Civil War Letters from
Isaiah Thomas to His Family
The following letters were transcribed by Kathy Tucker of Seattle, WA and submitted for inclusion at the Genealogy in Washington Co., PA web site in July 1997.
Kathy writes:
"The letters were from
Isaiah Thomas to his family in Washington County area. I believe the
family lived near the town of Monongahela and/or Pigeon Creek. Isaiah
died in the Danville prison camp in Virginia. He was the son of Samuel
Thomas, who was the son of James Thomas, all of Washington County. His
mother was Elizabeth Bebout Thomas, who died around the same time that
Isaiah did.
Isaiah's sister, Nancy Jane Thomas McDonnell, was my great-great
grandmother. She saved these letters and some little carved bibles that
Isaiah sent home.
Editor's note: The formatting of the text below, in particular the indentation, is not necessarily the same as it appeared in the original letters.
Monday
June 6th '63
Dear friends at home,
I have been looking for a letter from home for a week This is the seckond letter I
have written home and it will be the last one unless I get an answer well, what was you
doing on the 4th of July. I suppose there was not much going on we had lots of fun here I
am in Parks Battery, Captain Tylor we are at fort herron 2-1/2 miles from town it is just
above the cemetry Pitts we have two Brass peices we fired the two brass cannons 35 times
in six minutes I suppose you heard them and then at night we had the fireworks 36 sky
Rockets Roman candles and a variety of other things we have our tents and part of our
uniform we expect to get the rest of it today there was lots of weomen here on the 4th if
we get the rest of our uniform, I think I will go home this week. Mr. Elker is going with
me I was telling him about Squirls being so plenty and he is in a great figit about going he
says he dreams about it evry night I wrote a letter to bell last week have not received an
answer yet have not got a letter since I came here and am going to quit writing there are
about 80 in camp, 168 names on the roll I have not got any ink I had a bottle of ink, but
one of stepped on it and broke it excuse bad writing I will have to bring it to a close is the
squirls living yet, or have they got out Dan Rice's circus was here 5 days I was at it on
Tuesday night of last week it was right good. Isaiah Thomas
Good day, bye sis.
Tuesday June 22
Dear friends at home I arrived here about 3 P.M. I walked all the way but
about 4 mile I rode on a wagon supper monday eve went rather dry coffee crackers rice I
found J. Bell & J. Scott & S. Gill Jost as I got to camp there is some excitement in there
today thee rebels are coming on the other side of harrisburg Colonel (?) talking ar trying
to get the men to go turn over I expect to start between this and tomorrow eve unless
other news come we are getting along well I am writing this at hazleton Tavern sam
mclain is away but his wagon is here I have been here a good while Col. clarks Reg had
gone home I mets with Mr. Gill, scott Bell & Sleighmaker . 5 we have no arms yet and I
am not sorry for we havent to stand on picket guard I want to write a letter to Bell
tomorrow if I have time we have dress parade in the evening 4 PM & camp parade in the
morning squad parade at noon call the roll at 9 PM well I shall have to close for it is three
Oclock I have to be there at four.
affechonately yours
Isaiah Thomas
Miss Nannie J Thomas
Pittsburg July 16th, 1863
Dear sister I received your kind and welcomed letter yesterday I am well I
expected to have been at home on last week but could not get a pass as there were so
many away I think I shall get one this week I got three letters yesterday I got one from
bell, dated June 26th a long time a coming I was down town yesterday, saw Joseph
hamilton mr. Crits zac Palmer he was telling me that father had been in here looking for
me oh how I would liked to have saw him I wish I had written oftner If any of you are in
town I would like to see I sent my clothes home with Sam Mclain & apart of them with
Mr. hamilton oh you did not know how glad I was to get a letter some of our boys had a
little battle yesterday with the duch Copper ( a drawing of a man's head) in town they
were on provast guard they were taking a disserter when they went sap (?) to duch town
them that were drafted were drunk and fighting among themselves and then they came out
and got to fighting our boys 10 of us over 100 duch and they threw stones & bricks and
hit Capt. Tylor on the side and broke 3 ribs & then he out with his revolver and shot three
duch shot 1 in the hand one in the shoulder & the other in the neck & then there was 6
duch got one of our boys down The captain caught one by the hair and pulled him off on
his back and took the butt end of his revolver hit him across the face the tricker down hit
him three times, cut his face awfully & then used 2 others the same way the got 8
prisoners, 5 of them cut up very much there are 4 more they hant got yet they wont let a
soldier go there without having a fight well you want to know what we have to eat well
we have bread coffee without milk a little peice of meat we have a plate tin spoon nife fork
we eat off of the ground I was verry sorry to hear that John Barr was dead and James
Rankin miss if John Barr is sent home tell me and I will go home I suppose that Rankins
takes it verry hard we are expecting to move the first of next week to Beverly Va that is
where knaps Battery went to I shall soon have to close Bell wanted to know if I knew that
Mr. henderson was our pastor have they commenced to harvest yet I would like to have
been there to help them but I am never yet sorry that I am a sodier we have a blanket wrap
it around you and lay down we have got all of our uniform but our guns I will have to stop
for I am tired writing
Brother Isaiah Thomas
Remember and Write Soon.
