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  • Part I - Hezekiah Lamb and Hannah Small
    • Hezekiah Lamb and Hannah Small
    • Family A - James Squire
    • Family B - Silas Overman
    • Family C - Malissa Jane
    • Family D - Wilson Beauchamp
    • Family E - Lydia Mendenhall
    • Family F - Rachel E.
    • Family G - Joshua S.
    • Family H - John W.
    • Family I - Orange
    • Family J - Luther Lee
    • Family K - Rebecca Ann
    • Family L - Hale Hezekiah
    • Family M - Mary Angeline
    • Family N - Hannah Naomi
    • Family O - Ellsworth
    • Family P - Luna Albert
    • Related Families
  • Part II - Ancestors of John Lamb
    • Part II - Ancestors of John Lamb
    • Family A - Thomas
    • Family B - William
    • Family C - Mary
    • Family D - Isaac
    • Family E - Reuben
    • Family F - Esau
    • Family G - Joseph
    • Family H - Bethia
    • Family I - Elizabeth
    • Family J - Jacob
    • Elkanah's Book
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  • Part III - Ancestors of Lydia Mendenhall
    • Part III - Ancestors of Lydia Mendenhall
  • Part IV - Ancestors of Hannah Small
    • Part IV - Ancestors of Hannah Small
    • Hannah Baskel Story
    • Bogue Family
    • Bowen Family
    • Bundy Family
    • Culpeper Family
    • Hale Family
    • Hollowell Family
    • Morris Family
    • Perisho Family
    • Phelps Family
    • Pritchard Family
    • Symons Family
  • Part V - Ancestors of Mary Kelsay
    • Part V - Ancestors of Mary Kelsay
    • Cox Family
    • Edgerton Family
    • Hiatt Family
    • Hodgson Family
    • Louder Family
    • Mainwaring Family
    • Osborn Family
  • Part VI - Maud Nemaha Wilson Ancestors
    • Part VI - Maud Nemaha Wilson Ancestors
    • Bash Family
    • Hogle Family
    • Lampman Family
    • Melgers Family
    • Ruby Family
    • Smith Family
    • Old Dutch Families (Vosburgh, Hoes, Van Den Bergh, Van Der Poels
  • Part VII - Family of Gordon Leland Smith
    • Part VII - Family of Gordon Leland Smith
    • Related Families
  • Part VIII - Winslow Family
    • Mayflower Voyagers
    • Winslow Family
    • Related Families

Part I - Hezekiah Lamb and Hannah Small
Family Group "G"

Joshua S. Lamb

Joshua S. Lamb, son of Hezekiah Lamb and Hannah Small, was born 1846, in Grant County, Indiana.

He was a private in the 9th Iowa Cavalry, during the Civil War. He died 7 October 1865, in Pearidge, Arkansas, and was buried there, until the 1880’s, when the Union men’s graves were moved to the National Cemetery, in Springfield, Missouri.

The story told in the family, is this: The war was drawing to a close, and Joshua was working as a cook’s helper. He went down to a stream to get water, and on the way back he stopped at the top of a little hill to watch a battle going on below. He was hit by a stray bullet. The bullet didn’t kill him, but the infection and fever which set in, did.

As a good Quaker, his mother must have been particularly grieved. She kept a good many of his letters, including some letters that had been written to his sisters. How precious they must have been to her. I have gone through those letters and interpreted them as best I could. The letters were old and yellowed, faded, the handwriting sometimes small and cramped on a small piece of paper, the spelling and the style of 100 years ago. They are presented here to picture better the times they were living in. BLS

