131st Ohio Infantry

Item LTR-10923

Description

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


Fort Federal Hill
 
Tuesday morning
August 16^th [1864]
 
My Dear Wife,
 
I suppose you were disappointed in not getting a letter from me any sooner.  So, I will tell you how I have put in the time and where I have been.
 
Well, I got detailed on Saturday evening to go with a guard to Fortress Monroe, which is one hundred and eighty miles down the Chesapeake Bay.  We started on a large steamboat at 6 p.m. and got to Fortress Monroe at 8 a.m. Sunday.  When we got there, we were ordered to take our recruits to City Point, up the James River.  We started up at 10 a.m. and got there at 5 p.m.  We were then at the front.  General Grant’s headquarters are there and it is the Great Military Point, being at the mouth of the Appomattox River.  I was hardly off the boat until I could hear the booming of the cannon and noise of distant fighting.  The first thing yesterday morning was the distant sound of cannon and roar of musketry.  I rolled over in the tent and took another nap.  I slept with the officers of the 148^th Ohio National Guard, a regiment from Marietta.  They treated us well.  Got us supper and breakfast.  There is a great many soldiers there, as it is the great point for shipping soldiers.  Also, large hospitals for sic and wounded.  I saw a place as large as half of the Burg covered with hospital tents and also thousands of horses, mules and cattle and wagons.  But my dear, I will not undertake to tell you in this what I saw.  I would not have missed the trip for 50 dollars.
 
I got here this morning at 6 and found your letter of the 11^th, which came to hand after I had started.  I was glad to hear of you all being in good health.  Also, that the general health was getting better.
 
My Dear, I will now speak of our starting home.  As yet the time is not known but from general indications, I think we will start on Thursday or Friday.  The 137^th started yesterday and we are only 4 days behind them.  You may write one letter to Columbus direct 131^st.  I will write again from here as soon as we are ordered to move.  So, I must close.  My love to all.
 
Your affectionate husband,
 
J. E. Kinder