The letters that follow are those of William Augustus Nobles who had served in Company L (Ford's Battalion) of the Sixth Tennessee Infantry Regiment. They were organized on March 10, 1862 at Jackson, Tennessee, Madison County. And joined the regiment on May 5, 1862.
Copies of these letters were donated to the unit by his Great, Great Grandson Charles Nobles who resides in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Service information is scare, but they do have him listed as a sargeant in Ford's company, and that he was killed in battle at Perryville, October 8, 1862. It will sadden you as you read his words.
Corinth, Miss
April 14, 1862
Dear Wife. According to promise I will try to let you know how we are getting along. We left Jackson Friday morning and landed here at twelve o'clock the same day but I cannnot say that we had a pleasant trip. It rained on us nearly all the way. We got our bed clothing all wet and it has rained ever since we got here. So you see we have not had a very pleasant time. Some of our company are sick from exposure though nothing serious. William and Thomas are both complaining. We have not been attached to any regiment yet. Now I do not know whether we will or not. Since our regiment was taken prisoners at No. Ten. Our officers are talking about taking us out as sharp shooters, we will have to hide until we get an opportunity at a boat, then shoot and fire, though ---- whether we will go into that arrangement yet or not. I have been in four or five regiments since we got here and seen a good many of my old acquantances. It looks to me that the whole country is covered with tents. There is supposed to be seventy or a hundred thousand men here. There is six men detailed from every company to throw up breastworks today. There is a law past now to keep all the soldiers that is between 18 and 35 during the war and call out all others. So my time will be out the 13th of December any how. I would write you a great deal had I time but you must be contented with short letters. You cannot send a letter here by mail. You will have to send it by hand as ther is no mail from Jackson to this place. And if there was we are not allowed to go to town. I must close for want of time. William and Thomas Ewell join me in ---- to you all. Give out best respects to Uncle Joshua's family. Tell them to write to me by the first one passing. Good bye until I write again. Your husband. W.A. Nobles
Corinth, Miss
April 24, 1862
Dear Cousin Bet,
I promised to write to you as soon as I landed at this place, but have to put it off until the present, waiting for a favorable opportunity at this place. If I write at all it will be under disadvantages. I can ot keep my mind on any one subject long enough to compose a letter. There is noise of some sort going on all the time. Drums a beating, fifes blowing, wagons rattling, men hollering and everything else to confuse the mind. While I am writing this letter, I have a crowd around me talking all the time so if you see mistakes you must excuse them but knowing your amiable disposition I will make no more apologies. My cousin, I have but little news that would interest you. We have a large army here and it is mustered with all classes of people, but mostly very wicked ones. A great many of our soldiers have been out until they have almost lost human feeling. They fall down on the ground anywhere to rest and if one gets sick it is no more thought of than if he was a brick. When a soldier dies all the way we know anything about it is from the firing of guns over his grave and there is no more said of it. I can not write you but a few lines as my paper is getting scarce and this may be the last that you may see from me. Since I commenced this I have heard that part of our forces have gone out to meet the enemy to draw them out from the river and it will not be long before we will all be engaged in the fight. But if you never see another letter from my hand you may say that I died like a soldier. I never intend to be shot in the back unless they come upon the rear of me. I must close for the want of room. Write as soon as you get this. Give my love to all the family and tell them to write to me.
