Joseph Saberton

Private Joseph Saberton was in Company C, 25th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. This is a great series of letters dated from 1861 to 1864.
Thank you to Stacy Hardin for the research and generous submittal.
 
Biography
 
1830 April 22 – Born in Chatteris, England.
Late 1840s-Early 1850s – Probable immigration to the United States.
1861 Aug 19 – Enlisted in US Army at Evansville for three years; assigned to the 25th IVI. Army muster rolls describe him as about 5 feet 6 inches tall, light complexion, light hair and blue eyes.
1862 March – Faced general court martial on charges of mutiny and violation of Article 9 of Articles of War as result of an incident in January 1862. 
The charge stated that Pvt. Joseph Saberton did “…join in and excite a mutiny in the said Company C by joining and uniting with privates Peter Smith, John Crawford, Walter Scott and David Mattingly[?] of said company, in raising an uproar and disturbance and resisting the authority and disobeying the order of Srg. James Glover and other officers of said company and in resisting the authority of said officers by using his gun in a threatening manner and in attempting to load the same in his mutinous attempt to resist said authority and orders.”
Joseph pled “not guilty.” The court martial transcript details questions and answers of witnesses, commanding officers and Joseph himself. Found guilty on all charges, Joseph was sentenced to “one year hard labor with ball and chain around his leg, with forfeiture of all pay and a dishonorable discharge from the service and that the sentence of the court martial be published before all the regiments and other corps of this division.”
Also in the file is a request for an “order to relieve Joseph Saberton from penalty of Court Martial as such is recorded because of gallant conduct at Pittsburg battle.” [Probably Pittsburg Landing, aka the battle of Shiloh, 6-7 April 1862] The order apparently was given; Joseph continued to serve in his unit.
1863 May & June – Company muster rolls note that Joseph had $8.00 of his pay stopped for drunkenness and neglect of duty by order of Lt. Col. John Rhinlander.
1863 September & October – Company muster roll states that Joseph was fined $3.00 by order of the Regimental Court. 
1864 Feb 28 – Joseph re-enlists.
1864 May 20 – Muster roll says Joseph deserted from Evansville General Hospital; May 23 – Record at Evansville indicates that Joseph Saberton and Mary Simpson married on this date.
1865 February – Joseph’s pension file states that he was shot in the arm. Re-evaluations of his disability repeatedly raised and lowered his pension.
1866 – Joseph and Mary Saberton are listed in Evansville city directory.
1867 – Mary Simpson, widow, is listed in the city directory at the same address as Joseph and Mary Saberton the year before. [Is this Joseph’s widow? Or his mother-in-law? No record found to indicate divorce or death of Mary Saberton.]
7 July 1870 – Marriage recorded for Joseph Saberton and Caroline McFalls. He has not been found in 1870 census. Caroline McFalls, 35, is listed 27 June with her three children in Center Township, which includes Evansville.
26 March 1883 – Joseph Saberton died. Widow Caroline Saberton applied for his pension.
Letters
 
Otterville Oct 28, 1861 (left side of letter is missing)
Brothers and Sisters
I take this pleasure of …
few more lines to you hoping to find you…. 
It leaves me at this time thank God….
sent you a letter on the 23rd to James….
with 5 dollars in it. We are going to leave…..
for Warsaw. When you write again….
Jefferson City, Missouria and it will…..
Regiment I sent word in my last….
the regiment was getting better but….
better there is wagon loads taken to the…..
they say we have 11 day march before….
before we camp again. We buried 2….
all that is able to march will go….
and them that cant will be left behind….
me some newspapers if you can….can’t get any here. So now I conclude…..
best love to all enquiring friends tell….
and Bill and family that I have not….
yet and send me word whether….
is married yet or not. So now I remain….
affection brother Joseph Saberton.
Direct
Joseph Saberton
Company C
25 Reg Ind Vol
Jefferson City Missouria
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Syracuse Nov 27, 1861
Dear Brother
I received your letter on the 26th of this month and was glad to hear that you was well as I ….. ? to say it leaves me. At this time we are now laying (?) at Syracuse waiting further orders. We are expecting marching orders for Saint Louis in a few days. You wanted to know in your letter what news I had to send to father. I have no news to send only tell him I am well two. I got two letters a few days before I got this one from Sarah and one from Ann and I have answered them both. I have received no newspapers yet. Give my best respects to all my relations, friends and acquaintances so now I must come to a close. Tis I remain
Your brother
Joseph Saberton
I can get plenty of socks and gloves here.
