Cannon County Family Record
Civil War Letter: G. W. Wharton to Daniel Wheedon

     The following letter is a transcription of the original one written from camp by George W. WHARTON to his uncle, Mr. Daniel WEEDON of Culpepper, Cannon County, Tennessee, and was owned in 1938 by his niece, Mrs. E. L. MACON, Woodbury, Tennessee.  It was written with pencil and was quite legible at the time of the original transcription.
     George W. WHARTON was the son of Wm. WHARTON of Woodbury, Tennessee.  He volunteered and joined the Confederate Army in a Company of Infantry commanded by Capt. M. R. RUSHING.  Later he became a lieutenant in this same Company.  He died at McKinney, Texas in 1874.

Originally transcribed by Mrs. Gladys Stacey PITTARD, Woodbury, Tennessee, November 29, 1938.

                                                                                      May 19, 1861
                                                                                      Sunday Evening  8 o'clock
                                                                                      Camp Cheatham Robertson Co.

Uncle Daniel:

     I seat myself upon a pile of straw, blankets, knapsacks etc. to write you the first lines since leaving home.  We arrived at this camp on the railroad leading to Clarksville Friday evening--pitched our tents among two or three thousand volunteers and are now spending a real soldiers life.  We see nothing scarcely but volunteers and hear nothing but the sounds of drums and fifes and the usual noises of camp life.
     Our camps are pitched about two or three hundred yards from the main encampment where we are to form another regiment.  Our Company being the first one in the regiment which is Co. A. 4th. Regiment.
     I will now tell you something about our fare.  We are divided into messes of 8 men and our provisions are issued out to us.  We have bacon, meal or flour, a little rice, potatoes, sugar, coffee & salt and then we can cook to suit ourselves.
     You would have laughed to see me cooking supper this evening with my sleeves rolled up to my elbows and then washing our dishes after supper, such as tin pans, tin cups, etc.  We have no spoons, knives, nor forks, but use our fingers, pocket knives & sharp sticks.
     As to privileges we have scarcely any.  We are bound up fast.  We have a guard placed around our camp, which we cannot leave unless we go to the spring after water.  The boys think it hard, but we cannot help it.
     We cannot tell how long we will stay at this camp.  It may be weeks, or even months.  Time alone will tell, but as soon as our services are needed we will be off.
     I could write you a longer letter, but no convenient place to write.  I am writing this on my knee with a dim light and noise all around me and Mr. MCCABE is to start to Woodbury early in the morning and will take this letter for me.
     Please write to me and send it by MCCABE, who will be coming back in a few days.  Tell Cousin Joe to be sure to write me and give my love to her & Sally and Aunt Maria and accept a share yourself and also my friends at town (Woodbury).  Bro. Sam has written to town and therefore I shall not say anything in this to them.  If you can read this show it to mother or Jane or some of them and tell them I'll promise to do better next time.  So goodbye at present.

                                                                                      G. W. WHARTON