7th Minnesota Infantry

Item LTR-9180

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.


St. Louis, MO
February 7, 1864

Dear Father and Mother,

I now take the present opportunity of answering your kind and welcome letter. It found me well and I hope that these few lines may find all well. I received your letter a week ago today with Henrietta’s letter. I was glad to hear from them. It was the first letter I have had from them since I came South. I have been looking for a letter from them just all week is why I have not answered yours before. A answered John and Henrietta’s the next day. I heard in Frank’s and Catherine’s that Gus had got home all safe. I would like to be at home a few days to see him and have a good time. I suppose that he is enjoying his furlough now. I think they might have let them had 30 days furlough for I think they will be ordered South in the spring. There is some talk of us going to the front in the spring or to Chattanooga but they will have to relieve the regiments that is here before they can send us away from here.

The smallpox has seemed to cease at present. There has not been any taken with it for over two weeks. Barney Dawson was the last one that had it and he is over it and has returned to the company again. There is only two in the smallpox hospital at present. There was one of our men died with it since I wrote last to you. His name was Peter Peterson. Father, you know him. He was a good, young man. I thought a great deal of him. There was three died with it in Company K and two in Company G and two in our company, making seven in all out of our regiment. I hope that it will stop and not go any further and I think it will.

Well today is Sunday and I have just come from church and I heard a great sermon preached by a bishop. His name was King and tonight the presiding elder will preach and I think I shall go again. The Methodist Church is a splendid church and they have great preachers here. The bishop’s text was these words, “With what measure you measure it, shall be measured to you again.” It was well preached.

There is not much news at present. There has been some fighting going on last week but the best news is the Rebels is deserting by hundreds and coming into our lines every day. There is a great many of them enlisting in our army. There was 500 enlisted up at Rock Island, Illinois, last week. I say bully for them. We can make them fight if they want to or not. The most of them are going in the navy. The report came in last week that they had a battle amongst themselves and that one battalion raised the Stars and Stripes and they was overpowered and sixty of them was taken out and shot. It was near Mobile and it is an everyday occurrence of them deserting. I think if that is the case, it will soon wind up the war and I hope it may soon close. I hope it will be over next fall so we can be at home in time to vote for the next President and I hope that will be General Fremont. He is the best man that we can get. The Dutch is all in fort Fremont here. Governor Gamble of this state died last week and buried here with great display. There was cannons fired all day but all the Dutch all rejoiced. They say he was a black-hearted Rebel.

Well, I have written all the news that I can think of at present. I was sorry to hear that Father had such bad luck a going to the river. I don’t know what to think about Charley giving out. I thought he would be the last horse to give out. You spoke of selling the farm. Well I hate to have you sell the old place but if you can get 16 hundred for it, you can do better by selling it for Gus has reenlisted and my time is just half out and probably you could not rent it. But do as you think best. I will not advise you either way. I think it is worth all of that you are offered for I have not sent no money yet. I thought I would wait till next payday and then send all of it together, I think we will be paid off the first part of March. I will express it to Winona. If you sell out, go up North and get another farm where you can get timber and water handy. I would like to go up on the reservation and make a claim if I was at home next fall. Well I must close. Tell Pete and Sarah that I have not heard from them since I wrote to them in the winter. I sent them my photograph and sent one to Henrietta and John. Tell Gus to write. So no more. Write soon as you get this and direct as before. From your son and brother,

John M. McNeely