George W. Lennard, New Castle (Henry County), Indiana, 57th Indiana Vol. Infantry

In Camp, March 30, 1862

Dear Wife

After a very hard days march of fifteen miles over a very dry dusty road, I sit in my open tent with a light on a camp stool and a book on my knee to pen a few lines for my dear wife, but when it will reach you, or when I will have a chance to mail it is more than I know at this time. We are now twenty six miles from Nashville and I believe about fifteen or sixteen from Columbia. The Country on every side is most beautiful. The farms are large and in a high state of cultivation. The farms are generally from 500 to 1,000 acres, with from ten to 50 slaves. The negros look very clever at us and want to go along. I could get 50 every day to go with me, but we have nothing to do with them. The General forbids them coming into the camp and if they do get in they must be given up to their masters, or turned over to the civel authorities w[h]ich means putting them in jail. I do pity the poor creatures. After the “white folks” have told them all kinds of stories about us taking them to Cuba and selling them and taking them out and shooting at them for fun, they still flock to us, and I do assure you it is pretty hard to put the poor creatures off, but we have it to do. I think if a John Brown was to get among them now it would not be such a failure as it was at Harpers Ferry. All they want is a leader, when I have no doubt they would rise and destroy every thing before them.

I have not had a letter from you for several days. It is growing late and we have to be on the stur at 4 o'clock in the morning, so give my love to the children and believe me as ever your loving and affectionate husband.

Geo. W. Lennard

Excerpts from letter of April 17, 1862, Shiloh Battlefield

Dear Wife

[A]fter the terrible ord[e]al through which I have passed in the last two weeks without hearing from you, you can scarce imagin the great pleasure it give me to hear from you. I was very glad to hear the children were having the measels while they are young and at home where I know they will have the care and attention of kind Mother. Many a poor soldier now sleeps his last sleep from that simple but fat[al] disease . . . . Every one is praying to be moved from this ter[ri]ble scene of death and distruction. I think if we are not soon moved many will be sick.

I suppose certainly by this time you have received the $100 I sent you by Col. Bridgland. I am glad you are fixing up our home and making things look neat and sweet. I feel that every thing will be nice and in good style when I come home.

We had a little brush with the enemy on the next day after the battle here when I captured two negros who had been cooking for the 9th Arkansas Regiment. One of them, “Dick,” I have appropriated to my own use. He is rather a smart good negro, and says he will stick to me while he lives. The other one, “ Monroe,” the General claims. If some one dont steal Dick from me I will fetch him home with me and set him free. And if possible I will do the same by Monroe. Just imagin[e] how Gertie & Sallie would look if Pa was to bring a negro home with him from the war.

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Lennard's regiment fought, among other battles, at Shiloh in April 1862, at the Battle of Stone's River in January 1863, and at the battle for Missionary Ridge in November 1863. While on the march to Atlanta, Lennard was wounded on May 14, 1864, and died that same day.

Lennard must have kept his promise to “Dick.” In June 1864, the New Castle Courier published a letter dated May 29, shortly after Lennard's death, written by a man named Richard Lamb. In the letter, Lamb stated: “I have the honor to say to the Union friends of this vicinity, that Colonel Geo. W. Lennard who was killed near Dalton, Ga., that I accompanied him through the siege of Corinth, Miss., Perrysville, Ky., Stone River, Tenn., as a body servant. . . I shall ever regret the loss of my best friend who brought me to the land of liberty.” The editor noted that Lamb was a young African American man who had attended school in New Castle during the winter of 1863 to 1864.