Horseshoe Lake, 2016

Letter from E.W. Mudge to his mother and sisters, March 9, 1862

Citation

“Letter from E.W. Mudge to his mother and sisters, March 9, 1862,” Madison Historical, accessed October 6, 2024, https://madison-historical.siue.edu/archive/items/show/1981.

Rights

The content of Madison Historical: The Online Encyclopedia and Digital Archive is publicly available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Encyclopedia articles, oral histories, web design, and other content original to Madison Historical are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images in encyclopedia articles not part of the digital archive are either in the public domain or Madison Historical received use permission by the original creators. While in most cases Madison Historical received permission to publish archive items from the institution or individual who possessed the item, it has not determined their copyright status. Please contact the possessing institution or individual for additional information regarding copyright status.

Description

This is a letter written by E.W. Mudge to his mother and sisters while at Grand Junction, Tennessee. Mudge details General Beauregard missing an appearance in Jackson due to illness, sleeping arrangements, spraining his ankle, and the admirability of his company's mess. He specified they're being lucky for having a coffee pot.

Transcription

  • Grand Junction Tenn.

    March 9th 1862

    Dear Mother and Sisters,

                I wrote a few lines yesterday telling you where we were but could not finish it on account of our being ordered back to this place where we are and are likely to stay a week or so. General Beauregard was in Jackson but was too sick to make his appearance so we were greatly disappointed in not seeing him. we are all very well and in high spirits. I was made cook of the mess for the first week and maybe will be reinstalled when my time expires. My coffee comes just in place now as we do not receive our rations of coffee yet although we will receive them as soon as we are permanently encamped which will shortly be the case.

    By the time you receive this letter our left wing will have joined us as we


    have received news to that effect.

    We are not yet in camp but our tents and baggage has gave out to camp we will likely be moved out there tomorrow last night our Company took up our lodging in a Methodist church and a very good nights sleep I had of it only falling out of bed if bed it could be called once as said bed was a plank raised up from the flore about two feet.

    The first night out from New Orleans while running up a hill I feel and sprained my ancle  very badly and was therefore excused from duty though it is very nearly well now. and I will likely be put on guard to night.

    As for news I can give you none as I have not seen a paper since I left New Orleans


    It would really amuse you all to see our men cooking here for we have none of us received our cooking utencils  yet and have to do all our cooking in our plates but luckily for our mess we have a coffee pot. A sauce pan and mu tin bucket we can get along very well. our mess has the reputation of being the best mess in the company when I say best I mean best cookers in fact we get along so well that our captain Leut. and Adjutant honor[?] us with their presence and say we cook admireably.

    I am now writing on my nappsack on the side of a hill so  you must not expect me to be very particular about the formation of my letters.

    There are now several Yankee prisoners in this town and our boys hoot at them to an extent that is


    shamefull

    You may answer this letter and direct to E. W. Mudge Co. D.Crescent  Regt. Grand Junction Tenn. and I think I will get it as w all expect to stay here a week at least. if not more but you must answer immediately in case we are ordered away sooner. A great many of the people up [illegible] and around Jackson are  [illegible] republicans thought they keep their mouthes shut


    Tell Sister Sally I will write Hes[?] A long letter as soon as we are settled down but will not be able to do so until then.

    So with lots of live for all I remain yours off. Son and Brother

    E.W.Mudge

In Collection

Subjects

  • Military
  • Civil War
  • Family
  • Communication
  • letters
  • health

Contributor

  • Mudge, Stephen

Date

March 9, 1862

Type

  • Miscellaneous Document

Format

  • pdf

Identifier

  • Mudge-Steve-D-0010
We are always committed to accuracy in our articles and archive items. If you notice a mistake or have a suggestion, please contact us.