David S. Morgan, Letter #3
london Ky
Saturday eavning
February the 15 1862
Dear Wife
I seat myself this eavning to let you no that I am yet on the stage of action
I have ben tolerable feble about --- weeks I have had some kind of a dum ague and
fever I traveled three Days in this fix I stoped here last Monday with about thirty
others the Regment went on last Monday I learn tha are now in twelve miles of the
cumberland gap tha will have to fight thare for the rebels is fortified in the gap and we
hear the rebels is reenforceing thare we are in General Carters Briggade thare is five
Regments in our Briggade and about 17 hundred caveraly and some artileraly if we
get through the gap I guess it wont be long till we will be at noxville now I will tell you
something about how I am situated here we have a good stove room to stay in and
have plenty good Biscuits to eat and beef and tea and coffee I wish you had my part
of the coffee for I drink it at all and hant for some time now Rachel I have taken so
much quinine that I havent hardly got sense enough to rite a letter I think I will get
Tolerable stout again in a week or two one of my mess is here with me his name is
Isaac Breeden and some more out of my company we have right smart snow here
this week Rachel you will have some wether that you can paster the wheat dont let
the things go on the wheat when it is muddy now Rachel I would not feed the hogs
unless it is sows and pigs be saven of the corn dont sell any dont sell any wheat or
oats be saven of it all we will need it next summer Now Rachel everthing seams to
bid fair for this War to close this spring Our troops gained a great victory the other
day on tennissee river at fort henry and also in North Carolina at Ronoch island our
troops took three thousand prisners and that was a great victory that was gained at
Summerset a few weeks ago Whre Zollyoffer was killed thare is a man her that got
a letter form a friend in Myrlan he rote that two companies of rebels laid down thair
arms and said tha would not fight against the union any more I believe the lord is on
our side if he is he is more than tha that is against us the lord has brought me through
three months of this great campaign if he spares me three months longer I think I will
nearly hear peace proclaimed I wont you all to pray for it for a soldiers life is a dreary
one money would not tempet me to stay away from my famley but this thing has to be
stood up two square towed and I feel willing to bare my part the best I can though when
a man gets sick he thinks of the comforts of home and the embraces of his friend I
remember the eavning we got here we camped about a mile from town I had a chill on
mee and had to go to the woods and get leaves to make mee a bed I wont to get as
stout as I can before I go on to the regment so I will be able to stand the hard ships
my faith is tolerable strong yet to bleve that I will get home and see you all agan I
pray often for it and I trust you all are praying for us at home
February the 16 Dear Wife I sit down this holy sabath morning to finish my letter I feel
like I am still on the mend this morning I et a biscuit and a spoonfull of molasses and
some tea O how I would like to be at home this morning and go to meeting with
you Now Rachel I wont you to live religous and pray for mee keep up the famley alter
set good exampels before them Dear little Boys of ours I often pray for you all at home
may god bless you and take care of you and the children and save you in heaven muust
close rite often Direct your letter to london Ky 49 Regment Indiana Volunteers in care
of captain Ritter
D. S. Morgan to Rachel Morgan
A few lines to fother Mack Dear fother I recieved a letter from you and elvin a few Days ago it was rote the 30 of January and was glad to hear from you all once more I hope this will find you all well you rote something about that Inman debt in your letter that you stayed you stated in yours that I wonted you to pay the 30 Dollars on the note and say nothing about what you have done for Rachel you stated that you had paid 3 Dollars and 75 cents for Rachel you must keep this out and the corn gethering you no how much it all is you can reduct this thing out and the balance I would like for you to pay on the Judgement you stated that Billy kearby said that I said you could pay for them oxen when you pleased I think he was mitaken if mistake not I told him to tell you to pay it to Rachel or Inman which you pleased so no more on this (turn over)
Now I would like to see you all and be with you in one more class meeting I hope you wont forget me while I am far away I have rote about all that is necissary at present Billey you must be a good Boy and mind your granmother and granpap and if I get home I will get you that knife I have got your barlow yet I will close rite soon D.S. Morgan to fother Mack
to Elvin Damewood and famley Dear Brother I hope this will find you all well and doing well i was glad to hear from you the worst falt I found to your letter thare wasent much of it now elvln I would like to see you the best kind Now elvin I wont you to sow all that field by the meeting house in oats Sow them in march if you can for I think tha will do better sowed earley I wont you to fix up the fence keep an acount of all the extra work you do and if I live I will make it all rite if I have to do it by Days work I wont you to plant all the corn you can it might be that I will get home in time to help you in the crop if I dont I wont you to do the best you can for your self and the best you can for my famley I bleve you will do that Now I will inform that thare was three secesh prisners brought in here today tha was taken out about the gap somewhere Now I must close Elvin rite to me often and pray for mee
Yours truly
D.S. Morgan to Damewood and famley
* Note: As always, I do not correct the spelling or change the text.
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