Letters written by Newton Scott
To see the full text of the letter, select the date of the letter you wish to see. The letters have been transcribed as written, with no attempt to change spelling or punctuation from the original.
October 24, 1862, Camp Lincoln, Keokuck, Iowa
"Indeed Dear Miss there is thousands of Poor Soldiers that will see Home & Friends no more in this World If you was in Keokuk & See the number of Sick & Disabled Soldiers it would make your Heart Ache."
November 30, 1862, Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo.
"...those little towns on the Mo. Side of the River are Hard looking Places little Dirty cabins with nothing to Sell Hardly But whiskey & the People looks to Suit the Places..."
March 9, 1863, on board the Lavinia Logan
"We Have Some 6 or 8 gun Boats with us & we are now Penetrating into the verry Heart of Dixie Since we Started we Have taken over one Hundred thousand Dollars worth of cotton & taken what Beef & chickens that we needed"
April 9, 1863, Helena Arkansas
"... we Respected Rebel Property But little & where Ever they Fired on our Boats We landed & Burnt Every thing that would Burn..."[ View an image of this document. (179 k) ]
June 17, 1863, Camp Prentiss, Helena Arkansas
"I am Appointed Ordy Sergt in the 2nd Regt Arks Vols A. D. the A. D. means African Devils...You Better Beleive that I Have Some Big times with the Darkies."
July 6, 1863, Helena Arkansas
"...all this time our Hill Batterys ten or twelve Pieces in the Bottom & the Gun Boat Tyler with 8 or ten guns were throwing Shells Amongst them thick as Hail But they Filled up there Fallen Ranks with Fresh Troops & about 8 oclock they made a Charge on one of our Batterys..."
July 23, 1863, Helena Arkansas
"I am verry much Over Joyed Over our late Victories at Vicksburg Helena & Port Hudson & other Places I suppose that you Have Heard the Particulars of our Fight at Helena While you all was Haveing Such good times up at Albia on the 4th.. we was Shooting Rebels ..."[ View a 200% image of this document. (580 k) ]
August 11, 1863, Helena Arkansas
"I do not Know the No of troops that will leave Helena with us But suppose about 5000 & we will join Gen Davidson about 25 miles from Here & He Has Some 7000 Cavalry"
January 19, 1864, Helena Arkansas
"He was caught going out Past our Picket Guards & was arrested & Examined & Papers of Importance to the Rebels found in His Possession & He was Brought Back & Court martialed & Sentenced to Be Hung Dead By the neck..."
February 14, 1864, Little Rock Arkansas
"One Day last week there was 126 men mostly Deserters from Price & citizens of this State Came in & took the oath of Allegiance & 100 of them joined our army.."
July 22, 1864, Little Rock Arkansas
"...If Permited to live then I exspect to Return Home & See the People & Eat Peaches. We Could get Home This winter Coming By Reenlisting as Veterans for 3 years longer But I am not wanting to get Home that Bad yet a while."
November 3, 1864, Little Rock Arkansas
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"And I hope & think that the War will Be Over By that Time. I think that the Election or Reelection of President Lincoln will Do much Toward the Closeing of the War.. "The Election is near at hand and I I *sic* am glad to tell you that Co. A has No McClellen Men Amongst our No.. I think that Every man that Belongs to Co. A will Vote for Old Abe without a Doubt.."
March 13, 1865, St. Charles, Arkansas
"...of all the Dirty & little Smokey Shantys Ever See those Certainly was the greatest Each Shanty large anough for 2 men I & my Bunk Mate Mr Albert Grimes Took Possession of one Shanty & to Work we went and In one half Day we had it arranged Somewhat to our Notion So that we can be Tolerable Comfortable again..."
May 24, 1865, St. Charles, Arkansas
"...If they Do not Surrender I hope to God that our Government will Exterminate the whole Crew of those General Officers & leading men for they cant but know that there case is a hopeless one & have no reason for Continuing the war longer..."
August 18 & 19, 1865, St. Charles, Arkansas
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"...you need not write any more...and you can tell the Friends of the 36th Iowa vols to cease writing to the boys for we will most Probaly leave Arkansas for home in Ten days..."
Revised June 2, 2016
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