Browse All Letters (449 total)

Five Oaks. Nov, 20, 1861. Dear Sella, Aunt Mary wrote a letter to Frank on Sunday, and I thought I would write you one today. Grandpa has been away two weeks, and I do not know when he is coming home. Miss Follet, and Mary Thornton's mother are coming to grandma's this evening, to stay two or three days. Saturday night we had a heavy frost and…

In the Wilderness May 7th 4 PM My Dear Wife: Here I am out in the front - the frontier part of the army. We came out to *shove* the enemy, only about *one* thousand strong - but we have not found many of them. There are three or four guns not far from us which fire shells over us and hit us every once in a while, but we have had few casualties. I…

Sunday Dec 15th /62 My dear wife: I dont think you can complain of my not writing often enough; but I believe you will gladly take the trouble to read & I do to write them. So here goes for another! The other day Mrs G. sent a beef-steak, enclosed in a note, I believe to Col B. and asked him to send to Dr *Owens* in the *Inf*. He wrote back…

Dec. 18. 1862 Dear Augusta: It is now very near fifteen o'clock, but as I am not sleepy I propose to scribble till I am. This is the marriage anniversary of Capt. Lay, and I have spent the evening with them, that is till one o'clock. Mrs. McE. was there, her husband and Piper. We talked, ate hickory nuts, drank cider and played cards until the…

[1864] May 13th. 64 My Dear Wife: I wrote you this morning telling you how I was and what kind of a time I had had. A couple of hours afterwards the rebs began throwing shells at troops moving in our rear and also some in a piece of woods in our front. The fire was very hot and while I was hurrying up the men who were throwing up entrenchments a…

Albemarle Hotel Sept 12th 1863 My dear Augusta: I have set down to-night to write you a long letter but fear I shall not be able to accomplish it, for the gas light is so feeble and so far from the paper that I can scarcely see. I don't know how it comes that you have had no letter for so long as I have written regularly until this week. My usual…

Camp between Dodd's Tavern + Spottsylvania CH. May 13. 64 My Dear Wife: A mail leaves camp to-day + I avail myself of the opportunity of telling you how I was + how I have been getting along. In the first place, then, I have escaped untouched so far, altho eight officers out of seventeen have been killed or wounded and one half of my men are…

Camp in Tompkins Sq. New York City Aug 26. 1863 My Dear Wife: I don't know when I shall receive your letter which is due to-day. It will go to Fort Hamilton I suppose and reached to-morrow perhaps. I am sorry you are out of money + so much distressed about it. I should have sent you some before this, had I not tho't you could get everything you…

Camp in Tompkins Square New York City August 27, 1863 My Dear Wife: I rec'd your last yesterday afternoon: I also wrote you a short letter and enclosed a check for $200. If it has not been rec'd when this reaches you, inform me of the fact immediately, so that I can have payment stopped at once. *Maj. Pratt* told me to send it "with his regards."…

Camp in Tompkins Square August 30th 1863 My dear Augusta: I have just mailed a letter to Sella which I hope will reach her on her birth-day. It is written on the latest fashioned note paper + enclosed in an envelope of the same style. I sent it by mail so that it would reach her sooner + because I thought it would please her more to get the letter…