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[First Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
5-9-64
[Postmark] [...ville May 11...?]
Mr. Samuel Cobb Esqr Mauricetown Cumberland County New Jersey
[Letter Pg1]
Camp near Mitchells Station, Va. March 31st, /64
Dear Brother, It has bin a long time since I have written to you and I have just received a letter from Father and he gave me your address and take the pleasure of writing a few lines to you. we have so much duty to do at presant that I have hardly time to write, we average two nights in bed out of seven. I expect to get to night in bed and tomorrow I expect to go on pickett and stay two days. Perhaps you would like to know something about our Pickett Duty.
Well wee go out in the morning and when we get to our
[Pg2]
respective post we divide off into releaves and then we are posted. well the first that wee do after wee get posted is to exchange papers with the Rebs. The next is to have a talk on politcks, war matters, and then wind up with talking about the women, and if wee have any surplus clothing to sell wee make a trade with them. I will give you a speciman of our trading for inst one of our boys had a pair of Boot to sell took them down to the river and inquired of Reb what he would give for them. the Reb replied that he would give 30 dollars in our Green Backs and 6 large plugs of navy tobacco. when our boy said that it was a bargain the boots ware
[Pg3]
ware accordingly sent over (by means of a little boit nad for the purpeous wich has a long string attached to it and a stone to the other end. The stone is throwen acrost the river (wich is very narrow) and puled over by the other party). Johney then puts the 30 dollars and the tobacco on the boat and throwes the stone back. the boat is then balled over and the yank pocketts the 30$ of Uncle Sams best issue, and perhaps befor he leaves another Reb will bring some tobacco down to sell and so times goes with us. I give you that as an instant but I migh mention dozins of such instances. we talk as friendly as if there was nothing the
[Pg4]
matter at all. when you get this you must answer it and when my time is out this summer I want you to give me a birth with you and if there is any site for you and I to get a vessel in pardnership I will go in with you provide that when I get out of the service you will give me a chance. pleas answer this as soon as you recieve it. y[overwritten by w] when you write home give my love to Call and to all of the Cobb family. my regards to John Outen, a large share of my love to you diret Co. B 2nd U.S. Cavalry via Washington, D.C. Nomor at present from your most affectionate brothe Wm T Cobb to [Prof?] E. Cobb
[Second Letter]
[Pg1]
Tullahoma Tenn. May 9th 1864 To Mr. Saml Cobb Esqr[underlined] Dear Sir I suppose you have been looking perhaps for some few lines [from?] [ere?] this, as I believed I rather promised to send something. Well sir after I left you last that morning I headed up to [...masville?] & get my children arrainged for their places & then started for Phla & when I got there my cousin had made an engagement for me to go to work in a machine shop, I saw the Qurtr [Masters Agent][underlined] in reguard to going [front?] he wanted me to go but I had made an agreement with one of the superintendents at Camp stoneman before I left
[Pg2]
there that when he got his commission to go to Tennessee I would go with him, so it did not make any difference which place I went to, to the government. So I went in the machine shop untill the agent sent for me which was the 23d of March for to report immediately at Washington D.C. I started the next day & on the the 28th we got our transportation for Nashville Tenn. by the way of the Balto & Ohio R.R. & [Bernwood?] Bellaire Zaynesville Columbus, Cincinnatti, Seymour, Jeffersonvill Louisville to Nashville where we arrived April 1 1/2 past 8 evening. We were ordered to report to the chief Engineer of the Military R.R. Dept. The shops were all full so we laid there a week reporting our time every day untill we got tired & we reported back to head qurters again which resulted in a young man & myself being sent out here to put
[Pg3]
