoying the same I received your letter a few days a go I was glad to here that you was all well we are camped a bout twelve miles from Vicksburg We have a nice camp all the folt that I have is the water is kind unhandy we have to carry our water a bout a mile and a half it is pretty hard work carrying up the beeg hils but as for the rest of the camp I like very well we have to go on brigade drill yesterday and I tell you now that it is warm they took us right out in a open fell and there they put us threw a bout three hours pretty keen and I tell you now there was some got sunstruck the boys got pretty mad at old blarier for takeing us out in the sun well wilson I expect that you fellows knows tho has to go to war I hope that this draft will end this worst rebellion for I think the rebs is a getting tired of the war I guess that it is not much fun as they thot it would be I have bin in five little scratches and I thot that I had dun things that I seen more fun at but at vicksburg after we got out rifle pits dug then it was a little fun to keep them down for we cood get in them and load and shoot at his pleasure but still a fellow had to keep his head down or else he wood get it hurt but I think that we will not have much more fighting to do

Well I guess that I must bring my letter to a close for this time give my love to all surrounding friends so no more

Samuel Brackney to Wilson Brackney
When you write tell me how the Allen boys is getting a long and how to direct my letters to them

November 29, 1864 [From Bill Connell]

November the 29 AD 1864
Mr. Wilson Brackney
Dear Uncle

It is with plesure that I seat my self to write to you a few lines to let you now how I am getting I suppose that you have heard that I have been unwell from the twenty sixth of last June I hav not seen a well day I hav the fever and the diarrhea until it has run me down til I am not worth one cent if I was to walk a half a mile as fast as I could walk I would be played out and now uncle this is the second letter that I hav writen you and hav received no answer and now this is the last one until you write to me and then I will write to you no more at present write soon

Wilson Brackney from Mc Connell Bill
Direct you letter Nashville, tenisee hospital nof 14 ward 4
Hurraw for Old Abe

May 19, 1864 [From C. M. Powell]

Camp Dennison, O near Cincinnati

May 19th 64
Dear brother

Weary and tierd from drilling I come in quarters and try to drop you a few lines first I am well and have been since I left home we have good quarters here and is rather a nice place with the exception of water which is not very good There is about three regiment here one left today for Washington Various rumors have been circulated with regard to our destiny but from later accounts the probability is that we will stay here Some boddy must stay here and it is likely we will bee among the too regiments assigned to this post Someboddy must take care of the property here and I suppose we had as well do this as anyboddy else it is reported that there will be prisners sent here how that will bee I cannot say as for our part we would as leave go to some other post we would like to see some of the elephant; besides the butternuts will say we was too big cowards for that is all that is all the sence they have got to go any further more than tha we would like to see the country and help put down the rebellion for my part I am satisfied any way I must close for night is here and I cannot see the line on the paper Not much sickness in Camp noisy place swearing and card playing no fighting but all funn Write soon and give me the news of the neighborhood how butternutism ranks dark

Write soon direct to Camp Dennision near Cincinnati
Co. R. 156 reg. ONNG
In care of Cap. Drury
Signed, C.M. Powell

June 9, 1864 [From C. M. Powell]

Camp Dennison June 9th 1864
Mr. Wilson Brackney

Dear Brother

It is with the greatest pleasure that I seat myelf to answer your kind letter which came to hand yesterday and was very sorry to hear that you was drafted with the copperheads but I think that you done right in buying off under the circumstances Well Wilson we are nicely situated here Camp Dennison is one of the nicest places I ever saw in my life it is situated on the little Miami river it is some over one mile long and nearly as wide the soldiers barax is on the east near the river and the Hospital on the left with the Little Miami Railroad running between them on our side we have good substantial plank houses with bunks built in rows to sleep in and we have plenty to eat our drill grounds contains at least eighty acres of ground and it is as level as a plank floor we have roll call in the morning at sunrise and at six in the evening also at nine at night we drill at nine in the morning and at two oclock in the afternoon dress parade at four oclock in the Hospital is a very hansome place they have flower beds of all sizes and shapes There wards are uncommon nice with neat porches to them the number is sixty five and each ward has forty beds I want you to write to me about James and Silas Allen wheather you have heard any thing sure from them or not please write as soon as this comes to hand Nothing more at this time but remain

your friend

CM Powell

February 10, 1862 [From Joseph Harden]

February 10 AD 1862

Dear friend

I take this opportunity to answer your kind and much welcom letter which came to hand to let you now that we are all well at present and hope that these few lines ma find you in good health We have a very opin winter her but it is very healthy her wheat is ie 1.10 ex pr corn ie 40 per oats 50 pr coffee is 35 cnts sugar 13 cnts calico is 25 cnts muttin 25 to 40 cnts these are war times this abolition war makes hard times her I cant tel you wen this war will come to a close I think the Democrates party in the north will tri to settle soon I don't think ther wil be enny more Drafting dun I think if thare ill thare wil be war her for the pepel in the north wil not bar it enny longer thare is strong tolk of rebeling in the north nowI com to close now fore this time I wold be glad to see yew back with yore family an to cum and see use wunst more Want you to right as soon as you git this leter an let me now how times is thar

From Joseph Harden
James W. Allen