7th Illinois Cavalry Letter Group

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011

Nice war-date correspondence group of sixteen (16) letters penned by Private Albert E. Swap, Company C, 7th Illinois Cavalry, mustered in August 1862 and was mustered out July 1865. These letters are from November 1863 through April 1865, while the regiment was engaging General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry and the Siege of Nashville. They read in part: “...[7/21/63 Camp near LaGrange, Tenn.]…since I come to camp we have had very good times, but it is not such times as we could have at home for we have to suffer many privations, it is enough to kill the best men in the country...[6/2/1864 Memphis, Tenn.] since we come off of the raid I have written to you but not recd an answer...I hope to hear that you enjoyed yourself well at the Ball at Triumph with the veterans of the 7th. I am in hopes that the rest of us poor scamps will get home after a while so as to enjoy a social ride with the Loved ones...I think I should like to have been to your house to have heard your martial music but I think your voice would suit me better than the fife and drum for that is a common music with us…[7/31/1864 Memphis, Tenn.]…Charles Dewey [also of Co. C] arrived in camp he was only two days coming from Mendota, he is well and all of the boys in this company of your acquaintances are well and anxious to get home but we can not leave our banner until in honor we can come. When the boys came into the service in 1862, we were enlisted for the term of two years and our time would be out on the 13th of August, but I think we will have to stay one year longer. Our Government does not see fit to do as they [?] with us. We have inspection every Sunday morning and they have blown fall in now, so I will have to close...[8/16/64 Memphis, Tenn.] I feel sorry for Melissa to think she got so badly hurt by going to the Circus but I hope it will not prove very serious...We have got our horses and expect to leave here in a day or two...[12/25/1864 Nashville] This I suppose is a Merry Christmas to you ( I hope so at least) I will tell you how I am spending my Christmas. We moved camp yesterday and did not get into our new camp until after dark and consequently had to put up our tents today...after we got our camp in order & saddled a mule and went to the city to procure our Christmas dinner...I suppose you have read the accounts of the Great Ball at this place between the Rebel General Hood and our Brave General Thomas. The result was Genl. Thomas could take the quickest step and drove the host of Rebels from before this city with a very heavy loss and is still in hot pursuit. There is but a few of us in camp our cavalry is out in pursuit of the fleeing foe...one year ago tomorrow we got one of the worst whippings we ever got by General Forrest at Somerville Tenn....I cannot bare the sight of so many poor fellows who have to suffer at every battle to see thousands laying killed and wounded is heart sickening to the hardest heart...[1/28/1865 Gravely Springs, Alabama]…There was just a few moments ago an order come granting to all men who enlisted in 1862 a privilege to reinlist for three years a $500 bounty and 60 days furlough...[4/19/65 East Port, Mississippi]…There is but very little going on in this part of the Confederacy at present...C.L. Dewey arrived at camp a few days since he is well. The good news of late has cheered up the boys very much, they talk of spending next winter at home...”. Much more camp and personal news. Most are Very Good to Fine condition.

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