Marcus S. Nelson

Born: 1843
Died: 04 October 1862 at Corinth MS. Age 19.
Burial: Hill Cemetery, Lawton, Van Buren County, MI
Occupation:
Military: Civil War – Birge’s Sharpshooters. Killed in action.

Primary Sources

• 25 – Letter written by Marcus’ cousin Willard E.
• 26 – Letter written by Marcus’ sister Helen E.
• 27 – Letter written by Marcus’ sister Valeria L.
• 84 – Pittsburg Landing by Marcus S. Nelson
• 177 – Letter written by Marcus’ mother Nancy J.
• All sources that reference Marcus S. Nelson

Battle of Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing: April 6-7, 1862

Up to this point, the Battle of Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing was the costliest battle in American history. In just two days, there were a staggering 23,746 total casualties (Union: 13,047; Confederate: 10,699). The psychological damage surfaced throughout the poetry penned by Marcus S. Nelson just a short time before his own demise. (Pittsburg Landing at right)

Battle of Corinth: October 3-4, 1862

Birge’s Western Sharpshooters played a critical and highly specialized role in the Second Battle of Corinth, October 3-4, 1862 (Corinth, MS).

On the morning of October 4, Nelson and his Company D were deployed in the woods and along the railroad approach to the town. Their objective was to harass the advancing Confederate columns under Sterling Price. 

As the Confederate forces surged toward the inner Union works, the sharpshooters fell back while maintaining a constant fire. Nelson’s unit was positioned near Battery Robinett where they provided critical cover fire during the intense Confederate charges on the redoubt. 

Fallen Soldier: Marcus S. Nelson

October 13, 1862 – Cousin Hannah: I sometimes think a soldier’s duty is one of the most burdensome of all duties; but I am about to perform a duty now that is painful in the extreme. I suppose you have heard before this of the great battle at Corinth. Marcus and myself was in the thickest of the fight; we fought as if our beloved Country depended upon our exertion. After hours of hard fighting we succeeded in driving the rebels from the Town. I was among the first who followed up the retreating rebels across the battle field. I found Marcus stretched upon the ground, he had received a mortal wound. The ball entered his head at the top and lodged. I helped bare him to an ambulance; I shed a tear on his memory, that one so brave should fall. I could not leave the field and I have not seen him since, and I suppose he is now numbered among the Cold Clods of the Valley. – Willard E. Nelson (cousin to Marcus)

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Nelson Family Mourns

30 November 1862
Home Springport, Michigan

Dear Aunt:
Since last I wrote to you change after change has taken place, and tonight I am seated by my brothers little stand trying to write to you. Excuse me for not writing to you before, for after I heard that Marcus had enlisted I felt as though I could write to no one else, my mind was so absorbed in thoughts of him both day and night. I could not possibly compose myself to write, but now I am alone, no welcome letters shall I again receive from him for he is gone perhaps forever. God alone knows and into his hands do I commit him. Sad indeed is my heart tonight. Today father got a letter from Leut. Lusk Commanding Co D. Western Sharp Shooters. He writes that he found Marcus severely wounded in the head by a musket ball. He wished to put him in an ambulance but the driver refused as there was no hope of his recovery, however the Leut. insisted on his being placed there saying that where there was life there was hope. He then, assisted by others, put him in the ambulance and started him for the hospital. The next day the Leut. with a company of his men went in search of him. They searched every hospital in and around Corinth and could neither find nor hear any thing from him and he says there is no doubt in his mind but what he is dead and that he died the day he was wounded which was the 4th. I cannot see as there is much chance for hope, yet I have not given him up. You say aunt there is no use of weeping. I was the only one that wept, not when the intelligence first came, my faith in God was so strong I felt that it could not be so and not until we received your letter could I bring myself to believe it possible then I thought it certain and wept for a little season but then I thought as you say that weeping would do no good. I felt that there were others left who needed my care and attention and that even though he was taken from us that he was better off than those who were left behind and that we had better rejoice than weep for him as we had every reason to believe that he was an heir to the throne of grace and that he was singing the new song in that bright and beautiful home to which we are all journeying there with those loved brothers to welcome us an unbroke family to our never ending home there to sing praises to God forever and ever. I am reconciled to God’s will whatever it may be. For I know that he is watching over him if he is alive and still on earth and that he will raise him up to glorify him both in this world and in the world to come, but I must close. Remember me to God and may his blessings rest upon you and all that trust in him. with much love I remain as ever your affectionate niece. Nellie

Helen E. Nelson (age 16)
Otter Creek
Jackson Co, MI

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02 December 1862
Springport

Dear Aunt:
I thank God for loving friends; my words comforted you, and yours in turn gave me comfort. Hope had well nigh died in my heart, it seemed as though light would never come. Your letter was as a gleam of sunshine as Nellie said. And that sweet little poem is a treasure. Oh! is it not a blessing that the thoughts of one heart, will meet the wants, and give joy to another.

I have been burdened with the care of unraveling the mystery which hangs over my brother’s fate. I felt that I could not rest until I had searched out the matter. But God has shown me that it is his will I should leave the matter with him. And there I have left it trusting him for the result. Knowing that his name shall be glorified and that is enough. Marcus wrote us a letter on a sheet of paper which you sent him. He said in the letter, keep it till I come home, for I wish to preserve it as a momento of Aunt Hannah’s kindness. Need I say it is preserved. I must close to leave space for mother.

