Letter from Massillon, Ohio Mentioning Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Sherman, Richmond.

Outstanding 6-page Civilian Letter from Massillon, Ohio. Much content on the war & politics, mentioning Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Sherman, Richmond, Atlanta, Copperheads 
 
Offered is a lengthy, highly detailed 6-page autograph letter signed by James Weiles (or Welles) of Massillon, Stark County, Ohio, dated August 2, 1864. Written to his nephew (a Union soldier whose address changes frequently), this civilian letter is packed with contemporary commentary on the progress of the Civil War, national politics, military leadership, and local sentiment during one of the most critical periods of the conflict.
The writer discusses:
Lincoln’s call for 500,000 more men and his strong support for a draft (“I want to see a draft”)
Ulysses S. Grant holding the Rebels “before Richmond”
William T. Sherman’s campaign in Georgia, including the recent capture of Atlanta (news received the day before)
Recent Union victories against Rebel raiders in Maryland and defeats of Confederate forces by Generals A.J. Smith, Mower, and Grierson
Strong criticism of Copperheads (Northern Democrats sympathetic to the South), including their failed Niagara Falls peace negotiations with unauthorized Rebel agents
His firm belief that only Grant and Sherman, “backed by the arguments they carry in their hands,” can secure an honorable peace
Local political tensions in Massillon, including threats made against him by a Copperhead for supporting the Union cause
A vivid description of a severe summer drought affecting crops and livestock
His unwavering patriotism: “I am still for my country first, my country last, my country now, my country one, and undivided forever.”
This is an exceptionally content-rich civilian letter from the home front in 1864, written just as Sherman took Atlanta and Grant pressed the siege of Richmond/Petersburg. It offers valuable insight into Northern morale, political divisions, the draft debate, and reactions to major battlefield developments during the presidential election year.
 
Massillon Augt. 2, 1864
Respected Nephew,
Your letter of July 13th is before me, and also the one written at Alexandria, La. The latter of which I answered promptly and mailed it as ordered, but it appears from the lines of your letter that you have not got it. On a former occasion I stated, that you should not delay writing on account of thennon arrival of my letters, you are a trancient character, one time your address another there. be pleased in the future to be mone prompt in writing so that I can hear from you often, for rest assured vour letters are welcome visitors in my familv. I would have written sooner, but was
waiting to learn your address, on last mail I sent you several papers and will send you another by next mail, Old Abraham has called for
500,000 more men to be forth coming by the fifth of Sept. volunt-eering is got out of date in this county, I want to see a drait, - will stand as good a chance as any to draw a Prize, well I would hardly snap my fingers to be exempt for one year,
Uncle Dave writes that he gets to see a great deal, and learn a great deal about sold-iering, i want to see the army increased, so that the advantages already gained by our noble heroes will not be abandoned to the enemy, Grant is holding the Rebs Level before Richmond, while Sherman is picking it to them in Ga. yesterday paper states that the page 3
Federal Army took Atlanta. The Rebs asaulted our lines three times
and was as often repulsed with terrible slauter, while our loss was comparitively small. fardon my digression, - feel Joyiul, the good lord is sending us a refreshing shower to revive vegetation,
the
Earth is parched with summers heat, the corn, potatoes, buck wheat and all vines was about to perish, we have had but one shower to amount to any thing since corn planting, people are drawing water for family use, while stock are put on short allowance. But to resume my subject, the Rebel Raiders had to skedaddle out of Maryland without accomplishing there object, the Rebel forces has been defeated by Gen. A.J.Smith, Mower & Grierson page 4
the enemy loss was 2500 while our loss is less than 300. The Copperheads are making a great ado over the refusaloof Mr. Lincoln to negotiate a treaty of peace with three unauthorized Rebels that met at Niagra Falls for an electioneering trick of the Copperheads of the North and the Southern traitors, the Rebs say themselves they had the authority, but there services were secured by the Copperhead to give color to there peace policy and platform, thus has there bubble bursted. the only commissioners that can successfully treat for peace honorable peace are Grant & Sherman backed by the arguments they carry in there hands, the recent meeting at Atlanta has done much toward a settlement of all differences and I trust the meeting Grant page 5 Massillon Augs. 2, 1864 conta page 5 near the Rebel Capital will conclude a treaty of peace. rejoice at peace on any basis that would preserve the Unt mould Past 30'clock & I must quit writing and go to the school house to hear a Union speech. Have returned to my task, that of finishing my letter. You wanted to know how politics runs in this community, well there is not much said between the two parties, but each party keeps a terrible thinking, and doing all they can to make there favoriate candidate popular, one party look with suspicion upon the other, te anything shoułd is said of anotner character by either party, it is put into a magnifying bottle and shook up untill the explosive ingredient becomes so enlarged that the vessel can no longer contains its previous weight, when it explodes with page 6 terrific violence, filling the whole community with exaggerated reports and results in threats of retaliations towards the offending party, my life has been threatened by a Copperhead who told me that he wouldent care how many of our soldiers got killed. I wouldent care if there was 10,000 got killed today, thats his language, for telling what a Copperhead said, Weiles is to suffer death at the hands of a traitor. Poor miserable dupe is he that makes use of such language about our soldiers who is the life of our Nation. My paper is wasting and I must bring my letter to a close, by assuring you that - an still for my county first, my county last, my county now, my county one, and undivided for ever. We are well, direct to Massillon as I hold the office, your letters will come wright home. Yours in freind-ship, write soon. James Weiles.