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Benton Barracks
Saint Louis January 20th 1862
My dear brother
I received your letter on Sunday the nineteenth. We are yet with little signs of moving, but orders are sudden and unexpected. It is impossible to say one day where we may be next. A good many are still sick of one complaint or another, consequences of measles and so forth. we have only about five hundred well able for duty. This weather is damp sleet and snowy so that moving in camp is bad and so dull and monotonous. I shall enclose a view of the entrance through the fairgrounds into our camp cantonment?.
I shall send also by mail my ….ecture. It will go as safe and cheap than by express. It will go in the same mail and if not than to you had better enquire for it. My kindest wishes to sisters and the rest of my family, and best regards to all friends. From your truly affectionate brother
Joseph Saberton
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In the field, Camp near Corinth May 29th 1862
Dear Brother
I received your welcome letter today and it could not have come at a better time than today for this is pay day with us. I was very glad to plan you wise well. And all the folks’ too. I was out on picket yesterday again. We went out the day before that but our whole regiment was ordered out with the brigade. We advanced on P Center line about 1 ½ miles yesterday and we had a warm time in doing it. In our charge we made in the rebel pickets the two men next to me were killed dead. That is what I call close shaving. They belonged to the 14th Illinois – a regiment in our brigade, but we cleaned them out and held our ground and through up by castworks and fixed our batteries. We were relieved by the 1st brigade who took our place today. We do not know when we shall have a general fight here it is hard to tell.
You speak of my being clear of my scrape. I tell you that I am perfectly clear of it or else I could not have received my full pay today. Those damned fools that come home and tell their yams about those left behind would out lie the devil. I am just as clear as any soldier in the regiment. Nearly all the officers that were on my court marital were either killed or wounded at Pittsburgh and the Col. Restored me to duty free of all charges.
I do not want you to notice every fool that comes home and as for being in the fight I was there for no man, especially a soldier could be one miles from the river(?) without being in the fight. The fellow that gave you the information was not in the fight an hour before he got hurt and the men that can tell everybody that was in the fight. Don’t do much himself but must be sneaking around watching. We are drawing the South up into mighty close quarters and they will either have to fight or run in a few days. And their I unto to you again.
Dear brother, I send in this letter forth $40.00 dollars to keep for me until I come back. I drew $53.00. I owed the Sutter (?) $9.00 and paid him and the balance has to got to last me until next pay day. I know the balance will be safe in your hands. I send it to you by Alex Foster our Gr Master and if I should happen to get killed in this battle, I want you and sister Sarah Rhodes to have it and all that may be coming to me. give my love to all and answer this letter right away----if you receive the money. No more at present.
Your affectionate brother
Joseph Saberton
Direct as before, I expect we go on picket tomorrow again
I received your papers and Sarah’s letter – send some more.
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Memphis Tenn July 31 1862
Dear Brother
I received a letter from you today and one from sister Sarah. It did me good to read them. I had just come in from off 7 miles from Memphis and it paid me for toil and riek when I found your letter waiting for me. When I last wrote it was from LaGrange, Tenn, we marched from there to Memphis over a dn. Hot sandy road with scarcely any water to drink. Sherman had six men died with sun stroke on the road. But what is left of the Bully Old 25th stood it like old votes and there is only about ½ of the old regt left, but those can stay that they can whip or outmarch any regt of the same number or more in the states of America or least the South say so. 
I was glad to hear that you talk like a soldier brother, give the south particular h—ll when they come at you – do not be afraid of guerillas, they will not stand a bayonet. I would like our regiment to lg(?) with you and then let the guerillas try us awhile. In coming from LaGrange we caught six guerillas the fence strike. they will be very apt to try hunk(?) the cowardly dogs were following us, to kill our wounded and sick soldiers who fell behind. I want you to write to me often, it cheers me up. We had a billy time on picket yesterday. We had all the watermelons, peaches, green corn, tomatoes, potatoes fresh pork (or fork) and everything we wanted. We started without rations to stay 24 hours in short notice but we never lived as well since we have been in the service, but we was camped in a low flat swamp and it rained like blizzard and the mosquitos eat us up nearly – we were the extreme out post picket.
