Through my work as a volunteer record transcriber at Stones River National Battlefield, I have the opportunity to read insightful primary documents, written both about the battle and by those engaged in the bloody, tumultuous fight. In February 2022, I logged into my email and had a new file to proofread: the diary of 51st Illinois Infantry officer Otis Moody. The 180 page journal--handwritten in Moody's bold, careful script--immediately captivated my interest, transporting me to a different time. Moody's sharp wit was engaging and humorous even 160 years later, and I quickly drew the conclusion that Moody was a creative, contemplative, and Christian soldier whose profound thoughts and ponderings still reverberate from his able pen.
Before we delve into Moody's military service, let's take a quick look at his pre-war years. Otis Moody was born March 23, 1830, to Levi and Mary Moody in Granby, Massachusetts. Moody first showed up by name in the 1850 census, at which time he was twenty years old and living in Granby, Massachusetts, where he worked as a machinist. Moody was the youngest child listed, but also living at home with his parents were five of Moody's older siblings, ranging in age from thirty six to twenty two. By 1855, although he was still living in Massachusetts, it appears Moody (now age twenty five) had moved out of his parent's home and was perhaps residing in a boarding house with other tenants.
In 1860, on the cusp of the Civil War's eruption, Moody had relocated to Chicago, Illinois. The thirty-year-old Moody was boarding with a merchant named George Norton, but also in the Norton home was Moody's older brother, Andrew (age thirty three) and Andrew's wife, Sarah (age twenty eight). Both Otis and Andrew were working as master builders, but they obviously had a bond that went deeper than their shared occupations.
Moody's sister-in-law, Sarah, penned a letter to Moody's friend, Annie Noble, that offers insight into Otis's and Andrew's deep friendship. Sarah wrote:
I used to tell them [Andrew and Otis] when they were both here, what mischief one would not think of the other could, whenever one had started on a forbidden track & I ordered him back all that was needed was a wink or look of approbation (& he was sure to have it too) from the other, & my words were unheeded as the wind. I used to tell them I did not wonder their mother was all broken down having brought up two such unruly boys as they were, such happy times as we did have those days [1]
Although Moody's pre-war years were spent with an adoring older brother and a cozy Lake Michigan-front house that Moody called "one of the most lovely spots in the world," the tumult of the months immediately previous and following Fort Sumter obviously troubled Moody's thoughts [2].
On April 4, 1861, Moody wrote to Noble that he had seen a "most sad and humiliating spectacle" in which African Americans were having to flee, as Moody poetically wrote, "beyond the borders of this boasted land of liberty" [3]. Apparently, the "sudden and unusual exodus" was prompted when fugitive slaves were recaptured and returned to the bonds of the abominable practice [4].
Writing July 25, 1861--just four days after Fort Sumter--Moody's sheer sadness was expressed on the page. He referenced the "terrible and unexpected disaster to our army in Virginia" and said based on his own feelings, he was certain it was "as though the entire weight of the calamity rested upon each one" [5]. Moody's thoughts on the recent defeat were obviously complex. Although Moody did not "doubt God has a purpose in permitting" the loss, he also acknowledged that an introspection of his emotions produced a "wounded national pride" [6].
By August 21, 1861, Moody was already considering joining the military. Initially, he hoped to join the artillery, as he believed not having to participate in guard duty, residing in a more permanent camp, and carrying personal items--plus being more "exciting" and "efficient"--made artillery a better option than the infantry. Despite Moody's initial preference for the artillery, he enlisted in the 51st Illinois Infantry on September 20, 1861. Thus, his experience as a Union soldier began.
During his time in service with the 51st Illinois Infantry, Moody participated in the siege of Corinth, plus the battles of Stones River and Chickamauga. When they weren't engaged in fighting, the 51st Illinois tackled other duties, like reconnaissance missions and guarding railroads [7]. The siege of Corinth occurred early in Moody's military career, giving him and his fellow troops their first chance at seeing any sort of action in the conflict. Unsurprisingly, Moody's diary is full of remarks on Corinth, including rumors of a Confederate evacuation throughout May 1862. Although all of Moody's thoughts and writings about Corinth are fascinating and historically valuable, perhaps most interesting is his mention of the relatively nearby Farmington.
Moody and some of his men had seen "a large pile of coffins" (totaling 1,400), which he later learned--thanks to an African American informant--were made for the "Rebel army at Corinth & they were used as fast as made" [8]. Moody's informant went one step farther in providing details, however; he also noted that if the Union troops had followed up on the Confederate retreat after Shiloh, "they could have taken the place [Corinth] without a struggle" [9].
