I thought some of you might like to read these letters from my gguncle, Samuel Swann Cowan, who served with Co. H of the 154th TN Senior Regiment. The first 2 letters posted here were written while his unit was in Columbus, KY. He is one of 4 brothers who fought for the Confederacy. He was shot at the Battle of Shiloh on April 6, and died 11 days later. The third letter posted here is from the chaplain informing his father of his death. He is buried in Memphis in the confederate section of Elmwood Cemetery.
A brief biography on Samuel:
Born, 1826 to Jonathan and Elizabeth (Swann) Cowan in Tennessee. He m. April 15, 1852 in Cass County, GA, Martha Beavers. Martha died giving birth to their only child, a son, Jonathan. Martha is buried in the Cowan plot in
Oostanaula Methodist Cemetery near Rome, GA, in a grave marked only by several sandstone rocks and is located adjacent and to the right of the headstone of J. R. Price and V. E. Cowan.
Samuel's first letter to his parents is as follows.
Letter #1:
Columbus, Ky.
Nov. 11, 1861
Dear Father and Mother,
With pleasure I again seat myself for the purpose of writing you again. I have not received one letter from you yet. I cannot account for it. I have no news since my last writing has transferred. There is nothing worth writing. The weather here is extremely cold for the time of year. This morning when I put my head out of the cloth house it looked like a young snow. The talk is that we will winter here but that I think doubtful . . . no telling, the army may leave in a week. There is no telling. I asked my captain yesterday, and he said there was no telling what move would be made between this and Christmas. There is a rumor now in camp that our forces in middle Kentucky have been defeated under Gen. Zollicoffer. If that should be so, we may move towards Cumberland Gap. General Thompson of Missouri had a few skirmishes with the Lincolnites a few days ago but not much harm done. I have nothing more to present but hope soon to hear from you all. No more to write. I will write every week while I stay here.
Your son,
Samuel S. Cowan
Co. H, 154 Senior Regt.
Tenn. Inf.
Columbus, Ky.
Capt. M. M. Patrick
NB, I have the promise of a furlough between this and Christmas if the army should winter here. If I should get one I will come and see you all. Tell Jonathan I am well and in fine spirits and hope to see him as soon as I can
get a chance. Tell him that I want when I come home to find him a smart boy and a learning to read and write. Give Dick (his brother) my best love and all friends and relations. I would be glad to hear from any of them.
S. S. Cowan
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Letter #2
Columbus, Ky.
Dec. 4th, 1861
Dear Mother and Father:
With pleasure I received your letter today and was glad to hear from you all and hear that you were all well and doing well. This leaves me well and hope that this may find you all enjoying the same like blessing.I have no good news to write to you all. We are living here in the
belief that we will have another fight at this place soon. I can't think for my part that they will attack us as they are sending all the troops from camp in Birch Point to St. Louis for to help keep back McCollech and Price who are advancing on that point. We are well fortified at this point having to our breast works done. They extend about five miles. I think one man behind them
equal to ten. There is also five gun boats just came from New Orleans to help protect the river. They paid a visit to camp yesterday and threw ten shots into camp. I can't say whether done any harm or not. I wrote you that I was trying to get a furlough home but have not got it yet. I have almost come to the conclusion that I will not come home untill my time is out as it will cost me thirty dollars to come and get back here again. And I only have four months to stay. So if I am alive I will be at home the first of May. You need not get the likeness taken as it might not come before I get away and perhaps might have to leave here in a week from this. There is no telling what move the Army may make between this and spring. Give my best love to all friends, my brothers and sisters. Tell Rub and Robert they might write me as it will not be much trouble. Give my love to Jonathan and Dick, Mr.Green and Martha. Tell Mr. Green that I would write to him but have nothing more than is in this. The weather here is very cold. There has been snow for three days and looks much like it would snow before day again. You must excuse my writing and my pen and light is bad. So sick often. I received a letter from Mary a few days ago. So no more. But sincerely your son.
Samuel S. Cowan
Since the within was wrote I received a letter from John Cowan. Things are all quite here fixing for the winter. Building log houses, we look like a large town here with five or six hundred houses.
Your son,
S. S. Cowan
(Note: Samuel was not meant to ever return home. Only a short time before his four months were due to expire, Letter # 3 was written.)
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Letter #3
Memphis, Tennessee
April 21st, 1862
Jonathan Cowan, Esqr.,
McQuire's Store, Georgia
My dear Sir:
I wrote to you several days ago informing you of the condition of your son, Sam'l Cowan, who was wounded in the battle of Shiloh on the 6th inst. He was then apparently getting rapidly well as his wound was only a slight one in
the arm. But it since became manifest that he was shot with a poisoned ball, and I now write to inform you of his sudden and unexpected death. The day after I wrote to you, your son became much worse; his breast and neck became
much swolen, and on Thursday, the 17th inst., he died. He expressed himself as perfectly resigned to die, and said that he was going home to Heaven. Frequently he would exclaim, "Happy! Happy! Happy! I am going to Heaven!" I
know, my dear sir, that it will comfort your heart to know that he thus passed away, filled with the spirit of a Savior's love, and with the praises of the living God lingering sweetly upon his dying lips. He was a good man,
a brave soldier, and as such he was beloved by all his comrads; but he died--the vigor of his manhood was offered up as a sacrifice for his country and they all send to you their sincere and heartfelt condolence.
Captain Patrick will write you further particulars.
Very Respectfully,
Will C. Haskill,
Chaplain, 154th Reg't T. V.