A Letter from Ferdinand Heess
To His Sister and Family
From South Carolina 1862
Contributed by Wendy Giuliano

 

The Sullivan County Genealogical Project is grateful to Wendy Giuliano for providing a translation of the letter, which was originally written in German. Here is a link to the translation which was made, we believe, in the 1950s. Wendy is a descendant of Theodore and Elizabeth (McCarty) Heess. Theodore (1845-1916) was a younger brother of Ferdiand Heess, both being children of Christian and Dorothea (Weigle) Heess. The parents and their children emigrated from Germany in 1852. Ferdinand joined the Union Army early in the Civil War and was stationed in the South, as you can see from this letter. He eventually became ill and died in a Union Army hospital, after which his body was returned and buried at Old Friends Cemetery in Shunk, PA, along with several other members of his family. In additon to Ferdinand and Theodore, there were two other children, Amelia, who later married Joshua Battin, and Albert, who was also killed in the Civil War and is mentioned in this letter as serving with Ferdinand.

 

Beaufort S. C.    May 30, 1862

Dear Sister, Family,

                Since I have the opportunity I will write you a few lines. We are all well, except for Sam - - - who has hepatitis. I have something new to tell you because our regiment had a battle yesterday with the rebels, and our people came back all day yesterday in threes and fours. They were all kaput. Last night we got the order that our regiment was to take the railroad bridge between Savannah and Charleston. They started marching at 10pm and marched day and night. It was very hot and they were dead tired. Albert (his brother) and I were on picket duty and were not included. They had a three hour battle with the rebels and when they could not reach the bridge, they came back. Joseph Bedford and Webster (neighbors of the Heess boys) did not fire a shot, they said. They were only one mile from the bridge and the rebels had more men. Our artillery stays behind. The bridge that they had to cross did not have any planks, because the rebels had taken them off. They had to retreat but they drove the rebels wherever they could. They took 3 prisoners and 30 mules, 12 horses and many slaves; also a wagon. Our loss was 2 dead. One fellow named Manly Stevens from our company was shot thru under one arm and the bullet came out from the other side. Albert and I made his grave. He was from Franklin. The other was a captain, he was hit 3 times, first in the chin, then in his throat sot that his windpipe was cut off and then in his chest. His name was Parker. One lieutenant shot himself with his with his own pistol when he started to sit down and slipped. There were 5 more wounded, one deadly, he was hit by a bullet thru his hip. One rebel, whom we caught, got shot in the back but only a flesh wound. He was from Charleston. When our captain gave him water, he was surprised. He expected the Yankees to shove a bayonet thru him. They are told this by their leaders. I think he feels that he found friends here. When our regiment retreated, another prisoner got caught in his house. He wanted to keep on riding, but they told him he better get off his horse and surrender. Tomorrow morning 3 of our regiments are leaving to take Charleston.

                This morning our regiment was bombarded near the ferry with several cannon shots, which did no harm. It is so very hot here, that our rifles get awful hot. We had a new preacher here and last Sunday I went to church to hear him preach. He preached pretty good but only a few went. The most of them rather play cards. You remember the Adams boys (Ben Evert’s wife’s brother) They have the captured horses. I don’t know what else to write. It is almost night now and I have to sit here and hold this on my lap. So excuse my hand writing. I will hope that this reaches you in good health and god bless you all. We will soon be back again. Give my regards to all of our friends and especially sister, mother and the other brothers and sisters and grandfather. Stay well my family!

                Sunday, June 1, 1862

                I and Albert were on guard duty yesterday and I could not mail this letter. So I will add a few lines.

                Our Penna. Volunteers (50th regiment) joined with the 79th N.Y. regiment, 8th Michigan and the 100th Penna. Volunteers, the Round heads and a Connecticut Battery to take to Charleston. We can hear the cannons, they are hitting Charleston. We are alone here except for a company of cavalry. Our regiment got new rifles this morning before they left. They also took 6 cannons and 60 men from our regiment, used the mules captured from the rebels in the last battles. I hope the rebels to do not find out that we are almost alone here. Our old rifles are better than the new ones.

                I am enclosing an Oleander flower.  Stay well! Your loving brother, Ferdinand

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