Crestline

Crawford co.

Ohio.

May 21^st 1865.

 

Dear Mother

                        Ah! now open your eyes, get down the old map and go to work hunting out the place where Huston is. when you have found it then begin to make conjectures as to what he is doing there. then what I would suppose will be the next thing is, is what when he will get home and so on. I dont know that I can answer these but perhaps can give some information in regard to a portion of them.

 

Last tuesday morning we had orders to be ready to move at / two oclock. then everything was hustle hurry untill all were ready. every one's heart almost ready to jump out at the prospect of getting off of that forsaken Island. when all was ready and rather impatiently waiting the time, the order was countermanded untill six the next (wednesday) morning, as it was not altogather countermanded evry one made himself as cheerful as posible, and at the appointed hour on wednesday morning we stepped on board of the steam boat Geo Reynolds and in a few minutes landed at Sandusky city, where we were marched to the cars and by nine oclock had started full speed for Crestline, where we arrived at twelve oclock noon. The citizens all flocked out to / see us, apparently glad that we had come for they received us kindly. we went into camp and when we had got about fixed for the night I noticed one young Lady with her Uncle and Aunt (I have learned since they were) came walking through camp and takeing great pleasure in converseing with the boys. after it began to get late they retired and it went around from one toung to another what a nice young lady that is. Well we heard nothing more of her untill Satureday morning when her uncle sent word that he would give us a supper that evening in camp.

 

when evening came here came this identical Lady at the head of four others, one her Aunt, with a spring wagon load of good things and spread them out on a table we / had prepared for them. then we were invited to eat, which of course we did not refuse to do. but I never saw a set of soldiers act so genteel as they did at that table. all ate untill they were filled, then stepped back and when all were through we gave them our thanks and three rousing cheers. the Ladies then gathered up the fragments and gave to the boys for breakfast. this first one I spoke of was the chieftian she had done most all the work. that day she baked seventy two pies beside other things. It is hard for me to tell how the boys felt towards her. they would do anything in their power for her. she is an angel in their eyes almost. when they left us her uncle said that in of a few days they would give us a better one, that one was got up in too much of a hurry. the boys are in high spirrits, for the people show them so much respect, yet the place has the name of being a strong rebel sympathizing place.

SOURCES