[cover]

Abraham

Lincon

 

I have saved

once

once

two dollars

five Dollars

on revolver

once

for watch. /

 

comerade Taylor halt and and hear what I have to say I am not very well at the present but trust that when you receive this it will find you all wright well and confortable

according to agreemet to agreement I send you one of them songs

Title Thers whats the

            Mater

Answer if you please and direct to ransom Mack

Woleford / Mills Elkhart county Indiana

                                    Ransom Mack /

[text]

 

We left Paducah on the twenty seventh of april and went up the tennesee river two hundred and fifty miles to pitsburg Landing we then had to march for Corrinth traveled through mud and mire that afternoon campt that knight stayed two days then marched again went some six miles campt again staye two or three days marched again went about two miles when we was ordered to halt we had to work on the road that day wright in a swamp at knight campt in the woods as best we could this was the sixth knight of may the next morning [?] again being the seventh of may / we marched five miles then campt again the next morning we marched for Corinth went about four miles then we was ordered to halt we stopt about three hours then was ordered back to camp this was may the 8 the next morning the ningth the frollic began in good earnest we heard the canons all the fore noon then the long roull beat in our Camp and we was all soon on our way to meet the foe we went about two miles then formed in line of batle and stayed all of the after noon but no enemy came this was may the ninth Came back to Camp and the next day being may the tenth we heard the signal gun then we was soon ready and started but we was ordered back to quarters it was / a fols alarm the Cavelry pickets came in sight of a batery that our men had planted and they thought it was a rebel batery and they fired into it and thougt they would take it but the batery fired two canon shots at them cuting one of the Cavelry men wright into. May the 11 I wrote one leter with a pencil. this Day has passed of quietly. Wrote one more leter to my Sunday the 11 This Day makes me five months in the service Marched about three miles and dug rifles pits Come back the same knight. Put one leter in the office in Camp this day may / the 13 we got the news last knight that Corinth was burnt We moved our tents Thursday the 15 across the road in the woods. I wrote one leter to my daughter May the 15 I sent five cents to Frank in this leter May the 17 Marched about five miles and campt in the woods May the 18 I helpt make fortifications in the forenoon and this knight there was heavy fireing by our pickets. May the 19 this day we fixed up our tents and we war visited by governor Morton and he made us a speech. there was heavy canonading in the afternoon our guards has taken one prisioner and he is a roughf looking Customer. I went out this day and / helpt kill a sheep we are expecting a battle evry moment May the 20^th This day passed very quietly with us but there was heavy fireing all around us we expected to be called out evry moment May the 21^th this day passed very quietly but thare was fireing all around us. This day I wrote one leter to Thomas Ott May the 22^th This morning Colonel Worthington was reported to be killed while out on picket guard it is said that he was shot in the forehead X May 23 I have wrote one leter to thomas and one to my wife / X May 24 there was a good many canons fiered this day we took two prisioners in the afternoon

X Sunday May 25

I wrote one leter to my wife and one to unkle jim rentfrow this morning This day stood picket guard the Countersign was fort pillow

X Monday 26 I stood picket guard we had a sharp fight in the afternoon got one leter from my wife this day Tuesday 27 X nothing unusal this day

X May the 28 this morning we expect a batle and I am detailed to carry cateriges the batle raged very hard most all day and knight close the sene with the loss of many lives we took seven of their guns and one prisioner May 29 this X morning being thursday /

June the 7 I was very sick this knight I got my overcoat and shirt this day sent one leter to my wife June 8 this day has passed and gone we moved about half a mile we staid in Camp monday and Tuesday

Wensday 11 June do not enjoy good health now we turned back for Corrinth we marched 16 miles and campt this knight I was very sick

June the 12 this makes me six months in the service I feel very bad this day

June the 13 in camp all day this has been a sick day with me I got one leter from my / wife and one from my daughter / the rebels evacuated Corrinth set their maggazine on fire and left we remained where we were till dark and went about six miles then campt and staid till monday morning then we put out again after the rebels marched fourteen miles then campt staid till the next afternoon then put again went about seven miles then Campt again we staid in this place two days I saw a great many negroes slaves in these travels May the 31 This day I got two leters from my wife and one from Thomas and emy jane. June the 6 we are campt wright on the ohio and mobile railroad / June the 14 I have sent one leter to my wife this day sent one leter to Thomas and one to my wife June the 17 Wrote one note to my wife June the nineteenth and sent one song in it June the 23 I received one leter from my wife and one from my daughter sent the eleventh of June I have sent one leter to my wife this day June 23

X

June the 26 I put one leter in the office for my wife and one for daughter June the 26 our regiment marched this day for holly springs /

June the 27

being June the 27 I did not go on the acount of being sick the Camp that we are now in I call Camp on the hills some calls it Camp Clear Creek

July the 1th this day I mailed one leter to my wife and this evening I bought me one loaf of bread that was very good paid 15 cts for it and got me some cheese 10 cts worth /

July the 3 I wrote one leter to thomas and the same day I marched for the regiment which I found just before dark and that knight I got two leters from my wife and I wrot one leter to my wife the fifth and the 7 I got one leter from my wife and I answered the same the same day we started back on the tenth for our Camp where our tents was This day being july the eleventh sold one pair of pants to Joseph Clemens for two Dollars also the same day one shirt I sold to emanuel haven for 50 cts

