59th Illinois Infantry

Item LTR-9301

Description

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


Headquarters, 59th Illinois Volunteers
1st Division, 2nd Army Corps

April 12, 1862

Friend Frank,

This is the first opportunity that I have had to answer your letter. I was taken quite sick the same evening that I received your letter and have not been able to answer on that account. I am now up and all right and am in hopes to continue so. I have not been as sick since I have been in the army. You will see by the heading that I am with the regiment. I returned three days ago and shall continue with. I am now Adjutant of the regiment and cannot be detailed away from it. If I had got a commission in the company, I should have remained with General Davis on his staff. I began to think when I commenced your letter that I had perhaps expressed my sentiments rather too strong and that you had taken offense at it. But I thought at the time that it would be better to express my opinions openly and the ere would fully understand each other. I think that we do now understand each other and I don’t think there will be cause for any more explanations on either side. Our old friendship will be all the finer after the understanding that we have had. I am very glad to know that you are enjoying yourself so well while there in college. I had no doubt that you are having a much finer time that we soldiers are.

I can tell you that they are taking the romance of the thing and are coming down to the stern reality. There ain’t to be any more gun the hard work and hard knocks are coming during the balance of the campaign.

I have not heard from Pittsfield for several days. But at last accounts all things were serene and the Sader’s in good health. I am greatly in hopes of seeing them soon. When I come, I shall be sure to come and see you.

I have not been to Pittsfield for so long that I am afraid that they would not know me. We are fortifying here and throwing up tremendous works and I would like our secesh to come up and give us a call. I am thinking that we would make them a good deal. Slicker than they were at the Battle of Stone River. I would like to have a long talk with you and would like to know how we agree on the war question. I hope that you don’t belong to the Copperheads. You will remember that there are two classes of Copperheads. One that opposes the administration and throws obstacles in the way of the administration and in doing that they are encouraging the rebels and weakening our own side. I call them mutineers (there are plenty of them throughout the north). Not one fit letter the southern traitors. There are others that are called that because they are democrats. But are in favor of the Union and of carrying on the war. I want this war to end at the earliest moment. But when it does end, I want to see this country united on the same old basis, when that time comes. I am ready to quit and go home. But there is no use to try and express on paper what I think in regard to this war. And I will wait until I see you and then we will have more time.



Let me hear from you at the earliest foreseeable moment and believe that I am,

Your True Friend,

Frank Clark
1st Sergeant and Adjutant

Direction:

Sergeant Frank Clark
59th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers
1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps
Murfreesboro, Tennessee