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https://micivilwar.com/authors/knause-frank-b/
Regiment: 6th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
St. Charles Ark.
July 31st 1864
My Dear Libbie
I have begged a
sheet of paper and I am going to
write to you and you must
inform all of our folks and
every body else of my whereabouts
and tell them how I am getting
along. First I am well and feel
in pretty good spirits. We left
Vicksburg on the 23
rd of this month on
the steamer Clarabell. Companies E,
F, H, & I on the St. C and the
other 6 companies on board the st.
Kate Dale. Our boat was a slow
concern and we got behind on
Sunday the 24
th at 10 or 20 minutes
past 9 oclock as we were steaming
slowly along about the center of the
River and ¼ of a mile from the
shore, a Rebel Battery of 3 or 4 guns
opened on us from the shore
They fired about 75 rounds of
solid shot and shell at us and
kept up an incessant fire of
musketry. for 45 minutes we stood
it and finally got out of their
range. There were about twelve men
wounded four of them seriously
Sergt. Haight Co F had his foot shot
off. Winslow Co I was struck in the
thigh with a solid shot from a
6 pounder cannon. Morrison Co C
was shot in four or five places. he
has since died. Crumb Co F was
struck in the shoulder with a splin
ter. Freem Upham my chum got a
Minie bullet in his heel. I can
not mention the others for I have no
room. Well we were obliged to land
the boat just above where we were
fired into for the boat was in a
sinking condition. The Rebels moved
their Battery up opposite us and
before we knew it they were giving
us a second dose worse than the
first. We did not save a single
thing and barely saved our lives.
One man perished in the flames.
A cannon ball knocked down the
furnace and set the boat on fire
We waited for a gunboat to come
up and about dark the Louisville
and iron clad came up and shelled
the opposite shore but the Rebs had
gone. Well, we had to march that
same night back to Skipworth’s Landing
and after laying around there a day
or two we got on board the St.
Leviathan and came up as far as
White River Landing & changed our
quarters again on board the Steamer
St Patrick and come up White
River We were obliged to lay up
every night on account of low water
and such a crooked river. One day
we got stuck on a bar and had
to work all day to get her of. We
had to unload about 200 horses
to get the Steamer over the Bar
and just so it has gone ever since
we left V. We have no Blankets
or tents and sleep in the heavy
dew with no covering. I have only
one shirt to my back and yesterday
I went in swimming and washed
my shirt and let it dry while I was in the
water. When you write direct your
letters via White River Landing to
St Charles Arkansas. Billie Sweet’s
Regiment is only 90 miles up the
River to Duvall’s Bluff. I expect
Will down to see me. My respects
to all especially to Ada Tell her
how to direct a letter to me &
ask her to write to me if she has
written I may not get her letter
Write to me soon Love to Father & Mother
Mr Sweets Uncle Adams Louise &c. Write Bro Frank
