Camped near the Chattahoota river

No. 79.                                                                                                       

Nov 6^th /64

 

Dear Mollie               

It has been some time since I have heard from you. the last letters I have had were writen Oct the 6 & 11. I have had no chance to write until to day. I thought I would commence one & finish it as soon as I could. we have had a long & teageous march & acomplished but litle. I think it was Shermans intention to folow old Hood but he has got to much the start, so he has turned him over to Tomas & we are going to Atlanta or near thare to stop for a fiew days to rest & get pay. I think the army of the tennasee will strike for the gulf or Mobeel. it is hard to tell whare we are going but we are bound for some long trip. 

 

well mary I supose Dow has got home if he has I supose he has told you all about his being captured & geting away. I heard it a fiew days ago. one of the boys of our regiment was at rome when Fooly came back after his furlow. I think he had a very narow escape. I hope he saved his money. if he had my revolver with him I supose it has gone up, but never mind it I am glad he saved himself. well Mary we will get pay in a fiew days & I dont no what is best to do with my money. you dont want all of it & I sometimes have a mind to send it to John & have him use it & give you a receipt for it. well Mary it is geting late & is cold & rainy so I will stop for to day. good by.

 

Monday Oct 7^th. well Mary this is a rainy morning & makes it very disagreeable. 

 

the pay master came last night & we will be paid to day or to morow. I was told this morning that we would be paid in one hundred dollar checks it is better than green backs for it draws interest. if I get one of them I will send it to you or to mother. I think I had better send it to mother & if you should be gone east she can send it to you. if Dow has let you have eny money she can take it out & send you the balance. you must be saving of it for it may be the last I will get until my time is out. if they put it off as long as they did this time our time will be out, we have 9 months more to serve from the 15 of this month.

well Mary it is suposed that we will go to Savannah. it is over 2 hundred & fifty miles from Atlanta. if we go you cannot expect eny more letters from / me for two months or more thare will be no chance to send mail until we get through. if thare is I will write if it is but a fiew lines. you must not be uneasy about me for I will take care of my self & write as often as I can & I want you to do the same. no more this time from your husband as ever. my health is very good & may this find you all well is all that I can ask, good by

To Mollie C Shibly

From O Shibly

 

I forgot to tell you that Mr James Kent from Cedar Co is here to take the vote of our regiment & two others the election comes off to morow I think I will send five dollars by him to John to pay my taxes he is going to try & get the money that is due you from the county if you can get it it will be a great help he thinks it is doubtful unless you are living thare.

 

 

 

No. 80.                                                                       

Camped near Vining Station Ga.

November 12^th /64

 

Dear Mollie               

I received a letter from you the 8 & one the 10. I was glad to get them for I had not heard from you for some time. I was glad to hear that you was all well. you spoke about geting $50 dollars of Dow. I am glad you got the letter I wrote it when we were at Rome. I supose Dow is at home now if he is it will be all right.

we were paid the 10. we got 8 months pay. I will send you $100 one hundred dollars. I got a hundred dollar bill & changed it for two fifties, which I will send you. I thought it would be beter for you than one bill. it is the niew easue of government bonds & draws interest from date, but that will not do you eny good unless you hold it until due. 

 

Mary I will direct this to Mother, for fear you have gone east before it gets thare. I will also send the money to her & if you are not thare Mother can send it to you & it will oblige me very much. we are going to send our money by a Lieut of the 9 Iowa. he is going for that perpose. he may not start for 3 or 4 days. the pay master is very slow, he has been 3 days paying 2 regiments. he has 3 more to pay. you spoke in one of your letters which I received some time ago about Alfred & James enlisting. have they or not. if they have I want you to write all about it. I think Alfred is very foolish if he has for I dont believe he will stand the service. you spoke about postage stamps, you can send me a fiew as I have but three or four left. you spoke about your eyes being very weak. I am sory to hear it. you must not / write by candell light for it is the worst thing you can do. my eyes are weak & I think always will be. some times they are very bad for a month or two & then they get better. I think my boy is geting rather smart, but I am glad he is so apt to repli. I think he answered you very well when you told him he was a duchman. I am glad to hear that Lillie is going to school I hope she is a good girl & learns fast. when I come home next fall I will bring them a nice preasent. well what do you think of the election. we had an order red this morning that Old Abe caried every state except one & that was Kentucky I say huraw for old Abe. at the time of the last fight at Altonia pass the rebels harawed for M^clelen when they were making a charge. the M^clelen that were thare swore they would not suport a man who the rebels upheld. 

 

you spoke about Landon. I must say he is a coperhead. I call all coperheads who suport that party & he did & so did Rorick, Sam Reed, Birt Smith, & one or two more of our company.

 

Our regiment gave 229 for Old Abe & 30 for Mc. the 30 Iowa gave the same. all the rest of the Iowa regts went gave Mc from 1 to 25 votes except the 6, it went for Abe slick & clean. now you can see how the soldiers feel about the election. well I have no more to write at preasent so good by

To Mollie C Shibly     Oliver Shibly

 

Mary I will send the letter I got from Josa. she thinks you might write to her for you owe her a letter. write to her as soon as you can. I will send them in one envelop it will make a full letter but you will have the more to read

 

I will write again & soon, my Mollie.

SOURCES