E. Flanagan’s Letter: Life Amidst Civil War Chaos

[This post is intended of an example of what you might expect in the weeks to come. These articles will be AI generated – for better or worse – so that they will exist at all. Over time, they will get edited and if you find errors, etc. please reach out so that we can correct them. By “we” I mean “I”… so please be patient… ;-). AI transcription is at the bottom of the post]

This letter, dated April 17, 1864, was written by E. Flanagan to their cousin, Mr. Laban Guinn, who was living in Burlington, Iowa. At the time of writing, Flanagan was in Fayetteville, likely in present-day West Virginia.

Letter Summary

Flanagan describes a community on the brink of collapse due to the ongoing American Civil War. The author notes that “times is very hard” and that the threat of starvation is drawing near. The local agricultural economy has effectively stopped; Flanagan states that people are not planting any crops, and the weather has been exceptionally poor, including nearly four weeks without a clear day and a heavy snowfall on the morning the letter was written.

The letter also captures the social and military upheaval of the era:

• Volunteering and Running Away: Flanagan mentions that “Livelys Sam & Leroy” ran away from home, and Sam volunteered for the 5th Virginia Regiment.

• Desertion: The author observes a “great deal of desertion” and predicts that many more soldiers will run away within a year or two.

• The Cost of War: Flanagan expresses a weary hope that “this wicked war will end” so that people might finally return home.

• Prisoner Conditions: The letter concludes with a grim report Flanagan had heard: that many Union prisoners were being starved to death in Richmond.

Historical Context

In April 1864, the Civil War was entering its final, most brutal year. The region around Fayetteville was part of the newly formed state of West Virginia (which had seceded from Virginia to remain with the Union in 1863). This area was frequently contested and suffered from guerrilla warfare, which disrupted farming and led to the “starvation” and lack of crops mentioned in the letter.

According to information not found in your sources which you may wish to verify, the mention of Union prisoners starving in Richmond refers to the notorious conditions at Confederate prisons like Libby Prison and Belle Isle. By 1864, the Union blockade and the breakdown of the Southern rail system meant that even Confederate soldiers were short on food, leaving prisoners in an even more desperate state.

Important Civil War Groups/Entities

• 5th Virginia Regiment: Sam (Lively) joined this unit. While there were both Union and Confederate units with similar designations, the 5th Virginia Infantry was a famous Confederate regiment that was part of the “Stonewall Brigade.” Its members were involved in many of the war’s most significant battles.

• Union Prisoners in Richmond: Though not a single person, these prisoners represented a major point of contention and tragedy in 1864. Their suffering was often used in Northern propaganda to galvanize the war effort, though Flanagan’s mention suggests these reports were circulating even within the South or border regions.

The letter serves as a time capsule, showing that by 1864, the “glory” of war had been replaced by the grim reality of empty fields, broken families, and the simple desire for the conflict to end.

Transcription:

Fayetteville Apr 17th 1864
Dear Cousin It is with
pleasure that I seat myself to write
you a few lines in answer to your
letter which came to hand this
morning & was glad to hear you were
all well. we are all well at present
your father was very unwell the last
time I heard from him. Times is
very hard here & getting worse it
looks like starvation is drawing very
nigh people are not putting out
any crops of any notice we are
not putting out any atall it ha
The has not been a clear day here
for near four weeks & I never
saw it snow harder than it did here
this morning Livelys Sam & Leroy
ran away from home Sam [tear]
Volunteered in the 5th Va Regt
Sinclair Birded is on Lick Creek
if it is the old man you had
refference to The is a deal great

deal of desertion going on I think
they will all run away in course
of a year or two and I hope how
soon this wicked war will end
so what few people the are
living could get home I have
Been told that the are lots of
the Union prisoners starved to
death in Rich Richmond
Write soon Your Cousin
E Flanagan

185
30
5550

190
30
5700

Mr Laban Gwinn
Burlington
[tear] Co Ind