Your cousin W.A. Nobles
Corinth, Miss
April 29, 1862
Dear Wife. This is the third letter that I have written to you and received no answer from you yet. You cannot imagine how it would gratify me to hear from a home that has always been so dear to me. I have gone to the ---- cans every day expecting a letter. I have been disappointed as often. I am very anxious to hear from Uncle Joshua's family and particularly Laura. I expect you hear more news there than I do here. I cannot tell you when we will be engaged in a battle. We are expecting it ---- every day. I learned last night training pickets were ---- in and also that the enemy was reinforcing every foot in the river. We are reinforcing every day. ---- are sometimes three or four hundred yards long headed with troops. This I think won't be the deciding battle. I think there is about a hundred and fifty thousand troops here and one third of them on the sick list. The sick will be sent off this evening to Laudalla Springs, Miss. There is ----- and not much ---- for them if they were hogs. I was through the camp the other day and saw dying men lying on the cold wet ground and only one blanket under them and nothing to cover with. I thought I would give them some of my clothing but when I saw that all were in the same condition I could not help them. A soldier's life is a hard one. If they get sick it is almost impossible for them to get well here and they are not allowed to go home. We have nothing for a well man to eat scarcely much less the sick. We have bacon about three times a week and that's badly spoiled. I eat meat about once a week and have to live on flour bread without grease and my coffee so you may guess how the sick fare. Our mess is all on the puny order except myself and Aaron Brooks. Thomas Ewell, Tatum Walker, John Boman, H.P. O'Neal and Pinknay Walker are all sick and P. Walker is very sick. Alf and Jack Bradford are up though not well. Blus Bradford is to start to the hospital this evening. W.B., Everett and C.D. Chamberlain are up but not well. There is great confusion amongst the soldiers about the conscript law. I have talked to a great many of them. They say if they have to come under monarch government they will go to the north and quit fighting. You must not let this part of the letter be public. Keep it in the family. I could tell you a great deal if I could see you but cannot tell you much in letters. I want you to send me a ham or two or anything in the world to eat that you can rake up. John Boman, Aaron Brooks, Alf and Jack Bradford, C.D. Chamberlain and the Walkers all say tell their families to send them something to eat, ---- eggs, butter, bacon, anything they have. Sidney Gray says send his wife word to send him something. Frank Bradford wants the old man to send him some potatoes, two or three bushels. Box up the provisions all together and get old man Bradford to bring them to Jackson. Mark them wo W.A. Nobles, Fords Company, 6th Tennessee Regiment, care of Thomas Brown and they will come to us whether we move or not. Brown comes to this regiment twice per week, Mondays and Thursdays and when you write me, direct your letter to me care of Thomas Brown, naming the company regiment as above when you send the box. Thomas Hales wants the one who brings it to come by Andrews and bring one for him. The most of our company have provisions sent to them twice per week. I do not want you to send to me only when I write for it. We only want enough to keep us from suffering. I want you to write to me once a week as I have you and tell me all the news of the neighborhood. I do not expect to see you until my time is out as there in no furlough, sick or well. It seems hard but we can not avoid it. I am on duty today and am to write in a hurry. You must excuse this hastily thrown together script. Kiss the children for me and tell them that they feel nearer to me than life itself. Gice all my love to all my friends and tell them to write to me. The drum is beating and I must go. Goodbye my dear wife. Your affectionate husband. W.A. Nobles
P.S. Jack Bradford says tell his wife that he will send her some money when Frank comes home.
Corinth, Miss
April 29, 1862
Dear Wife. I received your kind favor yesterday and you can not imagine the pleasure it afforded me to peruse it. I have read it over and over some five or six times and am not satisfied with reading it yet. But I fear that I have read it my last time for several days. Our company marched out to work on the breast works this evening but did not get far before we got orders to go back and prepare for marching with our guns, one blanket and our wearing clothes. We have to start this evening. We cannot tell where the Yankies are advancing on us three hundred thousand strong. Our forces is estimated at two hundred thousand. We are now going into the heaviest battle that has ever been fought in America. I may fall in the engagement but if I do it will not be running from them. I want you to pray for us that we may come out victorious. Our men has all been sick except Aaron Brooks and myself. I stand a camp life well. Some of our boys are very sick since they found out there is a probability of getting into a fight. Chamberlain has gone to the hospital in Alabama from rheumatism in the hips and legs. I must now come to a close as we are ordered to march in ten minutes. So farewell my dear wife. W.A. Nobles, I am now gone.
