William H. Gay
Personal Information
William H. Gay was 37 when he enlisted in the war. Before the war he was a farmer, and a husband. He had four children all males, Edward, Charles, Harry and Ray. His wife's name was Permelia C. Gay. At the time of his enlisted William had only two sons, He was born in Indiana and lived there all of his life. He registered for the war in Indiana, and went back there after the war.
We do not know how he died, but we do know that it was February 1909. His grave is located in Tippecanoe County, at Pretty Prairie Cemetery. We do think that two of his sons, Edward and Charles, were buried here also.
We do not know how he died, but we do know that it was February 1909. His grave is located in Tippecanoe County, at Pretty Prairie Cemetery. We do think that two of his sons, Edward and Charles, were buried here also.
Summary of the Letter
William H. Gay is writing to a friend, Mr. Hadley, while he is in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 5 1864. He was in the 7th regiment Indiana Cavalry and mustered in October 1, 1863. In the letter he talks about raids that he has been in along with some of the places and things that he had seen. In one of the raids he talks about getting horses and destroying the fields and land. In the letter he also talks about sending Mr. Hadley some money.
At the beginning of the letter he says that he was healthy and fine. One weird thing about the letter is it never mentions his family. He was not writing to his family, but one would think that you would ask about them. In the letter he also talks about someone by the name of John, and we can assume that is one of his new friends that is in his regiment.
At the beginning of the letter he says that he was healthy and fine. One weird thing about the letter is it never mentions his family. He was not writing to his family, but one would think that you would ask about them. In the letter he also talks about someone by the name of John, and we can assume that is one of his new friends that is in his regiment.
William Gay was in the 7th regiment Indiana Cavalry and mustered in October 1, 1863. He was on the Union side and went into the army and came out as a Private. His regiment went to many states such as Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee. In his regiment over 250 of his members died. This group was apart of many battles and many raids in Tennessee.
In his letter he talks about being at camp Glierson near Memphis Tennessee, but after searching I could not find any camp by that name. So it is easy to assume that this was an overnight camp, that the group came upon. One of the places in his letter that he talked about was Collierville. This is near Memphis, and there was four battles in about three months. However he was there many months earlier, and was not in this battle.
Another place in his letter was Okolona. Okolona is in the north east part of the state, far away from Memphis. There was a battle here, but is was in February of the next year. There was 150 casualties, and about 100 of them were Union. I do not think that William Gay’s regiment was apart of this battle.
In his letter he talks about being at camp Glierson near Memphis Tennessee, but after searching I could not find any camp by that name. So it is easy to assume that this was an overnight camp, that the group came upon. One of the places in his letter that he talked about was Collierville. This is near Memphis, and there was four battles in about three months. However he was there many months earlier, and was not in this battle.
Another place in his letter was Okolona. Okolona is in the north east part of the state, far away from Memphis. There was a battle here, but is was in February of the next year. There was 150 casualties, and about 100 of them were Union. I do not think that William Gay’s regiment was apart of this battle.