Moody also journaled after the Battle of Stones River, divulging the many ways the days leading up to the battle had started out negatively for his regiment. For starters, "fires were strictly prohibited," which, given the fact that the battle took place in late December, would have made for miserable camping conditions. Making the 51st Illinois' condition "still worse," they ran out of rations and had no ability to easily gather more. By some "mismanagement" the commissary had brought flour instead of hard tack onto the march. Whether Moody spoke the question aloud is unknown, but in his journal he asked, "what could we do with flour on a march and especially on the battle field?" Still, as Civil War combatants so often were forced to do, they made the best of their situation by mixing up the flour with water, twisting the dough around either ramrods or sticks, and then baking "it in the ashes" [10].
Moody was blessed in managing to survive the Battle of Stones River without receiving any wounds. His main "individual losses" included losing a rubber coat (which he valued at $10), a blanket (worth $5 or $6), a haversack ($5 value), as well as his "Diary which I would give ten dollar to get back" [11]. The fact that Moody apparently lost his diary--yet a diary still survives--is indicative that perhaps he had kept more than one journal while in service. Either that, or it had somehow at a later date been found and returned to him.
Throughout the war, although Moody didn't participate in these engagements, the 51st Illinois Infantry fought at other costly battles, including Resaca, Franklin, Nashville, and more.
Now that we've discussed Moody's early life and some of the battles he participated in, let's examine the social aspect of this Civil War soldier's life: his creativity. Moody obviously had a creative writing inclination, based on his flowery, vivid descriptions. Once, Moody described the "glorious panorama of the sky which seemed to exceed everything of the kind" he'd ever witnessed.
Going a step further, he wrote how he could sit for hours, watching "the varying, shifting clouds so pure & white, as they roll up their fleecy manes against the deep blue sky." Per Moody, these clouds were constantly "taking on some new form," yet it was "so gradually as scarcely to be perceptable [sic]" [12]. While Moody's cloud descriptions certainly illustrate a creativity when relaying details about what some may consider mundane subjects, his passion for watching these shape-shifting fluffs of nature shows that well before he was a "hardened" soldier, he was a creative civilian.
Moody was also concerned with yet another piece of wilderness that embodies the creative and soft side of his nature: flowers. Writing in his diary, he mentions how he "confiscated a beautiful rose, from one of the gardens we passed." Rather than being satisfied with a single rose, Moody decided to pick some wild flowers by the road side, in order to create "quite a May day collection" [13]. This incident wasn't isolated, as Moody at other times on the march "gathered wild flowers," some of which he found to be "very pretty specimens" [14]. Weaving together his passion for the outdoors and his apparent knack for creative writing, he mentioned his sleeping conditions one evening, in which he had "a fine tree furnishing [as a] head board & canopy" [15].
Besides being creative in his thoughts and descriptions regarding everyday life, Moody was also contemplative when he surveyed the world around him. In his diary, he mentioned an old bridge that his soldiers were forced to traverse one day and how "each man, providing himself with a long staff," worked to "preserve his equilibrium." In Moody's mind, the long line of men--with knapsacks and accouterments "strapped upon their backs"--nearly resembled the march of ancient Israelites, "pictured with staff in hand." Moody observed that a few soldiers, rather than using the bridge, "tried to cross on trunks of trees which had been felled across the stream." These trunks were undoubtedly precarious and perhaps slippery, as one soldier lost his balance and "fell over backwards into the stream." His gun, knapsack, cartridge box, and other supplies made the soggy trip with him. Moody wrote that the troops "set up a shout of laughter, according to the custom of men to rejoice at the misfortune of others" [16]. Moody's acknowledgement of human nature, and the fact that the troubles of others sometimes brings joy to onlookers, shows that he was both astute and insightful.
Just as Moody carefully observed soldiers crossing a stream, so too did he contemplate about the towns he passed through. Writing about Danville, Mississippi--the "first inhabited village" he'd seen since leaving the Tennessee River--Moody noticed that the fifteen or twenty "very plain wooden structures" were likely "the homes of very plain people." Passing through Danville on a Sunday, Moody acknowledged the opportunity to see the humanity and "make up of the town." He wrote that those "of Ebony hue were attired in their Sunday clothes" and looked "respectable," while some of the White residents were "very well dressed." Ever watchful, a "family of children particularly took [Moody's] eye." The girls standing in front of their house were about eight and ten years old and "very pretty looking & prettily dressed." The scene drew Moody's mind back to reflect on the "similar bright faces" in his own Sunday school--he wondered "if these little girls enjoyed any such privileges." Moody had wanted to stop and speak with them, but the break of military decorum and the "unsoldierly procedure" barred him from doing so.