Give my love to sisters and all and tell them I am all right and hope they are all well and doing well. Write soon. This is for father:
 
Dear Father,
I take great pleasure in writing to you – your son is a soldier in the army of the united states. The fighting in this country is different from fighting in the old country. It is with powder ball at close range. Accept my best love and I will write more to you next time. John will explain the rest, your affectionate son, Jos Saberton
 
John send this part of the letter to father and tell him what I am doing. Write as soon as you can and oblige your affectionate brother Jos Saberton.
Write soon
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Camp near Bolivar Sept. 16 1862
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing a few more lines to you hoping they may find you well as it leaves me at this time thank God for it. We are now at Bolivar Tenn after a long and dreary march. We left Memphis on the fifth of this month and arrived here today. I received a letter from James Rhodes just before we started but no papers. He says that you have not got my likeness that I sent yet. There is no danger but but what you will get it as soon as the man goes to Evansville that I sent it by his name is Benjamin Johnson Sargaint of Company I. I expect he went to see his friends and not had time to go to Evansville yet we are only about 35 miles from Corinth and 60 miles from Memphis. They was a fight here about 2 weeks ago and they tore up some of the railroad but it is all fixed again and the cars is running. It is ?lovely warm in the day time but chilly nights. The country is pretty good around here but we don’t expect we shall stay here long. Tell Ann Clark she might send me another letter. Tell Ann Clark if she don’t get that likeness, I will have another one taken as soon as I can get the chance. Tell James Rhodes I will write to him in a few days. So now I must conclude. Give my best respects to William Clark and his family James Rhodes and wife, old Tailor Billy and his family and all enquiring friends. So now I remain your affection brother
Joseph Saberton
To John Saberton
Write soon direct Joseph Saberton
Company C
24 Reg Ind Vol
Camp Near Bolivar Tenn
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Bolivar Sept. 23 1862
Dear Brother
I know take the pleasure of writing a few more lines to you hoping they may find you well as it leaves me at this time thank God for it. We are expecting a fight here before long. It is reported that Breckridge and some other general is within seven miles of this place with 30 thousand strong. They say he is going to make an attack on this place. I think he will have a happy time of it. We had 4 train load of soldiers come to us last night from Jackson. Price has been fighting Grant at Corrinth and Price got badly whipped. We heard that our men killed and wounded 14 hundred rebels. There is a letter Evansville P Office for me. I wish you forward it to me. I sent James Rhodes a letter the other day. I have received his newspaper today. Write as soon as you can. I have not received a letter from you since I left Memphis. So now I must conclude with my best respects to all.
Joseph Saberton
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Bolivar Sept. 30th 1862
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing a few lines to inform you that I am well and I hope when these few lines reach you they may find you enjoying the same blessing. I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear that you was well. I was glad to hear that you whipped the guerrallis at Owensboro. It is a pity that you did not get their sooner and then you have seen how it went. skirmishing is nothing new to us for we have it all the times in some part of our division. We are still laying in line of battle here expecting an engagement every day we are about 20 miles from the Junction and the report is there is a good many rebels about their. I wrote a letter 10 days ago and sent it without paying the postage and I sent a note in it that I received from the Evansville post master saying their was a letter directed for me at the post office and it was unpaid. I want you to pay the postage on it and forward it to me. I sent John White a letter 2 days ago. It is very strange about that likeness. I think you had better rite to him at Newburgh and see what he has done with it. Direct it Benjamin Johnston Newburgh Ind.
The nights is getting very cold here now so now I must conclude. Give my best respects to James Rhodes and all enquiring friends.
N.B. I think it very strange that Ann Clark don’t write anymore. 
Direct to Bolivar
I remain your Aff. Brother
Joseph Saberton
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Camp Near LaGrange, Tenn
Nov. 20th 1862
Dear Brother
I received your welcome letter today dated 11th and was glad to hear you were well. I am with best of health and spirits. Everything is very quiet here. Our troops are in (?)ofsefsing of Holly Springs 25 miles from here. The enemy are in full retreat and we do not know where they sirty(?) stop at. I expect they are hunting for that “last ditch” and if we catch them then some of them will be apt to stay there.
I received that Oh be(?) joyfully you sent to me and the gloves today. The “critter” went down like “it”(?) and I am now smelling of the canteen. I squeezed the poor thing flat on getting out the last drop not that I like it so much but because you sent it to me. I give Jim Barton a good snort out of it and it brought tears to his eyes to think the canteen was not a band(y?).
