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- 1. Note on the TranscriptionsFor a semi-educated farmer, Jacob was an extraordinary writer. His writing skills improved through theContinue reading “1. Note on the Transcriptions”
- 2. A Call to Arms – Letter 1Jacob left home for war at the age of 29 in August of 1862 and reportedContinue reading “2. A Call to Arms – Letter 1”
- 3. Shively Presentation & Transcript – Recorded in March of 2021 on my most recent deploymentMeet Jacob. Jacob is my 5th Great Grandfather’s Nephew. This is a photograph he hadContinue reading “3. Shively Presentation & Transcript – Recorded in March of 2021 on my most recent deployment”
- 4. Letter 2 – From Mary to Jacob (31 August, 1862)Mary wrote letters to Jacob – though not as many as he would have liked. I have seven of her letters – this is the only one that has survived (to my knowledge) from before 1865.
- 5. Letter 3 – Jacob to “Sir” and MaryJacob’s Regiment, the 89th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was officially mustered into service on 29 August,Continue reading “5. Letter 3 – Jacob to “Sir” and Mary”
- 6. To the Defense of CincinattiThis is Jacob’s first numbered letter, consisting of several sheets over several days. This letterContinue reading “6. To the Defense of Cincinatti”
- 7. Some Background – Jacob, the 89th and the lettersI still pinch myself at my good fortune – not just in having access toContinue reading “7. Some Background – Jacob, the 89th and the letters”
- 8. Letter to Mary from Camp King, Ky – 7 Sept, 1862“…yet it is true we have comparatively seen nothing to what I expect to ereContinue reading “8. Letter to Mary from Camp King, Ky – 7 Sept, 1862”
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- 10. Letter to Mary from Licking Battery, Kentucky – 13 Sept, 1862OF NOTE Jacob has only been gone for a few weeks and he’s starting toContinue reading “10. Letter to Mary from Licking Battery, Kentucky – 13 Sept, 1862”
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- 9. Jacob’s Journeys – a brief travel logJacob’s war experiences began in 1862 and continued through the war’s end in 1865. HisContinue reading “9. Jacob’s Journeys – a brief travel log”
- 11. Letter to Mary from Licking Battery, KY – (Numbered 4), 14 Sept, 1862OF MARTIN AND MARY WRIGHT Jacob married Mary Wright on 23 August 1855. I think,Continue reading “11. Letter to Mary from Licking Battery, KY – (Numbered 4), 14 Sept, 1862”
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- 12. Letter to Mary from Camp Shailer, Covington, Ky – (Numbered 5) 18 Sept, 1862OF NOTE: Colonel John H. Marshall of the 89th was not long to be inContinue reading “12. Letter to Mary from Camp Shailer, Covington, Ky – (Numbered 5) 18 Sept, 1862”
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- 13. Letter to Mary – Published in Pat Medert’s “Dear Companion” – 21 Sept, 1862THE OTHER COLLECTION: Pat Medert published a fantastic spiral bound booklet on Jacob and theContinue reading “13. Letter to Mary – Published in Pat Medert’s “Dear Companion” – 21 Sept, 1862″
- 14. Letter to Mary – Published in Pat Medert’s “Dear Companion” – 28 Sept, 1862The last letter we’ve got from Jacob to Mary was on the 21st. This isContinue reading “14. Letter to Mary – Published in Pat Medert’s “Dear Companion” – 28 Sept, 1862″
- A REVIEW: A Worse Place Than HellMatteson, John. A Worse Place Than Hell: How the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg ChangedContinue reading “A REVIEW: A Worse Place Than Hell”
- Postbellum Coffee and Tea Consumption in the United StatesCoffee was not always ubiquitous in the United States. In 1790, the U.S. imported 4Continue reading “Postbellum Coffee and Tea Consumption in the United States”
- Nashville’s Maxwell House & Joel Cheek’s Coffee EmpireMy ancestor, Jacob Shively, arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on 7 March 1863, with a groupContinue reading “Nashville’s Maxwell House & Joel Cheek’s Coffee Empire”
- Fort Mitchell, Kentucky – 5 Sept, 1862Sept 5, 1862 I was not a little surprised yesterday whilst writing to hear theContinue reading “Fort Mitchell, Kentucky – 5 Sept, 1862”
- Kanawah Falls – 5 Nov, 1862Gauley, Fayette Co, VA, Nov the 5th 1862Dear Mary,I have not heard from you sinceContinue reading “Kanawah Falls – 5 Nov, 1862”
- General Hospital, Gallipolis Ohio – Jan 1863General Hospital, Gallipolis Jan 31st 1863Dear Wife, I have just received your kind letter of ThursdayContinue reading “General Hospital, Gallipolis Ohio – Jan 1863”
- Jacob’s Visit to Maxwell House (aka, Zollicoffer Barracks) – Nashville, TennesseeBarracks No. 1. Nashville, TennMar 13, 1863Dear Wife As I have but little else toContinue reading “Jacob’s Visit to Maxwell House (aka, Zollicoffer Barracks) – Nashville, Tennessee”
- Tullahoma Campaign – Taking Middle Tennessee.Camp in the Mid Tenn.July 5th 1863Dear Companion I received your letter of the 26thContinue reading “Tullahoma Campaign – Taking Middle Tennessee.”