Corinth, Miss
May 2, 1862
Dear Wife. I wrote you a part of a letter the other day after we were ordered in a line of battle and did not have the time to finish it but started it for fear that I would not have time to write any news. I have little time this morning to and will drop you a few more lines. As I told you in my letter we were marched in a line of battle and in the ---- of going to the field of battle, we were ordered to stack our arms and guidons on the rifle pits. I got very ---- and have been sick ever since. I am not able to sit up this morning. I have the flu and a severe pain in my head with ----. The boys has nearly all had it but are getting well. Our army is increasing very fast. I have enough men to whip any force they may ---- us with. I wish the Yanks would ---- and like to ---- it out. I do not know that is would be ---- to face them ---- I mean that to and had my daguerreotype taken which I am sending you and it cost me $5. Tell John Bradford he must be sure and stop and see me when he returns. We are about 12 1/2 miles from Corinth on the west side of the road. Give my love to Uncle Joshua and family and John Bradford and family and all other inquiring friends. Tell James Phillips to write to me. You cannot imagine the pleasure that a letter affords me from my neighborhood. I want you to write me every week and tell Bet and the other girls to write to me often and let me know how Laura is in every letter. Tell Uncle Joshua that I owe Alf Bradford some work and if he can spare the timeto have his patches plowed for him. As we are packing up to move now I must close for the present. The rifle pits are where our tents are and we have to move on the other side of them, some 300 hundred yards from the place we are at now. Kiss the children for me and tell them they must be good children. The boys all send their love to their families. They are all getting well. Be sure to write once a week and tell Bet to write often. No more at present. Your affectionate husband. W.A. Nobles
Corinth, Miss
May 8th, 1862
My Dear Wife
I have never failed to write you once a week since I left Jackson as I promised to do but you have not stuck to your promises as I have never received but one letter from you since I left home. I would think that your letters got misplaced if the ----- regular, but as they get them and I do not I think the fault must be in you. If you are tired of hearing from me just write me one more letter and let me know it and I will not trouble you anymore. Little do I think that you would treat me with indifference so soon my dear wife. You may treat me as you please but you cannot wean my affections from you. All the enjoyment that I have in the world is the continued pleasure of getting ----- than to enjoy the presence of my family and friends but alas it seems that the one that ought to be my best friend has forsaken me and I am left alone among strangers and far from home where there is no one to share with me sorrow or console me in any respect. It is not the case with you for my sympathies are with you always. It may be the case with you that you sympathize with me but you do not prove it by writing as I do. Oh what a lonely thought that one that is so that is so near my heart would refuse the small favor of writing to me, a poor soldier who has left home and friends to defend his country or die in the attempt. I may be wrong in accusing you of neglect, It may be a disarrangement in the post office department. If so please excuse me for accusing you wrongfully. But I do think you could get a letter to me as well as others can to the same place. Our regiment is reorganizing today for two years or during the war. I have no hand in it as I am over age. Any person can reenlist that wants to do so though they cannot force anyone that is over thirty five years of age. I am forced to stay three months from today unless my place is filled by some other person. Every man between 18 and 35 is pressed or will be during the war. They have to come any how and if you can get any between the ages to come they can take my place and let me out. I can come home tomorrow if I can get some man to take my place. If not I will be released in three months any how. As I am about the healthiest one here I shall be the last one released unless someone comes purposely to take my place. If they do come out in a few days they may look out for cavalry to bring them in. We can take about sixty in this company as there will be about forty let out on the account of their ages. They will be let out as others come in until three months expires unless sooner filled up. At the end of which time they will get out whether their places are filled or not. I don't mean by this to hire any one to take my place but as they have to come any how if they will come to this company they will be well equipped as soon as they get here. If you can find any one that will take my place tell them that I have one of the best guns that is used in the army, a good nap sack, pack sack, canteen, cartridge box and everything of the sort. Our election is now over and all of our old officers are thrown out. They were all over 35 years of age. I have been looking for a general engagement for several days but we have not been in a fight yet. The pickets have been fighting nearly every day. While I am writing the cannon is roaring. We are looking for orders now every minute to go to the rifle pits. We have been formed in a line of battle twice since we got here but the enemy did not come. If they are going to attack us here I want them to come on. The firing increases. I expect we will have to stand on tonight in a line of battle. If they come I think that we will give them the worst whipping that a set of men ever got but you will not think that it will be without a heavy loss on our side. We are now ordered out to meet the enemy so I must close. Good bye my dear wife. Your affectionate husband. W.A. Nobles
