Finding Aid for the Simon B. Kersteter Civil War correspondence 2023.050.w.r

Andrew Harman

Center for American War Letters Archives

5/10/2023

Leatherby Libraries

Chapman University

Orange, CA 92866

speccoll@chapman.edu

URL: http://www1.chapman.edu/library/archives/

Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives

Title: Simon B. Kersteter Civil War correspondence

source: Levengood, Marcia

Creator: Kersteter, Simon B., Private, 1843-1909

Creator: Row, Emanuel B.

Identifier/Call Number: 2023.050.w.r

Physical Description: 0.03 Linear Feet (2 folders)

Date (inclusive): 1864 June 4 - 1865 July 11

Abstract: This collection contains four letters from Pvt. Simon B. Kerstetter to his future wife Lucinda Bowman and to his mother during the Civil War. Also included is one letter to Lucinda from Emanuel B. Row, two photographs of Kerstetter and his family, as well as one obituary and one four-page military record for Kerstetter.

Material Specific Details: This collection contains fragile materials. The correspondence is brittle and torn in several places, at some point put together by clear tape. Some of the tape has been removed and the pages have been rehoused in clear mylar protective sheets.

Language of Material: English .

Container: Civil War 9

Container: 1-2

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the Lawrence J and Charles V Levengood Families, donated by Marcia Levengood.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by author and chronology.

Series 1, Correspondence and other materials from Simon B. Kerstetter
Series 2, Correspondence from Emanuel B. Row

Biographical / Historical

Private Simon B. Kersteter (6/29/1843 - 9/10/1909) was born in Crawford Township, Ohio. He served the Union Army during the Civil War with Company C, 78th Ohio Volunteers, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 17th Army Corps. He served with General Tecumseh Sherman during the famous "march to the sea" and participated in many battles and campaigns, including the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston to General Sherman on April 26, 1865 at Bennett Place near Hillsborough, North Carolina; the largest surrender of the war.

He married Lucinda M. Bowman February 15, 1866 in Coshocton County, Ohio and the two had two sons and five daughters; the youngest, Elva Mae Levengood née Kersteter, was the grandmother of the donor. He ran a farm, eventually including 91 acres (per his final will) and was a member of the Reformed Church in New Bedford and served as their clerk for three decades and passed away from illness at 66 years old in 1909. He was interred at the Reformed Church, later Zion United Church of Christ Cemetery, New Bedford.

Emanuel B. Row served with 67th Regiment, Ohio Veteran Volunteers, 1st Division, 10th Army Corps. Further biographical information is unknown, though he may be related to Lucinda as he asks her to send well wishes to "Aunt," and says that "Uncle Jack" wishes her well.

Statement of Potentially Harmful Content

This collection may contain materials that are difficult to view, are potentially harmful, or use outdated and culturally insensitive language. Chapman University preserves and makes these materials accessible to researchers to ensure long-term accuracy of these historical records. This repository aims to not promote or otherwise celebrate this content, but to use it for educational and research purposes.

Please see the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) "Statement on Potentially Harmful Content" for more information: https://www.archives.gov/research/reparative-description/harmful-content

Preferred Citation

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Simon B. Kerstetter Civil War correspondence (2023.050.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Content Description

This collection contains four letters from Pvt. Simon B. Kerstetter to his future wife Lucinda M. Bowman and to his mother during the Civil War. There were two letters written to each. Also included is one letter to Lucinda from Emanuel B. Row, two photographs of Kerstetter and his family, as well as one obituary and one four-page military record for Kerstetter. Each letter includes a transcription provided by the donor.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Correspondence -- American Civil War

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Tennessee -- History -- Civil War, 1861 1865 -- Personal Narratives.

Levengood, Marcia

Series 1, Correspondence and other materials from Simon B. Kersteter 1864 October 28 - 1865 July 11

Physical Description: 0.02 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically.

Scope and Contents

This series contains four letters from Pvt. Simon B. Kersteter to his future wife Lucinda M. Bowman and to his mother during the Civil War. There were two letters written to each, as well as transcriptions created by the donor. Also included in the collection are two photographs, reprints/modern copies of daguerreotypes of Kersteter and his family, as well as one obituary for Kerstetter, and one four-page military record for Kersteter.

The first letter was written to his mother and dated October 28, 1864 from Nashville, Tennessee. He informed her of his travels from Columbus to Cincinnati, Louisville, and then Nashville as their train "pass[ed] through danger." He continued, "The night we laid in Louisville the Rebels attacked a train of soldiers...wounding some twenty, none killed...if they had attacked us they would have met with a warm reception." He mentions staying in the house built by Confederate General Felix K. Zollicoffer, who was killed at the Battle of Mill Springs, his property then confiscated by the Union Army. He closes by mentioning receiving hymns and testaments from the US Christian Commission.

