“And such a sight I never saw before nor do I care about seeing again.” Private John Watkins, letter to John Probert, December 15, 1863
CORPORATE JOHN WATKINS 1861-1865 Original photograph Gift of Mrs. Curtis W. Haines, 1984 Like many Civil War soldiers, Corporal John Watkins, born in 1840 in Cleveland, Ohio, was a first-generation American. Enlisting in 1862, he served with the 19th Battery, Ohio Light Artillery. He is one of the multitudes of enlisted men whose role in the war would have passed unnoticed if had not been valued and preserved by his descendants. Watkins’ letters and documents, numbering some 400 pieces, and personal items were donated to the University of Tennessee in 1984. Cpl. Watkins’ papers include accounts of the grueling march from Kentucky, the conditions for soldiers in town, the preparations for attack, and his firsthand account of what happened during the battle. They provide a unique perspective on the events here in 1863. Taken in the Oberlin, Ohio studio of A. C. Platt, the portrait shows John Watkins wearing a military jacket.
As an actual participant inside the fort at the time of the assault, John Watkins’ comments are particularly powerful:
“While the shelling was going on the rebels were forming for a charge on the fort and the first our folks new of them they were within 20 yards of the picket line and less then? 300 from the point of the fort. And on they came with a yell 3 columns deep and one in reserve…the rebels came over logs, wire and stumps and planted there colors right on the outer slope of the fort. The slope there is on an angle of 45 degrees and about 20 feet from the top of the work down to the tope? of the ditch… They just piled in there on top of one another dead wounded and dying and living to get away from the fire of our troops.” / “As soon as the firing stopped I went up and got on the parapet to look at them. And such a sight I never saw before nor do I care about seeing again. The ditch in places was almost full of them piled on top of the other… They were brave men. Most of them Georgians. I would give one of the wounded a drink as quick as anybody if I had it. That is about the only think they ask for when first wounded. But at the same time I wished the whole Southern Confederacy was in that ditch in the same predicament.” – Private John Watkins, letter to John Probert, December 15, 1863
After the war, Watkins returned to Ohio, married his fiancée Sarah, and lived out his life as a farmer. He attended Civil War veterans’ functions including a reunion in Knoxville in 1895. He found Fort Sanders much changed due to time and development.
Up Next: It’s Memory Alone Remains
JACKET
1862
Wool and cotton
Gift of Mrs. Curtis W. Haines, 1984
The blue wool jacket features red piping and chevrons on the sleeves. Red was the color of the artillery. Twelve brass spread eagle buttons once closed the front; the top button is missing. Two buttons adorn the collar on each side and two are on each cuff. A chevron on each sleeve indicates the rank of corporal. The jacket is lined with tan cotton twill.
TELESCOPE
Civil War era
Gift of Mrs. Curtis W. Haines, 1984
The small Union field telescope, brass with nickel-plated caps for both ends, has a collapsible, 3-stage pull-out. During the Civil War time period, the French are reputed to have manufactured the best telescopes.
HAT
1862
Felt and leather
Gift of Mrs. Curtis W. Haines, 1984
The brown felt Union army hat with a leather sweatband was well worn by John Watkins. Leather trim edges the brim and encircles the crown. The holes in the crown are for ventilation.