No 1

                                                                                    Helena Arkansas Sept 15^the 1862

            Mrs M E Keller

 

                                                                                                My dear wife I presume

ere this reaches you will have received the letters I sent you by Mr Philips and also the letters I sent you by Searjeant Sloan of my Company it has been a week or so since I have received any word from you I will certainly have to complain if you do not write more oftener to me I have nothing of any importence to write about we are here at Helena as yet about halfe of the Regiment is sick at this time but I think in a few days they will be geting better as the weather gests cooler my health is very good I ame the only man in our Company up to this time but what has been sick and compeled to take medicin one company in a few days has lost six men I wish if you please if you see Sloan again you woulde tell him I woulde be very glad if he woulde fetch me my over Coat whitch I sent home I must have one this winter you neede not tell him how maney I sent home but sende the largest one to me. I woulde not have sent it home but I expected we woulde have to go on a march before this time and it woulde be unnecessary lugage / and I woulde be glad to have two good pair of socks sent with the coate I presume you have not Bought that land it would have been a good thing for us I beleive to have bougt it but I was afraide you woulde run out of Money and another objection is that I ame not at home to look after the land and the lorde only knows when I can come home Sharp Wisner can tell you how difficult it is for an officer to get home at present. at this time there is no telling how or when this war will ende it may end in a month or so and it may continue for a year or so if we had good Generals this war would soon close but we have not at least we have always been out generaled by the Rebels but if the war is not closed by next spring our country will be ruined. Malvina get all the silver and golde you can and lay it away that is in the way of change but keep it to your selfe I was detailed last week by General Curtis to sit on a Court Martial in Helena I have to go evry day at nine oclock and stay untill three in the after noon there is thirteen of us our buisness is to try officers and soldiers for misconduct and have them punished / it is a duty I despise we have got to put on our best Clothes and sit these warm days with our coats buttoned up and sash on and swoards on also, and look as feirce as Gees but sutch is war. I hope thoes few liens may fine you all well I received a letter from Harter a few days ago he said he was looking for our Boys over to visit them I hope you will not let them go unless you go alonge Malvina I can reade your letters first rate but when you write to any one else do get some one to write for you for your spelling is very poore and woulde not do as I will convince you when I see you do not get offended at me for being so plain for my deare I woulde not advise you to do any thing or not do any thing but what woulde be to your advantage Oh my Malvina how I long to see you and take you once more by the hand curse the day and the hour this cruel war commenced Malvina lay My silly letters away wher know one but you will see them. did you get that song and that golde dollar for Ella and that five dollars whitch I sent some time ago in letters my love to you and our little ons as ever                                                                          S J Keller

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