Out of the 4 Hope Brothers that enlisted to fight for the southern cause. (James Kinkead Hope 5th Tn inf, Adam A. Hope, William L. Hope, Pleasant M. Hope were in the 46th ) only James K. Hope - 5th Tennessee lived. Below are two letters from two of the brothers.
On July 28, 1864, during General Hood's third sortie in the defense of Atlanta, some men of the 46th regiment were caught in a brief encounter with federal troops during the Battle of Ezra Church. During a skirmish on Lick Skillet Road, Adam A. Hope was killed. When the fighting was over, William And Pleasant returned to the battle site to search for Adam's body, but his remains were never recovered. Adam was described by his fellow soldiers as "a most pious Christian." His wife Margaret gave birth to their only daughter about the time of his death. She named the girl Adam Margaret.
Here is a letter he Wrote to his Wife in Nov. of 1862:
Port Hudson, Louisiana
November 27th 1862
Through the kind providence of God, I am well. Nothing of any strange nature has taken place since my last which I sent by Colonal Dawson. Will and Ples are well. Our Company (46th Tenn) is in as good health as could be expected. Horris Jackson & 15 others arrived here last week from whome we learned from you all. Mr. Kennerly sent a letter to C.M. which we were glad to read. Horris said you was at the house not long before he left & that Bob was running about quite peart. I would like to see him cut up some of his pranks. I dream of home every night. Dream variously. I spoke of my effort to come home in another letter, but since these recruits have come in & told of the condition of everything there I reckon it is well enough that I did not get off for I guess the Yankees have got all of you sworne not to feed Southern boys. Unless they press it & I alone might fare badly in this. The weather is very fine. We had a fine frost this morning.
I was ordered this morning to report at the Brigade Commissary which I did and was assigned a position in the perchising department provided I get a horse, they are very high down here. I wish some of our Henry County horses down here. I shall look for a letter from you every opportunity in which I shall expect to hear from home gennerly. Tell Jose and Uncle Peter they must write to me about how their corn turned out & you whether you sowed any wheat, & where. Tell me who are your Circuit Preachers, & of your big revival, and if the yankees are doing any damage & what. Tell Erasmus that he must be a good boy & learn fast, & that he must hug and kiss Ma for Pa & Bob must hug & kiss him for me.
I can say for our boys all, that they are improving in their drilling very fast they have all drawn uniforms of blue pants and grey jacketts. We all have beef, meal, and potatoes as our principle subsistance. I saw a walnut on yesterday which reminded me of home very much. If you have an opportunity I would like to have some socks. For they are very hard to come at here. I have the same ones you gave me yet, all other clothing is tollerably plentiful except shoes & I have as good of boots as I ever wore.
We heard of King since the Perryville fight and was glad to hear he was well. Throw me a few Royal Red apples & save me a good churn of butter-milk & role of butter. Milk is worth $1.00 per gal, & butter the same per pound, fish 50 cts per pound. I would like to exchange this old tent to our humble little cottage, & rough words of a soldier to those of a lovely wife & children. Tell Ma, Pa, Mol & Bet that I would like to read some of their composition, also give my best wishes to them, Pappa Aunt Thurza & John Watts families. Special regard for Jose cat and the gals, respects to all enquiring friends. I often think of Green too tell him and all, the black ones howdy & to pray for me. I ask an interest in prayers of all good persons. Dear Margy let us trust in the Lord for he is able to save us from harm. May his blessing be with you & those dear children, of ours.
A.A. Hope
Seven months before the Battle of Franklin, Captain Pleasant M. Hope wrote this letter to his infant daughter whom he had never seen. He told his baby girl that this is "... the first letter you ever received."
Camp Cummings near Mobile, Ala.
Apr. 25, 1864
Dear Child,
It is with pleasure and delight that I write you a few lines, which will be the first letter you ever received, and one too which I hope you will preserve until you can read it. By the misfortunes of war, I have been separated from your Momma, but by the blessings of God, I hope to soon return to you, never more to leave you, until death shall separate us. My dear and only child, be a good girl, ever love and obey your affectionate Momma, and don't forget your first letter writer, who has not nor never will forget you, who daily prays to God, in his infinite mercy, to spare, bless and protect you amid the troubles of this world, and should you live to become old, may God bless you and prepare your soul in this life to go to that happy world after death.
Your Father,
P. M. Hope
On November 30, 1864, the remnants of the 46th Tennessee Inf. were engaged in the tragic battle of Franklin in their home state. Most of the regiment was killed or wounded that day.
Dearing the battle, Captain Pleasant M. Hope reportedly turned to his ensign Paul Sullivan and said, "Paul, the cause is lost, save yourself." Minutes later, while crouching near the breastworks, the young Captain Hope was struck by a ball and died almost instantly.