P.S. I have understood that I would have to get a man under 18 or over 35 to take my place for three months. That one between the ages would not release me. So if you can hire one for that length of time do so and I can come home as soon as he gets here. We had to stack our arms in the place of facing the enemy. We have got everything in readiness and expect to go every minute. We may not have to stand in a line of battle tonight but I think we will. The fighting continues to our right. W.A. Nobles
Corinth, Miss
May 11, 1862
My Dear Wife
I wrote to you two or three days ago but as I have an opportunity of sending you a few lines by hand, I have concluded to drop you a few more hoping you would like to hear from me every day. If you do not you are not like I am. I cannot give you much news on this as paper is getting scarce. We have fighting here almost every day though the big battle has not come on yet. Now I do not think that it will. The Yankeys are afraid to come out here though their ----- were ----- of us last night. We ran them back in ----- yesterday. We have taken a great many prisoners and positions and would have understood that the Yanks ----- day in large quantities. There was twelve ----- in one day fought their way through to the river and took twelve transport boats and started down the river but they got after them with their gun boats and shelled them so tight that they would have gotten a ginteen (guaranteed) flogging. I have been sick for three days have not eaten anythingfor three days and am getting very weak. I hope I will soon get better. My time is nearer out than I thought it was when I wrote my other letters in that we 35 years old have 90 to serve from the passage of the conscript law which was the 16th of April. That lets us out the 16th of July only a little over two months from now. My dear you cannot imagine how I want to see you and the children. If I could only hear from you it would afford me a great deal of pleasure. I have read the letter that I got from you until I have nearly worn it out. I keep it in my breast pocket and every time I get a chance I take it out and read it. I have been looking for a letter from some of Uncle Joshua's family for some time, but am disappointed every day when the mail comes. I have written to Bet but she has not answered my letter. Tell them to please write to me. If I am a good ways from them they are as dear to me as ever. They are next to my own family and in fact they feel like parents and sister to me. I have heard that Sarrah was very low. It grieves me to hear that she is no better. I fear that I shall never see her any more in this world but I hope that we may meet where parting will be no more forever. My dearest cousin prepare to meet God in peace. Why should we want to live in this painful world. It is true death is a painful thought but what is that to eternity. If we can live forever in heaven let us not dread death. Remember your best friends will soon follow you and when we meet again we will meet to be separated no more forever. I must quit this subject. I am almost choked. Farewell my dear family and relations until I write again. The boys are all up but none well. The water does not agree with us. William is very moral have not heard him swear in three weeks. Says he is going to live a new life ----- quiet in the army.
Your husband. WAN
Corinth, Miss
May 14, 1862
My Dear Wife
I again attempt to drop you a few lines. I have just come in from picket guard and do not feel much like writing though I will give you some items of our march. We were ordered out to the field of battle yesterday morning and started but did not get beyond our breastworks before we were ordered to halt, that the enemy were advancing on us. We stopped and lay all night on the ground waiting for them to come but they failed to do so. We are ordered to hold ourselves in readiness at a minutes warning. I do not think that the enemy will ever attack us here. If we fight we will have to attack them though I only have my opinion about that. We know no more about what goes on here, that is the movements of the enemy than you do there. Our generals know and that is all. We have to start again this evening but I cannot tell whether we may get back in the morning. But one thing I do know is that we will have to be out on the ground with only one blanket, rain or shine, but enough of this. I have written to you once every week and sometimes more ever since I left and have never got but one letter from you since I left. I have read that and read it until I have worn it out. While the most of my mess has got one every week. I must confess I think a little less of you my dear wife. You cannot tell how it grieves me to think that you will not write to one that you have professed to love so well. When I wrote you my last letter I was very unwell but I am not this time, though I am not as stout now as I have been ---- that we ---- does not ----. I wrote to you in my last letter to try and hire someone to take my place. My time will be out the 16th of July if you cannot get anyone to take my place. I think I can tuf it out two months. I have written Betty Ewell, but have not had an answer. It seems that you have all forgotten me. I am very anxious