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Monthly Archives: February 2012
Old Abe and the Draft
Writing to his sister Ann in early April, Harrison expresses some unhappiness that he has not heard from her and suggesting that she has forgotten him. Dewater asks her to confirm that his father has received the money he has … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1863, draft, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Tennesse, Uncle Joseph
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25th Michigan Regiment
The next surviving letter in Harrison’s correspondence is dated March 19, nearly two months since his previous letter. The unit remains in camp near Murfreesboro. A daily routine of drill and picket (guard) duty seems to take up most of … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1863, 25th Michigan Regiment, Ann, Ann DeWaters, Louisville, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Orlando H. Moore, Richmond, Tennesse, Uncle Joseph
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Hardtack & Bacon
After the Battle of Stone’s River, the 13th Michigan was moved to the nearby town of Murfreesburo. It would spend several months there, improving the fortifications before moving elsewhere, although as Harrison describes, skirmishes between the two armies continued. Harrison … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1863, hardtack, Murfreesboro, Tennesse, Uncle Joseph
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Battle of Stones River
Harrison’s letter from early 1863 describes his experiences in the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee on December 31, 1862. The role of the 13th Michigan may well have been the most important contribution it made in any single battle in … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1863, Ann, Ann DeWaters, General Wood, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Tennesse, Uncle Joseph
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Standing Picket
In early August, still camped in northwest Alabama, Harrison takes some time to reply to a letter from his sister Ann. Unlike his earlier letters, he doesn’t talk much about army life other than to acknowledge that he has … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1862, Alabama, Ann, Ann DeWaters, harvest, Uncle Joseph
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Courtland, Alabama
The next surviving letter from Harrison DeWaters was written over six weeks after the previous one in this collection. During that time, the 13th Michigan has advanced to the northeast corner of Alabama. For the first time in the surviving … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1862, Alabama, Corinth, Decatur, Uncle Joseph
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Fixing the Railroad
Harrison’s poor grammar and spelling make it difficult to follow his train of thought. He makes several points in this letter home. He first informs his parents that the 13th Michigan has been engaged in rebuilding the railroad that runs … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1862, Alabama, Albert, Corinth, Kalamazoo, Melissa, MIssissippi, Uncle Joseph
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Corinth
Although Harrison carelessly dated this letter as January, it must have been about the first of June. The Confederate Army retreated from Corinth on May 29. Corinth was a key railroad junction in the northeastern corner of Mississippi. On June … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1862, Corinth, Joseph DeWaters, MIssissippi, Uncle Joseph
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Dear Sister
There is a two month gap between this letter and the previous one dated March 24. Given how frequently Harrison had written, some of his letters are probably missing. During those two months, the 13th Michigan nearly saw its first … Continue reading
Posted in Harrison DeWaters
Tagged 13th Michigan Infantry, 1862, Ann, Gilbert, harvest, MIssissippi, William Rhoads
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