Letters home from William A. Rudd, Leon County, Florida Civil War soldier

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Cathy Burnsed,
cburnsed@geocities.com

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In the following letters, the soldier, William Rudd, writes of his health 
after the battle in Manassas, his apprehension about upcoming fighting 
in Richmond, his miserable Christmas in 1863 near Fredericksburg, Va., 
his capture in the Battle of Gettysburg, and his impending death at Fort 
Delaware.  His handwriting is legible at the beginning of the series, 
where he's trying to be chipper with his wife back home, but by the end 
you can tell he's just trying to hold on long enough to get a goodbye note 
from her and the kids. In this grouping we also have a letter from Camp 
Maxwell from Thomas Stewart to his mother, E. Stewart.  There's also a 
letter from a friend in Baltimore, Ande Howard, to William Rudd, 
encouraging him that he should be going home soon. 

NOTE:  The contributor does not own or have access to these letters, nor 
is she related to the Rudd family.



(LETTER 1) ...Winchester, Va. Sept. 27, 1862 ... Dear loving 
affectionate wife I will through the help of God once more drop you a 
few lines which inform you that I am well at present but have been in 
good health. I have nothing good to state to you. There is nothing here 
but fighting and the hardest times I ever saw. We are marched nearly to 
death and on the brink of starvation. Our force is and has been in 
Maryland adoing some of the bad fighting. Our men taken 1,700,050 
prisoners. I never have seen hard times before and I would give the 
whole world nearly to be at home. They say that the 5th or 8th Fla. 
Regt is -- back, and I hope it is so. I hear that the Yankees is in 
possession of Tallahassee. Also, I have not seen my Co nor Regt in 4 
weeks. My company went into the fight in Maryland with 52 men and came 
out with five. We have had a front here recently. All that I crave in 
the world is just to be at home and tell you of the times and hardship 
that I have seen. I am with Levi and Samuel Senterfitt and this is the 
2nd letter that I have wrote to you. It was the awfullest times at the 
Manassas fight that I ever saw, but by good luck I came through safe. 
The battlefield was covered with dead men and horses. I hear that the 
war has stop for ninety days. All you can do for me is to pray for me. 
Excuse me and write soon. I remain your true husband forever. ...Wm. A. 
Rudd *************** 

(LETTER 2) Richmond, Va. June the 10th, 1863 ... Dear wife, It is with 
fear that I now seat my self to drop you a few lines to let you know 
that I am yet in the land of living. I have a rite smart of news to 
write but I don't feel able to write. I have been living in line of 
battle for 6 days and I am not well. I have got too little on me. I 
haven't had my shoes off in 6 days and nights. I do not know whether we 
will fight here or not for the Yankees are crossing the river now but I 
can't tell whether we will fight here or not for the Yankees is coming. 
The -- know but I can't tell whether we will fight or not myself but I 
am in hopes we will not. There was very heavy cannon fire yesterday 
evening but nobody hurt. They say they will fire into the Yankees again 
this evening again but I am in hopes they will all leave here and have 
no more fighting here. But I can't tell you what they will do for -- is 
not to know everything about till we get into it. I would like to see 
you and very well indeed but it is a slim chance for already this 
evening to get through this war we fight them again but I am in hopes 
that I will go through safe yet. I was very sorry to hear that --having 
again of course in here Rose I want you to try to get it out so I will 
come to a close. So nothing more, only I remain your loving husband. 
Tell Betty write soon. ... W.A. Rudd ************* 