Pitts July 29th
Dear friends at home I seat myself this pleasant eveing to write you a few
lines I am well well I have not got a letter this last week from home we have had a verry
good time this last week we were down the river a gunboating we started a fryday evening
and got back monday evening the first meal we had was 4 crackers for 2 meals and river
water there was 108 of us we have marching orders this evening we are going to yellow
creek the rebbles are there we are going in the morning the other time we were within four
miles of whelling we stopped at Steubenville at two oclock in the morning we left part of
our amunition there but I could not get to stop we left two boys there to guard capt has
just came up from town he told us to cook 2 days rations tonight have our tents ready to
pack any moment when we were down on the river before we was not off the boat till we
got back the rebbles were within three quarters of a mile from us we were anchored in the
middle of the river we saw the rebbles pickets just a 1/2 an (hour crossed off) mile before
the rest I got a letter from Bell today she was looking for me as the souldiers went
through we had 2 brass peices with us we are going to take 6 peices this time the old
towboat was so dirty we had to sleep on top of it but that was nothing only it rained two
or three times I do hope we may see the rebbles but it might be serious with some of us
but I hope we may all get off safe if we should get into a battle I am verry glad we are
going away but we will be back to old fort herron again. Well I must stop, it is getting
late. You need not write till you get another letter good bye Truly yours I. Thomas
Isaiah Thomas,
direct you letters to
Isaiah Thomas
Park Battery
Capt. Tyler
Fort Herron
Pitts
Direct yor letter
Isaiah Thomas
New Creek Station
Hampshire Co Va
In care of Capt. Tylor
New Crick Station
Wednesday, August 4th 1863
Dear Sister I take the pleasant opportunity to write to you a few lines to inform
you where I am and how I am getting along I am well it is a very hot climate here and I
have neglected to write it was always too warm to write when I had time I wrote a letter
home on last saturday well I suppose you want to know when we arrived here we staid 4
mile below wheeling that night after we left Steubenville started the next morning at 7 1/2
Oclock got here at 4 Oclock saturday morning and then we marched up to Fort Fuller that
is where we are now a part of the michenes cavalry is here in camp John Crouch John
McIlwain Boid Sumny Bob Moulden and lots of others I have been over there two or
three times I was over there a sunday and took supper we had goose and squirles and
coffee we had lots of fun they are in camp on the other side of the river of the Potamac we
can see thair camp we got no supper from the morning we left pitts till we got to wheeling
and then we got 2 crackers and 1/2 a tin of coffee and we got our breafast the next morn
the same we got the eve before and then we got nothing till saturday morning we got soft
bread today for the first there are about 700 sols here the most of them Infantry some
cavalry and artillery there are 2 forts here apart of our camp in one and the rest in the
other there are about 140 men in our company I will bet this is the hilliest Country you
saw, you wouldnt believe it until you saw it Sam munn is at home he is sick I have not got
an answer yet from home I wish you would send me your Photograph I will send you mine
as soon as I can get it I did not get to stay as long as I would to got to talk with you a
while on saturday night the Pickets were fired on and they thought it was the rebbles but I
guess it was one of our cavalry we were drawed up in line of battle made ready our
cannons and stood about an hour and then stacked guns and went to bed I suppose you
would like to know what kind of bed we have we have no tents we wrap our blankets
around us and lay down on the ground there was a little fellow here that was purty near
scared to death he wrote a letter home and he put in the biggest lies he said he was in a
battle and got shot in the ankle a foot above the knee and the rebbles caught him and
threw him in a big hole and purty near killed him well I will have to stop as I am tired of
writing and have nothing to write I want you to excuse bad writing write soon.
