These letters were written by Pvt. Henry Glaze Cate (1836-1907), the son of William Wiley Cate (1814-1892) and Ann Glaze (1813-1887) of Cleveland, Tennessee. Henry’s father, a farmer in Bradley county, Tennessee, voted against the ratification of the ordinance of secession and was a Union sympathizer throughout the war. He was known to provide food and aid to Union troops passing through Bradley county.
Prior to the Civil War, Henry lived with his parents and worked as a school teacher. Also residing in the household in 1860 was Mary E. Cate, 5 years younger than Henry, and Gustavus (“Gus”) Cate, age 13.
During the Civil War, Henry wore gray and his brother Gus wore blue. Henry served as a private in Co. C, 36th Tennessee (Confederate) Infantry. Gus served during the last year of the war in Co. D, 12th Tennessee (Union) Cavalry.
Letter 1
Knoxville, Tennessee
December 10th 1862
Dear Father,
Being somewhat at leisure at present, I take the pleasure of dropping you a line in reply to your lengthy & equally interesting letter of Sabbath production. I was sorry to learn that Ma and Willy were complaining & hope by this time they are improved. I have made enquiry for clover seed. They are worth $30 per bushel. Everything is higher here than anywhere else.
You seem to have quite singular notions about me having nothing to eat. You are much mistaken. I am living very well but much obliged for your kindness. Tell Ma that I had a pair of pants made off of my jeans & am well pleased with them. The rest, I think, I will bring home.
We have had a couple of cases of small pox here. They are getting well. I have vaccine matter in each of my arms now. I will send you enough matter to vaccinate all the family. There is no panic here nor half so much danger as Cleveland, I expect.
I have heard that salt is arriving at Cleveland. I hope you will be able to get some though be sure to get your back rations and all you are allowed now. I am nearly round with my payments & think I will come down about the 20th. I thought I would have to come to pay that hospital but perhaps they don’t want it paid or have had it paid but that won’t set me back when I get ready to come.
I got a letter from Mary a few days since. She is well. I think East Tennessee will be held till the last. Should the enemy overrun the entire county, I think E. Tenn. will be the last.
Respectfully, — H. Cate
Write soon. I am devoting this day to letter writing. — H. C.
Letter 2
Montgomery, Alabama
July 12, 1863
Mr. Wm. Cate
My dear father,
Since my last, nothing except what is of a military character has transpired to attract attention. There has been much excitement here about the fall of Vicksburg, some contending that it had & some that it had not fallen. There are some yet, I believe, that contend that the garrison has not surrendered but I believe most are convinced of the fact.
Sometime since I wrote you that the war had progressed to the period where the subsequent pending battles must be decisive of some good or bad result to our army. We have been heretofore battling with the foe with favorable prospects of success. Still each party has lost immensely & had to call for reinforcements. We have called for reinforcements & finally conscripted our able bodied men and have now the last available addition we can make to our army. What a spectacle! The fall of Vicksburg, the retreat of Bragg, the weakness of Johnston, & I fear the late news from Virginia all indicate that we are too weak. No one thinks it improbable that Port Hudson, Mobile, & the entire lower Mississippi Valley may fall int the possession of our enemy in a few months. And I think even here there are many who would rejoice at it from principle—and some few even who are southern. So tired are they of the war, believing it the speediest measure of making peace, would be glad.
I have been deceived to some extent about the ardor of the southern states. Tennessee is no more disloyal than other states & Mississippi is said to contain even more Union men than East Tennessee. Rosecrans’ movements seems to be to flank Bragg by McMinnville, Sparta, & so on into East Tennessee, perhaps by way of Kingston. There is a good road and little interruption unless met by a superior force, except in the way of moving heavy artillery in that way. You can all look out. I shall not be astonished if the valley of East Tennessee is yet bleached with the bones of the slain in battle. Should such a thing occur, I think it will be at Chattanooga or somewhere on the Tennessee river between there and Kingston; perchance it may be in the Sequatchie Valley. But it is more probable that Bragg will retreat, judging the future by the past, than advance.
“Gen. Johnston is not to blame as I think in any way for the retreat of Bragg, or the fall of Vicksburg. He was ordered here without a command, with no power to draw troops from either Pemberton or Bragg, and when the power was delegated to him, it was too late and the men at his disposal too few.”
—Henry G. Cate, Co. C, 36th Tenn. Infantry
Fighting has been going on at Jackson [Miss.] & Charleston [S. C.] but nothing is known definitely of the result. I think Charleston will hold out, but think likely Johnston will pull back. Gen. Johnston is not to blame as I think in any way for the retreat of Bragg, or the fall of Vicksburg. He was ordered here without a command, with no power to draw troops from either Pemberton or Bragg, and when the power was delegated to him, it was too late and the men at his disposal too few. I don’t think now he has more than twenty or twenty-five thousand men. The picture at present is dark, but may get brighter. The movements of large armies are slow and tedious. We must be patient and wait for results.
The price of sugar has advanced forty or fifty cents per pound here in the last few days. An evening or two since I rode in the country four or five hours in the direction of the prairie. I never saw such corn fields. It is one vast landscape as for as the eye can see, covered with the finest looking corn. Farmers say it is not so good as it would have been had not the season been so wet. I have been out in other directions & in all instances have found a fine country for farming. The soil in many places resembles ours.
