114th Ohio Infantry

Item LTR-9694

Description

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


St. Louis General Hospital
December 15, 1863

Dear Sister Anna,

It is with pleasure I sit down this afternoon to answer your good and interesting letter under the date of November 21st, which came to hand last Friday and was so glad to hear that you were all well. I am happy to write once more that I am well. I was out on a pass yesterday and enjoyed myself so well. I was up to that young lady’s house that came into see me and brought me those things when I first came to the hospital. And I tell you she was glad to see me and so was her mother. She was the woman that the secesh leader of this hospital ordered out and the one that had the gaslight put out in one of the concerts that the Rebs had for singing a Union song, since I came here, by Dr. Beacon. She said yesterday she wouldn’t come here any more till there was a new leader.

I haven’t heard anything from the regiment since they left. Only that they had reached Texas again. I haven’t had a letter from home for the last two weeks. I would very much like to get a letter soon.

There was a large fire that broke out last Friday morning and burned up a large amount of property. There was one fireman killed by the wall falling in and several had their limbs broken. The one that was killed was one of the prisoners that was took at Vicksburg and I wouldn’t care if all the rest of them was in his fix. They buried him on Sunday and the funeral passed by here and was the longest I ever saw. There were 24 companies of firemen all dressed in their uniforms marched along after the hearse besides there were sixty carriages and all full. I tell you it looked nice. They also had the band playing.

You wanted to know whether I got the things you sent me by Captain Brennen. Well I didn’t get them. But both he and Gephart passed through this ward while I was writing you a letter and I didn’t get to speak to them. I did not know that you had sent me anything as I should have said something about them.

Well I will close. Write soon. I will try to write a better one than this soon. Love to you dear sister and all the rest of the family.

Love, love, love Sister Anna

Manley S. Leiby

Direct to the Regiment – A kiss and good by Sister Anna