Sunday, Aug. 9th '63
Well Josiah you have never written me a letter yet. is the squirls living yet you
must feed them well and get them fat what are you all doing that you never write are you
done harvesting or not there is wheat standing in the shock (?) here but you cannot see
any body harvesting nobody but niggers and store keepers here the niggers here theis
under lips is so big that you could build a nice litte play house on them there are lots of
back berries and huckle berries we was out the other day getting some berries and we
pretty near got lost we got to Pedemont 3 mile from here there was 5 of us we came
across a man who they said had tried to poison some of the union boys we had our
revolvers with us so he was a little tight and we told him that we was after him and he had
to take the oath of alleigance or go into the rebble lines so he said he would not do it we
got two gollas off of our briches and tied it round his neck and on the limb of a tree and
the old fellow said he would jump up and deny it the firtuously (?) no we told him we
wanted him to take the oath and he might go then he didnt want to do it he says oh now
fellers you nowe (?) a full well we asked him if he could run fast he said he couldnt he
asked what we wanted to know for we told him that we would let him go a hundred yars
ahead of us and then he might run and not let us ketch him well well dat will do he said so
he started to run and I never saw any body run so fast I believe he went faster than a rabbit
but the fun of it was while we had him tied and he durtied his briches then we started
home came across a fellow and sat down to rest he was smoking a cigar he gave on of us
boys one and started off in a hurry I thought he had stolen something so he lit the cigar
and had not smoked verry long till the cigars bursted burnt his hand purty bad he had it in
his hand there was a goosequill in it filled with powder we went back but could not find
him we got back to camp about supper time with two pocketfulls of berries so I will have
to stop
Good bye
Isaiah Thomas
Josiah Thomas
New Creek Aug 14th '63
Mr. S. Thomas
I am sitting around idling today and thought I would write a few lines and let you
know that I am well and I hope that may be the case with you all I got a letter from
(??ller) Bebout on last sunday also one from Harmon two they are all well the petersburg
Mail was captured on yesterday morning there was 7 men with it took all I believe that is
all the news Oh! yes there was a great accident occcured today a nigger and an Elephant
went out to fight along come a muskeeter upset the Elephants trunk and spilt all of the
clean clothes yesterday was payday I hereby send home $25.00 I am looking for the train
now this is the second day I like it tollerable well we have potatoes bacon beens rice
vinegar molases hard bread and soft bread coffee salt I believe that is all it is getting so
dark that I cannot see verry well
Good bye
Isaiah Thomas
Mr. S. Thomas
I expect to get a letter from you before long write soon and tell me
whether you got the money
New Creek Aug. 15th 1863
Dear sister I take the pleasant opportunity to write you a few lines and let you
know that I am well I was verry sorry to hear that Alf Atkison was dead he had the
inflamation of the bowels did you say I think it must be a very lonesome place at home I
dont believe that I could stay at home if I were discharged today I wish I had went to the
army when the war first broke out how is Yates Ralson is he well yet in the last letter that
you wrote you said that they did not expect him to live any time Dave Clark is dead and
Mr. Haslep is dead I suppose that Atkisons takes it verry hard I would like to see harmon
beabout is he well I must write him a letter today this is a verry warm place I got a letter
that was sent to Pitts dated July 28 but there was no news in it I got a letter the other day
that you wrote I had just started my last one I got a letter from Bell yesterday she was
well she intends to go visiting this vacation I hope that she may have a pleasant time I
intend going over to Romney some of these days to see the Ringold Battallion. Mary
Crawford is there Rachiel Barr is there sewing is she Bully for her is she as fat as ever you
said you were going to have a sabbath school celebration the last Thursday of this month
are you going to have it all to your self or would you ask a poor old souldier to go along
does Mr. Griffeth come around there to buy sheep yet and go home in the rain I have no
bible now I have a testament I had my bible stole on the cars it was a verry nice one it cost
me 1.50 when I first went into camp Howe I want you to excuse all bad writing we have
not a verry good place to write sit down on the ground I wish you would come here and
get some black berries there are lots of them here start some morning when you get your
breakfast and walk over and get your bucketfull there are lots of big snakes here and wild
cats at night you can hear them growling at night did you say one of the squirels ran off
tell the other one to go 2 for what I care somebody shot one of the pea hens well just tell
them whoever it was tell them to wait till I come home and I will got to his neck for it I
wish you would write me a full letter tell me all that you can think of tell Mrs. Loony to
write and tell me about John White is milly white out of there yet.I suppose Sadie long and
has bully times good by give my love to all inquiring friends Respectfully your brother I.
