Browse All Letters (392 total)

Ft Hamilton August 19th 1961 I have been hoping every day, my dear Augusta, that I should get leave of absence and be able to go home and see you. It does not, come, however, & I can not tell, whether it will come at all, or when, so I have set down to write you a line to keep you from getting uneasy. I am so disappointed & disgusted that…

Dayton O. Aug. 16th 1861 So, I must write another letter, must I? I suppose you will have time to get this, for in truth I shall not look for you now till the last of next week. Another reason for writing is to protest against that new girl. I cannot and am much disposed to say that I will not break my promise with Ernestine; she talks of little…

Fort Hamilton August 14th 1861 I was delighted to receive and read your excellent letter of Sunday. It is the best one you have sent me, my darling, since I have been away. I hope you have got mine informing you of my contemplated change of programme. If you have not now, as I write, you certainly will have tomorrow, unless you turn your face the…

Dayton O. Aug. 14th. 1861 Dear Luther, It is after 10 o'clock already so you have but little chance for a long letter._ I intended to begin earlier but "Ma Patterson" came in to see me first; then Father was here and finally Ernestine called me down into the dining room to see a "man'. I found Johnson Perrins kicking his heels on my new trunk as…

Ft. Hamilton Aug. 13. 1861 I find, dear wife, I have raised expectations which are likely to result in disappointment. In conversation with Col. Burke, I was informed that he would approve my application for leave of absence for twenty days, & supposed then that nothing further was to be done but to secure Major Clitz' approval. This I…

Fort Hamilton August 12th 1861 My dear Wife: You may expect me home the last of this week, tho' I may possibly be prevented from coming. I could leave on Wednesday if there were not some prospect of a collision between the civil & military authorities here. I do not think any will occur, but I want to be at my post until the crisis is past. …

Fort Hamilton August 11th 1861 My dear Wife: Yours of the 7th reached me last night. I will answer Friend Bell today. I will attend also to Ricky *Thill*, myself. _ I am not prepared today to give you as specific directions in relation to the route you ought to take, as I wish. Tomorrow or Tuesday I will write to you, and I do not wish you to…

Dayton O. Sunday Aug. 11th 1861 Well! My good Fellow, it's done, and although I have been thinking of this journey so long, now that every thing is settled about it, I am in the greatest excitement to be off and get over the hard part as soon as possible. Settled I said, but Ernestine's part is not yet so; I spoke to her yesterday and she at first…

Fort Hamilton Aug. 7 1861 Yours of the 4th came to hand this evening my dear. I suppose you know by this time who is confirmed and who is not. At any rate I shall go to work at my house and try to comfortableize it for your reception. I shall set my "striker" to cleaning up the yard & making things snug. There is a small cook stove in the…

I send you a piece of the Ft Pickens flag Fort Hamilton August 5th 1861 I confidently hoped, my dear one, that I should hear from you tonight, but the mail brought no letter. Better luck tomorrow perhaps. You will find my receipt from the Comly's in the lower left hand pigeon hole of my desk, or in an envelope in one of the pigeon holes in the…