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Curtis B. Wilson to his eldest daughter, Mary M. Wilson from Nashville, Tennessee, December 7, 1864 Submitted and transcribed by Judi Morgan Judi Morgan writes:
This is a copy of a letter written by my great-great-grandfather, Curtis B. Wilson to his eldest daughter by his first wife, Mary M. Wilson during the Civil War. It was written one week after the Battle of Franklin and one week prior to the Battle of Nashville. His description of the Battle of Franklin exactly fits a description of the battle I found elsewhere on the internet. My GG-grandfather's name was Curtis B. Wilson. He married his first wife, Fannie Collins, in Coles County in 1844, and sometime between 1850 and 1860 they moved to Fulton County. In 1862, at the age of 40, he enlisted in the Union Army and served until August 1865. In the fall of 1863, his wife Fannie died, and he received a brief furlough home from Vicksburg. This letter is to his eldest daughter, Mary, who would have been about 19 at the time. Curtis Wilson died in Fulton County in 1877. Nashville, Tennessee December the 7, 1864 Deare Daughter, I sat myself this pleasant evening to informe you that I am well at this time, tho we have been in some close places in the last few weeks. We have been skirmishing and fighting since November the 23 up to the 30 and on that day was one of the bloody battles. We lost 16 in Co. I, the regiment lost 168, killed, wounded and missing. The battle commenced at 4 o’clock in the evening and lasted till 10. It was terrific. Joseph McClendon is among the missing. He fell in the storm of iron shell and shot that fell thick and fast. It minded me of the boy that stood on the burning deck that I at times hear you read. You will see it in the papers better than I can describe it. We are now in Nashville. The rebels [?is feeling of us?] here, but we are enough fore him. We are well fortified and a grate army here. It is supposed that the rebs lost 5 to our one, tho we fell back to this place. Tha say it was strategic. This is a good place to make a stand. We do look to fight here as they are skirmishing around the works. We are ready for them. We may have hard fighting here, tho I cannot [?see it?]. I have written to Levi about Joseph. I also have written to Mrs Throckmorton and Alice since the battle at Franklin. I have not received a letter from you since we left Vicksburg, and I think it lonely. I would be glad to hear from the children as often as I can. Well, I must close as I have not time to write at present. Direct to Nashville Tennessee, 72 Co. I McCarthy Division. So no more. Yours truly, C.B. Wilson Mary M. Wilson [his eldest daughter, to whom the letter was addressed]
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