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  Letter: Catherine D. Keith, Athens, Tennessee, to cousin, 1856

  Damaged 6-page letter written on October 24, 1856, by Catherine Douglas Keith at Elmwood, Athens, Tennessee, to her cousin, who was probably Catherine Chunn.

  She describes the death of brother Philip who accidentally swallowed poison believing it to be medicine. Also relates that her sister Louisa’s husband, Colonel Rowland, has died. “Louisa had no control over herself whatever, and not the least resignation - & cared for nothing but her two sweet little boys – Johnnie & Charlie – I left her quite sick.”

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  Letter: William N. Chunn, Camp Brown, Union City, Tennessee, to Sarah Louise Taylor, 1861

  Letter from William N. Chunn serving with the 6th Tennessee Infantry at Camp Brown near Union City, Tennessee, to his sister Sarah Louise Taylor dated May 30, 1861.

  The transcription is as follows:

  [page 1] Camp Brown, May 30^th 1861

  My Dear Sister,

  I wrote you a hasty note from Jackson, which I presume you received. We are now near Union City, on the Rail Road, a very pleasant country, I know not how long we will be stationed here but think for some time. “The South will not violate the armed neutrality of Kentucky by passing over her borders but if the North attempts to send troops through Kentucky we will meet them before they _____ [unreadable word] etc Tenn. Large bodys of troops are ariving [sic] here daily. There are now over three thousand here, & two or three more will be here this evening, & continue to come, as I understand a large division of the Army will be concentrated here. As it regards our living, it is good, all seem to be in good spirits, I have been amused at the reports that are circulated around the camp on the reception of an order to move, once at Jackson, when we were ordered on last Sunday morning to strike tents in twenty minutes & march to the Depot. The men thought [page 2] we were on our way to Cairo & such long faces I never saw. Again after arriving here we received an order to strike tents in five minutes – “Where are we going” was asked by all.- The cars wer [sic] whistling- & the ready answer “to Cairo or to Columbus,” was given. The second order came to clean up the grounds & pitch tents again. There came laughs & jokes about blanched cheeks & down cast eyes. No order will be given to leave here for some weeks, as the men & officers need a great deal of drilling, before they can face an enemy. There will be here before Saturday night over ten thousand men concentrated at this place. Nothing is going on here but drilling & posting sentinels. I do not know how long before I can get a furlo [sic], but the chances are bad, to leave here, I may get off in two or three weeks, if so I will run home in a few hours, I am writing on my knapsack surrounded by at least ten men, some singing, others laughing & talking so you must excuse everything that is not right, write to me right off & address your letter to me at Union City, Obion County, Tenn, Care of Capt. Johns of “Avengers”.

  Love to all friends) your affectionate brother

  W.N. Chunn

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  Letter: William N. Chunn, Camp Brown, Union City, Tennessee, to Sarah Louise Taylor, 1861

  Letter written by William Neison Chunn serving with the 6th Tennessee Infantry at Camp Brown, near Union City, Tennessee, to his sister Sarah Louise Taylor, June 28, 1861.

  Discusses boxes of clothing and food received. Notes the regiment is unlikely to leave for Missouri so asks that his enslaved man Henry be sent to him. “I suppose Mr T[aylor]. will know how to arrange it that he Henry may come safe. The authorities are strict with negroes going north.”

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  Letter: William N. Chunn, Columbus, Kentucky, to Robert Taylor, 1861

  Letter written by William Neilson Chunn serving with the 1st Tennessee Heavy Artillery Regiment at Columbus, Kentucky, to his brother-in-law Rev. Robert Venable Taylor, December 27, 1861.

  Chunn writes about business transactions Taylor is assisting him with including the management of enslaved people. “My position denies me the power of appreciating the condition of the country, so I never apprehended any difficulty in hiring negroes. The disposition you make of Everline and her children I think is a good one If her health does not fail.” Reflecting on his financial situation he states: “It makes me despondent to think how much I am loosing [sic], I fear I will never be able to settle after the war closed.” Notes he and Captain Jackson are only acting as adjutant and commander, respectively, “without receiving the honors or emoluments of these positions.” Added line states: “I have been made 1^st Lieut about a month.”

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  Letter: William N. Chunn, Dallas, Texas, to brother, 1918

  Letter written by William Neison Chunn on January 10, 1918, while visiting Dallas, Texas, to his brother, who was probably his brother-in-law Rev. Robert Venable Taylor.

  States he visited Southern Methodist University in the suburbs of Dallas, noting that the buildings have no enclosures so they look lonesome, and he thinks they must be crowded since there are nearly one thousand students. The University sent 150 recruits to the Army and flies a large flag with a star representing everyone who is serving. He has not visited Love Aviation Field yet but would like to see its facilities: “The papers note the deaths of some men of the Air Aspirints almost every day but this does not seem to dampen the ardor of those left alive due to the dare-devil bravery of the tipical [sic] American spirit.” This reminds him of his boyhood bravado when older boys would dare the younger ones to attack a yellow jacket nest to prove they were not cowards.

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  Letter: William N. Chunn, Humboldt, Tennessee, to Sarah Louise Taylor, 1878

  Letter written on September 11, 1878, by William Neilson Chunn in Humboldt, Tennessee, to his sister Sarah Louise Taylor about the Yellow Fever epidemic. The transcription is as follows:

  [page 1] Office of W.N. Chunn,

  Humboldt, Tenn., Sept 11, 1878

  My precious sister,

  I trust you have received a letter from me before this time & if so your anxiety is allayed. I should at the very first appearance of the Fever here, remove from the place. There is scarcely any apprehension of its coming here, every precaution is being used, such as a very strict Quarantine burning logs & stumps all over & around the Town for miles, firing of Anvils-concussion – Disinfecting low & filthy places. We have had but one case of fever & that a refugee & this case has recovered several weeks since, one active case – a refugee too – died about six miles east of this place, over Two weeks since. This is all we have had of the Fever here [page 2] or near us. We have had some scares & some of the families of our City have left but there never has been any necessity for leaving. You need not give yourself any uneasiness, for if it becomes my duty, I will close up & get out of the place. I wrote to Sammie some days ago, hope he received my letter, though the mails are very irregular. Our town is Quarantined against even the mails from infected districts, but I hope you will get this Let some of your family write to me I may get the letter. I received your Postal Card, yesterday, by what means I do not know – I supposed the mail agent threw off the mail bag as he passed here, in defiance of our Quarantine laws[?] Let us put our Trust as you say, in God, for He has always been good & merciful to us in the past an [sic] He will bless & protect those what love & serve Him, & if it is His good pleasure to call us hence, let us receive the message with joy & gladness, & all will be well when we meet in Heaven Love to all. Anna is up now. W.N. Chunn