to hear from Sarrah but it's useless for me to write to any of you. Tell Dora and Billy to write me. Tell them that their pa has not forgotten them. Kiss the other children for me. Tell them when my time is out that I will see them if I live to get there. I shall send this by Aaron Brooks and he hurrys me so that I cannot write as much as I want to do. This is the last that you will see from me if I don't get a letter from you my dear wife, for you are dear to me. Your treatment hurts me worse than the camp fare would for two years. To think that I am forgotten by my own family. William Ewell and several others get letters every week and if theirs can come I know yours could if you would write. But for fear you do not buck them right I will tell you to buck them thus, W.A. Nobles, 6th Regiment, Captain Fords Company, Corinth, Miss. Do not direct your letters in care of Brown as it is uncertain when he quits running here. Alf Bradford is very sick. I do not think he can stand it his time out nor Thomas Ewell either. He has been sick about two weeks. Frank Pleas and Jack Branford are all unwell. I must now close as I am out of paper. Farewell my dear wife and children. I remain your husband and papa. W.A. Nobles
Corinth, Miss
May 15, 1862
My dearest wife
This is the third letter that I have written to you for the last five days. I sent you one yesterday by Aaron Brooks. I stated in that, that I would not write you anymore until I read a letter from you. I wrote to you in a rather rough manner for not writing to me. My dear wife I fear that I have hurt your feelings. Please pardon me for accusing you wrongfully. I received your second letter this morning with the provisions that you sent me. They were all spoiled except one ham and some butter. The box had been broken open and I expect the most of them taken out though the ham and butter was a great treat to me for we have suffered for something to eat. Old pickle beef is plentiful but other provisions are very scarce but I will not complain, as I can make out to live. If I had paper I would write to you every day, but I am now out and know of none for sale. I was very sorry to see in your letter that you are so much troubled about my suffering in the battle, when our regiment has not been in any. I want you to give yourself no uneasings about me. I may not be in but one battle until my time is out and I stand as good chance to come out safe as anyone else. There is men in the regiment that will never be in any battle and they are not very scared either but I intend to go out every time I am ordered out. If I cannot walk more than two miles I will make a stand. I had rather die than to run and leave my friends in danger. Thomas Ewell, Alf Branford and others that you are not acquainted with are about to start to the hospital some where they do not know where. I think they will come home. Our mess is getting off very fast. That make four gone out of it. I heard from Chamberlain yesterday. He is no better. I have stood camp life better than any of them so I will be the last one getting off if you cannot send a man to take my place. I am very dissatisfied here though no worse than I expected to be when I came out. I have two months longer to stay from today and it will be a long time with me. But I will try to make the best I can. Harvey O'Neal says tell his people he is well and that he needs the bundle they sent to him. Give my best respects to Uncle Joshua and family, Mr. Bradford and family, James Phillips and all other friends. Tell uncle Billy Bell to write to me. Our pickets drove in one hundred and 26 fine yankey beef cattle yesterday and the guard that was with them, which was sixty men. I believe I have given you all the news ----. I will close for the present. William Ewell was detailed to go with the sick and are now going to start. You may look for them. My dear wife be sure to write to me every week. I am now left without any relation here. Be sure and hire a man to take my place if you can. Kiss the children for me and tell them they must be good and farewell my dearest. Goodbye for the present. Your affectionate but troubled husband. W.A. Nobles
Corinth, Miss
Thursday, May 22, 1862
Dear Wife
I wrote you a letter yesterday and told you in it that Powell had come and he could not take my place and stated the reason why he could not. So I will not say anything about it in this. He said that he had sent $55 of the money back by James Phillips. You had better get that and if you cannot get a man that the conscript law does not take hold of easy you had better be as easy as possible until my time is out which will be the 15th of July. I do not mean by this that I object to the price that you were giving, for money is nothing to the love of my family. But enough of this as you will get all the particulars in my yesterdays letter. I shall not send this to you before tomorrow as paper is hard to get. I will write a little to you every day in this until I fill it up. I will now give you the news of today. I am yet in the town of Corinth with my 16 men guarding the magazine and likely to remain here during the battle. Our men is all gone out to meet the enemy. The great battle has commenced though the main armies have not gotten together yet. I expect they will tomorrow. I will not be in the fight if I am not relieved here. Some of us has to guard this place. I had as soon be in it as to be here for it is a lonesome place and much danger here as any where for they shell this town and if they could get the direction of the magazine they would be sure to destroy it. No more today.