Thomas write soon and tell me what you are doing, Isaiah Thomas
Aug. 19th, 1863
Dear Friends at home I take the pleasant opportunity to write to you a few lines
and let you know that I am well I got a package this morning containing 3 papers 2 towles
one spool of boss pins 2 dollars I was very glad to get them you may be sure Sam Munn
brung them, he said he started on last thursday got last night saturday It is very lonesome
today the cavalry has all gone away this morning Sam Munn just got back in time this is
Sunday we all have to stay in the fort today I was very glad to get them papers today the
papers we get here we have to pay 8.&.10 cents for about a big as the Pills Chronicle are
you done harvesting yet and how did you get along did you hire any hands or did you and
Nance and Josiah do it all your selves there was a train of waggons went out this morning
over 3 miles long there was 207 waggons 6 mules in each waggon I tell you it looked very
nice there are lots of black Berries here and dew berries this is the fort that Gen. Lee built
Freemont shelled him out of it off of a very high mountain but if the rebbles should get up
on that hill they would make us skedaddle purty fast but I dont think there are any dangers
of them coming back to this fort I know they would get some cannister and grape before
they would get it we fire the cannon evry morning and evening when we put up the flag
and when we take it down we shoot shells away over in the feild at a tree we can come
purty close it was hit two or three times and cut it up purty well I expect knaps Battery
will at home soon their time was out yesterday it will go through here and suppose I
would like to see it John white is in that battery there are 143-men in this company It is
just like all other companies I suppose there are some rather hard ones from pittsburgh I
have got with some very nice fellows Bob Hemphill Sam Hemphill Hen Thompson Joseph
flick Dave Carmel I have never been homesick yet I would like to go home of course but I
now it is of no use to think about it I would have liked to have been home to have helped
you to harvest, but could not get to go Uncle Sam has us now and he will keep us close
well I guess I will have to stop as I have nothing more to write So good Bye Isaiah
Thomas,most Respectfully yours, Mr I Thomas
Direct your letters to
Isaiah Thomas
New Creek Station
Hampshire Co
Va
In care of Captain Tyler
Fort Fuller
Aug. 29th 1863
Dear sister I seat myself to let you know that I am well I received your
kind and long looked for letter I thought you had all forgotten me the last letter I got was
on last wednesday week I was beginning to get homesick not haveing a letter for so long
you have been buisy you say verry well I will excuse you then you was away you say 2 or
3 days well you dident say where you were you was at the celebration at muttontown It
was not worth anything 25 cents for your grub and cheap at half the money well well what
is it I dont know what to write this is a verry cold and windy day for this time of the year I
think we have our tents all finished off with small fine trees in front of our tent but the
wind has blown them nearly all down. The boys are at work now putting them up I always
try to slink it when there is any work to do I wrote Josiah a letter but never got an answer
so I don't know whether he got it or not but if he did I think he might write any kind of
letter atoll just so it is a letter It is getting pretty cold here at night I would like to see
some of you here you would see a little of the world that you never saw before this is
great writing indeed I dont expect you can read it I was on guard yesterday for snissing
Roll Call I got a letter from Bell on yesterday morning and sent a letter this morning she
told me that Pop was there on last week she said that he brung her a graybig watermelon I
think he might to have stepped over this way a little farther father is hailing coal is he why
some of the people here are not done harvesting here yet there is some old men here to do
the work you have got the swing fixed up have you I would like to take a swing some
evening are you sure it wont break for I dont want to break my coconut the first time I
swing our school has not commenced yet will Mr or what (??) is going to teach he is a
verry good teacher I think I am sorry to hear that Dave Hamilton is sick he has been
working 2 hard I always thought that he was 2 lazy to hurt himself working you say that
Josiah was down to Jos (?) to get some sugar He got some white sugar I would send him
back with the end of my (picture drawn of a boot) so I would thats honest we have a song
here that we sing Mr. Rankin sings it at prayer meeting It is verry solemn I will give you a
verse of it. { there was 3 crows sat on a tree and they were as black as crows could be the
