Michigan in the Civil War
Browse by Name: Martin, James
Martin, James, b. ca. 1842.
Thirty-five letters (Dec. 13, 1861-Aug. 10, 1864) from James Martin, a non-commissioned officer in Company H, 11th Michigan Infantry, to his parents in Coldwater, Mich. The letters include discussions of sickness and hospital life, first impressions of the South, camp life and army food, marching, the weather, killing and death (especially letter of Aug. 18, 1862), battle, personalities (mostly friends who enlisted from Batavia), and picket duty (especially letter of Oct. 15, 1863). They contain descriptions of the pursuit of John Hunt Morgan (July-Sept. 1862), the battle of Stones River (letter of Jan. 12, 1863, it was his first major battle), the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge (letters of Sept. 24 and Nov. 28, 1863), and the Atlanta campaign.