ORIGINAL LETTER:
October 14, 1862 Harper's Ferry
Dear Brothers and Sisters
I wish that I was home today; I have got a very mean job. You know that we lost our good Captain and now they think they must put me on guard, and I sit right down on the ground and write just as fast as I
can to let you know how I am getting along. Not much you had better believe. My hearing is not as good as it was when I left Madison, and my health has not been good since I was on this hill not far from Harper's Ferry, but I keep about and train all the time is wanted of me. It seems rather hard to be a
soldier, but I have got to be one after all, I think. But I can tell you one thing: If I ever live to get home, I won't be another I can tell you, but I suppose that you are making some cider. If you get a chance to
send me anything, send me some cider put up in bottles, and some apples and a little bottle of pain killer, and don't try to send me any cake or anything that will get smashed, but I want anything that will keep a week. I have not any news to send you today because I wrote to you the other day and suppose that you will get that first. Give my love to all the neighbors and tell Mister Hill that I received his letter and was glad to hear from him and will try and answer him as soon as possible.
Tell little Charley that I think a great deal of his letter. I used to say that he could read better than I could read better than I could and he beats me at writing and spelling both, and I could read it very fast, his
letter. I am glad to hear that your crops are as good and I hope that all the folks are good because we
don't have nothing to eat here, and so I hopes you have got something to eat there. I will try and answer as fast as I can, but won't you answer me as fast you can because that it makes me feel pleased to hear
from home. Give my love to all the folks and tell them I want to see them all.
From a brother,
John Redfield, 13th New Jersey
http://www.nps.gov/anti/forteachers/upload/Letters%20and%20Diaries%20of%20Soldiers%20and%20Civilians.pdf
Miss. Schwecke's Letter
December 25, 1862 Harper's Ferry
Dear Family,
Merry Christmas. I am sad to still be here without you all to celebrate on this day. It has been two months since I have last written. I am writing you to inform you I am ok and still fighting for this cause.
Things are getting better now that I am used to sitting on guard and used to the sounds of the forest. We are waiting for orders from the Union to what we should do next. I still think about the cider and cake that you might be enjoying at home. I hope the day where I can enjoy some with you comes soon. I have to keep reminding myself I am here for a reason, and a good reason for that. I am glad our state has decided to secede from the Confederate and join the Union. I hope this all ends soon and our morals are upheld throughout the country. I believe that the South will still progress in their rural careers of farming and community. Until I return, have Charley to keep up his schooling, I expect to see what all he can beat me at, if he can.
Things are getting better now that I am used to sitting on guard and used to the sounds of the forest. We are waiting for orders from the Union to what we should do next. I still think about the cider and cake that you might be enjoying at home. I hope the day where I can enjoy some with you comes soon. I have to keep reminding myself I am here for a reason, and a good reason for that. I am glad our state has decided to secede from the Confederate and join the Union. I hope this all ends soon and our morals are upheld throughout the country. I believe that the South will still progress in their rural careers of farming and community. Until I return, have Charley to keep up his schooling, I expect to see what all he can beat me at, if he can.
All the love from Harper's Ferry,
John Redfield
Camp Mcneal Meredian Hill
ReplyDeleteOctober the 12.1862
I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hope that those few line may find you enjoying the same blessing. I started at soldiering beter than two months ago. I inlisted in a company called Co. F 149 Reg. P.B.V. We are now in a camp called camp McNeal on Meridian hill near the sity of Washington. We are not near all the time in camp. We are the most of the time out to guard hospittle at town and other places part of the regiment has moved there tents to town, I expect that hour company will move before this weak is out, but I do not no for sure; it has bin warm and dry ever since we have bin down here until last fri night about 1 o’clock, it comenced raining and poured it down untill about four. I had to go on guard at four so I got shet of standing in the rain for that night since that night it has fellt like husking corn it is raining this after noon.
I am in my tent my seat is a knapsack, my deck is a portfolio this is as good a seat as I ever git. Without it is a chore. It is said that he that is born of Woman and inlisteth in the 149 Reg Co. F, his days are few and short of rations. He cometh forth tato and retireth at rollcall much soldiering hath made him sharp, yea, even so that the sete of his britches is in danger of being cut through. They are all honest, they take nothing that they cannot reach they capture the most butifull prize packages of paper and walk off rejoicing.
