Co. "C", Twenty-Seventh Ohio Infantry, U.S.A.

Camp Clear Creek Sept 14^th 1862.

 

            Dear Father

                                                                                                                        In great haste

I once more find myself seated to write you a few lines to inform you of the whereabouts & doings of the 27^th Reg. we are as you will see back to our old camp again for a very short stay indeed as we leave this afternoon for the south or South west rather; to Tripoli perhaps or some place where we hear that Price with his forces are encamped Some though think that we are just going to form a new line for the purpose keeping Price's forces back till we can evacuate Corinth and all of the places in this vicinity either of which I think probably because it is a surety that we are getting whipped scandalously I say we are whipped and there is no use trying to deny the fact that we have been whipped in all the late battles that have been we were whipped Yet we are not going to give up for we feel confident that we can whip / them if they give us men and means which we know they can furnish us if they try the right kind of measures

 

                                                                                                                        We left Iuka on the morning of the 12^th about 2 in the morning and came all the way through to this place the same day having made a forced march of something like 25 miles which in this hot climate is a heavy very heavy march indeed but its all for the Union as the boys say

 

                                    When we left Iuka we left V Miller & Sargt. Bixler both sick in the hospital with a fever though I think neither of them are dangerous at all Sam Conine is sick yet although he is with the company & I think he ought to be discharged but it is hard to get one in these parts

 

                                    I saw some of the 22^nd boys who told me that Harvy Baird was discharged and would start home this morning I did not get to see him though some of the boys did I believe. /

 

I do not know as it is worth my while to speak to you about that commission business for I have no doubt you will all do your best yet a word may not come amiss Capt. & I do not know what to think of matters here as we can get no satisfaction whatever from the Staff of the Reg.

 

                                    I have not had a letter from home for some time and do not know what you have accomplished or whether you have accomplished anything yet or not & you will not think it strange when I tell you that I have not had but 2 letters from home since I left one from Truman & one from you If you can get nothing from Columbus for me go at it and raise a company & if you do not raise a full company you can a part enough of one at least to get me a Lieut. commission which will pay well for all the trouble that it will cost you. Get up a petition signed by the principal men of the Township or County and present it to the Govenor (if you cannot better it) and state in it something relative to the number our township has furnished / for the war and that we have not got one comissioned officer in the service yet having no fears about my being in the service because if there is a surety of a commission being granted me the Maj. will order the commander of the Reg. to discharge me for that purpose. When the boys come back from Cincinnatti it will be a good time to get recruits rest assured of it & now is the time to start at it.

 

I have not time to write more so please excuse this poor writing

Give my love to all

this from our affectionate son

no one need tell you                            Jno H Cooper

that a private or noncom                     [?]

officer cannot be discharged              W^m H Cooper

to receive a commission for they can

 

At all times let the men know that I am in the service and have been for ____ A when there is a surety of my getting the commission the Adjt Gen will order my discharge Get instruction of S M or some other good man some of our boys were discharged to receive a commission the other day         Jake

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