one he said unto his mate what shall we do for grub to ate } it is a verry nise song when it
is sung right.I guess I will have to stop I got 3 papers this morning I wrote a letter to
Harmon Beabout but have not got an answer yet I hope you all got along well at the
Celebration last Thursday how is David and Annie and Ellie getting along tell Josiah to
write soon, and Vance and Albert
Your Brother Isaiah
Thomas
Good bye
Sept. 15th, 1863
1st
Dear Sister I take the pleasant opportunity to write you a few lines
I suppose you thought that I had forgotton you, but never a wonce I have been verry buisy
I am driving a team now for Col mulligans Regt I will tell you just how it was when I was
sworn in at Camp Howe they did not put my name on the pay roll and then I could not
draw any pay there were 3 others besides me there was a man aboot 35-years of age that
was in the service before and his name was not there Oh! but we were mad I did not lose
verry much I got all my clothes but my jacket My clothes amount to 21-1/2 I was in about
2 months I was verry sorry to leave the Company but am not sorry now I get 25.00 a
month I would have went home but I was ashamed to go after being fooled out of my
money the boys were all sorry to have me to leave The Capt said he would try and get me
sworn in but it is verry little he cares I think the other boys is verry mad at the Capt they
say that if they ever catch him out by himself that they will kill him they are driving in the
same train that I am they are verry nice fellows they will not let another get hurt if they
can help it I was sorry to hear that Yates Ralston was dead I think it must be verry
lonesome at home so many are dead I suppose that they take it verry hard you have not
heard from bell lately why I get more letters from her than any body else she was well the
last letter I got mother and grandmother and aunt Bell are going to East liberty a visiting
are they I hope they may have a pleasant visit they have pa (?) of the comittee to find him
a home well I think it will be pretty hard to find if he has none can they not get Mrs.
Smithes place or does he want it they must be getting along well at munntown they have
exibitions evry once and a while you have commented some some more darkies at pigeon
creek Messes Boothes it was a wonder that Jim dident join the peaches are getting ripe at
the other place does Crowfards take them they hant got bru(?) there now I sent a book
home but I expect the paint was all out of it it was not worth anything anyhow oh I had a
beautiful ring I had my names carved on it and park battery I could to have got a 1.00 for
it any time I was wearing it and it was taken off my finger when I was sleeping one day tell
Josiah to write me a letter we are just on our way from Petersburg I am writing by candle
light in my wagon we are camped in a field we are expecting the rebs to make an attack on
us tonight but I hope they wont I will finish it when we get to new Creek, Good bye
Isaiah Thomas
Tuesday Eve Sept. 16th 1863
Dear Sister
I told you in the first sheet that we were incamped 5 mile this side of Petersburg
we did not expect to get out without being fired on we got along safe we drove 20 mile
today it takes us 5 days to go to Petersburg and back to New Creek we cross the Nobly
Mountains it is the prettiest sight I think ever anybody saw a 1/2 mile off 80 waggons all
got white covers on and 6 horses I have two horses and get $25.00 a month oh I never
saw such good tiems, this is the 2 trip the 1st trip our mess got 17 Turkies about 2 dozen
chickens and several little pigs oh but we do love well a wagoning there are about 80
waggons and it takes 100 men to go along to guard it so you may guess how plenty the
rebels are we have 32 prisoners with us now we are camped 5 from Burlington I will tell
you how we camp we drive into any field get the waggons all in line tie our horses to the
wheel feed them on the ground build a fire make a tin of coffee and get into our waggons
and sleep there we go into the cornfield and get as much corn as we need I will tell you
how we cook the Turkies clean them and take cornmeal and crackers and green corn and
water make it a stiff dough and stuff it with that it goes well we have a sheep tonight and
stewed peaches they are not ripe yet but they are goo. French. E. Davis a fellow from
morgantown a verry nice young man him and I sleep together he has 9 blankets and I have
one I have had verry good health write soon and tell me what you are doing I think I will
stay at this a while until I get ketched up a little and then I will join the army again Direct
you letters to Isaiah Thomas
New Creek Station
Hampshire Co West Va
Excuse all bad writing, my ink is bad my pen is worst, so good bye, Your's
Affectionate,
Brother Isaiah
Thomas
Isaiah Thomas
Tell Sadie Long to write, I have not had time for a few days.