Transcription of the Letters
March the 5 th 1864
Camp (Glierson) near Memphis Tennessee Mr. Hadley I sent my staff this morning to write you a few lines to inform you that I am well and harty and I hope these few lines may find you all well, well Enas whe (we) have been on a big raid down in Miftipi (Mississippi) Since I wrote to you before I wrote to you just before we left Cooliersville (Collierville), whe left the 16 of January and got back the 20 of February and I haven’t received an answer yet John and me sent you $60 to you and I want you to write and tell me weather you received it or not Well Enas I can say that whe have been in are fight
Page 2
whe had a fight down in Miftipi (Mississippi) at a town called Okolona but I tell you that whe had to retreat for what was out but it was on the count of two regiments a running it was the 5th reg and one reg. That I did not find out what reg it was. But we killed more of them than they killed of us and if it had not been for company G or espcialy (especially) the first Batallion the whole brigade would have been taken prisoner But old co (company) G formed a line across the road and helded them back till they got too hurt and then they drew Sabers and made a charge down in a valley and laid them write (right) and left the 9th Illinois Cavalry bit well
Page 3
they was armed with the Colts revolving rifles and when they shot they made it count whe had about 10 wounded (in superscript between the two) in all loveness whe took about 10 thousand mules and negroes and burnt millions of bushels of corn and burnt thousands of bales of cotton and destroyed any amount of property well Enas they is as good land in Miftipi (Mississippi) as ever a crow flew over they can raise a hundred bushels of corn to the acre and it is the best cotten country that in the south well Enas we are pretty near all dismoonted (dismounted) whe havnt (haven’t) got over a dozen horses that whe started with from Indianapolis the talk is now that whe are a going into a dismoonted (dismounted) camp
Page 4
Well Enas whe are a living As happy as coons that have drawed new tents and they Are a making out the Pay rolls whe will get our pay In a day or two and when I get it I to send it to you and you must write tell me whether you get it or not. Well I guess I will close for this time. Write soon as you get this letter from you friend W H Gay to Enos Hadley you must still write and direct your letters to company G Indiana via of Memphis give my best respects to William and Harshings Hadley
W. H. Gay
Camp (Glierson) near Memphis Tennessee Mr. Hadley I sent my staff this morning to write you a few lines to inform you that I am well and harty and I hope these few lines may find you all well, well Enas whe (we) have been on a big raid down in Miftipi (Mississippi) Since I wrote to you before I wrote to you just before we left Cooliersville (Collierville), whe left the 16 of January and got back the 20 of February and I haven’t received an answer yet John and me sent you $60 to you and I want you to write and tell me weather you received it or not Well Enas I can say that whe have been in are fight
Page 2
whe had a fight down in Miftipi (Mississippi) at a town called Okolona but I tell you that whe had to retreat for what was out but it was on the count of two regiments a running it was the 5th reg and one reg. That I did not find out what reg it was. But we killed more of them than they killed of us and if it had not been for company G or espcialy (especially) the first Batallion the whole brigade would have been taken prisoner But old co (company) G formed a line across the road and helded them back till they got too hurt and then they drew Sabers and made a charge down in a valley and laid them write (right) and left the 9th Illinois Cavalry bit well
Page 3
they was armed with the Colts revolving rifles and when they shot they made it count whe had about 10 wounded (in superscript between the two) in all loveness whe took about 10 thousand mules and negroes and burnt millions of bushels of corn and burnt thousands of bales of cotton and destroyed any amount of property well Enas they is as good land in Miftipi (Mississippi) as ever a crow flew over they can raise a hundred bushels of corn to the acre and it is the best cotten country that in the south well Enas we are pretty near all dismoonted (dismounted) whe havnt (haven’t) got over a dozen horses that whe started with from Indianapolis the talk is now that whe are a going into a dismoonted (dismounted) camp
Page 4
Well Enas whe are a living As happy as coons that have drawed new tents and they Are a making out the Pay rolls whe will get our pay In a day or two and when I get it I to send it to you and you must write tell me whether you get it or not. Well I guess I will close for this time. Write soon as you get this letter from you friend W H Gay to Enos Hadley you must still write and direct your letters to company G Indiana via of Memphis give my best respects to William and Harshings Hadley
W. H. Gay
Original Scans of the Letter
Sources
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FamilySearch.org. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2016, from https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20
Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2016, from http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr
Tennessee Map of Battles of the American Civil War. (n.d.). Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/tennessee.html
United States. National Park Service. (n.d.). Soldier Details. Retrieved May 6, 2016, from http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=731950A0-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A
United States. National Park Service. (n.d.). Battle Unit Details. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UIN0007RC
FamilySearch.org. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2016, from https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20
Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2016, from http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr
Tennessee Map of Battles of the American Civil War. (n.d.). Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/tennessee.html
United States. National Park Service. (n.d.). Soldier Details. Retrieved May 6, 2016, from http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=731950A0-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A
United States. National Park Service. (n.d.). Battle Unit Details. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UIN0007RC