Carrolton Louisiana Sept 4^th 1863

 

Mrs M E Keller

                        My deare wife I again take the pleasure in writing you a few liens hoping they may finde you all well as for my selfe my health is prety good at present. the last word I had from Home is by Lieutenant Gordon and I have delayed writing hoping to get some news from Home as soon as John Spake and Sam Wisner returned but they have not returned as yet we have been looking for them for several days in my last letter to you informed you that we expected to leave here in a few days but we are here yet but it is quite probable we will leave in a few days I am of the opinion we will go to Texas General Grant was here to day and Reviewed the Soldiers that used to be a portion of his olde Army at the sight of him sutch cheering you never heard in your life. you are aware that I am not mutch of a person to cheer or halloe for any man but I will throw up my Hat for General Grant he is my Man he is one of my kinde of Democrats and this Army is full of sutch Democrats it is true there are maney Negro lovers in the Army also and sutch men I hate as I do a Traitor but sutch men we have but a good Democrat will stand by the Country if the last Niger is killed or the last traitor hung and sent to Hell wher they should go we are for the Union the traitors commenced this for the purpose of breaking up this greate Goverment of ours bequeathed to us by our Noble Fathers My olde grandfather was here under olde Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans to kill the Enemys of our Country and thank God I ame here to day for the Same purpose and I think I have laide out a few of them since I have been in the service / and if the scoundrels will not lay down there arms and behave them Selves I want to get a few more shots at some of them I know how to hate the devils I have seen our poor fellows falling all around on the Battle Feilde and at Champion mills the stuck Bayonets in our wounded men and drove Ramrods through there heads and pined them fast to the ground there was several instances of that kind on that day. enough on this subject I hope you will pardon me for writing on this subject but I cannot helpe but to think about those letters you wrote to me it cannot be possible that you have any sympathy for these Rebels No I cannot think so that my Malvina has any smpathy for traitors if I thought sutch was the case I woulde hope to be shot in the next Battle for life woulde be a Burthen to me and if I thought I had childe that would grow up to be a traitor to there Country I woulde rather follow them to there graves while they are Young now Malvina you know my sentiments there is no halfe way buisness with me on that Subject and this is the last letter you will ever again get from me on that subject—

 

I was down in the City yesterday and got some Photographs taken enclosed you will finde two of them and I am going to send one to Harter and Brother William and one to my uncle in Ohio if you see proper you can put them in some Frame or case persons here say they are a good likeness I got one dozen of them some of my friends here want some of them and urged me to get them. all the officers are geting them taken I will close for this time and will write again before leaving here. I am as ever your most devoted

 

Husband for ever

                                                            S J Keller

SOURCES