Your neice Valeria (age 25)

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December 13, 1863
Lawrence

Dear Brother, [John F. Draper]
I once more seat myself to write a few lines to let you know our whereabouts and how we are getting on, our healths are about as usual. We have hired a house in the village for this winter, but Moses is going to buy forty acres somewhere in the vicinity, good land can be got within three or four miles, for from 8 to 10$ per acre and so well timbered that the tiber will pay for the land. Lumber is high. I should like to have you see some of the Black Walnut Moses helped cut one the other day that was 8 foot across. One of the men wished he had the stump home for a hog pen, now is the time to get a farm here and get it cheap. I wish you could sell your property there and buy here you could just as well have forty acres of land for what you could get for your property there and not be harassed as you are, they think this lace will be the county seat, Paw Paw is the present county seat, but it is not as good a place as here, here is the best sugar bushes here that you ever seen. I never saw timber in any country taper so little as it does here. It runs up 40 or 50 feet just as large as it is at the ground before you come to limbs, it is healthy here as in any place the land is generally well watered. Now about Willard. We wrote to the Captain to investigate the matter privately if he could publicly if he must he has had a private investigation and proved that he sold the watch for $30 as we were informed and a blows for $2, and a few other trinkets he calls them to the Captain, but such we did not consider them, we have his gold pen since the investigation. He (Willard) gave it to the Captain to send to us, the other day we learned from the Lieutenant who commanded the company at the battle and was not far off when Marcus fell, Willard saw him first and came running to him and said Marcus was dead. He told him if he was dead to take whatever he had about him that was valuable as they should be obligated to leave him. Willard started back to where he lay and the Lieutenant followed when he got there he found he was not dead. He raised him up, put his canteen to his mouth and he drank heartily. He ordered an ambulance and had him put on and told the driver to carry him to the general hospital, he had to go the next day in pursuit of the enemy as he was the only commissioned officer present and left Willard to find Marcus and learn his fate, that was all he cold even learn about him, he did not record him among the list of dead for some months, but among the missing for he thought at the time he was stoned by the ball and could be saved by having immediate attention as the ball had lodged he says. Willard had all his effects, whatever they were. He took all that was about his person, but what it was he cold not tell. Willard pretend his manuscript is lost and wherefore I cannot tell, it is of little value to others, but prized by us above gold. He certainly must have had it for he has owned he had his writing the Lieutenant says Marcus had an overcoat and blanket but as to his other clothing he did not know what it was, he knew Willard was a relative and did not take an inventory. Willard has sent home a box of things lately and among them an overcoat, that one of our neighbors says from the description given him of it by one from that company he has no doubt but it was Marcus’, but Willard pretends he had none the poetry we send in this to you was some from his manuscript a soldier wrote it from his book a few days before the battle, but Marcus had written it to us himself the summer before he died if he be dead which I suppose must be so. I wish you would copy it for Hannah, I intended to have had it sent to you before now, we intend to try and get his Ms if it is possible if we have to order a public trial but whether we shall succeed or not God only knows.

Write to us, Brother, as often as you can for you must know we have not a very pleasant time in feriting out this matter, but the truth must come whether it makes friends or foes. Address Lawrence, Van Buren Co, Mich. – Nancy J. Nelson

Pittsburgh Landing by Marcus S. Nelson
Oh ‘tis beautiful, ‘tis beautiful
The noble Tennessee
Where it winds among the woodlands
And along the flowing lea;
But the blood of martyred patriots
Has dyed its waters red
Where it sweeps by bloody Pittsburgh
Dark Pittsburgh where they bled.

Twas a fearful scene of carnage
Where the opposing armies stood
Each resolved to win the victory
Or to drench the field with blood
And they fought with desperate valor
Those union soldiers brave
And full many fell at Pittsburgh
At Pittsburgh found a grave.

Where they rest in peaceful slumber
Beneath the traitors soil
Their battles all forgotten
Secure from care and toil.
But full many hearts are mourning
In their distant northern homes
For those who died at Pittsburgh
But bravely met their doom.

In full splendor broke the sunrise
On the fatal Sabbath morn
But its light was soon extinguished
By the rising battle storm.
Then the cannon loudly thundered
And bullets whistled past
And the ground red at Pittsburgh
With the life tide flowing fast.

Bravely fought our patriot soldiers
Firm they met the rebel hosts
But their forces was far outnumbered
And alas the day was lost
Stretched upon that field at sunset
Thousands slept in calm repose
Slept in peace at bloody Pittsburgh
Undistinguished - friends and foes.

That night on the field of battle
Those hostile forces lay
Prepared to renew the contest
By the mornings earliest ray;
Then again the smoke of conflict
Rolled fiercely over the field
And before our fire at Pittsburgh
The traitors ? phalanx reeled.

Awhile the rebels columns
Unbroken - firmly stood
Till their ranks were thinned with carnage
And the soil was red with blood
Then they willingly retreated
From the fray themselves had sought
And we conquered there at Pittsburgh
Though twas victory dearly bought.

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Copied by Francis M Jones - a few days before the author’s death - from the original manuscript; who belonged to the same mess with young Nelson.