128th Ohio Infantry

Item LTR-6965

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages written in period ink.


Dear Uncle,

Your favor of the 20th came duly to hand in relation to the real estate upon whose final disposal I have sole claim. I have to remark that if you can dispose of the land at twenty dollars per acre and arrange the terms of sale so that the final payment thereon shall be by the first of October eighteen hundred and sixty five and the amount of this final payment secured by a mortgage bond the said bond being made out to me and covering the said estate the term of the said bond commencing at the date of the first payment and expiring at the time of final payment of arrears of sale. Upon both conditions you may dispose of the property at the earliest opportunity or should you have a chance to dispose of the said property for cash at the date of sale you will give a receipt for the amount of sale in your own name and deposit the said receipt in the hand of my brother Eli O’Dell.

I have neglected this for some time. Please excuse me. I thought I could get a furlough and come home but I failed. I was very sorry to hear that Busby was so unwell. I wish you would write and let me know how she is getting on and all the rest of my friends.

There are about thirty to a hundred prisoners here now. The boys are in excellent good health. We have had a fine winter.

Eight months from the 16th of this month and our company time is out. I think I shall not be satisfied to get out for I like the place and soldiering over the left. I shall bring this to a close. The boys are making so much noise that I can not write or think of anything.

M. O’Dell

Johnson Island, Sandusky, Ohio

January 13th 1865

You can not think how hard it is to try to write with thirty or forty standing over you and shaking everything. I have gotten clear out of patience with them and soldiering.