May 23
Our Army has all come in through a misunderstanding. All peaceable today. I am still at Corinth but can hear from camps every day no news. Today very rainy, enemy close by. They fortify as they come. I think both parties intend to make this the deciding battle. Two deserters shot yesterday. One the day before. Several others to be shot soon.
Saturday 24
I have no news of importance today. Our regiment are all out on picket about a half mile from our breastworks. They fired several rounds at each other but none were hurt as our men were behind trees. Cannot tell when the attack will me made.
Sunday Morning 25th
My dear, when I commenced this I thought that I would not send it until the battle was over, but as it is put off, I will finish it and let it go. I can not describe my feelings this morning. Am not very well and am very lonesome. Oh, I would give anything to be at home this morning. If I had no family I could be contented here but it does not ---- in twenty four last night. I was very cool and I had but one blanket. Had to spread it down on the ground and cover with half of it which gave me a bad cold and I feel very unwell, in fact, to tell you the truth I have not felt well in four weeks. I am good deal like I was last summer ----. We have got a very contrary captain. As I could come to know how he stands when we had to reorganize he ---- votes if we that are 35 years old had of been allowed to vote, we would have elected Smith and I should now be homeby this time. If you can get a man that is over 35 years old or under 18 to take my place in a few days, send him on. If not I will have it the best I can and you must do the same. Give my love to Bradfords, Phillipses and Uncle Joshua's families. ---- I would to them but I cannot get paper. For the most pleasure I see is when writing to my friends. Pray for me. I never ---- down at night but I ask God to take care of you and my little sweet children. Write as soon as you get this and tell me what you can do though I know of no one you can get. As I want to write a few lines to my children, I must ask you to excuse this scattering and unconnected letter for my mind is wavering. Your true and devoted husband. W.A. Nobles
My dear children
You cannot tell how bad I want to see you. You are on my mind all the time. I have not seen a little child since I came to Mississippi. You must be good children and mind your mama. Tell little Henry that he has a pa and learn him to call my name by the time I get there. Billy, you and Dora must write to me. I got a few lines from you, my daughter, some time since and it seems that you are nearer to me if possible than you were before. Kiss the younger ones for me. Good bye my dear children. Your affectionate paw. W.A.N.
The following is as told by Henry Augustus Nobles and appeared in the Amarillo paper:
"In the old hills of Tennessee, little streams from the spring flowed into Spencer Creek; chestnut, maple and dogwood trees grew in the valleys; wild flowers bloomed in profusion; wild grape and muscadine vines clung to the trees; the opossum and coon fattened on them. The rocks, hills, trees and flowers; the birds, fowl and wild game abounded where we lived and our education was nature itself. We hunted the fox, coon and wildcat. The finest music we boys ever heard was the baying of a pack of hounds as they tracked the wild game. These were the things that attracted the boys in the 1870's.
My old home was in the hills and our front yard was a sea of lovely flowers. In the back yard was a large box elder, where we would play marbles and croquet under its wonderful shade. We played by the water sawmill, where we would cut poplar logs three to four feet in diameter. Our home was a real home; a home of nature. We had cows, hogs, sheep, chickens, guineas, turkeys, geese and ducks. Fish flashed in the rippling streams, frogs croaked in the ponds and lizards sunned on the logs. This was Tennessee during and after the Civil War, when our negroes were freed.