up a railroad shop & go to work in it when done [de...ing?] tools. So I have been here now over one month & have done about 1 weeks work, but our time is going on the same as we have to waite for our material I finished puting up the forges yesterday & expect to get to work this week if we can get coal. I got my pay for 4 days in March [?]12. & expect to get [?]3. a day & rations for the present. My pay commenced at [?]3. from the time I left Washington & transportation free. Well Here I am in the land of cotton where Africans [right?] are not all forgotten; just at this [?] about 1150 miles from Mauricetown 70 miles south east of Nashville 81 miles from Chattanooga & about the same distance due west of Knoxvil. I am in the midst of Forts, Block Houses, Stockades, Breast works, rifle pits 3 miles long, Big guns, Swords & Bayonets, Guirrillas, Bushwackers,
[Pg4]
Deserters, Conscripts, Contrabrands Norway Rats by the thousands, Hard tack, Salt [Yunk?], dead Hosses Mules & Men, (the aire is perfectly noisom with the stench.) &c, &c. This was the Headquarters of Genl Bragg untill [Rosencranse?] drove him south. This winter it has been the headqrts of Mjor Genl Slocum of the 12th Army Core before its consolidation. I heard him deliver his farwell address to his men. This post now belongs to Hooker. The Bushwackers captured the section Boss and all his gang a few days ago, that I mess with about 3 miles from here, they shot 3 of them that they killed, robed them all of theire money & watches & let them go. All the troops that can be spared are ordered to the front & we look for a battle every day. There was a Brigade of Cavalry went through here the other day forming a column of some 6 miles long, some days 5 & 6000 – infentry pass through. There is hot times coming. If our men are drove back I expect I shall have to skedadle too.
know
Write & let me ^ wether you are alive or not & how you are geting on. remember me to [all who?]
[Marginalia top of Pg1]
enquires & excuse the conglomerated letter yours [restity?] C [Brading?] Direct to Charles [Brad...y?] rail road Blacksmith Tullahoma Tenn.
[Third Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
[postmark] Baltimore MD. May 25 [?]
S. cobb Esqr Mauricetown Cumberland Co. N.J.
[Letter Pg1]
U.S. reciving Ship Alleghany May 24th
1864
Dear Father
As I have not recieved any letters from you for a long time I thought that I would write a few lines to asertain weather you are all forgotten how to write or not if you have you can get some one else to write for you.
I sent my discharge about 2 weeks a go and have not hered from it yet I am affrid that that it has not goned home and if it has not or if it has I wish you to write and let me know a bout it for it is a
[Pg2]
good one and I donot wish to loose it.
Their is not much news on board of our ship to tell you at presant but the news from the Army is vary good and I hope that they will continue as good as the have bin for the last week or so.
When I last wrote to you I did not feel vary well and did not write much. I have read the new Gospel of Peace, the Ship wrecks, the Way To Prosper and in fact about all the Book that you sent me. The Book called the way to Prosper is continualy being read it has went the round of the Ships Company.
[Pg3]
I am a studying navigatin and I am a getting a long vary well.
I send my Regards and Thanks to the Ladys Relief Association for their gifts to me, and you must tell mother that I am vary thankful for the articles that she put in to the Box a[crossed out]for the are of the gratest importance to me and will bee of grate use to me. I find a vast differance in being here and in the army, here I have a good Hammack and matress to sleep on at ninght and I know whare it is, but in the army I had no bed to lay on but the ground and in the moning I would not know
[Pg4]
weather I would get to lay down or not at night and if I did perhaps it would be in the mud.
I will close for the presant by sending my love to mother and all of the family your self included, alos all inquiring friends. Pleas write soon. I have no more stamps.
from you most obt. Son William. T. Cobb U.S.N
[Fourth Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
6-6-64
[Postmark] Baltimore Md Jun 6
S. Cobb Esqr
Mauricetown
Cumberland Co
N. J.
[Letter Pg1]
On board U.S. Reciving Ship Alleghany June 6th 1864
Dear Father I recieved your vary welcome letter on the 4th inst and was vary glad to here from home once more, and that all was well. I had began to fear that some of the family was sick by your not writing sooner but I am vary glad to find it differant.
You was saying in your letter that you was so buisey that you could hardly get time to write but I think that you might give George the proper materials to write with and let him write to me when you have not time, and when you have time then you could write me a few lines.