Lt. William L. Hope of the 46th Tennessee Inf.(Pleasant Hope's brother) fell within 40 yards of the breastworks, his body pierced thirteen times. He lingered for five days before he died on December 5,1864.
Letter from William F. Testerman, on Remembrance stationery, to Miss Jane Davis. Testerman was a first lieutenant in Company C of the 8th Tennessee Cavalry. He wrote the letter from Gallatin, Tennesee. I thought it interesting how quick he got the letter. He was replying to her letter one month after she wrote to him. Not too shabby.
William F. Testerman to Miss Jane Davis
July 25, 1864.
Dear Miss,
I again take the opportunity of Droping you a few lines in answer to your kind letters which I recieved a few days ago one bearing date June "23" the other June the "24" it was a plesure to me to have the honor to recieve a letter from as charming a young girl as the one whos name was asscirbed at the bottom of each of them I was glad to hear that you was well but I was more glad to hear you express your mind as fully as what you did this note leaves me well and I truly hope that this will find you in good health I can't say anthing to you by letter more than what you have heard from my letters before + Jane I hope the time will soon come when I can get to see you again I can write many things to you but if I could see you I could tell you more in one minute than I can rite in a week The letters that you wrote to me has proved verry satisfactory to me if you will stand up to what you told me in your letters I will be satisfied which I have no reasons to Doubt but what you will but if you was to fail it would allmost break my heart for you are the girl that I am Depending upon and if it was not for you I would not be riting by my candle to night as you wrote to me that many miles seperated us in person if my heart was like yours we would be united in heart you kneed not to Dout Though we are fare apart at present my heart is with you every moment for I often think of you when you are alseep when Travailing the lonesom roads in middle Tenn The thought of your sweet smiles is all the company I have I trust that you are cinsere in what you have wrote to me. Your sparkling blue eys and rosey red cheeks has gaind my whole efections I hope for the time to come when we shall meet again then if you are in the notion that I am we can pass off the time in plesure My time has come for sleep and I must soon close I want you to rite to me as soon as you can for I will be glad to hear from you any time. Direct your letters as before and dont forget your best friend so I will end my few lines but my love to you has no End remember me as ever your love and friend. Excuse bad riting.
Letter from William Henry Ruse of the 97th Ohio Volunteer Regiment to Maggie Stewart of Adamsville, Ohio. Ruse writes from a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, where he served as an orderly.
Hospital No. 12
Nashville, Tenn.
May 7th 1863
Once more with great pleasure I embrace a few moments to write you a short letter. I wrote to you a short time since and shortly after I started mine I received a very kind letter from you. It seems that all our letters pass each other on the road. "speck" they say "How do you do" or make use of some familiar phrase. Wish the writers could meet as often as their letters do. strange wish, "ain't" it. and not very strange neither. You know we can't refrain from wishing, but I wish that our wishes could come to pass. Oh! Maggie! I have written so often to you that I expect you are getting wearied reading my disinterested letters. but let me assure you it is not so with me. Your letters are received by me with the greatest pleasure, and a beating heart always waits a reply. I have written a good many letters to other girls. Letters of friendship, but those I write to you. I want you to receive them for more than mere friendship. For let me say that your memory is ever dear to me and if we never again meet on Earth I shall ever Cherish the fond remembrance of Thee, and think of the pleasant hours passed in your society, but let me indulge the hope that we may again meet ere long.
I cannot yet see much sign of the war Closing but I always try to hope fo the Best. I suppose You was a thousand times glad to welcome the returns of your soldier Brothers. I imagine I see Maggie when she first got a peep of Nixon. I want you to give me the particulars of your first meeting. I was glad to hear of Nixon getting his discharge. I received a letter from him when he was about ready to start home. I was somewhat surprised when I received the news of his going but he did his duty in the army. And I know his discharge is an honorable one. I have not yet answered his last letter. And I beleive I will wait till I get a letter from him at home if he has not yet written tell him I want him to write immediately.
A great many left no. 12 day before yesterday for Louisville. I could have gone had I so desired but I thought it not a very desirable place from Nixons description of affairs there. We have a new surgeon in Charge. He is quite a young man + I presume a very fine man + skillful Physician but I must stop. Now dont forget to write often. I will pledge myself to answer Your letters immediately on their reception if you will do the same "Aint" that fair?
Well goodbye Dear Maggie hoping to hear from you soon.