- Chickamauga – Jacob’s Regiment is nearly destroyedChattanooga, Tenn.Sept the 30th 1863Dear Companion and friends, (Chickamauga) I wrote you a letter aContinue reading “Chickamauga – Jacob’s Regiment is nearly destroyed”
- Missionary Ridge – The Tide TurnsThe Following is published in Patricia Fife Medert’s Dear Companion… Yours untill death, her transcriptionsContinue reading “Missionary Ridge – The Tide Turns”
- Rocky Face Ridge – One of Jake’s Roughest DaysThis letter is heavily damaged, and sections are unreadable, but it contains my favorite vignetteContinue reading “Rocky Face Ridge – One of Jake’s Roughest Days”
- Kennesaw Mountain – The death of a friend“Dear Wife, I am pained to give you and the friends at home the sadContinue reading “Kennesaw Mountain – The death of a friend”
- A Letter from Chaplain James Sargent to Jacob Shively during the Atlanta CampaignJames Sargent served briefly as the chaplain for the 59th O.V.I. in which his 19Continue reading “A Letter from Chaplain James Sargent to Jacob Shively during the Atlanta Campaign”
- Marching Through Georgia – Jacob’s perspectiveJacob sandwiches his observations on the actions of the Army between botanical notes and aContinue reading “Marching Through Georgia – Jacob’s perspective”
- Lincoln’s Christmas Present from Sherman – SavanahSavanah was not just a Christmas Present for Lincoln – it was also a welcomeContinue reading “Lincoln’s Christmas Present from Sherman – Savanah”
- Grand Review and Touring D.C.Cp of the 89th OVI Near Washington D.C. May 27th, 1865Dear Mary Once more I attemptContinue reading “Grand Review and Touring D.C.”
- An Interactive Shively ExperienceClick Here for a Multi-Media Experience I recently built that will allow you to followContinue reading “An Interactive Shively Experience”
- The Efficacy of the Civil War Chaplaincy:Fifth Wheel or Godsend? Sergeant George W. Maret, with little else to do on aContinue reading “The Efficacy of the Civil War Chaplaincy:”
“I have often heard it said that no pen could describe the battlefield in time of action. And I can now say I have experienced it and I know one cannot have an idea scarcely of a battle unless they have seen one. A thousand thunders are not equal to the sound – and the shouts of the charging columns, the shrieks and groans of the dying and wounded – it appears like they will never cease to ring in my ears.”
Jacob to his wife after the battle of Chickamauga in September of 1863
I hate war.
In October 2020, I kissed my wife and kids goodbye for six months.
It wasn’t our first rodeo – so it wasn’t as difficult to get our “stuff” together. While we’ve found each time of war-induced separation to be unique, some things are the same – we signed newly minted powers of attorney, and I made sure my wife had ready access to important documents. The day before I left, I discretely pointed out the location of my Last Will & Testament – I think my exact words were, “And there’s that” (there’s no good way to remind your wife of the location of your Will as you leave for the Middle East).
I’m a chaplain – representing divinity in the midst of a system that alternatively represents man’s worst and best (killing and self-sacrifice). I live, eat, and sleep with warriors while deployed. I ensure the free-exercise of religion for our nation’s warriors so that they might be better fit to fight. I don’t pick up a gun, but I do pick up Airmen and point them towards hope in times of darkness. I increase their lethality by helping them deal with their morality and mortality (among other things).
It’s not a sterile job. Jacob saw more death and carnage than I have, but I’ve seen more than my share. I know night terrors; there is no delete button for the smell of human decay and the sight of mangled remains of war dead. I walked out of the front door of Air Force Mortuary Affairs for what I hoped was the last time years ago, but I’m still on my journey home from that experience.
Jacob found me when I needed him, 107 years after he died. I began transcribing his letters in earnest in 2017 and have worked steadily on reconstructing his story ever since.
Jacob buried his sister’s brother-in-law, Levi Henness (37 years old) outside of Marietta, Georgia on 20 July, 1864 during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. He saw Levi die. The musket ball that killed Levi entered his face and lodged in the back of his head. Levi’s last word was, “Oh.” During the impromptu battlefield burial that followed, the presiding chaplain (Chaplain Shinn) was struck in the foot with a spent round. The burial continued. Sometimes I feel similar to Jacob’s chaplain at that burial – an observer who is not just touched, but struck in ways others aren’t.
My kids giggle and roll their eyes when I tell the Shively story to yet another person. One of my children has a running tally on the number of times I say his name. But that’s OK. His story has been a healing balm for my own internal wounds.
After Jacob’s unit was decimated at Chickamauga he wrote to his wife, Mary, “I have often heard it said that no pen could describe the battlefield in time of action. And I can now say I have experienced it and I know one cannot have an idea scarcely of a battle unless they have seen one. A thousand thunders are not equal to the sound – and the shouts of the charging columns, the shrieks and groans of the dying and wounded – it appears like they will never cease to ring in my ears.”
I’m quite sure they never did.
I’m only midway through my military career and have already taken some “soul wounds” – and I’d be naive if I don’t expect more to come. I hate war, but I love serving our warriors. The pain is worth the joys and opportunities. I’m so thankful I haven’t had to walk this journey alone. I’ve always been surrounded by my faith community, family, friends, and God’s unrelenting love. More recently, Jacob has joined me on my journey.
Jacob lived a full life after the war. He channeled his energy into his family, farm, church, and committees that constructed memorials for his comrades-in-arms who didn’t return home. I’m forever in the debt of family members who have safeguarded these amazing letters over the last 155 years. These letters, along with the pieces of his story I’ve been able to resurrect from the obscurity of the years through other resources, provide a vivid reminder of the humanity of our warriors. Jacob’s writings also prove that each of our nation’s war-wounded can find hope and healing from the thousand thunders that ring in their ears long after the noise of war has ceased.
-Chaplain Kevin Hostettler, 15 August, 2021
A Thousand Thunders 