During this same trip, a corporal whom Moody had paid to track down milk ended up being invited into a home for supper. There, the corporal enjoyed ham, eggs, coffee with sugar, cornbread, and milk. Rather than joining in with the lavishness, Moody dined on "plain coffee and hard bread" because of his firm belief that "an Officers place is with his men" [17]. Moody's thoughts on human nature, on the towns he visited, and on how an officer should conduct himself all illustrate that he was a deep thinker on a variety of topics.
While Moody was undoubtedly creative and thoughtful, it's also apparent within his writing that he had a strong Christian faith. In a letter to Noble, Moody mentioned a time in which he gathered with a Tennessee family. While there, he witnessed the family worshipping and singing hymns which, to him, was like "a “foretaste of heaven” after living “among heathen for so long a time" [18]. The "heathen" that Moody mentioned could be in reference to ungodly soldiers within his regiment, or it perhaps alluded to Confederate sympathizers throughout the South.
In that same letter, Moody mentioned that prayer, specifically group prayer and praying aloud, was "not generally natural or easy" for him. However, he was obviously interested in growing his faith and prayer abilities. Moody ultimately concluded that group prayer is “a matter of practice” and “the more we engage” in prayer groups, the “less reluctance we shall experience in doing so" [19].
Perhaps one of the most impactful and faith-mature statements Moody made was found in his journal. In a time when life was so uncertain--when death lurked in every corner, from either shot and shell or disease--Moody made a bold profession of faith and trust in God. He wrote: "But God knows what is for the best & I need not trouble myself in regard to the future." Within both his diary and letters, Moody exhibits his faith in a raw, honest way.
Although Otis Moody's and Annie Noble's friendship--based on their letters--had it's fair share of ups and downs, the two continued their correspondences throughout the war, just as Moody penned in his diary until September 18, 1863. When the 51st Illinois Infantry fought at the Battle of Chickamauga, Moody was mortally wounded in the abdomen. His friend, Lewis Hanback (27th Illinois Infantry), transported him to a makeshift-hospital and stayed with Moody until death claimed him on September 20, 1863 [20]. Based on Sarah Moody's correspondences with Noble after Moody's death, the loss was debilitating to the family. In his will, Moody bequeathed his property and belongings to his sister Mercy and brother Andrew, except for his pocket testament, which was to be given to Noble. Even in his last will and testament, creative, contemplative, and faith-filled Moody did "freely testify to the blessedness of the Christian Faith" [21]. Otis Moody's final resting place is Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Bibliography
[1] Sarah Moody to Annie F. Noble, May 13, 1862, Otis Moody Letters, Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/collection/p16089coll38/id/3618/rec/1.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Otis Moody to Annie F. Noble, April 4, 1861, Otis Moody Letters, Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/collection/p16089coll38/id/3420/rec/1.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Otis Moody to Annie F. Noble, July 25, 1861, Otis Moody Letters, Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/collection/p16089coll38/id/3433/rec/1.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Otis Moody Diary, April 7, 1862, Stones River National Battlefield, https://www.nps.gov/stri/learn/historyculture/regfillinois.htm.
[8] Ibid., April 14, 1862.
[9] Ibid., April 20, 1862.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid., May 23, 1862.
[13] Ibid., May 1, 1862.
[14] Ibid., April 27, 1862.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid.
[17] Ibid., June 1, 1862.
[18] Otis Moody to Annie F. Noble, December 22, 1862, Otis Moody Letters, Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/collection/p16089coll38/id/3486.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Jane E. Gastineau, "Otis Moody - Annie F. Noble Collection," Lincoln Library, https://archive.org/details/otismoodyanniefngast/page/1/mode/2up.
[21] Otis Moody Will, Stones River National Battlefield, https://www.nps.gov/stri/learn/historyculture/regfillinois.htm.
About the Author: Kassidy Cobb holds a B.S. in History/Creative Writing (2024) and is actively pursuing her M.A. in History (2026). Her efforts to preserve the past have been recognized by Congress, DAR, SAR, SUVCW, DUVCW, and more. Kassidy first became obsessed with history in eighth grade through a unit on the American Civil War. She began researching her family's heritage and discovered that she is a direct descendant of eleven Civil War veterans, ranging from an "excellent soldier" and Andersonville Prisoner of War to a "patriotic Kentuckian" and United States Colored Infantry soldier. Kassidy is passionate about sharing the stories of United States veterans, specifically those who fought in the Civil War. When Kassidy isn't busy giving historical presentations, preserving cemeteries, volunteer record transcribing for NPS, or researching her family's past, you'll find her antique collecting, studying her Bible, reading, strength training, and enjoying nature on her family's farm where pets outnumber people. Find out more about her by heading to her website, History for the Ages.
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