Helena Arkansas Nov 30^th 1862

 

Dear Malvina

                                    I to day wrote you a letter and sent by mail and to night I again set down to commence another one to send out the next mail which will go out day after to morrow. I was very mutch disapointed in not geting a letter from you to day I have Received but one from you this month you know I ame very punctial in writing to you and always endeavor to write large letters if possible I have got so I do not care about writing to any one but you the longer I ame from Home the more anxious I ame to heare from you I often of nights set and study about you and the little ones some times I think to my selfe how I woulde like to know how Malvinas Eye is whether it is well or not and how the garden & trees look and how the children passes of the time if my little Boy goes to school and whats going on generly in Town but very little sutch information I get of you about all you generly write about is how mutch you want me to come Home and how lonesome you feel and unhapy you are donte think my deare one that I ame scolding you for I know you are lonesom and frequently feel down hearted and I can say the same by my selfe and the lorde knows I want to go home as mutch as you want to see me there. I well know you have had a harde time of late and sympathise with you with all my heart / you are not the only one by thousands that this infernal wicked and uncalled for Rebellion has made troubale and sad hearts it has already produced mourning all over our once hapy and favored land it has made maney of a widow and orphan a maney of a Mother has lost her noble and patriotic Boy in this unhapy war maney of a husband and Father has laide on the Battle feilde after Receiving a death shot and thought of her who he loved more than all others and his little ones also there he must lay and die while the Battle Rages no one to helpe him to a drop of water. after the Battle is over a ditch is dug and all are throwed in promiscusly to gether and he is forgoten by all except by the Bereaved ones at home Oh the horrors of war more especialy a war like ours a civil war, frequently father again son and Brother again Brother. as it is bed time I will close for this Eavning how I wish I was at home again and all was peace once more in our beloved Country and I was seting by the stove at Home and my two little girls on each knee and you and Sama close by how hapy I would be my other poor little Willie is gone but he is in a better worlde and woulde be hapier than we could make him by sutch a meeting on this Earth

 

Monday Dec 1^st 1862

                                    The mail has just arived and I have Received your letter dated the 21^st of November but it is not halfe as large as the letters I send you it gives me more news than / you generly send you say Ella & Sama are going to school and that Caty is a smart little girl and wher Willie is Burried and that you have got your wood Hauled & the trees fixed & Bulger has lost his Eye and that Horten has got Back again I thank you very mutch and hope you will do as well the next time if not Better. I view this letter writing thus that I can converse with you while here in Arkansas and you in Indiana I write to you what I think will most interrest you the same as if I was talking with you at Home and you may be sure anything from home is intersting to me so please go up in Town & buy some larger sheets of paper and write it full I ame glad to heare you are all well as for my selfe I ame well. you say your Mother has come to see you. she must have had quite a tramp alone and goes to show she is not afraid of trifles I hope she will stay with you untill I come home I was glad to heare she was with you them clothes they have not come to hand and I feare are lost I stand in want of them very mutch I wish I had never sent for them but probaly they may come to hand yet I do not know wher sargeant Sloan is but I think he is at Indianapolis we are cooking for him evry day. does any one ever Back there talke about our company how we get along do you heare any talk about us I see by the Banner that Ed Wilson has called on the people to make mittens for Capt Karnes Company /

 

Malvina throw all my letters by and keepe them untill I come home I have got all of yours laid away in my trunk the health of the Company is prety good at this time the Bluffton Boys are all up and about olde Billy is well and is in the adjoining shanty singing and whistling he takes things as they come and I can always depend on him and always know wher to finde him I know not when we will get paide I have to live saving we have got three months pay Back I will close for this time and write when I heare from you again yours most Truly

                                    S J Keller

 

Mrs M E Keller

SOURCES