The Letters of

Jacob Sigmund
1st Lt., Company E
7th Pennsylvania Cavalry

Written to family and friends in Clinton County, Pennsylvania

Lynnville Station, Tenn
June 10th 1864

Dear Brother,

Your welcome letter of recent date is received. I was glad to hear from you again. I will try & drop you a few lines this morning although I must confess I don't know much news. You will see by the heading of this letter that I have left Buford Bridge. I left there on the 1st of this month to take charge of Co. E, 7th Pa. V. V. Cavalry & a great company it is. Company E is composed of 139 men of all grades & sizes of every co. in the Regt. Well in fact it is the shisers (?) of the Regt. True I have a good many good men but the majority of them are cripples, convalescense & c. Some are mounted & some isn't, I will try & classify them as well as I can. 23 of them are mounted & armed with Spencer Carbines. They are used for scouts & c. 34 of them are at Gracys Trestle guarding the trestle work. 11 of them belong to the band. Perhaps you were not aware of us having a band. But we have, at least that what the call it. They received there horns a few weeks ago. They have no arms. Then I have some 70 convalescents, cripples & c. They did not get any arms as yet. So you perceived I got quite a mixture. But I guess we can get along at least we will try. I have to drill my veterans mornings & evenings when not otherwise engaged. I suppose you heard of the attack on the Rail Road some time since. They was to work tearing up the track when the patrol came along. The Patrol fired at them when they fired a volley at the patrol at least 80 shots. There being only two of them they fell back & reported to me at the Block House. I immediately sent 8 men up to meet them but they had skedaddled before they got there. They did not do much damage.

I forgot to mention that one of our men wounded, shot in back. But I am happy to say not dangerous. he is getting better fast. His name is Robinson. We had a scare the other night. I was ordered up the Rail Road with 28 men to clear the road of bushwhackers who where reported on the road but did not meet any. Day before yesterday Maj. got a dispatch from Gen Strakweather from Pulaski that the enemy was about in ___. The Maj. immediately ordered me out with some of the mounted men to scout the county to learn whether I could get any information of them. We returned about 9 o'clock but did not hear anything of them. We was ordered to stand picket that night in Lynnville. Did not learn anything of them. We could hear artillery fire a great ways off but did not learn where or what they was firing at. We are still looking for them to attack, whether they will make there appearance or not, time will tell.

Dont know anything from the company or Regt. Suppose you do. Weather cloudy & raining today. Mcclinton, Kahler, Paul Walker, Smith Briehart & Sam Miller are here & well. Rishel is at hospital in Columbia. Cherries are ripe. Also strawberries. Harvest will be here in about 2 weeks. My horse is played out. Glad to hear you got home safe. Did not get paid yet. Don't know when we will. Some hard fighting in Tn & Georgia but suppose you know more about it than I do. Hura for Lincoln & Johnson. Can't think of anything so I'll go.

Jake Sigmund

Dont forget to write.

Lynnville Station, Tenn.
June 11th 1864

David B. Drape, Esq., Sir,

I will endeavor to drop you a few lines again to let you know my whereabouts. I have written to once B4 but did not get any answer as yet, but suppose it not your fault for I have written good many letters & received but few as yet. But they are beginning to come now. I suppose the most of my letter were forwarded to the Regt. You will perceive I have been changing about right smart since I left home __ is just 2 month to day. I left the Regt. at Columbia as you are aware on the 26th of April for Lynnville to report to Maj. Col. Davis for duty. It went pretty hard for me to leave the Co. & Regt but you know we are bound to obey orders. I was in with the company long enough to get rightly acquainted with the new recruits. But so it goes. I was at Lynnville just one week when I was ordered to Buford Bridge to take command of the detachment stationed there. I was there nearly a month when I was ordered to report to Head Quarters to take command of what they call Co. R. Company R is comprised of the assigned recruits & veterans of the Regt., that is they belong to the different companys. I have men of all the Cos. of the Regt. 8 men of Co. E among the number, as follows; Perry McClinton, Geo W. Smith, Henry Paul, Henry Kahler, H. W. Brilhart, Cyrus Walker, Thomas Miller (the fellow that used to work at Sam Willy) & Harry Rishel. The latter is in hospital at Columbia. How he is getting I know not. The rest of them are well. They we have company R & co. O unassigned recruits. They are new recruits that have not been assigned to the companys. Then there is Co. N & D (?) the former is at Columbia & the latter at Culleaka. Co. N is the company __. Recruit are in Segt. S. B. Darrah & Corp. Wasson are in that company. They are at Columbia. I have not see them since I left the regiment but hear from them once & awhile. I believe they are getting along fine. I have not heard anything reliable from the regt. lately. There a good many reports but how true I can't say. I guess it's certain they got into a pretty hard fight near Atlanta & a good many killed & wounded, but I did not learn many names except a few; Sergt. Geo. B. Her of Co. K wounded in head. Sergt Major Watts wounded & a few others is all the names I could learn. I see you have a report at home that Capt. Schaeffer wounded. They don't know anything of it here. But for all that it may be so, for I suppose Co. E suffered with the rest as they would be put to take the advance. I hope they may come out all right. I should like to be along & share with them the danger & fatigue of the campaign. I don't there is much difference n the danger between there & here. I know any thing you can go to bed & sleep there ___ not being routed nearly every night to go after bushwhacker. I have been ordered out twice this week with a scout to go after bushwackers. They are still about. They stole 2 horses last night again from one of our scouts. They made attack on the railroad some time since. I suppose you heard of it. Wounded one of my men in back. But happy to say not dangerous. He is getting better fast. Will soon be able to try them again.

