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6th Alabama Infantry ~~ |
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6th Alabama Infantry ~~ |
April 6, 1862 at Orange C. House (Orange Courthouse)
Dear Pa,
We all arrived here day before yesterday and found our regiment about four miles from this place ready at a moments notice to move to parts unknown, but it is generally believed that we are to be sent to Yorktown; but plague on the luck, the order has been countermanded and we have to walk about five miles back to our tents or where we were camping to await for further orders. I don't think our commanders know what they are doing half of the time or they would not march a fellow to death before his 2 years are out. Our fellows had a terrible time on their march from Davis Ford. They just saved enough clothing to make one change and one or two blankets. My blankets and clothing were I expect committed to the flames for I can't find or hear of them anywhere, but but I have got as many as I can manage at the present. If I only had a knapsack to carry them in. I think when the weather gets a little warmer we ought to pack up our overcoats and send them to Richmond or home for they are mighty unhandy to carry. We will have to send our pistols back, or sell them to the government at their price, $30, which I think is too small. They won't let Privates have them. I haven't slept in a tent or shelter of any kind since our arrival. We have got two tents to the company, two spiders, 2 frying pans and one camp kettle, all for about 60 men to cook with. It is a wonder some of us haven't perished, but we are as lively as ever you saw fellows and we haven't got a sick man in the company. I am perfectly well. Give my love to everybody.
Your aff. son,
Murrie
Excuse my hands for there is no use in washing them for they won't stay clean. I saw Counsin Abby in Richmond, she is well.
Copyright © Caroline Burnett Cook 1998 CarBurCo@aol.com
April 13, 1862
Dear Pa,
I have a good deal to talk about if I only could think of it all while I was writing, but each subject makes me think of another. I haven't caught the elephant yet but I have seen his tail. Day before yesterday while we were behind the breastworks and the Yankee sharpshooters were shooting at every man that would put his head above them, one of our Gens. ordered a party to go and drive them off. 2 Companies from the 2nd Florida Reg. did the skirmishing with a regiment of Mississippians in the reserve. They commenced firing on the Yankees with the Enfield and Maynard Rifles. I wish you could have been here to have seen them. They drove them off quick. I didn't know Yankees could run so fast. They were in a peach orchard and in trenches about up to their necks so that we fellows could not touch them from our breastworks. We have got the peach orchard and are now erecting the best kind of breastworks in it. We lost only one man and 2 or 3 wounded. I don't know what the loss on the other side was. They hoisted a white flag there yesterday, I suppose for the purpose of burying their dead. These nasty sharpshooters killed one of our company the other day, Eleany Martin, a nephew of Mr. Shuford's. They were shooting at some of the Artillery men and he put his head over the breastworks and a ball broke his neck. It must have been over 700 yards. I wish I had one of those long range guns here. I think I could get about 5 a day. Our men are most too careless, but since Eleany was shot they have become more careful. I got so the other day that every time that every time I heard anybody blow his nose I would dodge. Sometimes the Yanks throw bombs into our entrenchment but never have hurt anyone yet.They shelled us 5 hours the other day and never hurt anybody. A good many of the boys have the bowel complaint and all of CAPT.W. [Willingham] recruits are sick sure enough and nearly all of them homesick. You ought to see old Josh Fuller- he wants a discharge already. Our little recruit is as lively as ever and looks well. I mean Hish Goodman. I saw Sammy day before yesterday. He is looking better than I ever saw him. I also saw Mr. Wyatt. He is chaplain for the 26th Virginia Reg. I have no idea when I'll have another chance to write again as we have lost all our baggage and have no paper. Our guns are stacked and ready to meet the enemy at any moment. We have to get up by 3 in the morning with our guns and accouterments on. I am acting orderly now. I wish Dan Johnson would make haste and come on so that we may join some Reg. I think we will join the 3rd if the boys will do right. Give my love to all the family. Tell the girls I'll write to them just as soon as possible for I want to hear from them.
Your affect. son,
Murrie
NOTE: Sammy must be his first cousin, SAMUEL RUDULPH, the son of DR. B. B. RUDULPH'S brother, JOHN RUDULPH & SUSAN RAMBO. [Murray was the only son. He had three living sisters. His parents were Dr. Burwell Boykin Rudulph and Mary Emma Higgins Rudulph of Lowndesboro]
1862?
JM Rudulph to his mother
Folded
letter, addressed
"Mrs.
M. E. Rudulph [her name was Mary Emma. Interesting he did not address her as
Mrs. B.B. Rudulph]
Politejeress
(?) of Hayneville, Ala
Mr.
Wm Jones"
(What
is the word before OF? His writing is highly legible otherwise. A beautiful
handwriting.)
"Dear
Ma
I am getting on very well and in good health so far, but good many of the
boys have the bowell complaint. And
it makes them very weak. I saw Uncle Manly
yesterday [REV. BASIL MANLY of Charleston, husband of his aunt,
SARAH MURRAY RUDULPH, his father's sister] yesterday and he was
looking very well. I can't find my
blue shirt anywhere, but it won't make much difference as I have a gray one. I
think if I had time I could learn how to write with this pen, but Bill Jones is
in a hurry now and I don't want to bother him for he is a good one.
(Jones apparently took the letter to her as his name is on the address)
I
won't need William; tell Pa. And no telling when we will leave here. Tell Fannie
and Rella [his sisters] to write to
me when I find out our destination. Give my love to all at home and at the
plantation. Write to me some too.
I
am your affectionate
Son
J.M.
Rudulph"
Note:
Evidently,
William Jones was standing there waiting for him to finish writing.
1863,
JAN. JAMES MURRAY RUDULPH LETTER
Letter
folded, address written on back, post marked "Illegible city, Va.; Jan….date
illegible 1863"
Return
address :
"J.
M. Rudulph
Co.
E, 6th Ala. Regiment
Miss
Fannie Rudulph
Hayneville
[Murray's
sister, Frances Eva Rudulph who, in December of the same year, married Dr. John
P. Mushat of Hayneville]
Camp
6 Ala Regt
Davis
Ford, Va.
Jan. 1/1862
[ It is likely that the writer forgot to change the year, since it WAS Jan 1st ] This letter begins with a note from a man whose name looks like W.S. Rivers or Rivaldi??
=========================================================
"Mrs.
Rudulph and Miss Fannie,
Will
please accept my thanks for the work they did for us. The garments are all very
nice and suit me very well.
Your
friend,
W.
S. Rivaldi(?)
(
PS
A Happy New Year to you all."
=========================================================
Letter
from James Murray Rudulph begins
"Dr.
Mushat is wanting to see if Mr Nesmith [or NE
Smith] and I will get our furlough he will start as soon as he can find
out. Catch all the girls' Christmas
and New Year's gift for me. I never saw such beautiful weather in my life. It is clear and as day a ------(illegible) ever have seen
it.
Love
to you all
Your affec
Brother
Murray"
Carole's
comment:
SMITH, N. H. (Private, Company E 6th Alabama Infantry Regiment)
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by James D. Allen
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