The second letter was addressed to Lucinda, written in Atlanta, Georgia on November 5, 1864. He repeats the tale of his travels from Columbus, adding that he met some friends from the 19th Ohio Regiments, the "Gonser Boys and Ike and Flen Hammel," missing Al Gonser and Christ Forney. The road to Atlanta was more difficult, spanning two days and nights with rain. Their appearance, dirty and worn down, gave the impression that they were veterans but he admits that they were conscripts, implying his unit was all drafted. He and his cohort were to be attached to the 78th Ohio, which upon reaching Atlanta was nowhere to be found, forcing them to search for them.

He goes on to describe Atlanta and the destruction wrought by the war, mentioning "[General William Tecumseh Sherman] is going to evacuate the place and burn the town." He closes with the excitement of positive war news, with victories and "rebel prisoners in by hundreds every day."

The third letter was written to his mother near Savannah, Georgia on December 17, 1864. He describes his most recent 400-mile march through Georgia (Sherman's famous "march to the sea"), mentioning lack of rations, muddy conditions, and fighting the enemy as they destroyed what they found.

We drove the Rebels before as we went. Tore up railroads, burned their cotton gins and houses, killed their cattle and took their [enslaved persons] and destroyed every thing within our reach.

He then explains that while writing he was within six miles of the ocean, "having driven the Rebels over 400 miles without losing a single man in our regiment."

He then describes their camp and its proximity to the Confederate camp, less than a mile, and stealing sweet potatoes from them while on picket at night and not getting caught but being fired upon as they were walking back to camp in the morning. He continued and closed his letter,

The balls came flying like everything. We just marched off to camp and never minded them. And in the afternoon of the same day they commenced shelling us. Throwed shells over in our camp like everything but none done any damage. Our Batteries had them soon silenced. We have them surrounded and are going to starve them out.

The last letter in the collection was sent to Lucinda the next day, December 18. While still writing from near Savannah, Simon describes again his latest march, explaining his current position near the Ogeechee River, and going into more detail about the march itself including daily distances of 15-20 miles, carrying heavy packs, and rations. Claiming "no more about hard times," he then tells of forming a regiment in battle for the first time and the fear that accompanied that, "...but it was soon over. By putting my trust in the God of battles." He continued,

We waited a while for an attack but nary rebels came, save only every once a while shell came shrieking through the tops of the trees tearing off branches. We then marched up right in front of the enemy and every since they have been shelling us now and then."

He tells the tale of talking with Confederate soldiers when his picket got close to their camp, telling them they were "going to give them another Vicksburg Scrape." When he returned to camp he saw a friend, David Shultz, with "other boys," and mentions Fred Rowe before closing the letter.

Series 2, Correspondence from Emanuel B. Row 1864 June 4

Physical Description: 0.01 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Scope and Contents

This series contains one original correspondence and one transcription from Emanuel B. Row to Lucinda M. Bowman during the Civil War.

The letter from Emanuel was written to Lucinda in New Bedford, Ohio on June 4, 1864 from "Near Bermuda Hundred [Virginia]" and the letter is headlined with ornate words, "Liberty and Friendship". He says the army is in good health, and reports that after returning to the field since the last time he saw her his unit had "met the Enemy and fought various severe Battles, and lost to the number or twenty men of our Co. in Killed and wounded." He continues,

It is not probably they will kill all of us. And if possible I am determined to be one of the fortunate ones to escape."

He continues to discuss those various battles, as well as Confederate "rebel" deserters, and his thoughts on war in general.

Emanuel mentions battles of May 10 [Chester Station] and May 20 [Ware Bottom Church], the latter during which he captured Confederate General William Stephen Walker, "but not without great risk of my own life."

With continued fighting, his unit eventually came to this place about 17 miles from Richmond, Virginia; five miles from General Ulysses S. Grant's forces laying siege to the city. He at several points describes the fear-inducing sounds of artillery and musket fire:

As I am writing there is a continual roar of artillery...the fighting is probably the fiercest of the war. I have never heard such roaring of cannons. You can better imagine than I can describe what a fearful noise it must make...It is most horrible."

He goes on to give the good news of the Union advance and retreating Confederates, with discussion of the many deserters they received.

His discussion of the war continues by describing their solitude, want for companionship, specifically female, and the "bliss and comforts of a Civil life of which we have already so long been deprived." Noting their only solace in correspondence, he writes, "We are contented that we are yet permitted to associate with you through the silent pen and ink."

He continues to discuss people leaving their homes when the Union Army approaches. "They were led to believe that we would kill them...they went to Richmond...Now General Grant is so near they are flying from there." He opines, "It is terrible how these poor women and children must suffer while their Husbands and Fathers are in the Rebel army." He closes the letter and picks up again the next day with inquiries into people back home.