Chariton Iowa

Dec. 5^th 1864

 

Lieut. E. Reid

R.Q.M. 34^th Iowa

 

                                    Sir

                                                I have learned that the 34^th has been Consolidated and that you have been made R.Q.M. of the Regt. Let me congratulate you upon your good fortune Under the Old Organization I would not consider it in a favor to be promoted to the position under the New I would for two very important reasons. The first is the Commander of the New Organization is a more pleasant man with whom to do business than the Commander of the Old. Dungan is industrious enough for a Commander—Clark was to infernal lazy for any purpose. Dungan you will find, always ready, if complaints are made against the Q.M. to investigate and if the Q.M. is doing his duty he has manhood and charity enough to exonerate him. All Clark would do would be to tell complainant to "Pitch into the Q^r M^r" being too infernal lazy to investigate the matter. 

 

Under Col. Dungan I predict for you a very pleasant time. An other reason is you will, under the New Organization have only 5 Captains to deal with instead of 10 as under the Old. I think you will find your present Adjutant more agreeable than the former one One advantage will be you are all from Lucas County and ought to manage affairs agreeable. I supose now matters have so changed that you ought to say "the 34" Iowa from Lucas County instead "of 34" from Warren County as our boys used to say. Tell "Old Funk" that I should like to see him with his sword by his side and his straps on his shoulders. "Old Funk" by the way will make a capital Officer. How is my friend Alvey Boylan. Has he received any promotion by the New arrangement. I should like to hear of him getting something better. In fact there are any number of the boys who I should be pleased to see get good positions in the Army, because I dont believe that any set of boys in the Army has during this war went through more hardships and endured more than these boys Yet I regret to say that what they have done and suffered is not appreciated.

 

                                                Since the Election evry thing is quiet at the North. Since Copperheads / received such a Watterloo defeat on the 8^th of November we hear no more talk about fighting for their rights. Their courage like "Bob Acres" has all oozed out at their finger ends. They now say that they hope Congress will pass an act abolishing slavery in all the States and amend the Constitution prohibiting slavery evry where within the limits of the United States Government, in other words they cave to "Manifest Destiny" They see the hand writing on the wall.

 

                                                No news of a local character here that would interest you. The weather for the last 2 weeks has been rather pleasant for the time of year. Now it has commenced raining and probably will snow before tomorrow morning. We anticipate an open wet winter, which if our predictions come true will be so much the better for the people in this County as feed is very scarce Corn is now worth one dollar per bushel, and hay from 12 to 15 dollars per ton. Well I shall quit for this time I hope I shall have the pleasure to hear from you ere long    Give my compliments to all my my old friends

 

                                                Very Respectfully yours,

                                                            J. D. Sawer

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