By 1863 disaffection with the war and resistance to conscription had become widespread in many upland areas of the Confederacy, including western Virginia, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, northwestern Georgia, and northern Alabama. William Henry Harrison Clayton, a company clerk in the 19th Iowa Infantry, wrote from southwestern Missouri about Arkansas Unionists.
Forsyth MO.
March 26th, 1863
Dear Uncle & Aunt:
I take up my pen this evening for the purpose of writing a few lines to you. I have been thinking of writing for some time past, but not having anything of importance to communicate I neglected doing so.
You will see by the heading of my letter that we are still in the same old place, where we have been for the past two months. We have been holding the “post” here during the time mentioned, but once or twice have thought of “driving it in the ground” and leaving but have not done so as yet. In one of my letters home a short time ago I mentioned that our forage train was attacked by the rebels and although three times as many in number as our men, they retreated after our men gave them one volley.
The commander at Springfield hearing that there was a force marching upon this place sent down a reinforcement of about 200 men of the 13th Kansas infantry & 4 field pieces. They remained here a few days and then returned to Springfield, forage being so scarce in this part of the world that it is impossible to keep a battery here. Things quieted down until a few days ago, when a couple of suspicious looking fellows came around examining things and were caught in trying to get through the pickets after dark. They immediately were put under guard, and one of our Union butternuts with them. During the night this fellow by playing secesh got out of them, that they were spies and were to get $300 apiece for coming here to find out our numbers and position and report them to the rebel commander at Yellville on the morning of the 24th and then it was their intention to attack us with 5000 men and some artillery. Nearly the whole regiment was set to work erecting breastworks. A number of log houses were torn down and the logs piled up and a long line of breastworks was put up in short order. We worked at them yesterday and the day before. Today the usual quiet reigns in camp, there being only a few men at work putting on the finishing touch.
I apprehend no attack here at the present time anyhow for we have reinforcements within a day or two’s march, and they will never attack us unless they have five or six times as many as we have.
A large number of Union refugees are here or have passed through here going north. Last Sunday 20 Union men came in. They are recruits for an Arkansas regiment being made up at Fayetteville, one of them an old man 57 years of age had been shot through the left shoulder by the bushwhackers a short time before they came away. The most of them had been lying out in mountains for a good while to escape being taken to the Confederate army. Several of them were conscripts and were with Hindman at Prairie Grove. Hindman’s army was completely demoralized at that fight. One of these men said that all in the regiment he belongs to deserted, except 3 men. They also say that Hindman had 32 regiments in that engagement. We fought them in that long-to-be-remembered fight from 10 o’clock A.M. until 4 P.M. with only 6 regiments. Blunt then came in with 3 or 4 more regiments and we cleaned them out.
We have witnessed some painful things here. Members of families have passed through going north. They generally have cattle yoked to their old ricketty wagons, and often they are driven by women or very small boys, the father being either in some of the Missouri regiments, killed by the bushwhackers, or conscripted into the rebel army. To see women trudging along through the mud, poorly clad, and driving ox teams or as I saw in one instance when five women came from Arkansas all walking, two or three of them carrying infants in their arms and several children beside about “knee high to a duck” (they were hardly old enough to walk). Some of the women carried a few articles such as tin buckets etc. and the balance of their property was packed on an old grey horse. The “secesh” had taken everything from these women because their husbands had enlisted in the Union Arkansas regiment. Such sights make the blood boil and to make a person come to the conclusion that there is no punishment severe enough for those scoundrels who have brought about the present state of affairs by their taking up arms against the best government that this world has ever seen. There is another thing that “kinder gits” us, that is the action of a set of men in the North who are blind to their own interests and are endeavoring to kick up a fuss in even our own state of Iowa. Would to God that some of the leading copperheads were compelled to come down to this region and if they had to live here six months I think it would cure them and they would be content to go home and stay there and let the government take its own course in putting down the rebellion. One consolation is that they find little sympathy in the army and I assure you that some of them would be roughly used if they were where the soldiers could get hold of them.
The 19th adopted a series of resolutions a short time ago assuring the people of Iowa and all others that we give the government our undivided support. We enlisted for the purpose of aiding in putting down this infernal rebellion and we intend to do so. I have heard a number of the regiment express their views in regard to these northern traitors for they are nothing else and always there is ten times the hatred towards the northern traitors there is to those who are in arms against us.
We have two new recruits in our company who came from Texas. They came in and desired to enlist and were taken in our company.
Today 5 more came in and have enlisted in another company. Part of them have been in the rebel service. The rebels are conscripting in Arkansas, and numbers will doubtless be compelled to go who would rather be on our side.
We have had excellent weather for 3 weeks past. Part of the time it was nearly warm enough for summertime, the ground was dry and in good order for plowing but there is none of that kind of work going on in this vicinity. The grass is coming along nicely, and the woods are beginning to put on their coat of green.
Peach trees are out in blossom. There has been a few cold mornings lately but I think not cold enough to kill the peaches.
The past winter has been very favorable as far as cold weather is concerned, to us soldiers. I have not seen the ground froze more than 2 or 3 inches during the winter. I believe I have scribbled enough for one time and will bring my letter to a close.
Uncle Nide, I know your dislike of writing but I want you to write me a letter if it is ever so short. If Uncle Sammy Clayton is at your house tell him to write also. I send my best respects to him. Tell the folks at home that I am all right. “Nincy” and Ab. Buckles are well.
Hoping this will find you as it leaves me, in the enjoyment of good health.
I remain ever your affectionate nephew,
Wm. H. H. Clayton
P.S. I suppose that Lt. Ferguson has reached home before this time. Tell him that Lt. Sommerville has been and is yet very sick. Disease typhoid fever. He was taken to a private residence about 3 miles up the river a week or two ago. Also that our devil Bill Hartson has come to the company. All quiet on White River at the present.