Franklin County: Henry M. Erisman to His Brother, August 18,
1862
Summary:
Erisman complains that he has not received any letters from his brother. He also describes
his conversations with rebel soldiers, the death of a comrade, and his dislike of an
officer.
Brother
August 18th/62
Camp Near Battle Creek Tennessee
Dear Brother
I now take the pleasure of writing you to let you know that I am
well hoping that these few lines may find you and your family Enjoying the same Blessing. Abe,
why don't you write to me this is the fi fth letter I wrote to you and
I have not got any answer to any. We are now lying at Battle Creek and
we got Picketing about 2 miles from Camp. Every three Days where we can have a Chat with the
Rebels whenever we feel like it. I had a talk with a fellow that was Born and Raised [deleted: with] in Columbia he was Raised by a man by the name of Mullisson (Jim
Mullisson's Father) he's a Tinker by trade - learned his trade in
Columbia and left there time of t he Cholera and got to Texas somehow. there he got Married and when they Commenced to Enlist there for the Rebel Army he
joined the 2nd Texas Regiment I asked him why
he didn't come on our side to fight he
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said he had too much Property in Texas for that. I asked him his name but he wouldn't tell it he was Pretty well acquainted in Lancaster Also he Asked me all about John Hoo ver Hen
Hampshreville & Andy Hart he said he played many a game of
Ten Pins with them but he didn't Recollect you
nor Morney Rodgers I guess you must have been in Philadel phia at the Time he was in with those fellows We Talked for About 1 hour and a half when they was Relieved.
after he was Relieved he told me to take care of myself and hoped that we might have a drink
together and he left We are in a Pretty tight Place here just now but
we are Throwing up Entrenchments and I think we can stand them. there was a couple of Deserters
came in last evening and they said Rebels had about 85,000 between here and Chattanooga wh ile
we have not 10,000 at the outside but McCook's wide awake
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and he's making Preparations to receive them. Bill Diffenderfer Died
on the 16th. I think he was struck with the Palsey. he is the 6th one that Died out of our Company since we are in service we have 18 sick in the Hospital out of our Company & we have only 39 men in our Company
for Duty. Pyper is trying to take order ly from me. he has not been
half tending to his business and I went into him the other day and
asked him about some fellows that to the hospital - and we had some words and I hinted as much
as he didn't tend to his business and since then he's down on me the worst kind why
when he got word that Diffenderfer was dead we was just leaving Camp to go on Picket and he
says to me: why says, he I didn't know Billy was
sick at all: and he was lying sick not more than 15 yards from his tent
(the Captain's tent) before he went to
the Hospital. but he is now beginning to see his Mistake and he is
keeping his Eyes a little more about him There is not a man in the
Company but what
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is wishing that something would turn up
that he would get out of the Company. Either that he would die get shot or Resign anything
at all only so that he'd get out of this. Shroat is
beginning to put on airs too let me know what kind of a mess that
was that Mary and Sarah had. Give my Best Respects to Sarah, Aby, Edy, and all inquiring Friends and answer this as soon as you get it and let me
know all Particulars
Direct. C.S. Henry M. Erisman
Company K
77th
Regiment
Pennsylvania Volunteers
5th
Brigade 2nd Division
Tennessee
Care of Captain Pyper