We used to sit around the fireplace at night, where the hickory logs burned and sparkled and the flames roared, and our mother would tell us stories of the war and the things that happened in the Southern and Northern armies. We would beg for these same stories over and over, and one of my favorite true stories was one that happened near Perryville, Kentucky, in September 1862.
Two men owned bottom land and farmed on Spencer's Creek in the hills of Tennessee and both of these men had families. They were old friends and they joined the Southern Army together. They marched into Kentucky and here they fought in several battles. In one of these battles, several miles from Perryville, the Southern Army was camped and the Northern Army was marching on to give battle to the Southern Army.
These two men and six other men were holding a cannon in an old corn field. Through some mischance, these men were cut off from the rest of the Southern Army. Some of the Northern troops came upon them, and so it was up to these eight men to either surrender or fight to the death.
They took a vote whether to surrender or fight and the vote was unanimous to fight to the finish. The cannon would roar to send death and destruction to the Northern Army and another shot and roar would mean one less of the eight men, so the cannon roared on and on until all were shot down, with seven dead. The eighth man, badly wounded and unconscious, but breathing, was picked up and cared for by the Northern Army and lived to come back to Spencer Creek. He told the story to his wife and family, and visited our home and told our family of this battle; so our mother would often tell this story and tears would come to her eyes, for one of these men was my father, William Augustus Nobles, killed at the cannon."
Information received from the Manager of the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site reveals the following:
Gustus and his comrades were a part of Maney's Brigade of Cheatham's Division and were on the Confederate right during the battle. Maney's Brigade, of which the 6th Tennessee was a part, charged through the middle of what is now the park, smashing Terrill's raw Union Brigade and capturing seven Union cannon in the process. They then tore into Starkweather's Veteran Union Brigade and captured their artillery. Gustus and his comrades were defending a Union cannon that had just been captured. It belonged to Stones 1st Kentucky Battery or Bush's 4th Indiana Battery from Starkweather's Union Brigade. An intense counterattack by the 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry re-captured the guns, killed Gustus and many others and captured the flag of the 1st Tennessee Regiment, also of Maney's Brigade. His time of death was about 4:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 8, 1862 about 1,000 feet West of the present Museum. The Union forces pulled back soon after the guns were re-captured and the Confederates did not leave the field until about midnight. As a result, there is a good chance he still rests on "Starkweather's Hill". (The family Bible seems to confirm this as it states: "The soldiers who buried him said there were 2 or 3 cedars and a sugar maple close round the grave".) However, his grave site could be in the mass Confederate grave about 300 yards East of his place of death.
"In honor of my friend, Wm. A. Nobles, who was killed in the Rebel Army, 6th Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers, at Perryville, Kentucky, on the 8th of October, 1862.
O'er the dusty dreaming earth.
As my lonely watch I'm keeping,
Far from sounds of joyous mirth.
Tis the vesper hour so holy's
And the moon a silver thread
Hangs above his grave so lonely'
For my friend, Gus, is with the dead.
Far away exposed to danger,
Fighting for his home he fell.
And gently hands of soldiers
Buried him so well.
Here the winds are ever sighing
With a feeble Psalming wail.
For the hero that is lying
Neath the light of moon beams pale.
Hark! The sullen solemn scenes
As they beat upon the shore,
Whisper mournfully sad durges
For the loved one going before.
As I hear their sobbing murmur
In the husky twilight dim,
My torn trembling heart grows firmer
And I pray for strength to Him.
Soon will cease my dreamy musing
O'er the loveliest days of yore.
For the silver cord is loosening
And I near the golden shore.
Then my spirit earth cumbered
Like a dove will seek its rest
And forever be numbered (I hope)
With the millions of the blest.