We have something near 70,000 men here now. ??? to clean out all mifse(?) if they would let us advance, they are fixing up the railroad to Holly Springs. It will be done in two or three days. The rebels give up this past of the country, they say they cannot hold it against our forces. There will be a splendid chance for rail splitters in this country for we have burnt up all the fences for miles around. They make better fire than green wood. “Old Abe” can take as big a contract as he wants to in making rails after he gets through his term of office and we have got done soldiering in this part of the country.
Those socks you sent me came in just the time. They were auguted(?). Our boys are mighty hard up for socks, they have neither socks, or drawers. Some of them have a very useful army(?) sock in case of an alarm at night they can be ??? at either end. Well we suppose the Qtr Master is bumming round too much to attend to a poor privates comfort. We did not get our clothing for two weeks after every other regiment did.
And that old “Bummer” of a Pay Master has not been to see us either. We have nearly five months pay due us and the balance of our last years clothing money which will amount to near $100.00. When I settled my account of clothing I had saved about $20.00 of my clothing money which I shall get at the next pay day. We have $42.00 per year allowed us for clothing and our accounts are settled once a year when each man draws in money what he has, not drawn in clothes. So $22.00 clothed me for a year. Geo Pope keeps our company books and makes out all our muster and pay rolls and does all the counting.
We may move from here at any moment. But we cannot tell where to and we may stay here a month. I have not received an answer from Ann Clark’s letter that I sent her. Well John I will try and take care of No 1 and want you to do the same. When I draw my pay I shall send it to you. Give my respects to all enquiring friends. Direct as before and I
Remain your affectionate brother
Jos Saberton
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Dec. 1st, 1862
Camp Near Davis Mills, Miss
Dear Brother
I received your welcome letter yesterday. We had just moved out to our new Camp 10 miles from LaGrange. The Grand Army has moved on into Mississippi. We are taken out of our old brigade and division and we are now guarding the railroad from LaGrange to Holly Springs and I suppose we shall make our winter quarters in this place. It will be the first time the old regiment had a chance to go into a rest ?irth as good prospects as we now have of stopping.
Gen. Veatch had us kept out of the brigade and we suppose he is going to keep us with him. I suppose he will take command of this district from Jackson to Holly Springs, when he comes back from sick furlough. We have all his things in our charge. It will be better then marching through the swamps of Miss in the rainy season. I think the war will soon come to an end. Now the old 25th is to have a resting spell. But we will have to keep one eye open all the time now for the damned guerillas may take some of our ?tofe knots off some fruj? Night or morning. The right wing of the regt is at this place and the left wing is seventy miles further up the road. They say the army have had a brush the other side of Holly Springs but I do not know how true it is. Well I am glad to hear you are all well. I am in the best of health and spirits, I hope you had a good nights sleep the night you wrote this letter to me for you said you was damned sleepy. I am glad you liked that South Letter. It will show you that the girls down here in Dixie understand what’s what as well as anybody else. Well the poor things, if I came across any of them that are hard up (and I often have a hard up) I will try and accommodate them. Not as you know like it so well. But just for charity sake. For I couldn’t stand to see any poor girl suffer. I am glad you are going to try and think of me again at Christmas with a little more of that “pain killer” I shall try and forage (we don’t take any thing here) a turkey and some milk and I will drink your and the family health in some homemade egg nog. These mills that we are stopping at used to be a great place for grinding from the south army and we have more corn meal than we know what to do with. I expect they will feed some of it to the teams. There is more than 800 bushels ground in the mills. The old chap that owned them has gone with them. He was the hardest old south tar this country. I do not think I shall get paid off till the 1st of January now. I suppose the paymaster is waiting to make it six months. Well it will be a pile when it does come. I have nothing more to write at present. Give my respects to Billy Saberton, Joe and Terry and all enquiring friends. Direct your letters to LaGrange as usual and I will get them. Good bye and
I remain your
Affection Brother
Joseph Saberton
(my respects) Geo C. Pope
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Memphis January 21, 1863
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing a few more lines to inform you that I received your kind and welcome letter sent by J. Shonfield. I was glad to hear that you was well and I am happy to say these few lines leave me enjoying good health at present thank God for it.
