June 1^st..62

            Camp near Corrinth

 

Mississippi      Dear wife i am tolerable well hopeing these lines will reach you in good helth O ruth Ruth how bad i wanto get home once more and get rested from the scenes of war and the hardships of a sick soldiers life in this all most god forsaken warm solitary climate well the long expected greate and decicive battle at corinth has played out our army was challenged to fite them at there chosen place well we marched sloly but shuerly on to Corinth working nite and day / strongly fortifying every nite at every camp we have a large and powerful army and old Borygard had a large force to but they knew that they would get whipt out and sheled out from there strongley fortified place of defence they did not evacuate the town until our army was within 3 milds of there main body we had skirmishing with there piqet gards for a week before the glorous victory that we gained with out much loss Gen Pope and gen Michel is after in full chace they had 2 or three hours start they have took 2000 prisoners / the rebels left the 28 of May took there cannon away by rail and left part of there nice town low in ashes we marched in our band of the noble 6 reg of Iowa struk up yankydoodle at the edge of town and oer them many a thousand chear filed the air it was a grand time the buildings ware still burning burning they distroied lots of there stores of provisions and burnt some bridges behind them. now we may go to Memphus on the misisipi or we may go back down the tenn river to some point to gard but god speed the time time when the poor brave soldiers can go to there homes 

 

My dear Ruth and Children i will be at home before long if i live yes if god sees fit to prolong my life. O how thankful i autto be for the blessings of the lord, eaven from my infantcy. when i reflect back to the battle field of Shiloh whare bullets and cannon balls and grape flew thick and fast on every side and over my head for 2 long hours and yet i was un hurt by there dreadful fury then on our retreat O i words cannot express the narrow escapes, yes i have been shot at several times since that battle when on picket gard but thank god there balls mist there mark / give my respects to farther Chapman bless his sole he has been a comfort to my dear companion in time of trouble yes he has done more than a farthers part

 

for get me not at eave when cirkled around thy fire side

 

O children dear remember your poor farther tho he has so ronged his family, but if he is forgiven and his life spaired he will try to mend the breech that he has made and be of some use yet—my heart O my heart it ore flows to think yes the briny tear wets my cheak—lol write to me Phi write some to Prinny Sibby toty be good to mother, she is good to you

John. G. Scoville, to Ruth Scoville (live to god) /

 

June 2..62                                Dear wife and children and friends i write to you informing you that i am midling well praying that these lines may reach you in reasonable health i will write but what good will it do…well i have more rest to day than i have had for 6 weeks and i will send a little money to you maby you will get it and maby not if you get it may it do you a little good i am well aware that you have a hard time yes to unreasonable hard it apears that we have had a hard and gloomy life to live that is a part of our days since our union has been soriful / and sad but my own dear Ruth hope for the best, look for briter days they will come if not on earth in heaven. injoy your self as well as you can, let not the absence of a unhappy and sorroful JGS trouble your noble mind (O would to god i was by your side) but far far a part you have my cincear prayrs O may it pleas god that we may meet again this side the grave i would dearly love to spend the remainder of my poor life with my family yes in the discharge of my duty as a husband farther and friend maby i would take a little comfort yet on earth the pleasures of earth they soon fade away but the glorified scenes of heaven they can never decay pray for me dearist i will write more tomorrow i must get supper June 3..another morning has come. well what will this day bring bring forth O may god spead peace to our once happy country i expect you get the war news in newspapers so i nead not write them. now Ruth pleas let me know how well you fare as to table comforts of life pleas now do, for it would do me so much good to know all about it i will try for a discharge again before long 

 

June 2^nd..62 Camp near Corinth Miss State

well good morning dear Ruth how are the children i am cooking for company a gain my health is graduly improveing Capt Glenn has resined now lieu Minton will be capt and a hard one on his men the campt is small and will be smaller before long there is but 28 affective in it some have sickened and been put under the sod some have been shot on battle field some have been discharged and some are sick now Ruth you know i have been writeing that i would be at home in the spring but the spring months are gone and i am yet far from / home yes and dear loved ones there but i will come some day if crist spares my life O if i was there now i have not been sick enoughf to get a discharge and to disert is disloial and dangerous i want a good name as a soldier but i am tiered and sick of camp life O could i take wings and fly how soon i would lite on Ohio soil whare the rore of cannon and the musketry is not herd let that noble state remain unstained with human blood we are in the same brigade with 46 and 77 Ohio boys and good soldiers they are they fite well i would write more but i must get dinner for a few men the reg went out out 2 milds beyond corinth last nite to have a little / fite and take some prisioners but i cannot tell yet whether we will per sue the enemy or not pope and mitchel is after them and other generals with large troops i have not received any letter for a long time Ruth now be of good chear pray for me O live in the way of the lord his will be done. lol dear lol write to me in mas letters yes and be ever kind to mother brother and sisters dear bless there there sweet faces i wish i could see them. well maby i can some time O if i was there to help you in your toils and hardships of life tis to wicked for me to be of so little benefit to my dear wife and children but maby i will do some little good yet / i think the war will soon be ore O then for the happy return of soldiers from the war when fond hearts will meet near to sever but alass see how many a thousand brave son never no never will see his friends on earth they have spilt there blood on the battle field. well i must close these poor lines i could write more but let this do this time write when you get this tell me how you get a long yes tell me all write ofton i do not know whether to risk money by letter or not i have some 50 dollars by me but i would well i remain your affectionate husband untill death

                                                                        John Griffen Scoville 

 

Sat June 7..62 well i did not have a chance to mail this untill today. we have moved 6 milds from Corrinth south west on the Memphus railroad we will stop hear a few days and then go to Memphus if we dont strike off after the rebbels my health is still improveing i have quit cooking and went into the ranks i have just got done washing some shirts it is most noon i send you ten dollars in this letter send word when you get it

 

O Ruth write to me, i have not received a letter for a long time if i get sick a gain i will try to get a discharge and come home as soon as boat and cars can fetch me. be of good chear. this war will play out some day that so—

                                                                        John G Scoville to family

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