Camp Dutton, Georgia
Sunday Morning, April 27, 1864
Dear Father
I have a chance of sending you a letter by Mr. R. ----. I am well at this time and hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you all well. I heard that you was all well. I have had good health ever since we left Mississippi. The army is in fine spirits. All with a determined resolution to fight until the last day rather than give up. The Tennesseans have all reunited for the war and nearly all of the other states troops have followed. General Johnston says that if all of the soldiers were like the Tennesseans that the war would have been ended 12 months ago and I believe it too. The yanks never have run over a Tennessee regiment yet and it never will be done as long as Tennesseans are treated like white men. If the Tennesseans were treated like the Georgians are they would all throw down their arms and go home. That is all that can ever whip us and I am afraid that will be the case. We had a big row here last night. They put up stocks and Wright's Brigade and had three fellows in them. Our divisions went and tore them down and released the prisoners that they had in them. The men that they had in them had not done anything worthy of such punishment. General Cheatham sent word to General Johnston that if he wanted the Tennesseans to stay with him not to have any stocks to be put up in his division. Cheatham has the best division in the army.
The morals of the army is better than ever before. There is ---- ever any swearing heard in camp for the men are all in a fine plight for fighting and we train for the spring campaign to open. It is thought here that this is the last year of the war. The Yankeys have found they can't whip us. We have already had to contend with more than ---- us, but now we have nearly as many men as they have but let them ---- longer ---- they been against us but they can't ever whip us, though they may drive us from our homes and state but things will change before long for our cause is a good and righteous one we believe that the Lord is on our side and if so we never can be conquered by so wicked and sinful a foe as we have to contend with. We are fed and clothed very well. I don't know that I need any clothing. I would like to have a gray ---- coat and some socks but can do without them. The reason that I asked for a coat is we don't get anything in the way of coats but jackets and they don't do as well as a coat in wet rainy weather. You know as well as ---- til you ---- have to go when winters are rain and snow.
When the battle of Murfreesboro was fought we was sent out to the front on Monday in the line of battle all that day. At night it rained. We all got wet but could not have any fires for when we would build fires the Yankeys would shell us away from them. There stayed until morning all moving forward about seven o'clock. The fight ----. We drove the enemy about two miles where they got reinforcements and we could not route them any more. We ---- our lines and stayed there in the mud and water till Saturday night during which time it rained every day. The mud was about four inches deep. The battle was fought on Stone's river the night we left there. It was raining and so dark that we could not see ten feet before us. We had to ford the river. It was the coldest thing that I ever had to go through since I have been in the army. If I come any ways near freezing it was then. We traveled all night and til about two o'clock the next day when we got to Shelbyville. There we all built up big fires and dried ourselves for the first time in six days. The boys all enjoyed it finely to be away from the Yanks and to know that the roaring of the cannon would be ---- for a while but then ---- to God hanging ---- grate many of the boys ---- for they had left some of their best friends and ---- behind never to meet them here below any more. But we have hopes to cheer us on to meet them in heaven. It seems that the best fellows are those that fall first ----. Nobles who fell on the battlefield at Perryville was the best fellow that I ever saw. The last sound that I heard him say was to go on and never stop for the victory would be ours and sure enough the Yanks were routed and ---- we went til dark when the Yanks reformed and we was compelled to fall back and leave most of our wounded. There was the only place that I have ever been hurt in battle. I was slightly wounded there. A minney ball past through my hat and grazed my head. It did not hurt very bad. It knocked me down but I soon got up and went on a little further and a shell bursted close by where I was and a piece of it struck me in the shoulders. That hurt pretty bad. I think that it ---- ever to get out of that but it was not before we charged the Yanks and drove them from their strong position, then the victory was ours. I have been in six fights with the Yanks but if I stay in the army ten years longer I don't want to go in another one. We are camped in the fairest country that I ever saw. The principle timber here is pine. Reckon that you know something about the land where pine grows. Georgia is the poorest state south. I have been in every state in the south east of the Mississippi River except one and that is South Carolina.
---- write soon. I have not got a letter from home in so long a time that I don't know what to think about it. You may all be ---- don't believe it. I never will be wanting to go back in the union. Write to me if the Yanks have taken anything from you or not. I heard that they had taken one horse from you. Write any chance you have. You don't know how much good it does a rebel soldier to get a letter from home. I bring my note to a close by asking you to write.
Forever your affectionate son,