We are now in Memphis. We have been here two days. We are Provost Guard in the city. We went a portion of us and captured about 200 of our soldiers at the theatre. No had no passes and safely landed them in prison. They say it was the first time they have been caught. They always broke guard before we came. We was sent here by Grant for our good behaviour and bravery in the field and I expect we shall stay here all winter. I received a letter from John White a few days ago and I sent him an answer back. I directed John White in the care of Jim Rhodes. I sent Jim Rhodes a letter the same time. I would like to know whether Jim Rhodes is working at Preston and Brothers yet or not. You say you have a notion to go a draying. If you want that money I sent to help to buy a house and dray with, you can use it. I don’t want you take any notice of Jim Glover at all for he is the biggest liar on earth. There is not one in the Regt likes him. I expect he told you that he was at the battle on Atchy but he was not, he was at Bolivar at the time. I expect he told you he was at the fight at Davis Mills but he was not their either. He was in the old camp at the time and the time we was all fighting he stole a revolver from a nigger and as for being in the scrape in stealing the Cotton Buyers Whiskey, I was on picket and had nothing to do in the scrape at all, only I got some of it to drink when I came off pickett that’s all. He’s a God damned shit. We ain’t got rightly fixed yet but as soon as we do I will right to Ann Clark. There is some talk about us being paid but we shall only get 2 months pay, there is 6 months due us when we left Davis Mills. They was six inches of snow what’s never been known here before. The citizens says we have brought the cold whether with us. After we get fixed up I will write offner. I must now bring my few lines to a close with my love to all. Give my best respects to Jim Rhodes and all enquiring friends.
I remain your affectionate
Brother Joseph Saberton
Direct to Memphis
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Memphis June 8th 1863
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing a few lines to you to inform you that I received your kind and welcome letter and was glad to hear that you was well and I hope these few lines may still find you enjoying good health. I am somewhat better now than when I wrote before. I think I shall be all right again soon. We are still at Memphis but we have not much news here at present. They was a great time here last Saturday. The citizens had a grand procession around town for they was a great many people in attendance. It all passes of tolerable quiet. General Hulbert made a speech and he was greatly cheered. They seemed to be a great many people turning to the Union now. We expect to hear some good news from Vicksburgh. Gen. Grant has completely surrounded the rebs at that place and there is no chance for the rebels to get away. There is no talk of us going to Vicksburgh and I hope we won’t have to go. They passed a new law here. All citizens here both men and women have to take the oath or go outside our lines. Give my best respects to George and John White. I have no more to say at present so I will conclude with my best respects to you and all enquiring friends.
I still remain
Your affectionate brother
Joseph Saberton
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Memphis August 26, 1863 (?)
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing a few more lines hoping they may find you well. Although I am sorry to say I am not well at present. I had the chills very bad last Saturday and Sunday. I am afraid they will keep with me all this fall. I am taking medicine for them now. I think I have got them checked now for awhile but I am afraid they will come back again. Their has been several of our boys took French leave and went home without furlows, they all are marked as deserters and will be treated as such when they come back. Captain Dablin is under arrest for going home without leave. I had a notion of coming home myself, but I think I had better not. I sent my likeness directed to you on the 19th. I sent it by Ben Johnson Sargeant Company I of Newburgh. He has gone home recruiting. I directed for you and put a stamp on it. He will drop it in the post office at Evansville for you. You have got one and Sarah has got one now. I want you to give that one to Ann Clark and tell her when she wants 15(?) jaw me she can jaw me before my face. I received a letter from Ann and I have sent another back and told her I should send the likeness. I sent Jim Rhodes a letter a few days ago. The wheather is pretty warm here, yet I was in town a few days ago and I found out their was plenty of Irish South their. Yet so now I must bring my letter to a close. Give my best respect to all uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, cousins and all enquiring friends. So now I remain your affectionate Brother Joseph Saberton.
Direct to John Saberton Evansville
Joseph Saberton
Company C
25th Reg Ind Vol
Memphis, Tenn
Written by James Barton Company I
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Memphis Tenn Oct 1 1863
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing you a few lines hoping they will find you well as I am happy to say these few lines leave me in good health at present thank God for it. I received your letter that you sent by Joe Woodruff some time ago and I would have answered it before but I expected I should have come home on furlow before now, but the furlow is stopped again. We are still at Memphis but it is rumored that we are going away to reinforce Rosencrant but I don’t hardly believe it. The Citizens don’t want us to leave. As soon as they heard of us going, the citizens of Memphis got up a petition for us to stay and sent it to General Grant and I expect that is the reason we did not leave. The weather here is very cold of nights and it rained all day yesterday. We have lost 2 more men out of our company since the Liuetenant died. One by the name of David Doig and Sam Vandevier. I sent 2 letters about 3 weeks ago. 1 two Mary Simpson and one to John White but I have not had an answer yet. Send me word if they ever got them or not. Give my best respects to all the fokes. I have no more this time so I will conclude with my best love to all.
