This undated letter is signed by James George, and includes a small greeting from Rhoda George written on the back They are starting for Lebanon, Kentucky and it was expected that Rhoda George would remain in Lebanon while James George went with his regiment. James George mentions meeting old friends from the Mexican War.
Mrs. Alexander Ross (M. J. Ross) wrote this undated letter from Kingston to her cousin. She mentions her family and their health. The top portion of this letter is missing.
Rhoda George wrote this letter from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky to her children. She describes the trip from Fort Snelling to Lebanon, Kentucky and life with her son, George. A mortgage, property and James George's military duties are mentioned. She expresses concern over the state of the nation. On the last page, James George sends greetings and tells his family how to find the location of Lebanon on a map.
James George wrote this letter to his daughter, Helen on December 12 (no year). He mentions that his wife, Rhoda, is suffering from inflamation of the lungs as well as depression and that he has rheumatism. He also writes about Lerwhilleger's legal problems.
James George wrote this letter while in camp somewhere between Colimbia, Tennessee and Cornith, Mississippi. He writes about his health and the health of his unit. He is pleased that a surgeon is now traveling with them. He expects to get paid in a few days and has made arrangements to send some money home to his family. At one point in recent times, under medical advice, he issued regular rations of whiskey to his men. He felt it helped the men. A military board was in session examining a large number of officers who disgraced themselves in the previous Sunday's fight.
James George wrote this letter while in camp about forty miles north of the Alabama line. He has heard rumors that the enemy might make a stand near Cornith, Mississippi. His regiment now only has about five hundred able bodied men due to illness. Many are in the hospital, but he hopes they will return to the regiment. He has every reason to belive that the war will be over in a few months.
William Dieter wrote this letter from Olmsted County. He asks about Jacob's health and tells Jacob that his family is doing fine. The weather has been cold but is starting to warm up. Farmington and Zumbro voted a hundred dollars bounty. Martan Dieter has reenlisted. Most of the people they know have been home on furlough. Peter Dieter is moving to the Ward Irish farm.
William Dieter wrote this letter from Olmsted County. He asks about Jacob's health and tells Jacob that his family is doing fine. The weather has been cold but is starting to warm up. Farmington and Zumbro voted a hundred dollars bounty. Martan Dieter has reenlisted. Most of the people they know have been home on furlough. Peter Dieter is moving to the Ward Irish farm.
Jennie Allen writes this letter from Omro, Wisconsin. She has been writing to a young man in the army. Her father was quite sick, but is doing much better. She inquires how her aunt is doing and how she is getting along with her family during these hard times. She is planning to send a photograph.
James George wrote this letter while in camp near Columbia, Tennessee. He expects to go south again in a few days and join a force of about 170,000 men. He talks about his prospects for a promotion. Ned is scolded for using bad language.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Independence, Missouri. His health is still good. He has newspapers from Saint Louis giving accounts of General Grant driving Lee towards Richmond. Jacob thinks the war will soon be over. He plans to buy Mary a ring as soon as he is paid. He only has ten cents left. He hopes to be paid for four months wages in July. He thanks Ellen for sending the book mark. He thinks it is a great blessing to have a chance for his children to go to school. In the south, the poor do not get any formal education and have to make do with what they learn from home. He has not had any drills recently and is doing mostly guard duty. Sam Mott has small pox.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Camp Blackwater, Missouri. Several acquaintances have gone home on furlough but Jacob does not think he will be able to get home because it will cost about fifty dollars for the trip. He is only on guard duty once a week. They have fresh pork and can buy honey for one dollar a gallon.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Warrensburg, Missouri. He is sorry to hear that Martha has been sick. The company expects to move five miles to guard a bridge. He does not like this camp because there is too much guard duty and he does not have extra time to earn additional money. He wants the children to learn as much as they can at school. He observed that many of the local children ten or twelve years old cannot read and some of them do not know how old they are. Very few people can write.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Warrensburg, Missouri. He has earned twenty-eight dollars working out, but does not know if he will get more work. He tells Martha that Parks Penharlow is in the hospital, so the rumors that she had heard that he was dead are untrue. While they were in Osage City they slept in a building, but in Warrensburg, they are sleeping in tents. He received a letter from his father. His company expects that they will move about five miles to guard a bridge.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Osage City, Kansas. He is well and hopes they are all doing fine. He has already sent ten dollars home this month and expects to send another three dollars as soon as he gets paid. He earned one dollar splitting rails. He mentions wanting Martha to get a cow from Nat Irish. It was rumored that the paymaster was in Jefferson. He has not heard from his brother, William. He is anxious to hear how his father is doing.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Osage City, Kansas. He is doing well and expects to earn some more money if they stay in the same place. It is warmer and the snow is almost all gone. The rings that he sent home cost one dollar and fifteen cents.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Osage City, Kansas. He had two boils on his face. Mail has been slo9w coming from home but he believes that it is due to the heavy snows in Illinois and Wisconsin. New Years day it was twenty-two degrees below zero in his camp. He has been working and has earned sixteen dollars since he came to Osage. He spent five dollars and twenty-five cents for a pair of boots and another dollar and a half for an ax.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Jefferson City, Missouri. He mentions that he has sent twenty dollars home. He has guard duty frequently because most of the companies have moved south.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from Osage City, Kansas. It has been very cold and snowy. He bought himself a pair of boots. He is owed two months pay. He asks if Martha received the jewelry he sent.
Varnum Hadley wrote this letter to inform Martha Dieter of the fate of her husband. Jacob Dieter was last seen about twenty miles from the railroad. A list of all the wounded and missing from Company F is included.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from prison camp in Andersonville, Georgia. Sixteen men from his company were captured on June eleventh. He is concerned because he won't get paid while he is a prisoner and he doesn't know how his family will fare. He sent some money from Saint Louis and he wants to know if his wife received it.
Jacob Dieter wrote this letter from camp in Independence, Missouri. He was impressed with the beauty of the countryside. Bushwhackers have been operating in the area and they passed many burnt buildings on the way to Independence. He is now three hundred miles south of Rochester and about one hundred and fifty miles east.
James George wrote this letter from camp near Cornith, Mississippi. He has sent three hundred dollars by Captain T. Eifer to the express office in Red Wing. He expects to get paid another four hundred dollars at the first of the month. He has done all the paper work to discharge Darwin Rassitor. They are expecting a big battle any day. His health is not good and he has trouble getting around.
James George wrote this letter from camp near Cornith, Mississippi. The health of everyone in camp has improved. They have moved to a new clean camp and everyone's health is improving. He urges her to write and to send her letters to the camp via Louisville. He plans to send $200 to the Red Wing Express office in a few days. He praises Edna's improved writing and warns Rhoda to be careful of her cough.