[Pg2]
You was speaking about the draft you said that Ed Haley was drafted he can get into the Navy if he wishes to by applying for a transfer.
I do not know how long I will remain here, but I hope that I will get a way soon and captor some blockcad runers for I want to make some prise money befor the War Closes.
There is no news to send you at the presant but if you have a mind to you can sent to the editor of the Pioneer and have him to direct it here. I have read most all of the books that you sent me. The New Gospel of Peace is vary good, Homers Iliade is too much for me. I found that letter that you was a speaking a bout and was glad enough of it, among the many things that was in my box I found
[Pg3]
a white shirt, its something that I have not worn since I left home.
I use my slate and pencil a considerable and I hope by the time that my time is is out, to bee a good navigator. You did not say what you thought of my discharge the next time you write I want you to let me know what you think of it. I will close for the presant by sending my love to Mother, and all of our family yourself in cluded direct as befor. Nomore at presant
from your most obt. son
William. T. Cobb U.S.N.
[Fifth Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
[Postmark] [?] VA Aug 8 ‘64
S. Cobb Esqr Mauricetown Cumberland Co N. J.
8/64
[Letter Pg1]
On board U.S.Str Daylight off Fortss Monroe August 5th /64
Dear Father
Yours of the 30th inst come to hand this morning, I was vary glad to here from home but I was vary sorry to here the news of your situation, and if such a thing is posible. Do not have the place mortgaged if you can avoid it aney how at all, and this is the first that I knew of my having aney ground there. I will tell you what I will do, I will sign an allotment of 10$ to you per month for the [remaidg?] of my time as soon as I
[Pg2]
get achance but I can not tell how long befor I will get a channce but when I get a chance you may look for it. I will let you knows if it will save a mortgage on the place it is all that I can do for the presant.
Augst 7th 11 A.M.
As wee have come from Ft Monroe and arrived at Norfolk I will finish my letter. wee are in the Dry Dock at the Navy yard of Gosport near Norfok. wee will get over huled here. I do not know how long it will take us but not over two weeks. wee was out to sea but on account of our Boilers
[Pg3]
being in bad order wee put back for repairs.
You was speaking a bout my sending ten dolls to bee mad a life member of the Sosiety but it is impossible for me to get one cent for they do not pay off until the expiration of term but my time will be out in the course of time and I will have a chance to do some thing for my self, if you can get a long aney how at all without puting the place under obligation, do so, for I do not want it done if it costs
der
all that I make the remain of my time. I wil have to stop for the presant by sending my love to mother and all the children yourself included write
[Pg4]
soon direct as befor directed U.S. Str. Daylight North Atlantic Blockading Squadren via Ft Monroe Va
no more at presant from your most obt. son William. T. Cobb U. S. N.
[Sixth Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
9-10-64
[Postmark] Norfolk Va Sep 11 ‘64
S. Cobb Esqr Mauricetown Cumberland Co N. J.
[Letter Pg1]
On board U.S.S. Shenandoah Sept 10thj 1864
Dear Father
I have not written to you for some time and as I have bin transferred from the Daylight to the U.S. Str Shenandoah I thought I would write and let you know the ship that I am now in. I wish you to tell G. Wills the ships name that I am now in and tell him to write to me, tell Call the ships name so that she
[Pg2]
can write to me. the ship that I am now in is not a blockade vessel. She is a Cruicer. She goes to sea and cruises betwen Willmington and Halafax. Her armour is of 1 30 lbs Parrott 1, 200 lbs Parrott 2, 11in gunes wee carry havy mettle. She is a sloop-of-war. I like her vary much. When we go to sea wee stay not over 30 days at a time. I wish you to write soon Direct U.S.S. Shenandoah via Ftts Monre North Atlantic Blockading Squadren. Give my love to mother and all the children yourself included
[Pg3]
Nomore at presant from your most obt. son Wm. T. Cobb
write soon
Pleas excuse this short letter sircumstances will not permit me to write longer (not time at presant)