I remain your affectionate
Brother Joseph Saberton
N.B. Direct same as before. I wish you would send me a Evansville paper once in a wile. I shall send Sarah Rhodes a letter along at the same time as this.
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Memphis Tenn Oct 2 1863
Dear Brother
I again take the pleasure of writing you a few lines hoping to find you al well as I am happy to say these few lines leave me in good health at present thank God for it. I received a letter from you a few days ago and I was glad to hear that you was well. That is the only letter I have got for a long time. I don’t get no letters from Ann Clark or Jim Rhodes or Jack White anymore. I guess they have forgot all about me or else they would write. We are still at Memphis and likely to stay all winter. We are going to move in town next week so I think we won’t leave this winter. You spoke about me sending my likeness. I don’t want to have it taken now for I have a very sore eye, but I will have it taken as soon as it gets well and send it to you. I have no more today this time. Only one man from each company is going home recruiting next week. I must now come to a close with my best respects to you and all.
I remain your affectionate
Brother Joseph Saberton
I shall send a letter for Mary Simpson along with this, you can tell her to look out for it.
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Nashville, Ten May the 8th 1864
Dear Sir
I now take the pleasure of writing you a few lines hoping they may find all well as I am happy to say these few lines leave me in good health at present thank God for it. We are now at Nashville waiting for our acquipments then I expect we will start for Decatur Alabama where our division is at. We have had a long railroad ride since we left Old Hoosier. We went to Cairo and stayed 2 days. We was then ordered from there to Nashville so we had to take the railroad for it from Cairo. We took the Illinois Centrale till we came to the crossing of the Ohio and Miss. Then we went on the Ohio and Missippi to Mitchell away on the other side of Vincennes then we took the New Albany and Tabem road to New Albany then we crossed the river to Louisville and then came on the Louisville and Nashville road to here where we are at present, but I expect we will ? here tomorrow for the field. I heard yesterday at our ole division had a hard fight a few days ago. Send me word how Joe is getting along and all the boys and all the news you can pick up. I must now come to a close for the present as I have no more to say so I will conclude with my best respects to you and all enquiring friends. 
I remain your well wishes J. Barton
Direction James Barton, Co I 25th Reg, Ind Vol Nashville Tenn
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Decatur Ala July 15th, 64
Dear Brother
I once more take the pleasure of writing you a few lines hoping they may find you all well as I am happy to say these few lines leave me in good health at present thank God for it. I am back again with my Regt, but I have had a rought time in getting to it. I went to Indianapolis, staid there one night then went to Cairo and staid their 9 days then away from Cario to Louisville, staid there 2 nights then to Nashville, staid theire 1 night then to Stevenson then I was put in a hog pen. There was 3 more of my regt along with me we sent an order to the Col from Stevenson to Decatur and he telegraphed to them to send us to the Regt. We got to our Regt on the 12th of this month. I was guarded all the way to my Regt by the damned bodier(?) men. When I got to my Reg I found a good many sick here. That damned Commander Junkee did not make 30 dollars of me as he thought he would. I am clear of everything. I went on duty as soon I got back. Decatur is a sickly place at present it is on the Tennessee river. We have a pontoon bridge to cross over on. Old Jonny McKeny has got the shits, Jack Sullivan and a good many of the boys has been sick. Send me word what Jack White is doing on. I thought when I left he was going to line at Curvisville(?). I must now close as I have no more to say at this time. I will conclude with my best respects to you and all enquiring friends.
I remain your
Affectionate brother
Joseph Saberton
Direct to Decatur Ala
N.B. John I have sent Mary a letter at the same time as this if she don’t happen to get I want you to tell her I have sent some money to her by the Adams Express.