Devalla Bluff Arkansas
August 17th 1864

Dear father I seat myself down to answer your letter which I got today and read with pleasure. I was glad to hear from home. I would like to hear from you every week, but I don’t hear from you only about once in 7 months. Our Brigade just got in to camp today we was out nearly 10 days. The 8th Missour captured 20 prisoners the Rebs fired on our pickets but did not hurt anyone our Regiment is in the Second Division and 7th Army Corp and it is commanded by Brig General Andrews he is a fine looking man we are brigaded with the 8th and 11th Missouri Cav Well father we haven’t got paid for 5 mo tho we signed the pay roll just before we went out on the scout and the pay master came to pay us but we wan’t here so he has left and it may be some time before we get our money. I will send you all I can and you must use it all for it don’t belong to me. I expect you have a lot of hard work to do now for you have got a good sized farm and it will keep you busy to get along with it. tell the boys to do all they can and not quarrel with one another for I know I used to jaw and grumble all the time and when I come to think about it I am ashamed of myself. Maybe the time will come when I can come and help them do their work I am well and hearty with the exception of a sore T O E. I was walking yesterday (my horse had give out) and I stumped my toe very bad I will have to send this letter unpaid for I can’t get any stamps here for they are are not to be had. You said you had the dryest sumer there that you ever seen Well we had a very dry summer here but we have plenty of rain now corn is not very good we stripped nearly every field as we went along there were nearing 10 regiments of us and 8 pieces of Artilley We run about 60 rebs out of Hickory plains they were just ready to eat brakfast Give my love to mother and the rest of the family tell the little children would like to see them the best kind they must be good and kind to one another or they will grow up wicked as I have done father. I find it is very easy to keep from swearing you know I used to curse the horses and the boys and I find it only hurt my self but I hope to be a better boy in the future. Direct to Cairo or Memphis either place will do your son Joshua S. Lamb

Goodbye for this time H. and H. Lamb
Camp 9 Iowa Cav BrownsVille Arkansas
November 4th 1864

Dear Parents

I Embrace the present moment to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I am not very well this morning I have got the flux but I got some medicine of the doctor and I think that I will soon be well again. I hope when these lines reach you they will find you all well. It has been some time since I have got any letter from you but I am looking for our ever mail. I haven’t heard from Wilson for a long time. I have write 2 letters to him since I have got any from him. I heard the 39th had lost 167 men killed and wounded and Col Redield was among the killed I would like to know whether any of the mosheta(?) boys were killed or not all of our wounded men started out with 7 days rashions. I guess they are going to Fort Smith they will have a pretty cold time of it for the nights are prety frosty. We have had rain nearly ever day for over a week but the sun is shing this morning and it has cleared off again. I expect you have some very cold weather up there now but I think the weather is more disagreeable down here than it is up there you must write and let me know how you get along with the farm and how much corn you raise to the acre there and how much wheat and corn and oats are worth per bushel.-potaoes are 3 dollars a bushel down here. I don’t know how much wheat and corn is worth for there wasen’t much raised and we captured nearly all the corn they raised. Butter is 80 cents a paound apples 10cts apiece or 3 for a quater, the citizens want 6 dollars a dozen for chickens but we think that is a little to steep and make them take 25 cts apiece. I got a pass a few days ago and went to the bluff to see Howell his arm was prety bad it was swelled very bad but I guess it will get well after while

Reuben and Enock are both well Reuben went out with the rest of the mounted men I wanted to go but Lieut. said I wasn’t able to go so I staid We have very poor tents to stay in but we are a going to build winter quaters we have got some logs hauled for a kitchen. We will have to make boards to cover our house with for ther aint any mills around here to saw lumber there was 10 or 12 of our Regt took 5 teans and went out after lumber and there was a squad of Rebs dashed on them and wounded 2 teamsters and took them prisoners but two of our company. the teamsters are both dead now they found some wounded man they had left I don’t know where he is now Some of our brigade went out and captured some of the Rebs and I don’t know how many prisoners they took Well I can’t write much more for my hands are getting cold tell me when you write whether Silas has got down there yet or not and whether you hav heard anything from Jane or not I don’t get any word from Jim’s folks I haven’t got but one letter from them since I left ___? tell me how the draft goes there and all about the election When it passes there are about 30 of our company entitled to a vote and they are all for old Abraham Lincoln
I will close by hopeing to hear from you soon this from

Joshua S. Lamb
To H and H Lamb
P. S.
Direct Vis Memphis Tenn ABE LINCOLN
Camp 9 Iowa Cav
Brownsville Arkansas January 6th 1865