I am every Yours
sincerely
Henry
Camped Near Columbia Tenn
March 18, 1863
It is throgh the kind providence of god that I have once more the opportunity of addrefsing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and I do hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same like blessing I have nothing very strange to rite I received a letter when Johnithen Hargess came to the CO that is the only correct nuse I have had from home since I left I rote an answer and sent it by male I cant tell whether you received it or not I suppose that you hear of all the hard fights we have without me riteing about them I will just remark that on the 5th day of this inst we faught one of the hardest Battles that I have ever experinced the Battle was faught at thomson Station that is betwiet Columbia and nashville on the rail rode believe we faught from ten o'clock in the morning till three o'clock in the eavening we whiped them completely there cavalry all run off and left there infantry our cavalry then run round in the rear of there infantry then we give them shot and shell on every sid untell the hole of them surrendered I have never heard the report of the kiled on either side but I no one thing the nomber that surrendered was five redgments suposed to be 33 hundred men beside the kiled and wounded I was over aportion of the battle ground my self and there was at least too ded yankeys to one of our men these ar facks that I seen with my own eyes our brigade under general farrist and general vandorn command was the men engaged in the fight on our side the evning force was supposed to be grants army from mississippi come to reinforse rosencrance at murfeysburough we lost nary man kiled out of our co one wounded tilmon boyd was wounded in the leg but not dangeoursly the rest of the co or all in tolerble good helth with the exceptions of some four of five that as wounded they ar geting along as well as could be expected I received a letter from James Smith in Capt Deakins co he rote that he heard from home a few days before he rote to me he stated in his letter that you was all well except father and that he was sick I want you to rit as soon as you get this and let me no how you ar all geting along throug this lonesom and trubblesom world I heard that the soldiers had taken all the corn in the valley there without respect of persons if you hav anything to live upon rite that if you have not rite that rite the truth let it be good or bad if you have nothing to eat rite and I feel like I would do you justice my contry justice and my god justice to come home and make bred for you altho I feel like it was my duty to fite for my home and every other man I have made one draw of money James Richard is geting a discharge and is coming home I will send one hundred dollars by him if you need the money in the way of something to live on use it if not pay it to Jesse Tickett towards my horse tell him to credit the note you will no how to fix that tell aunt Bobby Hendix that Samuel come to our co some four or 5 weeks ago and was taken sick in a day or to after he come to the co he is in the horsepittle at Columbia he had bin very bad but is geting well col Starns is prmoted to brigadier general general forrest is prmoted from brigadier to mager general I would like very much to see home one time moor but no chance to get a furlow now I will just have to grin and barit thare is but one general that ever can whip the south and that is general starveation and I dont think we need fear him for I think he will allways be on our side so no moor.
I Still remain your Son until death,
William Hackworth
James Booker complains of not hearing from his family. He mentions that he and John James and John are twin brothers)are too ill to serve and that consequently they are caring for the sick at a private house. Their three patients, all members of Company D, 38th Virginia Reg. Infantry, suffer from jaundice, typhoid, or yellow fever. One man, Billy Pruett, has even died from eating "too much beef liver." In spite of such news, James Booker claims that the health of the men in camp is improving. He alludes to having received bad news from Texas, where his aunt and uncle have moved. At the end of his letter, he replies to Chloe's supposition that the he would soon return home by maintaining that unless peace is declared, he would have to remain a soldier as long as he retains his health. The postscript states that James will try to send for things via any returning soldiers.
James Bookerletter to Chloe Unity Blair
Sept the 6 1861
Dear CousinI received your kind letter last eavning which gave me great releaf I had not hird from [ home] in nearly a month I had [ concluded] that you all had forgoten us intirely I told the boys if my relation wanted to hear from me thay would have to write to me for I had writen three letters to thare one, and if thay would not write to me, I [ [unclear: w] ] I would not write to them, tho I will excuse you for this time if you will not do so eny more, I have no news of intrust to write me and John are boath well at this time tho we are staying in a house yet we are not able [ for ] service and we are waiting on the sick we have three patiants to wait upon [unclear: nan] of [ them] verry bad off it is James May Hu Norten and Josire Burnett, Burnett has typhoid fever May had the yellow janders he has goten over them tho he is not well I dont think thay was eny thing the matter with Norten except cold old man billy Pruett died this morning he eat too mutch Beef liver one day last week which I have no doubt was the cause of his deth he is the one that was going to the flag back.
Several of our boys is complaining tho none of them are not sick mutch I beleave the sick in camp are improveing Jenerally. I was verry sorrow indeed to hear such bad news form Texas I had bin think ing about writing to aunt Kitty5, I have put it off too long to talk about writig now, [ you talked like you would ] you said something about our coming home
I dont think that I'll go home until my time is out if keep my helth un less peace is made, John joins me in love to you all so good eavning write soon to your affectionate Cousin
James Booker
If eny of our boys goes home soon im going to send for things by them.