Monday Sept 21 '63
Dear sister, I received your kind letter this evening I wrote a letter on last
Thursday I suppose you did not get it I wrote a letter home on last Thurday but have not
got an answer yet they said that they had not got an letter from you since pa was there
they did not know what was the reason I suppose you have had one (?) this time did you
not hear of yates Ralstons death I was sorry to hear it he had the consumption you know
he was well prepared for death I believe there are so many deaths around there you say
school will close the 23 of this month I suppose you will not be sorry are you going home
or not I cannot get home now for a while yet I did not hear of Dr. Brown's death did not
hear that he was sick I hope you may enjoy your picnic I wish they would bring me some
we never get to see butter nor cream in our coffee hard (?) and meat is all the go I have
been to church once since I have been here New Creek that is the only time there has been
preaching here.I expect to get a letter from Harmon Beabout I have written a letter to
Alexander Beabout but have not got an answer yet I am writing by candlelight and it is
great writing well how is times down there pretty brisk like it here I suppose nothing more
at present give my compliments to your best friends
Good B
New Creek Oct. 4 1863
Sunday eve Dear father I recieved your letter this morning It did
not come unexpectedly for I had been looking for a long time I got one from bell the other
day she said she intended to start home the next day she was well there has been a great
many troops going west Gen. Hookes passed trough on last sunday there are 15,000 going
to reinforce Gen. Bosencraw Hookes is a short heavy set man and a good looking officer I
think they are going to make an blunder like it was last fall they will all go west then the
rebs will make a break on them here and then they will be all running back again Bell told
me in her last letter that you intended to get a piano there was a sale here on the 30th of
Sept of your horses.Some of them went verry cheap I will write a longer letter, the next
one.
Good Bye
Isaiah Thomas
to
Samuel Thomas
Write soon
I was looking for a letter for 2 weeks we will start out next week I think I will stay
a couple of monthes it is getting pretty cold these nights although I sleep pretty
comfortable I was going to join the wheeling Battery the same day that I got your letter
and then I gave it up I thought you had all forgotten me when the captain told me he was
not sworn in right I went down to the provost Provost Marshall and they told me that they
thought that I could make him pay the time they told me to go to the Col' headquarters
one of them went with me and saw Col Bruce and stated the case before him and got the
Capt. Tylor and he kind I got ahead of me a little and then the Col said it was no use to try
and do anything so I got to driving a team
Write Soon
Isaiah Thomas
To Mr. S. Thomas.
Danville April 4th 1864
Dear friends at home it is with the greatest pleasure that I now seat myself write to
you a few lines and let you know that I am well I have written 2 letters before and have
never got any answer the first one that I wrote was on the first of december I told you to
send me a box but I never got any answer or box either As soon as you get this letter
please send me a box unless you think we will soon be out if you send me a box send me
23 lb bacon 25 lbs crackers butter apple butter pepper salt flour hoemade molasses &
sugar also some reading matters we have nothing at all to read If you send me a box write
a whole lot of letters and put them in some secret place in the box write soon and tell me
what you are doing oh wouldnt I like to be there ask Bill Chester and you will know just
how it is here.
Nothing more to present.
Isaiah Thomas
to Samuel Thomas
Direct your letter to I. Thomas
Prisoner of War
Danville, Va
Prison No. 4, 3rd floor.
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