Dear Mother I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am gitting along. I haven’t been very well since our last scout. I took a deep cold and I have a very bad cough, but it is some better. I hope when this comes to hand it will find you all well. the most of our brigade started out on a scout day before yesterday, they aim to be gone 40 days. It commenced snowing this morning and it snowed til noon the ground is very muddy. 40 of our company went out they will see the worst time they ever saw in their lives

I would like to have been there to have passed Christmas with you but we passed it here in a little log cabin. We had a prety good time New Years. I wrote three letters Reuben and Enock are well and so is Corporal Burnham. both of our Lieutenants resigned, our captain was mustered out. I would like to be there to go to your writing school but it may be some time before I have an opportunity, but still think that I will have a chance some day We don’t hear any war is progressing there is good many gurillias through this state they made a dash ever now and then on our pickets

I wrote you a letter day before yesterday. I can’t think of much to write about for ever thing is just the same. Well I will tell you what we had for dinner. We had hard tack and sour belly and coffee and beans. so you see we live ____ (?) fat these times, but when a solder gets that he thinks he’s doing prety well. I don’t know whether the boys will come back or not they may go over into TN yet. Well I don’t care whether they come here any more or not for one place is just about as good as another if you want to know anything about Arkansas I can tell you it is prety muddy in wet weather the Byous all overflow

Well I guess I have wrote about all I can think of this time. I will again before long tell the boys to be good boys and mind their mother. so I will close my letter by hoping to hear from you soon from your hopeful son

Joshua S. Lamb
to Hannah Lamb
P. S.
Please excuse my poor letter and write as often as you can give my love to father and the rest of the family
Joshua S. Lamb
H. and H. Lamb
Camp 9th Cav
BrownsVille Arkansas
January 30 1865

Dear Mother
I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines in answer to your kind letter which came to hand last evening it found me well and I am in good spirrits and hope this will find you al well I got a letter from Lydia last evening She was staying at Toms the most of our boys are well there are 2 or 3 sick in the County, Reuben and Enock are both well We will leave this camp in 3 or 4 days and go down to the railroad about 3 miles from here Well Mother I will tell you Colonel Geiger of the 8th Missouri has been our commander all the time he is a good officer we don’t belong to any Brigade at all now for our guns are no account. the 3rd Michigan cav are agoing to tak our place and we will take theirs I don’t think we will have so much scouting to do anymore Our Brigade has made 8 big scouts this winter and I think it is about our share I wasn’t out the last time, our boys had a prety hard time of it they had to swim their horses several times. We have had several days of cold weather but it looks like rain now we haven’t had but 2 little snows this winter and I don’t think we will have any more I expect that we will stay at BrownsVille Station next summer for some regt has to stay here to guard the place I don’t care if we do for I think we would have a better time I got a pass the other day and went to Devalls Bluff and our chaplain gave me some little books and paper to read we don’t get anything to read only when we get something of him. there was one of company H’s boys had his head shaved and marched before the Regt with thief on his back for stealing some overcoats he gets no pay at all and has to served 2 years in prison at little rock and then be dishonorable discharged I think they served him plenty bad but still he has to bear it I haven’t got any letters from Wilson or Estes for 3 or 4 months and I don’t get any from Jim nor Silas I don’t see why they don’t write to me I have written them last. We will have 7 months pay due us tomorrow and there is no telling how soon we will get paid I hope it won’t be long they make us pay heavy for clothes they make us draw clothes so as to look well and then when we go to march we can’t take care of them and then we have them to pay for Tell John that he had better stay at home for he will find that cavalry Service is the hardest of all in the morning we have roll call then we have to go to the stable and curry our horses just one then we have to go to water them, clean up our County, streets then we have roll call at noon and then curry and rub our horses another hour besides we have to go on guard and fatigue nearly every other day. I guess that I have wrote all I can think of this time so I will have to close give my kind wishes to the girl that is going to marry me as soon as I come home but tell her that it generally takes 2 to make a bargain but I don’t know how it will prove in this case
From your son, J. S. Lamb
Tell father to write as often as he can I must write him a letter before long
Joshua S. Lamb
BrownsVille Station Arkansas
February 21 1865
Mrs. Meliassa Jane Estes

