Fantastic Civil War letter from the Trans-Mississippi department. This letter was written two days before the Battle of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, which Travis and his unit participated in. Really a great piece of history from a very turbulent time and place.
Letter from William G. Travis, Co F 1st Wisconsin Cavalry to Ms Sarah J. Shaw, Dodge Co, Wisconsin
Cape Girardeau, Mo, Apr 24/63
“Dear Sarah
I take my pen to write a few lines to you according to promise but not as soon as I ought to have done. I arrived here on Saturday safe and sound and found things as I left them. I commenced week on Monday as assistant forage master at $45 per month. There was another man in my place but they sent him away as soon as I arrived do I am doing pretty well. How long it will last we cant tell. The rebels are playing the deuce with ___ around here now it is worse than it ever was.
Last Tuesday morning I was called out of bed at 2 o’clock to carry a dispatch 20 miles through the woods. All the way and had to go alone. I got there at 5 o’clock took breakfast started back and arrived back here at noon which made 40 miles of a ride I was very tired. I received $5 for the job so it paid very well. …show more content…
Our troops had to leave Bloomfield again this week the rebels was getting too thick for them. Genl Marmaduke is marching a large force through this state. Genl McNeil heard of him but had not men enough to fight him so he retreated to Jackson to cut him off from the Cape but he went to Patterson and drove the 3rd Mo out killed 30 took 60 prisoners the rest got away. Genl McNeil came here today and is going to wait for him to come here they took one of his companies prisoners at Chalk Bluff and I expect they will kill all of
Letter from William G. Travis, Co F 1st Wisconsin Cavalry to Ms Sarah J. Shaw, Dodge Co, Wisconsin
Cape Girardeau, Mo, Apr 24/63
“Dear Sarah
I take my pen to write a few lines to you according to promise but not as soon as I ought to have done. I arrived here on Saturday safe and sound and found things as I left them. I commenced week on Monday as assistant forage master at $45 per month. There was another man in my place but they sent him away as soon as I arrived do I am doing pretty well. How long it will last we cant tell. The rebels are playing the deuce with ___ around here now it is worse than it ever was.
Last Tuesday morning I was called out of bed at 2 o’clock to carry a dispatch 20 miles through the woods. All the way and had to go alone. I got there at 5 o’clock took breakfast started back and arrived back here at noon which made 40 miles of a ride I was very tired. I received $5 for the job so it paid very well. …show more content…
Our troops had to leave Bloomfield again this week the rebels was getting too thick for them. Genl Marmaduke is marching a large force through this state. Genl McNeil heard of him but had not men enough to fight him so he retreated to Jackson to cut him off from the Cape but he went to Patterson and drove the 3rd Mo out killed 30 took 60 prisoners the rest got away. Genl McNeil came here today and is going to wait for him to come here they took one of his companies prisoners at Chalk Bluff and I expect they will kill all of