The boys are all brothers and work to each others honor. They as grate set of fellows for fun and have all the furnishings able for what one dont know another do and so they have some thing a going all the time. So the time goes I can’t tell whare if it gets wet and mayby it won’t be quite so nice as it has bin since we have bin down here. No more at present. I send my Respects to all inquiring friends. Tell all that inquires after me that I want them to write to and I will answer those leters as soon as I can write and tell me who is there and who has went to war. I want you to write and answer this as soon as you get it and oblige yours,
Isaac Oliver To I B Ikeler
____________________________________________________________________
Dear Private Isaac Oliver,
I am writing to you to thank you for your service and wish you well in your travels. You were very brave for enlisting in the army two months ago and I wish you many blessings. I hope that you are getting enough sleep as you sound to be on guard duty often and I wish you safe travels as you move to your next destination. It is great to hear that you and your fellow soldiers have bonded and I hope you keep working together and fight as brothers. The relationships you gain will last a life time and you will always be able to count on them. Keep writing and keep thinking positive as I hope the war will soon be over. I hope you are to come home soon as we miss you so much!
Sincerely,
Kayce
Derek's Letter:
ReplyDeleteDear J.T. Cooper,
I am glad you are getting over your fever because I don't want you to die during this tough time in battle and we want to win the war and our efforts are making this happen. Caseys Division is not cut into pieces. James is doing okay but he is busy right now fighting the efforts of the war so he may not reply back to you for a while because of the battles. I am at the Potomoc so we can meet at Richmond or at the Potomoc to meet up again as friends.
I wish that the war would be over and that the Union will win and we will become a united nation.
Sincerely,
G.D. Schott
Dear Friend,
ReplyDeleteAfter haveing done all the -------
On Saturday evening with the
Greatest of pleasure I have taken
The priveledge of a few minuts
To whold a conversation with you
Thou many miles apart we May
Be. I received a very Kind +
Welcome letter about noon yesterday
From my well wisher + lover +
Its content was very interresting
+ esceptable to me but
Whare do you think I was
When it came to my hands.
I will tell you but you
Musant tell any body nor
Think hard of it your self
For I Couldant help it I
Was in Bed but I am able
to be up and a doing to day.
I was sorry to here that
You had the head-ache but
I hope it is better by this
Time if it ant you had
Beter take care that you dont get
Wors than the headache + be
Obliged to go to bed as was yester
-day. If you do then what will become
Of you away whare you neither have
Friends nor relations nor not even
A gal to take care of you. You had
Beter come home for fear you do.
For you can get plenty of work
here on the canal every body in
the neighbourhood + more is working
There + they havant 1/2 hands enough
yet I would like very much to
See you comeing home for I was
out at Pine grove church on Sunday
Last + there I saw the bride +
groom + if you want to know who
they ware it was Mr. William moor
and Miss Mary hickman was her maden nam
I don't know what gussie will
Do know when wil moor as she
Calls him is gone unless you
Come up + hold her once a
Week but if that dont pleas
You + I exspect if you ware to come
Home you could get into a job
Of sleeping with Mary Jane Snyder
for I exspect she has to sleep by
her self since John went to the
Army I suppose you know for certain
By this time that David has gon
to the army + I herd yesterday that
He has the ague he didant write home
that he had but J. Stevens did.
Well my dear it is nearly 9 oclock
+ the rest the family are nearly
All gone to bed + I feel as much
like being there as any whare else to
I will quit writing for tonight I finnish
in the morning as tommorrow is Sunday
I will have plenty of time so good night
My Dear + I hope you will rest
contented + full assured that I will
remain yours fare well.
April the 16
Good Morning My dear friend
this is quite a pleasant morning
I almost forgot to tell you that
I got a letter about 2 week ago
forwarded from the president A
Lincoln but the next one he sends
to me he had beter not get you
to write it + I won't be so sure to
know that it came from you my
Dearest friend + only lover + loveing
Bob well I think I will haft to
draw my leter to a close for the present
time by telling you to write soon all
at presant from your kind friend
Sallie S. Scott to
Robert Barnett you said that you
wanted me to send you a stamp or
thats what I took it to be from the
way you had it speld I havent any
3 cts ones but will send you all the
one cent ones that I have at this time
I forgot the old hors he is doing well
only there is someting rong with his neck
so he cant put his hed down to drink
Sallie Seeper Robert James write soon
Dear Friend,
I have not heard from you in a while. I hope that your headaches did go away, I miss you very much. Everything at home is going pretty well the kids are running around going crazy as of late. I just hope you did not a maiden to take care of you because that would make me very sad that it cannot be me. I really do hope you come home soon, because you are needed on the home front. It is not the same without you here, I know you are at war but once your home everything will go back to normal. I am glad that you are fighting for our beliefs but I would have hoped you could have just wanted to stay home because I do need you here. I do wish you come home soon because I want to be in your arms again.
Sincerely
Your Loved One