Dear Sister I now take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines in answer to your most kind and welcome letter which came to hand day before yesterday and I can say that it found me well excepting a very bad cold I truly hope that these few and awkward lines will find you all well. I received a letter from Rebecca at the same time I did yours. I would like to see you all the best kind and I am in hopes that this war is about determined. Well I think it is for we have drivem them to their last stronghold and they will have to come to some terms before long there is not hardly a Bushwhacker to seen any where around here. There was some of our regiment started out on a Scout yesterday. I guess they are agoing towards Pine Bluff they think there is a few rebels down that way. I expect we will stay here till next summer. I don’t care if we do for we have got splindid quarters to stay in. We have got good stables for our horses, and if we do stay here we won’t have much scouting to do. Some say that we are brigaded with the 3rd and 4th Arkansas and the 9th Kansas, but I don’t know for certain now. the brigade we were in is about all dismounted. Well Jane, I expect that old Indiana did look natural to you for there is where you spent your childish years. I would like to see the old place and mill once more but it is doubtful whether I do or not, for I don’t expect I will ever have a chance to visit there for times will change so it wouldn’t look natural to me

We have the nicest kind of weather here now although it is prety windy to day. I would like to have a chance to go to your meeting, for we don’t get to go here for there ain’t any to go to I haven’t been to church for 4 or 5 months. Well, Jane I would like to see some of the prety Girls you say comes to meeting but ___(?) that is out of the question now so I will have to content myself by looking at one that is by my side (Well you can guess that she don’t live in Fremont County though) tell John that he may fight in Fremont County while I go back and conquer Dallas. Well, I will hush up for the present. We haven’t been paid off for nearly 8 months and I don’t know when we will get paid for there isn’t much talk of it now. I am going to send every cent of my money home if I ever get it. I don’t calculate to lend any more

I want to express some clothing home this spring. Ask father if he don’t want a good overcoat, if he does I can send him one and he can get it collored Black if he wants to. I believe that Sidney is your expreses office. they have got about 40 dollars charged against ever boy in the company for clothing and any body with good sense knows that a person can’t wear out a hundred dollars worth of clothing a year. they make us draw clothing when we don’t need it and then when we go to march it is lost and we have it to pay for I guess that I will have to quit and get the boys some dinner and then write some to beck (Rebecca?) and the rest. We haven’t any chance to get postage here we have to get our office to frank our letters for us

From your loving brother
Joshua S. Lamb to Malissa Jane Estes
tell the little ones I would like to see them and tell me who is it they call Albert?
BrownsVille Station, Arkansas
February 22nd AD 1865

Dear father I now seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along I am well at present excepting a very bad cold which I have had for some time. I hope if this letter ever comes to hand it will find you all well. it is raining tonight and it rained all night last night. We have had right smart of wet weather lately and I expect it will continue for some time but we have got good quarters to stay in and I don’t mind it much. I don’t have any guard duty to do so I get along very well for I am still cooking for my mess. there was 2 car lods of Refugees went by here today going to Devales bluff they were in a pitiful condition the citizens of this state are comeing in all the time they held a civil court here yesterday and day before There was a negro man came into camp this morning with hand cuffs on he got away from the rebels last night they was agoing to hang him but he made out to get away well there is not very many rebels close around here now for we have got them all nearly cleaned out Well I will tell you a little what kind of a country it is here. The ground is flat and Swampy and the soil in places looks just like ashes but it generally a clay collour the byous or swamps are mostly covered with cypres and sweet gum trees the trees generaly grow 200 feet high there is some of the nicest oak timber I ever saw in my life and you can take a good sized rail cut and take and ax and a glut and split it easier than you could the timber back there with a mall and wedge now away up on the Arkansas river there is plenty of pine and cedar and the country is very mountaneous and there is some of the nicest mill streams I ever saw the watter runs very swift and is clear as crystal. I haven’t been to Little Rock yet but I want to get a pass and go and see the place before long. Well father I will tell you the prices of some few things here coffee is 1 dollar a pound sugar from .28 to .50 a pound rice .25 onions .10 a pound potatoes 10 cts apound cheese 75 cts apound apples sells four for a quarter butter one dollar apound eggs 50cts a dozen cotton one dollar a pound boots 13 dollar a pair, Well I belive I have told you all can think of to night so I will quit till morning.
Joshua S. Lamb
February 23rd 1865

