(1833 – 1899) Career U.S. Army officer who rose through the ranks as an artillery commander and staff officer, becoming a brigadier general. Turner took a prominent part in the Appomattox Campaign and early in Congressional Reconstruction was responsible for forces occupying the Department of Virginia. Lengthy, fine content war-date A.L.S., 8pp. 8vo., Tipton, MS, Oct. 14, 1861, to an unnamed female correspondent. In small part: ‘My dear Madam, Once more in camp in the ‘tented field’, There was a time in my earlier experience with ‘Charley Omalley’, ‘Tom Burke of Ours’ when these words exercised a potent influence over my impulses, nothing could arrest my attention like the above works or of like character, or some expedition to our western wilds, Many and many is the time I have longed, when a boy just old enough to mount my horse, to ramble off with some experienced guide to the unknown regions beyond the Rocky Mountains. Little did I realize then that I should so early have passed through it all, seen it all, Life in the ‘wild where rolls the Oregon’ comprises all of ones longing for this kind of life. My next desire inculcated by readings of Their vivid description of Napoleons campaigns, was to participate in some regular campaign against a civilized foe, Alas I little dreamed it was coming so soon and with such features… We were very much disappointed not to take the field from Rolla [Missouri], as long as Gen [David] Hunter was there, it appeared to be in a military point of view, a judicious move for him to have moved directly west from that place. It was not thought so though at the time and he was brought around to Jefferson City. Gen Hunter is a very nice man I like him very much, he is so mild and pleasant, and yet there is a snap to his eyes which indicates a man ready for action. Being second in command in the [Western] Department, taken in connexion with the unstable tenure of [John C.] Fremonts Office, I imagine has its influence in the duty allotted to him… Fremont has a good deal of reputation, but I cannot say that the condition of this Army, its organization and equipment, would reflect credit on any man. It is a palpable fact that we are here unable to move in consequence of depots not having been made, stores not having been anticipated at points where it was known the Army would diverge from the rail road; the consequence is the Army being rendezvoused without supplies, we now have to wait till they come up with transportation for our supplies and baggage, and subsistence for our men – The demand being so great of course there is not half rolling stock enough on this road to supply it. [Missouri State Guard commander Sterling] Price is off long since, the chances for Fremont to catch him in the present condition of his Army does not look to me hopeful…’ Turner next bemoans the progress of the war at this early stage: ‘...It is very [?] to my mind that many of our public men, who have the discretion of officers, do not and will not eschew partizan and personal prejudices, instead of putting their shoulders to the wheel with pure patriotic motives of putting down this rebellion, they are using the power which this extraordinary state of affairs have given them for party and personal aggrandizement. Six months have we now been contending with this rebellion, and what have we to boast of towards suppressing it, six months have we had our armies in the field and yet scarcely a foothold in the seceded states. The reason why is simply our strength has not been properly directed. We have wasted it and frittered it away. We have been doing so in Missouri and are continuing to do so, Military affairs must be governed by military principles, we are not doing so now, and until we do I anticipate no success… [all sic]’ He signs ‘Jno. W. Turner’ in black ink at the conclusion at the top of the first page. Shows original mailing folds, with perforations at the left edge where disbound from a volume, otherwise in very good to fine condition.