Friday the 13 of july this morning I asked doctor trum for a furlow and he said that /

Sunday July the 13

he would give me one but it would not go farther than the scratch of his pen

July the 15^th 1862

This day I have sent you thirty five Dollars by Fredrik ott

July the 16 this day I have sent one leter to my wife and this morning Fred ott left July 16

I sent one leter to Thomas ott july the 21

I have sent one leter to my wife july the 23 I got one leter from Thomas ott and one from my wife and one from my daughter July the 21

July the 26 wrote one leter to my wife I got one leter from my wife and one from Thomas August the first I sent one leter to my wife on the first / I received one leter from my wife and one from Thomas august the 4^th Sent one leter to wife august the 4^th

our regiment left Camp Clear Clearcreek august the fifth for a place called Jacinto. I cut a glass botle in too put a string around the bottem and saw it till the botle gets hot then turn on cold water

I receivd two leters from my wife the twelfth day of august the same day that I came to my regiment and I sent two to my wife about the eleventh of august / I wrote one leter to frank the fourten of august I wrote one leter to my wife the 17 of august and I got one the same day from her I have wrote one leter to thomas and emy jane August the eighteenth

I got one leter from my wife the nineteenth day of august and I wrote an answer the same day 19 one leter to orson the 19 one leter to moovin Mack on the 20^th day of august I was examined on the 17^th day of august and got my discharge papers started

I got one leter from my wife the 23 day bearing date august the 14 and I answered the same day that I / got it I went to the hospital the 24 day of august

sent one leter to thomas ott august the 28 I drawed my new gun the 27 day of august I wrote one leter to my wife august the 29 and one the 30 of august I received one leter from my wife the 29^th day of august I wrote one leter to thomas september the first

I wrote one leter to my wife september the forth

I received one leter from Thomas september the first I received two leters from Emy the eight of september and one from my wife, and I have wrote one to Emy and one to my wife the same day September the 8 / september the 2th up to this Date I have written home thirty six leters and I have received 22 leters from home

September the 16^th

I sent one leter to my wife this morning ribbon in it and one to Marvin [?] sep 16^th I have sent one more leter to my wife sep the 16 present in it I got one leter from my wife sep the 16^th

I got two leters from my wife sep the 25 and one from Thomas

I wrote and sent one leter to my wife and two with ribons in / them sep the 26 three in all

The battle was fought at iuka september the nineteeth and in this battle Poor hill lost his life—

I have sent four leters home with presents in them

september the 30^th 1862

Tis day I sent one leter to my wife and one to my daughter with a ribbon in it sep 30 I got two leters from my wife and one from Frank october the 10 and I got one more from my wife and one from my daughter october the 11^th I wrote one leter to my wife and one to my daughter october the 12^th

I wrote one leter to my wife the 12 of october and one more october the 16^th /

I wrote one leter the 25 of october

one the 30

one the five of November

and one to my wife the 5^th of November and put one ring in it No the 5

I wrote one leter to my wife November the 7^th

I received one leter from my wife and one from my daughter November November 13^th

I wrote one leter to my wife November the 14^th

I got one leter from my wife November the 16^th

I wrote one leter to my wife November the 17^th wrote one leter to Thomas November the 23 I wrote one leter to my wife November the 26^th

December the 7 two

sent one leter to my wife the 11 one the 13^th /

I sent one leter to my wife the 30 day of december from memphis and one the sixth day of January 1863 and i sent one breast pin to frank in this leter

I wrote one leter to Thomas January the 8^th

I wrote one longe leter to my wife January the 11^th 1863

we were paid off for two months the 13^th knight of January

I received 20 Dollars

I wrote one leter to my wife January the 15^th 1863 and put ten Cts in it

I wrote one more leter to my wife January the 21 Called the war leter

I wrote one leter to my wife January the 28

Sent one fivesent to Emy on January the 29, 1863

I received one leter from my wife January the 27

I wrote one leter to my wife January the 29 /

The government has paid at one time thirty four Dollars and at another time fifty two Dollars                         34

                                    52

                                  $86 /

I received one leter from my wife and one from my soninlaw the 30^th day of January my wifes was dated the 26 and my soninlaws the 25

I have wrote one leter to my wife febuary the 1th and put a twenty

five cent bill in it for frank

Febuary the 5^th sent one leter to frank with 50 cts in it

I sent one leter to my wife Feb 10 1863 with ten Cts in it

one Feb the 13^th 1863

I sent one to anderson with a song in it

I have been paid by the government

once    $34

once    52

once    26

once    26

once    60 34 Cts

            198 /

 

[back cover]

 

Names of Places

 

The first was Cario     quite a place

The next mound City

The next Paducah

The next pitsburg Landing

The next farmington

The next Jacinto

The next [?]

The next Danville

The next Corinth

The next purdy

The next Boliver

The next grand Junction

The next La Grange

The next [ink blot]

The next [ink blot]ville

Memphis Tennessee [?]

 

Samuel Bowman owes me four Dolors

George Ott owes me sixty five Cts

Henry owes me fifty five Cts

Dickson Poight owes me one Dollor

R Britten owes me one Dolor

Thomas Edgon owes me forty Cts

Thoren owes me thirty Cts

SOURCES