Onward to victory [Letterhead with Lady Liberty holding U.S. Flag]
#1 John Ryan Civil War Letters ~ May 18, 1862Camp Near Corinth Miss
May 18, 1862
Dear Son
I Rec'd your letter of the 30th of April Stating you Rec'd the money I Sent to you I would have wrote you a letter sooner but there is no mail leaving this Camp at any time but the mail come here regular so I can get all the letters you write to me but I cannot Send any letters to you except by Chance I find a man here that is going north.
I send this by a man that is going to Richmond. now John do not wait to get a Letter from me before you write because I cannot tell you when I can send a letter to you but will every time I get a Chance. now write often for I know that if you knew the Pleasure it gives me to get your letter you would certainly write oftener.
in Regard to the tax of the house your Mother spoke about She must not let it be Sold and for her to do the best She can.
I have been unwell for sometime and it took a good deal of money to buy nourishment to get up so as to be able to do my duty. if you fall Sick on Camp treatment if you have no money you will have to get well on the Same Kind of treatment. I am in tolerable fair health this morning but I am So Poor that I imagine Some time when I walk that I can hear my bones rattle.
now John I would advise you to learn a trade and learn that trade that you think suits you. try to be at work all times.
I hope when I hear from you that you and the Children will be well of the measles.
now John I will tell you our Possition. our Camp is about 4 miles from Corinth where an emence force about equal to ours are entrenched behind Strong works.
our line of Battle that is formed every morning extends from east to west and faces South fifteen 15 miles this morning as I write has advanced further 2 miles towards the enemy and is within one miles of their works. we have driven Their Picquets in so we have now The Desired Position for our Batterys and will plant them there to day.
So you See a Battle or the evacuation of the Place by the enemy is enavitable.
tomorrow's Sun will witness the most decisive Battle that was ever fought on this continent. We are Prepared for them and as Certain of victory as the Sun rises up again. There is no doubt but what you will hear of the Battle before this reaches you.
I have to Close. be Content at home. Write often. I send my Best love & Respect to all at home. John Ryan
36th INDIANA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
SERVICE -- Expedition down Ohio River to reinforce General Grant at Fort Donelson, Tenn., thence to Nashville, Tenn., February 14-25, 1862. Occupation of Nashville February 25. March to Savannah, Tenn., March 17-April 6. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Occupation of Corinth May 30.
Letter #1 was written May 18, so it would have been during the "Seige of Corinth."As we know, John was promoted for bravery at the battle of Shiloh. In fact, his regiment (36th Indiana) was the first of Buell's Army to engage the enemy at Shiloh. The 36th Indiana, under the command of Colonel Gross, was part of General Nelson's division (the 10th) ...Ammen's (4th) Brigade. Buell's entire Army was enroute to join up with Grant's forces; and was encamped near Savannah Tennessee some 10 miles or more from the battle field on the morning of April 6, 1861, when the General Johnston's Confederate army sprung a surprise attack on Grant's forces at Pittsburg Landing.
About mid morning the units of Buell's army heard the sound of a distant battle. In fact the 36th and it's cohort regiments were all preparing for a dress inspection and parade when the sound of distant cannon alerted them that this would NOT be a day for a parade. Quickly they followed the order to take up arms for battle and began an arduous march through swampy terrain to the shore of the Tennessee river opposite Pittsburg Landing. Several huge river boats (a standard part of the Army's equipment list in those days) were waiting to ferry Buell's Army across the Tennessee to the battlefield. Nelson's Division, with the 36th Indiana in the front were the first to land ashore and were immediately ordered into battle at a spot about 100 yards from the top of the steep river bank. In fact, their path up the river bank was very near the site that became the Shiloh National Cemetery; and the spot of their first Shiloh battle assignment was about 100 yards east of the visitor center. It was late afternoon or early evening before the regiment reached their assigned position in the battle; but reports are that the unit fought bravely, saved the day for a Union artillery battery, and prevented an impending breakthrough by the rebels before nightfall brought an end to the battle on April 6th.
CLICK HERE to read the full reports of the commanders (Gross, Ammen, and Nelson) and Ammens awesome diary of the days before the battle. [This link not yet active]As the record shows, the 36th also played an important role in the second day's battle and gave a very good account of themselves. The official records show that the regiment's casualties at Shiloh were 10 dead, 4 wounded, and 1 missing. John does not speak of this battle till his August letter (#2) if we take John's word for the date and header information, it had to be written more than a month after Shiloh. Everything about letter #1 is compatible with the "Seige of Corinth." John writes this letter while clearly "wearing two hats." It is obvious that he is writing as "father" to his eldest son, John Albert (age 16 at the time) but also as a soldier. Readers will be fascinated by his description of the Unior Army's deployment and tactical activities... all of which "check out" as historically accurate. Actually, at the time, it was thought by those on the scene that Corinth would be a bigger and more important battle than Shiloh; and that accounts for John's ecstatic proclamation (at the end of the letter) about the expectation of a glorious victory.
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