Well father it is still raining this morning and I will try and finish my letter although I don’t expect you can read it for my pen is very bad and then I made a mistake and turned the paper wrong up endwards but you will have to do the best you can. Reuben and Enock are both well and hearty I haven’t got any letter from Wilson for several months but I suppose that he hasn’t any chance to write where he is or I would get letters from him There was one of our Regiment got wounded very bad the other night he was trying to steal whiskey, the doctors cut his side open to stop the blood inside they think he will get well We have got good horses now and we get plenty of feed for them. Well I let one of the other boys have my horse for I don’t need one while I am cooking you must write as soon as you can for I would be glad to hear from you tell me how much stock you have and whether you have bought Jim a place yet or not and how you like the country for you haven’t never said much about it yet. I expect you have got a good place for raising stock from the way the rest of them talk. O yes, I want to know the name of the nearest boat landing and how far you live from it
Well I guess I will quit for the present but I still remain your son.
County H
Joshua S. Lamb to
9th Iowa Cav
H and H Lamb and all the rest
Brownsville Station, Arkansas
March 17th 1865
Miss Lydia M Lamb

Dear Sister
I take my seat this pleasant day to answer your welcome letter which I received yesterday and was truly glad to hear from you the wind is blowing prety hard to day but, tis very pleasant. Company B has began to make a garden and our company is agoing to commence. We have got a garden spot fensed in and I guess that we will stay here all summer we have turned our horses all over except one or two that aint worth any thing. the grass is growing up very nice and Some of the early flowers are blooming out. I love the happy hours of Spring for they make the past roll up to view they made me think of our old home where we used to gather bluebells and violets. You can’t tell how much good it does a Soldier to wander to Some lonely Spot and recall the days of his childhood he sees the little ones at play and hears the ring of his fathers hammer as he works in his shop or the sound of his ax as he works in the wood. I hear (it seems) the boys singing or whistling as they go out to harness the horses and get ready for the field but they are enjoying the pleasure of a home but I am far from them but I hope this war is near at an end so Soldiers can return to their homes in peace. We can pass the time away here Very well for we have got good quarters to Stay in they are trying to establish civil laws here in this state They are organizeing a company of the citizens at little rock I don’t know what they intend to do with them but I Suppose they will be state Militia

Well, Lydia I am still cooking for my mess. I have 13 to my mess and I have aprety good time you told me the prices of things back there They was considerable dearer than I supposed but things are very high now any where there is not much calicoes or dry good to see here in this state Tell tom he must write me a letter I got a few lines from Rachel in your letter I was glad to hear that they were all well The boys from dallas County are all well I have still got your miniature and it looks as natural as ever I would like to have Toms and Rachels likeness the best kind we haven’t been paid off for 8 months there is some talk of getting paid the last of this month I hope we will for we need some money very bad give my Respects to all the young folks back there Especially Miss_____? and tell them to keep in good heart I guess that I will close for the present hoping to hear from you soon I still remain your brother Joshua S. Lamb

Lydia married Lamb
PS I am well as common hoping you are the same
Postage is hard to get here
JS Lamb
County H 9 Iowa Cav

Dear father I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I am well as common, hoping these few lines will find you all well. I received your kind letter today and I was very glad to hear from you I wrote Rebecca a letter the 21st and sent my ugliest (picture?) to her. I expect you were crowded last winter for where 3 families have to winter together it is very hard but you have an easy time to what the folk’s here in this state have. For the most them haven’t much to eat nor wear Wheat seems to be prety high back there. I haven’t seen more than 10 bushels of wheat since I have been in Rackensach You have got a prety good start of hogs again the hogs in the state are generally small although there is considerable of wild moss grows we killed several nice ones last fall while we were scouting upon the Arkansas river. we don’t get any fresh meat now at all for the cattle are scarce this state has been the greatest kind of aplace for cattle for they can winter in the cane breakes they stay good green all winter sheep can live on the grass alone now for it is growing very fast the peach and plum trees are out in full bloom and they look very nice. March 26, 1865

