THE CIVIL WAR JOURNAL OF ANDREW JACKSON NICKELL

"TO HIS BELOVED WIFE
AND CHILDREN"

THE CIVIL WAR JOURNAL OF
ANDREW JACKSON NICKELL
(1828-1863)

(Please scroll down to view the Andrew Jackson Nickell Web Site)

Updated November 12, 2011

IN LOVING TRIBUTE

My dear father passed September 23, 2009. He was the great-grandson of Civil War Andrew Jackson Nickell and the custodian of Andrew's Civil War letters. My father enjoyed a full and successful life of 88 years. He was a human resources professional, and a veteran of both WWII and the Korean War. Most importantly he had a strong Christian faith, and was a wonderful father and husband. He was truly a great man, and I miss him very much.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN QUOTATIONS: THOUGHTS & WISDOM

"I don't believe in a law to prevent a man from getting rich.
It would do more harm than good." (Abraham Lincoln)

"Populists patronize the poor by pandering to them." (Abraham Lincoln)

"A man is known by the company he keeps." (Abraham Lincoln)

Lincoln held ten clear political beliefs we would do well to adopt today...

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

You cannot further brotherhood of men by inciting class hatred.

You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative.

You cannot really help men by having the government tax them
to do for them what they can and should do for themselves.

"The problem with socialism is sooner or later you run out of other people's money!"
(Margret Thatcher)

ANDREW JACKSON
NICKELL
114th OHIO VOL. INF.

ANDREW'S TOMBSTONE
MOUNDS NATIONAL
MIL. CEMETERY (IL)

WHO WAS ANDREW JACKSON NICKELL?

Andrew Jackson Nickell was my 2x-great-grandfather. Andrew proudly served with the 114th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.), Company E during the Civil War. In his service with the Federal cause, Andrew participated in the Vicksburg Campaign and the Siege of Vicksburg. Andrew "put off this mortal life" aboard the Federal hospital ship U.S.S. January on June 16, 1863 just eighteen days before the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. Left behind was his wife, Isabel Ramey Nickell and three (soon to be four) young children. Their oldest child, Elias Dolison "Doc" Nickell (1857-1935) was my great-grandfather.

Isabelle "Belle" saved roughly thirty letters written by Andrew during his service as a Federal soldier. For over 148 years, my Nickell family has carefully preserved Andrew's letters that are now in my custodianship. These priceless letters represent a Federal soldier's first person account or Civil War Journal. This web site is created as a tribute to Andrew Jackson Nickell, and to the memory of all Civil War veterans both Union and Confederate. These letters are also available in a comb-bound interpretive and narrative book available for distribution.

Andrew was the fifth generation of the Scots-Irish Nickell's in America. Andrew's first American ancestor was "Papa John" Nickell who emigrated from County Tyrone (Northern) Ireland (near Gortin) in the 1740's, settling in Virginia's rugged western frontier in what later became Greenbrier and Monroe Counties of West Virginia. Two of Andrew's ancestors, his great-grandfather, Thomas Nickell and a 2x-great uncle, Isaac Nickell, served as guides in Lord Dunmore's War and at the Battle of Point Pleasant. Their younger brother Joseph Nickell was an active combatant in the Battle. This engagement of the American Revolution served to end Indian resistance along the colonial frontier and into southern Ohio.

Andrew's parents, Robert and Nancy Ann Morehead Nickell were born and raised in the rugged frontier region of (West) Virginia. They relocated to Jackson County, Ohio soon after the opening of the Northwest Territories in the 1820's. Robert and Nancy Ann purchased eighty acres of land in Richland Township, and in 1850 this land became part of Vinton County, Ohio. This land remains in one line of the Nickell family today.

Andrew was born in 1828 and raised in Richland Township, Vinton County, Ohio. Andrew and Isabel were married November 1856. Sometime after the birth of their first child in 1857 (Elias Dolison "Doc" Nickell, my great-grandfather) and prior to the Civil War they left their native Vinton County and relocated two counties west to Pickaway County, Ohio, south of Columbus. Family legend suggests that while Andrew and his two older brothers, John Francis Nickell (1822-1880) and Robert Calvary Nickell/Nickle* (1826-1892), enlisted to support the Union, their father, Robert, remained sympathetic to the Southern cause.

Andrew's letters to Isabel have been divided into seven chronological themes, and presented below as chapters. Three additional chapters are included to provide supplemental interpretive information.

* Andrew's older brother Robert Calvary Nickell/Nickle moved to Madison County, Iowa before the Civil War around 1850. Robert enlisted in the 39th Iowa Infantry, Company F, holding the rank of Sergeant. Andrew and Isabel must have thought well of Robert Calvary, as they named their second son Robert Calvary as well (younger brother to my Elias "Doc" Nickell).

114th O.V.I MONUMENT
AT VICKSBURG N.M.P.

"TO HIS BELOVED WIFE AND CHILDREN"
THE CIVIL WAR JOURNAL OF ANDREW JACKSON NICKELL
(Please click on any link below to read letters from Andrew’s "Civil War Journal")

I. Andrew Becomes A Soldier:
One of the best there ever was! (9/17/1862-11/17/1862)

II. Headed South:
They are tearing up notes. (12/1/1862-12/21/1862)

III. The First Fights:
On to Vicksburg! (1/13/1863-2/15/1863)

IV. Laying In Camp:
Too low and swampy. (2/23/1863-2/27/1863)
Please note: Letter #14 - 2/27/1863 is an historically informational letter!

V. Milliken's Bend:
Not so wet as Young's Point. (3/19/1863-4/1/1863)

VI. Last Letters:
The diarrhea makes me feel weak. (4/7/1863-4/13/1863)

VII. Captain Abraham:
Put off this mortal life. (7/12/1863-8/26/1863)

VIII. From An Unknown Writer:
Anxious to get north.

IX. Epilogue:
The 114th O.V.I.; Isabella Ramey Nickell.

X. Honoring Other Civil War Ancestors:
John Ogan (56th OH); Edward Culver (133rd IL); Robert E. Lee (Army of Northern VA)

* No revisionist history! The above are links to actual journal letters,
transcribed exactly as written by Andrew Jackson Nickell, a Federal
Civil War soldier from southern Ohio and active Vicksburg combatant.
Hope that you enjoy this site! Please visit often. (Updated 11/12/2011).

Text from these letters/chapters/pages may not be
copied, used or reprinted without written permission.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
1860 - SPGFLD, IL

As a native of Springfield, Illinois and an Eagle Scout from the Abraham Lincoln Council, I grew up in Mr. Lincoln's hometown. This central Illinois community remains rich in Lincoln heritage. In Springfield I developed a strong interest in Lincoln and the Civil War. Here are a few of my favorite Lincoln and Civil War web sites:

A. Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum (ALPLM)-A Must See!

Lincoln Home NHS Homepage

Springfield, IL - The Land of Lincoln - "Virtual Reality"

The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln Assassination - Fascinating accounts!

Abraham Lincoln Online

Ohio in the Civil War - An informational resource!

Diaries of Elias D. Moore - A tribute to Andrew's 114th OVI!

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)

O Captain! My Captain! - Walt Whitman's Tribute to the Fallen President

Oliver Belden Culver, Abolitionist and Pioneer Farmer in Illinois

Abraham Lincoln Council -- B.S.A. (Eagle Class of 1972)