1865: James Wiley Herren to John Thomas McLendon

This letter was written by James Wiley Herren (1828-1882), a farmer of Dadeville, Tallapoosa county, Alabama. James was married to Matilda Ann McLendon (1832-1908) in 1848. Early in the war, Herren served as the captain of Co. C, 34th Alabama Infantry.

The 34th Alabama Infantry was organized at Loachapoka on 15 April 1862, with companies recruited from Montgomery and the counties of Coosa, Russell, and Tallapoosa. It was sent to Tupelo, MS, and was placed with the 24th and 28th Alabama regiments, and two South Carolina regiments, in Gen’l Arthur M. Manigault’s Brigade, Gen’l Jones M. Wither’s Division. The regiment moved into Kentucky but was not in action during the campaign. It was with the main Army of Tennessee when it fought at Murfreesboro, and it sustained heavy casualties (11 k, 77 w). The remainder of the winter was spent near Tullahoma, and the regiment then withdrew with the army to the Chattanooga area. At Chickamauga, the 34th again lost heavily, and at Missionary Ridge, a large number were captured. The regiment, numbering 388 men and 281 arms, wintered and recruited for the campaigning of 1864 at Dalton and began the “Hundred Days’ Battle” in the spring. From Dalton to Atlanta, the 34th shared fully in the operations of the Army of Tennessee. It lost heavily in the battles of 22 and 28 July, at Atlanta. At Jonesboro, casualties were light. At the Battle of Franklin, the 34th escaped the severest part of the fighting, but at Nashville, the remainder of the unit was nearly decimated. With the wreck of the Army, the regiment passed into the Carolinas where it skirmished at Kinston and again at Bentonville. Ultimately consolidated with the 24th and 28th regiments, about 100 of the original 1,000 members of the regiment were surrendered at High Point, North Carolina, 26 April 1865.

James wrote the letter to his brother-in-law, John Thomas McLendon (1826-1886) who served in Co. K, 47th Alabama Infantry.

TRANSCRIPTION

Dadeville [Tallapoosa county] Alabama
April 2, 1865

Mr. J. T. McLendon
Dear John.

Yours of the 30 of March has been received & found us all well except Puss. She has a toothache & neuralgia very bad. We was glad to hear from [you] but sorry to hear that you was sick for it [is] so bad to be sick from home. But I am in hopes you will be better when you receive these few lines.

I have nothing of interest to write. We have some excitement here about the Yankees. The militia is ordered out with 3 days rations to meet a raid coming down from Talladega. ¹ News came in this evening that Forrest had turned them back. I hope that is so.

We are planting as fast as we can & that is slow. Your family is all well & smart. J. H. Todd ² is here. He has the sore eyes very bad. He will start for his command in the morning. We haven’t heard from J. S. Mc. since you left. Thomas Moffett has not got back yet. I have had bad luck with my mules since you left with the distemper.

John, you must get a furlough & come home. Please let us here from you by return mail. — J. W. Herren

John, I did not know that I had written these few lines to you on a piece of paper that had been written. You must excuse the other side.

John, I will put your mother’s letter in with mine.

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¹ Most likely a reference to Wilson’s Raid in late March 1865. 

² Possibly James H. Todd of McMartin’s Reb Battery.