11th Pennsylvania Infantry & 22nd Veteran Reserve Corps

Item LTR-8608

Description

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


Sullivan, Sullivan Co. Ind
Dec 13th 1864

Dear Friend,

It is with pleasure I now sit down to write these few lines to you, hoping they may find you all in good health as the departure of these few lines leaves me at the present time. I acknowledge the receipt of your kind & ever welcome letter of Oct 30th which I received on the 6th of Nov which gave me great pleasure to hear from you, also to hear that you were in the enjoyment of good health. I hope you will excuse me for not answering your letter sooner. I will tell you the reason why I did not in two or three days after I received your letter. We left Indianapolis and had been going from one place to another ever since, not staying two days in one place. We arrived here
the night before last. How long we will stay here I do not know. There is two companies of our Regt. gone to Baltimore and another one just now starting. Think it is very likely the whole Regt. will either go there or to Washington. I am about tired of this place. I think I could content myself a great deal better in Washington. It is mostly too lonesome here out in the country. If we were in Indianapolis it would be a little more lively. We were in Chicago since I last wrote to you. We started there on election day and stayed there for one week. We were guarding Rebel prisoners. There was some fears entertained of the copperheads trying to release the prisoners that are in Camp Douglas, Ill. But likely these plans were frustrated before they had time to do any damage. Their game was first to release the prisoners and then to burn down the city of Chicago. But like every other of their foul deeds, they found it best to let such an undertaking alone.

Dear Friend, we have had some very cold weather here lately, `We had had about two foot of snow on the ground this last two or three days. It has moderated a little but there is indications at the present time of another storm. It looks like snow if we should either go to Baltimore or Washington. I mean to try my luck at getting a furlough. I think I will succeed. I would like very well to get one, to see about my money that I left with Mr. Graham in Chester. The young man that got his discharge out of my Co and went there that promised to write me has never done so.

Dear Friend, I ain’t got much news to let you know of at present. Wishing you all a merry Christmas & happy new year. I will conclude by sending my respects to you all, likewise to all inquiring friends. So no more at present and believe me to be your true friend and well wisher until death.

James Stapleton