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Decatur Ala Aug 3/1864
Dear Brother and Sister
I once more take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to inform you that I received your letter but was sorry to hear that you had the chills but I hope you may be better by this time I am in good health at present thank you and I hope when you receive this you may be enfoging (?) the same blessing of God. We have been busy since I got back scouting around after the rebs. We have had little fights the last one we lost 2 men. It is rumoured in camp that we are going to the front in a few days, but I don’t know if is to or not. The wheather is very warm here now and we have a great many sick in the hospital. I got a letter from Mary last night and she got the money all right. I send her a letter the same time as this one. Give my best respects to J. White and his family. The men that did not reeinlist will start home in a few days. I will now close as I have no more to say so I will conclude with my best respects to you and all enquiring friends.
I remain your affectionate
brother Joseph Saberton
Direct to Decatur
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Camp West Point
Sept 11th 1864
Dear Brother
I received your letter on the 26th of last month and was glad to hear that you and your family were well. I have not had an opportunity of writing to you before, the night after I received your letter we left our works before Atlanta and took a flaut(?) movement around to the right until we went to Jones Borough about twenty two miles from Atlanta, where we cut their communications off, the rail road was torn up for several miles and the iron beut(?) double around old stumps and trees. The rebels met us there and taught to drive us back, but our boys could not see it. They left their dead and wounded thick on the field. Besides a number of prisoners taken from them, we drove them about 7 miles from the place still capturing a number of prisoners besides killed and wounded many more. The day that I received your letter we were on the front works and myself and Jack Sullivan was behind a rife pit. Reading your letter we had not got true with the letter one minute when a shell from the rebs went true the rifle pit were we where sitting. After I was done reading your letter Walter Scott and myself was going for water. The shell struck so I escaped twice from the one shot. The night we left our works at Atlanta the rebs thought we were falling back from there to Marrietta. The thought Joe Wheeler had cut the rail road in our rear. The had a great illumination and a free supper on the lead of it and invited the big bugs of Jones Borough to it, but what was their surprise when the found it was their own communications cut off. The result was the had to evacuate from their strong hold and leave the yanks in peaceable possession, but I must acknowledge now that Joe Wheeler has cut the rail road between Chattanooga and Stephenson but he was one day after the fair, and if he had cut it two weeks before it would not done us no harm for we had 9 months provision between Chattanooga and Atlanta. I am happy to inform you that the whole army now in the field under Billy Sherman, as the men call him with the exception of a very few. Are in for Olde Abe Lincoln. I am sorry to inform you that one of our (?)miffs get captured. Charles Jones was driving team and was out after forage. I have not received a letter from Jim Rhodes since I left Evansville. I wrote a letter to my wife two days ago. Give my best respects to my sisters and brothers. No more at present but I remain
Your affection brother
Joseph Saberton
Co. C. 25th Indiana Vet Vol Infty
Atlanta Georgia 3rd Brigade, 4th Divis 16th A. C
P.S. Let me know if Jim Bartin has got home. They left here on the 14th of last month. My wife wrote to me that there was a young man of my company stopped at your house but did not say when it was. Trueman B. Smith has left us, he left at Stephenson, Ala unless it was him, I don’t know or know.
John Sullivan
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Camp near Savana Ga
December the 28th, 1864
Dear brother I now take the presant opportunity of righting you a few lines to let you know that I am still well at present and I hope when these few lines ??? to hand they may find you well also. Dear brother we had a long and very hard march of it and alls on a very long man, but thank God we reached the place we started for in Sept (?). the rebels left all thare big guns here and they took all thare lite guns wit them. We are wating for marching orders to go to Charleston I expect. Well dear brother we have had perty hard living here for about to weaks we have all togeder line on rise and had to trash it our selves.
Well brother I hope that you had a beter Christmas diner den I had for I had nothing but rickind mush for breakfast and diner. I hope it wont be long before we git plenty for the river has ben full of tarpedose but they are giting them perty well cleaned out and then we will have plenty. Received 2 leters from mary wife and one from james bartin. She sent me word that she got the money but did knot say how mutch. I sent one hundred and fifty dollars. I rote to my wife on Christmas day and she might not git it. I sent in her leter for some post stamps. James Bartin Peter Smith is wounded in the arm and I think that he will not be able to Sager(?) mutch more. He has ben sent to the hospital. The hospital is in Buford South Carolina.
John there is a man in the hospital in Evansville and his name is Pat Rine(?) and he belongs to the same company I do and if he comes, fetch some tobacco and a botil of good whiskey for I have had none sence I left home. James I will right to you in a few days. Give my best respect to all, no more at present.
Direct your letters to Savana GA First dev
Third brigade 11 army corps
25 ind vol Co C
Joseph Saberton
* http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/saberton.htm