I am getting along finely—have, in fact, almost nothing at all to do. The boys that know me here say that I have improved in health since here. I weighed myself & find that I am two or thee lbs. heavier than usual at this season of the yea. Tell Ma that I would send here my daguerreotype but I think I will be at home about the 20th of August, if not ordered from here before that. Give my love to all & kiss Ma & Sister Lura for me. I am, with true love, your son (write son). — H. Cate
Letter 3
Montgomery, Alabama
July 18, 1863
My dear father,
As this is Sunday & I have nothing else to do, I will again write you. Every day develops new and unwelcome features in the terrible crisis through which we are now passing. our land is now passing as it were through an ordeal of fire. The tocsin of war has been sounded & reiterated & no means are to be left untried to hurl back the invader.
The conscription of all [men] between 18 & 45 is now going on and efforts are being made to organize all the old men and boys into companies & battalions for local and state defense. The entire strength is to be marshaled in arms & then the death struggle for I am in hopes [of] Republican Independence. Such are my hopes but my fears are different. Already the Richmond Enquirer in a lengthy article advocates that the entire force—old and young—be put into camps and the country ruled with despotic power. It will be observed that this paper is the organ of the administration & says that this state of things should last only for the time being but without conjecture as to whether such will or will not be the case. Such state of government excites my worst fears. The history of the world shows few instances in which men who have been clothed with power—either delegated or assumed—are willing to relinquish any part of it till forced.
All the clerks in offices here are being urged to organize, drill & be ready for a fight. There appears to be no fighting going on at present except at Charleston. The bombardment still continues. There is little but the Yanks are determined upon taking the city and it is not certain they will not succeed. Johnston has, it is stated, fallen back to Meridian. I do not know certain that it is so but think it is so.
Gen. Hardee is going on now to take the place of Pemberton in the Vicksburg army while Gen. D. H. Hill will take his place in the Army of Tennessee. Confederate money I am credibly informed is selling here at ten to one. If you have any, you had better make the best investment you can. If it is worth so little there as here, you can buy a State Bank (Tennessee) at 2, 3, even 4. It will be as good if not better than to buy gold. No kind of property is worth anything now except land or hard money. State money be worth something yet.
I had seen men of my acquaintance from Jackson [Miss.] who related the destruction of property and misery among the inhabitants as indescribable. Every negro that will go, and the last pound of meat, are taken. All—or very near all—the wearing apparel, and every article of furniture are either taken or destroyed. All the gold that can be procured whether in coin, jewelry, plated ware, or otherwise, is taken by a wanton soldiery. All the works of art & the various kinds of ornamental fixtures are alike destroyed. Those who were wealthy yesterday & those in moderate circumstances are today alike poor, and in many instances drawing rations from the Federal commissary. Women that used to ride in carriages with good horses & servants to drive, are seen riding on drays. May leave & get away. Many are unable to leave. Refugees from New Orleans frequently stop at my office impoverished & exiled from home & ask for transportation, being unable to pay their way further.
Comparatively speaking, we have never felt the war in East Tennessee & I hope & trust that the people of my state—the land of my home—well never be subject to the same ruthless & inhuman pillage & devastation as has the Mississippi Valley though I cannot expect that it will not, along with the other states of the Confederacy, be overrun by Federal soldiers. But its natural strength may make it about the last place.
Everyone should keep cool & look some to their own interest. J. A. Cate is below buying negroes. I am well. Write soon Give my love to all. I am with love & respect, your son, — H. Cate
Letter 4
Montgomery, Alabama
August 8, 1863
Miss Mary E. Cate
My dear sister,
Your letters have each been duly received and read with much joy. Since the prisoners from Vicksburg have been passing, I have been too busy to write. The throng at the door is constant. A few days will determine whether I go to E. Tennessee or not. The Chief Quartermaster is here now & I think of asking him to transfer me to the Department of E. Tenn. It is hardly probable that he will do it though I think if he will not & offers me a situation that I like better than the one I have in this department, I will take it & may leave this post soon. Should I remain where I am, I think I will have no difficulty in getting off to Tennessee in a few days. Everything appears quite now.
Gus Evans’ Brigade is moving through now to Savannah, Ga. I know not what the move means. There were sent on some time since to reinforce Johnston. There will probably be a quietus in military circles for awhile. When the war will break out again with new vigor. There are a great many furloughs granted now. The army seems to be scattering about everywhere.
I was glad to hear that Pa & Gus were better. I hope that all will be well with them. I was sorry to hear that Kirby was under assist. Jim is a clever fellow & deserves very like better treatment.
I have [not] seen nor heard anything of Benton Glaze other than what you write. I am glad you have had the pleasure of knowing Young Cate of whom you spoke. Should he call again, remember me to him.
The weather is very warm down here now. I have changed my boarding house. Do not know it improved much. Everything is unprecedentedly high here to be as plentiful as it is here. I am as yet paying only $50.00 per month but expect soon to pay $60 or $75 with no improvement of the fare.
The shooting affray you mention is one to be regretted but perhaps unavoidable—at least justifiable. If I could come home, I will probably start about the 20th. Hoping to hear from you soon, I am truly your brother, — H. Cate
Give my love to all. — H. C.
Spared & Shared 17 -- Saving History One Letter at a Time 