I will try to finish my letter there has nothing transpired of late to amount to any thing there was 5 of our Reg taken by the gurillias yesterday morning. they took them several miles and then paroled them they are now in camp there is some talk of us getting paid this week. I hope we will for there is 8 months pay due us. I don’t know whether we will get all they owe us this time or not. We haven’t got any horses to bother with now. County (company?), A and B have drawed sharpe rifles and I guess all of us will get them before long. I don’t get any word from Wilson or Estes except what comes from home tell Ellsworth I would like to spank him I can see him skudding around I will send him my ____? tell him to get out of the way or Josh will shoot I am still cooking I am excused from all other duty the boys went out yesterday to practice with their Revolvers tell the boys they must quit swearing if they have’t already for if ever they go from home they will feel its effects I thank you for your advice and will try and do as you said Please write soon, Excuse this short letter
From your son Joshua Lamb
Hezekiah Lamb
Tell me how much wheat and oats and corn and cane you are to put in this year
BrownsVille Arkansas
April 17th 1865

Dear Sister
I have just received and read your most welcome letter and have just wrote one to father and have to write one to Wilson I haven’t got any letter from since the 8th of October James Barnham got a letter from Nelson But he did not say anything about Wilson We was paid off yesterday and I have just put 10 dollars in a letter to father. I am agoing to express 70 some time today We have the pretiest weather here ever I saw in my life the trees are all leaved out and you may know it looks nice. The war news has been very good for the last month here but the sad inteligence of the death of Lincoln came to camp to day but I hope it is a false report I wrote granny a letter a few days ago but did not write very much for I did not feel much like writing then and I can’t think of very much to write to day I am looking for some letters from hom all the time.

I had heard of the death of Parker before you wrote and was sorry indeed but such is the case in the Army and also at home Enock and Reuben are both well and hearty I am still cooking We get plenty to eat such as it is the boys live fat on the Army grub butter is 75 cts apound potatoes are very dear too mollasses is only 3 dollars a gallon and eggs 50 cts per doz Give my love to Thomas and Rachel and their young family I hope they will prosper in the good cause of life and not do other wise give my respects to all the young ladies tell them that I hope the war is fast closing and may their minds are fast composing for who knows (if we all get home) we will want no discloseing but have free and open converse on the subject of matrimoney Excuse my foolishness but who knows but what it is so I don’t from your affectionate brother.
Joshua S. Lamb
PS I am in prety good health but not very stout please write soon
Note on a scrap of paper
BrownsVille Station, Arkansas
June 10 1865

I am well and hearty we are agoing to leave tomorrow and I haven’t time to write any more Keep those picture for me.
Joshua S. Lamb"
Dardenell Arkansas
June 30 1865

Dear Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along I am well at present and hope this finds you all well and in the best of health. I must inform you that Reuben is dead. He died on the 18th of June about 9 o’clock pm with the typhoid fever he suffered very much I was with him through the worst of the sickness he was insensible most of the time and I could not get to talk to him. He struggled very hard until just before he died then he lay quiet and fell off to sleep at ____? he looked as calm as any one sleeping and I have no doubt but what he had gone to see his Mother in Heaven. He was a good soldier and he was gone when they wanted him for duty. I have written Uncle Joe’s a letter but it hasen’t went out. We are looking for a boat this evening to take our mail. We mustered to day for 4 months pay but we don’t look for any more pay till we get mustered out and there is no telling when that will be. We have got a splendid place to stay here. Well there is only five companies of our regt. here the rest are down to lewisburg about 25 miles from here. There is some negro soldiers here We do not have any pickets out now for there is no need of any. things look bright and prosperous here they held an election here the 28th to elect their Civil officers I don’t expect we will stay here much longer tis hard to tell I would like to get hom in time enough to help you gather your crop they have cut their wheat down here Some time ago -----" (rest of letter missing)

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