Iconic Logs: Civil War Shelters

Many of the historic log cabins scattered around this great nation date back to the decades surrounding the American Civil War. There are plenty of stories and photographs capturing the role log cabins played in the Civil War, and here is one letter that references a log cabin's part in this man's experience. From Jacob Bartmess of the 39th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 8th Calvary, Co. C, an 1864 letter to his young son:

New Years day. '64. 

Well my little boy Elliott.

Pappy thought that he would write his little boy a little letter. I am in a little house made of little logs, this little house has a little fire place in it, and this cold day pappy keeps a big fire. I just got done browning some rye for to make coffee, the men does not give us quite coffee enough to do us here. Pappy gets his own dinner, and supper and breakfast. I cook meat make coffee and good gravy and sometimes bake corn cakes, we pound our coffee in a tin instead of grinding it on a coffee mill.

never mind wait till pappy gets home and we will show mother how to cook and make gravy.

Elliott dont you think the men wanted me to go away off with my mule team through the mud and rain and cold, and there was another man went in my place and let me stay in my little house by the fire, dont you think that he was a good man for going in my place.

there is a great big river here lots wider than clear across grandmothers orchard

pappy washed his shirt and drawers today.

Elliott you must be a good boy. pappy will come home after a while.

from your pappy

J. W Bartmess

to his Elliott.

Log cabins and homes are an important part of our nation's rich history, and should be restored and preserved for future generations to understand our past and bring that understanding forward into the future.

Source: Carmony, Donald F. (June, 1956). "Jacob W. Barmess Civil War Letters." Indiana Magazine of History, Volume 52, Issue 2, pp 157-186. Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~imaghist/online_content/vcsfrmpst/voices_cvlwr/index.html


*The photo is of a cabin in southern Minnesota, and is no way connected to the story, other than the style and era in which it was built.