My great-great grandfather on my mother's side was a man named Joseph Henry Schmidt. He lived in Ohio and enlisted in the Civil War when he was 21, eventually becoming a Captain. My mother's cousin has done a lot of family research and she found many letters that he wrote to his wife during the Civil War which had been preserved.
This is one dated July 4th, 1863. From the Siege of Vicksburg: (I left all his misspellings in there, just because it felt right...)
Vicksburg Miss. July 4, 1863
Dearly beloved Wife Cate,
Yours of the 17th inst. has just come to hand wich pleased me very much. Thank fortion my health is good and VICKSBURG IS OURS with Everybody in it canons, prisoners, small arms & C.
Dear beloved wife I am very much pleased to give you the news that Vicksburg is ours, this day on the great day of 4th of July 63. I shall give you a small statement of the particulors, Yesterday at 8 0 clock A.M. Gen. Grant sent in a flag of truce to Rebel General Pemberton to surender [ A uncondisionel serender] and he would give him until 6:00 clock A.M. to think over it, if he would not surender, that he would open all his artilery along the whole line at 6 0 clock A.M. on the 4th [is today] and shell them for 36 hours. Making him no diference where he shot, for the 4th of July 63 was the only & last day he was going to wait or care about anyone in the city. At 11 o clock A.M. Gen. Pemberton send a flag of truce that he should think that they ware some of our men in Vicksburg, Miss.. Gen. Grant sent back no diference I want a uncondisionel surender by tomorow the 4th or you shal sufer the consequence at 4 o clock A.M. Gen. Pemberton, sent another Flag of truce that he would serender at 6 o clock A.M. on the 4th day of July 63, because he was compeld to do so on acount of Provisions & C., at 6 0 clock this morning, preperations was made for the Rebs to come in to our lines to stack arms and lieve all Amunition, Guns, Artilery, Forts, & At 11 o clock A.M., all was don and the Stars and Stripes was planted on the Rebels Forts & breast works and on the Court house at Vicksburg and all the captured Rebels put on Steam Boats and sent up the river. Hurah, Hurah for the 4th day of July 1863, in Vicksburg about 18,000 Prisoners & guns, Artilery . I don't know how much exacly. •
Hurah for the western Boys . Hurah for the Stars & Stripes.
hope they may shortly wave around the whole United States.
Hurah for Gen. Grant. Honor the one that deserves it. We have orders to March all redy to the rear i hoap that Gen. Johnson [Reble] will be our Fict in a few days. hurah Boys hurah down with the traitors, up with the Stars while we raly around the Flag Boys & C & Raly once again. I hope that this Victory may setle the Coperheads.
The Rebles had nothing to eat but Muel Meat & Corn Meal at Vicksburg for the last two weeks, we have a purty good lot of Reble Generals, Colonels & C.
Dear beloved Wife we will have some hard times yet, for weather is awful hot and it just more than squeses the fat out of us poor Soldiers.
Shall close my few lines hoping we may stil be as lucky as before and whale the Rebels like Hell.
Give my best Respects to all inquiring Friends, Expesly Father, Mother, Brothers & C., Samuel Craig, Sarah, Hedy & all Brewers,.
I Remain Your true Husband until Death.
Capt Henry Schmidt
Co. C. 37 th Regt. O.V. Inf. 3 C. Brig 2ed Div 15th A.C. Vicksburg, Miss.
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