Weather has been quite juicy for the last week or more. My health has got right good again. The cherries & strawberries are ripe her. harvest will soon be on hand. This is a very fine country. The cars has not been running for the past 2 days on this road. There was a bridge broke down near Chattanooga, broke with freight train. Cars smashed badly. But no body hurt. They have commenced running again this morning. There was some trains just passed up the road. I heard Col. Sipes of our regt. went up sick. I did not see him but heard so. He said there was only 4 of our regt. killed & 8 wounded. I did not learn who. But that they had lossed about half their horses. They had been fighting in front when the rebs took there horses. How true I know no. Suppose I will find out when the Major get back & I will let you know all about it, but for the present enough

Block House No. 10
August 7th 1864

Dear Sister Sallie,

It is a long time since I wrote to you, why I don't know. It is not because I don't think of you for there is not a day passed but what I think of you & of the time we used to have when we was at the mountain home together. Those were time long to be remembered by me. But things have changed since that. I received your welcome letter a few days before. I left Gracy's Trestle & would have answered it before this time but we was ordered away & since that I had no chance of writing. I am glad to hear that your health has got so good again. I don't know as I will be able to tell you any news but still I will do the best I can. My health still continues good.

We left Gracy's Trestle this day a week ago, took the cars for Columbia & from there we had to foot out to camp about 2 miles from town. On the next day, Monday I went to town to see Lt. Nixon. He is not very well, but I am happy to say he is getting better. I also saw several others of Co. E boys. Wm. Shaffer from Clintonville & a few others. On Wednesday morning received orders to take 48 men & go up the Rail Road to No. 9 & 10 Block House & relieve the Second Mich. Cavalry stationed there. They had no orders to leave so we was both there till Friday when they received orders to report to Franklin. So we did not get fixed up till yesterday. I have my Hd. Quarters at No. 10 Block House which is about 4 mile from Columiba toward Nashville. So you percieve I am still falling back. From Buford Bridge to Lynnville Station from there to Gracey Trestle & from there to Columbia & now up here. So you see I am still getting nearer home. I dont like it as well here as I did at Gracy's, perhaps I will like it better when I get acquainted around here. Sergt. S. B. Darrah is about 3 quarters of a mile from here at No. 13. corp. Wasson is only about 150 yards from here. He is right on the other side of Rutherford Creek at No. 11. Then there are a good many Nittany boys at No. 12 about a quarter of a mile from here, among the number, young Knights & Inhoof. I can't think of anything of interest to tell you.

The weather is clear & warm & has been quite wet for the week. Tell Dave I received 2 more letters from him the past week. I will answer them soon. You say Nancy Bridgens sent her respects & c. & would like to have my photograph. Perhaps you can get some more at Hopkins. I will send you the money as soon as I get paid. If you get a half dozen give her my respects. We have good time here this summer. We have not much duty to do at least I have not & lot of good things to eat. I would like to tell you something of interest but cannot think. The cars are just passing with some greyback on. What I like to see.

Your & c.

Jake Sigmund
Sister Sallie

Blockhouse No. 10
August 28th 1864
____ Sir,

Your most welcome letter of the 21st is received. I was pleased to hear from you once again. I don't know as I will be able to tell you much news, but still I am always willing to do the best I can. This is a beautiful Sabbath. The weather is clear & cool & very quiet around here. We are expecting an attack on the Rail Road. I received orders the other night to put my blockhouses in the best possible condition for defence. I have got all ready & have been looking for them for the past few days, but they have not made there appearance as yet. We are still busy getting out the timber for the double casing of the blockhouses. I expect to get through getting out the logs in a day or so. Then we will have to have them & put them up which will be quite a nice job. I dont know where we will be hear long enough to finish them or not. I should like to have been along after huckleberries. You appear to think that I doubt our word not at all. I believe every word of it. I suppose you have some exciting times on the draft & c. S. B. Darrah is well, also the rest of Company E in this vicinity. This I believe is the last Sunday in the month.