(LETTER 3) Camp near Fredericksburg Spotsylvania Co... Va. Jany 2nd, 
1863 ....Dear wife, Your kind and affectionate letter under date 
December 23rd came to hand yesterday, and as you request an early 
answer I will write to you today. I was very glad to hear from home and 
especially so to learn that you and the dear little ones were well. 
Hope you may long continue to enjoy health and happiness. This leaves 
me quite well. I have no news of much interest to write about. 
Everything is quiet with us at this time -- been nothing doing since 
the fight up here, but as I am reckoning you have heard all the 
particulars of the fight, it will be useless for me to write anything 
about it. It is hard to tell whether there will be any more fighting 
about here or not after the severe whipping that the Yankees got here, 
it seems to me they ought to be satisfied for the present. But there is 
no telling what they intend to do. Should they think -- to show fight 
again I think they will find us ready to meet them and I hope we may be 
able to give them such a whipping as to sicken them of war. Well, my 
dear, Christmas has come and gone but with us how changed. It brought 
none of those pleasures and enjoyments that it did a few years ago -- 
then we were at home with the dear loved ones, enjoying the society of 
those that are near and dear to us. But this Christmas finds us 
encamped out here in the wild old woods, away from all that makes life 
worth living. But we will not pine and grieve about what we can't help, 
but console ourselves with the hope that there is a better day coming, 
and that we will meet again, never again to be separated by the cruel 
and -- hand of war. There is some talk of our getting a furlough soon. 
If they grant any, I will get one and come home if I possibly can, but 
you need not look for me until you hear from me again. You did not say 
in your letter what you had named the baby or how old it was. Let me 
know in your next when it was born and what you have named it. We have 
received a portion of our money and will get the balance soon. I have 
enclosed to send you five dollars, and if that reaches you safely I 
will send more in my next letter. I have nothing more to write at this 
time, so I will bring the letter to a close. Write to me as soon as you 
get this and write all the news you can. I must now bid you goodbye. 
Kiss the little ones for me. I remain, as ever, your devoted husband. 
... William A. Rudd *************** 

(LETTER 4) Fort Delaware Oct. 27, 1864 .... Dear wife, I seat myself 
this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am in very 
good health at present and hope those few lines to reach safe and find 
you and the family all well. You must pardon me for not writing to you 
before now as I have a very sorry chance of doing so. I have been in 
prison going on 16 months. I was captured in the Battle of Gettysburg. 
I have been in splendid health most of the time I have been here. I am 
getting tired of being in prison. I hope to meet you at home before 
long. You must write to me soon as you get this. Direct your letter to 
me, Prisoner of War at Fort Delaware, for flag of truce. So nothing 
more at present. I remain your affectionate husband till death. ... 
William A. Rudd **************** 

(LETTER 5) Fort Delaware Jan. the 22, 1865 .... Dear wife, I received 
your letter of the 24th and it gives me great joy to hear that you were 
well. This leaves me well. I would be a happy man if I could see and be 
with you again, but I don't know when that time will be, but we will 
put our trust in God and pray for the time to come. Louisa, I had 
rather see you than anyone else in the world. I want you to write me 
something about Henry and sister Charlotte and Thom and mother and all 
my darling little children. If you carry here the pleasure of reading 
this letter, you will read one of my own hand. Write. When you write, 
don't forget to put my Co and Regt on my letter. I must come to a close 
by saying you must write soon. This from Wm. A. Rudd to his love, 
Louisa Camp Maxwell *************** 

(LETTER 6) March the 13 1863 ..... Dear mother, This being Sunday 
morning I will answer your letter which I received the 7 of this month. 
I have not any news to write the present time. I am as well as I was 
when I left home. I have had a very bad cold and headache. My cold is 
getting better and so is my headache. I have written a letter to Louisa 
but I don't know she has got it or not. I don't know whether I want 
anything from home or not. I am so far off from the railroad that I 
could not get it if you was to send any. I want to try to get to come 
home before long and get some clothes and bring that saddle and some 
money and a gun and see you all. So I will close. Write soon, direct to 
the same place the reason(?). ... Thomas F. Stewart to Z. Stewart 
Baltimore 220 S. Charles St. ************* 

(LETTER 7) March 4th.... W. A. Rudd My dear friend, I got home last 
night and found your letter awaiting me. I do not know what to send you 
by mail. I would like to send you a Bible but think you have one and in 
case you should be exchanged before I have time to write, I send you in 
this a little book to put in your pocket. A great many prisoners are 
passing through daily, but I believe the Lt. let ones go another way. I 
-- through here at all. Be sure and let me know when the happy moment 
comes for you. I hope it may be soon. (Who) made you a (?) for a 
keepsake as she is very much interested in that branch of her 
education. Truly and sincerely your friend, Ande Howard