13th Maine Infantry

Item LTR-376

Description

3 page original Civil War soldier's letter written in period ink and war dated.

Ship Island the 10th of November 1862

I write to let you know that I am well and enjoying good health at this time. I thank the Lord tonight that I am well tonight thru his kind providence. I hope you are well tonight and Ada to that sweet one I love so well. Mary I love you more and more every day I live and not an hour past my mind without thinking of you and Ada. Sweet Mary I love you because you love me and are true and honest to me and God will reward you. Mary I want you to not say a word what I write about Mr. Gregg for he used me well but he did drink very bad and that is not all I know about him. I will write some more some other time but Mary be aware of him for he loves the women to well for his own good. Mary I want you to write me if you have any money come home and how much. These to come has not been of yet. I am detached from my company. My company is up to Fort Philip. We are all kind to each other I have a god many friends on Ship Island and God is here with his spirit for I feel it in my breast. Mary I neither swear nor drink nor gamble. I am true to you Mary in every sense of the word. Mary my pray is that I may be true to you and Ada as long as I live. Oh God grant it. Mary the love of God is in heart. I feel as I ought to be honest and true and love my savior and my God and my pray is that I may return to you and to Ada in do time in strength and health and the love of God in my heart. I feel to bless God for his kind providence toward me and you and Ada. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, yea, all such as call him faithfully. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him. He also will hear their cry and will help them. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works. Try me oh God and seek the ground of my heart, prove me and examine my thoughts. Look well if there be anyway of wickedness in me and lead me in the way everlasting salvation. O the joyful sound glad tidings to our ears. A cordial for our fears a sleep in Jesus. Oh how sweet to be for such a slumber meet, with holy confidence to sing that death hast lost its painful sting. Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He feels as it were a shadow and never continues in one stay. Mary B. I have written some of my heart desires to you and Ada S. Wyman. I love you both. I am not home sick, but I do pray for this cruel war to close. I send my love to Ada that sweet girl I love so well. I must close for now from your husband true and honest and true blue.
Joseph D. Wyman
To Mary B. Wyman
To Ada S. Wyman

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen.

Give my love to Mr. Gregg and wife and my friends.