I have some sad news to tell you. I just heard from our regt. down front that they was pretty badly cut up. Capts. Thompson, Taylor & White are reported killed. Lieut. Hermans wounded. That is all I heard about it. If the officers suffered so much I suppose there was a good many men killed & wounded, but I have not heard any names. They was with Killpatrick on that raid. I understand they was surrounded & had to cut their way out. I hope it may turn out to be a false report. But I am afraid it is true. I suppose we will hear more about it in a few days. I suppose you heard of Robert Bridgens being killed. We have not been --- as yet but expect to be in a week or so. I can' think of anything of importance to tell you so I guess I must bring my scribbling to a stop.

Very respectfully,
Your most obedient & c,

Jake Sigmund
Co. E, 7th P. V. Cav.

Give my best respects to Sallie & all inquiring
Jake

Block House No. 10
Sept 2, 1864

Dear Bro,

Sad sad indeed. I yesterday received the sad intelligence that my best friends, yes I mean to say the best men of Company E, which is saying a good deal that they are all among the missing and though to be killed. Sergt. Hays, Foster, Melzger and __ Caldwell I am told are among the missing. Dornblazer and Gladfelter wounded & others. I did not learn other names so you will see that surely ___ men of the company are among the missing. Saw ____ yesterday, he came from Chattagooga. He and __ McGee they were guarding some _____ men up there. Wheeler attacked them, captured some killed two. The rest excaped fite & McGhee among that number. They are both in Columbia. We are still looking for Wheeler. ___ shut up all the stores in Columbia and ______ and valuables to the front. I heard he had a fight at Murfreesboro. I thought last night he was coming, certain we could hear horses tramping and the dogs barks all ____ was up the most of the night but he did not make his appearance yet. I do not feel like writing and feel more like fighting. So I'll quit,

Jake

Block House No. 10
Oct. 25th 1864

Dear Sister Sallie,

I received a letter from you some time since & I believed I have not answered it yet. I will try and do so now but I don't know as I will be able to tell you much news, for news are scarce around here. We don't get any mail for the past week. I was up to Nashville last week to look around a little & see the sights & hear the news & get a few green back & c. We went up on Monday & came back on Thursday. Capt. Garrett & Lt. Rice went along. We had a fine time of it but suppose you know all about it.

I am still in the old place yet which I suppose you are aware of. I don't think I will get off front as they say the regiment is coming back to this place. They as on there way when Hood made his flank movement & the mounted men of the regiment were ordered back & I see by the papers they had several fights & licked the Rebbles badly. The dismounted men are at Chattanooga. I think they will be back here before long. I seen some of the boys of our regiment in Columbia yesterday. They came from Marietta, Geo. John Wolf of Co. E among the number. The train just passed here. I seen the Quarter Master of our Regt. (Ricketts) on the train. I suppose he will know all about them. I must go to town tomorrow & see.

The weather here is clear & cool and rather cold at nights. I see by your letter that Pap is not very well, which I am sorry to hear. But hope he may soon get better. I also see that you done a nig day work boiling apple butter & c. I am glad to see that you are still able to work but don't think it necessary to work so hard. Try to take it as easy as possible. That what I am trying to do. You say you wish the war was over. That is my fix exactly. It can't end to soon to suit me.

I see by your letter that the Copperheads had quite a big time in Lock Haven. But I am glad to hear that you think youans can beat them. I hope you may. S. B. Darrah & all the regt. of Co. E boys around here are well. Doe Stoner & the others of the recruits that came with him are all well. Isacc Shenker from Flemington came to our Block House yesterday evening to stay. He came all the way out here himself to join our regiment. I suppose you heard all about the Nixon affair. Or suppose you heard enough of it. It is something I don't care about saying much about. The least sayed the better. I have not heard anything from them since. Hope they may come out all right in the end. I can't think of anything of importance to write about. I have no easy times there time nothing to do & plenty to eat. So I guess I can get along. I will close hoping this may find you all well & enjoying yourselves.

Give --- best respects to Father, Mother, ___ and all inquiring.

Jake Sigmund
Lt. Co. E, 7th P. V. Vol. Cavalry

To Sister Sallie, Please let us hear from you soon again.