1st New York Cavalry
Item LTR-10738Description
Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.
Saturday, October 26, 1861
Good evening Carrie,
How’s the folks? Yours of the 15th arrived by yesterday’s mail and I was very glad to hear from you. Jim has made out to write once more but it was like yours very short.
The 10th we came over on the sacred soil of Virginia and had rather a wet night of it to. On Sunday we had a fight, only we didn’t, but the order came for us to be off and we got our revolvers loaded and our horses saddled and 18 rounds of ammunition and then they would not let us go and I did not like it a darn bit.
I have seen almost everything but a Secesh. I have not seen him yet but expect to soon if they don’t send me home. The talk is that the Lincoln Cavalry will be discharged soon, if so, I can’t tell yet. What I shall do whether to come home or run my country. But I guess there is as much hoax as anything else about it (damn this pen).
We have a daguerrean man with us. He has not got his office up yet but will by Tuesday, he thinks and then I must give him a job.
There is no excitement yet. We are a loafing around the camp the most of the time and I am getting larger than ever and that is useless. I have been over and saw the boys and they are well and look tough. There is nothing going on here and I can’t think of anything to write at present. But I hope I shall see the elephant soon for I don’t want to go home until I have some fun.
I guess I had better stop for the present. I want you to write soon and a good long letter and let me know all about the folks out there. No more at present. This from your friend and well wishes.
J. W. Kellogg
To Carrie H. Clark
Sunday morning
I thought I would write a line or 2 more. We expect to go to Alexandria tomorrow and that seems to be the order of the day to tear up and stick stakes again. We have moved 6 times since we crossed the river. We have a fortune teller along too and he told me my fortune last night to.
John Wesley Kellogg
Write soon and a good long letter too.
Yours To C. H. Clark