24 August 1862

Ubil, Frederick, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Writes Reeser asking for help on the farm and offers to pay him. Request that he plough and sow the clover and purchase phosphate for areas without manure. Inquires about the news of the day and about his neighbors. Mentions not knowing when he will return and having to wait for a draft.

GLC03523.43.04

29 December 1862

Detterline, Hiram, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Writes to Reeser wishing him well. States they will be heading to Richmond, Virginia. Comments on the boys being in good health and ready to fight the Confederates. Mentions hearing General Ambrose E. Burnside being defeated along the Potomac. Remarks on being in the Union army for sixteen months and being sick half of the time and wanting to take his ranks in the 97th regiment. Describes spending Christmas target shooting, having a foot race, wheelbarrow match, jig dancing, and tying "nigros" hands behind their back and having them search for a coin with their mouth out of a cornmeal-…

GLC03523.43.05

13 July 1863

Engberth, Jacob M., fl. 1863-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Describes fighting another hard battle. States, "the Army never fought So hard befor thair wos so men killed and wonded and missen in our Rege- thair is 40 men left in the three Compene and some of them wos wounded but some wore out by hard marches…all the officers is wonded but one Capt and Leutenet..." Describes the place being the prettiest area with the nicest girls. Comments on how many Copperheads there are in the states. Mentions the farmers complaining about the army marching through their fields: they "was not Pleased because we wos fiting on thair land but men in merland cheard…

GLC03523.43.06

21 July 1863

Edwards, Daniel, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Describes the camp being nice and seeing the Potomac River. Reports seeing plenty of rebels that "are hard looking fases some of them are very neare naked and as dirty as hogs…" Mentions being able to wash every week and having a "sporting horse he can run with any and in the crowd when the spirs comes down he has to get up and run." Comments on being hungry when soldiering and "could eat the pork raw." Describes marching for two days and nights in the mud. Inquires about who has been drafted from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Chester, Pennsylvania. Complains about the rebels taking all…

GLC03523.43.07

29 August 1863

Engberth, Jacob M., fl. 1863-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Comments on deserters being shot. Describes a deserter being led through camp behind his coffin, allowed to speak a few words, and "his leges wos tide up and kneeled becide his coffen and then thair wos twelve men shot at him…" Reports that two soldiers were shot from the same division, five were shot from 112th regiment, and three were shot from 12th Corps. Adds that five will be executed today in the army Corps. Mentions that the war will not last long once Charleston, South Carolina falls "it will strike tearer [sic] to the harts of all the Southren Soldier…" Mentions that General…

GLC03523.43.08

15 March 1864

Engberth, Jacob M., fl. 1863-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Talks of being on picket every third day and having both drill company and brigade drill daily. Mentions that reentry is good and that they have 57 men on the roll compared to 17. Complains about another man named Jacob not paying them the local bounty and having to write to Captain [Aichholtz] in West Chester, Pennsylvania to give him his credit there. He was finally able to obtain a certificate showing that he was enlisted. Mentions that he has not been paid yet but will get paid next month and will then pay Reeser. Discusses how the war is going to "fill some mens pockets... and as…

GLC03523.43.11

14 September 1864

Bow, Nathan, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Writes to John Reeser from Company B. Describes being about ten miles from fighting and hearing the soldiers firing at each other all the time. Comments that the rebels are "firing at our pickits every nights." Describes taking a man prisoner while on picket and sending him to head quarters. Informs Reeser that he will send ten dollars to him. Inquires after a friend who was sent to Philadelphia; sends message to have his friend join him in Company B.

GLC03523.43.12

1 October 1864

Penn, Willey, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Writes from the White Horse Motel in Philadelphia. Informs Reeser that he will be in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and wants Reeser to meet him. Plans on traveling home with Reeser. Talks of taking the stage home if Reeser is unavailable. Mentions wanting to make it to a meeting on Thursday. On White Horse Hotel stationary.

GLC03523.43.14

15 October 1864

Powell, Joseph, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Comments on being ill today and not working. Writes that he is working for Construction Corpse Smith's Gang. Describes working at a carpenter business making $2.75 per day with boarding and good quarters. Mentions that they receive $5.00 when working all night, time and a half when working on a Sabbath, and after three months will receive free transportation home. Writes that they are putting up a stationary engine in the south part of town. Reports that the Confederate "Jonies" are about twenty miles from them, between them and Atlanta, Georgia. Comments that they expect the…

GLC03523.43.15

2 November 1864

Ubil, Frederick, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Apologizes for not writing sooner, and for Si not writing. Mentions that Si is unhappy here because he doesn't have a girl yet but he is looking at two or three and will soon be all right. Writes that many of his friends have quit and moved away. Discusses a political meeting they had on Friday where the union spoke. Says that there is another meeting tomorrow and the Democrats will speak, or the "smut machine as the unnion speaker calls them." Writes that the election is on Tuesday and "after that the country is saved so the speakers said on both sides if they voted for there men."…

GLC03523.43.16

3 November 1864

Howe, Nathan, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Discusses putting Lincoln in for four more years. Inquires if Reeser received his letter requesting gloves and if so for Reeser to send him the gloves along with ten dollars. Tells him that he is out of money and won't get paid for another month. Inquires after a female, saying that if she is a Copperhead that she need not write to him. Comments that he will fight until the rebels are locked out. Describes giving the rebels hell on the 24th on the old barracks battleground.

GLC03523.43.17

November 20, 1864

Unknown

Manuscript letter

Title: to unknown

Comments that he is doing well other than a bad cold that he caught on the boat. Describes being at the old dismounted camp where the regimental property is. Reports that Company B is about six miles away on picket duty and that he will be out as soon as he can. Mentions that he is taking care of lame horses. Sends his best to everyone back home.

GLC03523.43.18

20 November 1864

Howe, Nathan, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Reeser

Mentions that he received the ten dollars that Reeser sent him. Reports that Dan has not joined the Company yet and that he is at the dismounted camp on the other side of the river. Inquires after a pair of boots that he requested the "old man" make for him, and asks Reeser to tell the "old man" to make the boots a little bigger. Request Reeser to pay for the boots and to send them express to Company B, 11th Calvary.

GLC03523.43.19

18 December 1864

Hulslander, C.B., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary H. Benedict

Apologizes for taking so long to write back. Mentions that he is sick and has been for about ten days but believes that he will get better. Inquires after her singing and and asks how George is coming along with his melodies. Wishes that he could hear her sing and play, and says "it will do me as much good as my diner." Writes about choosing what type of cake he would like. Informs her that he would like those "little round scallope cakes" and prefers it over the clove cake. Inquires after the children, Ed and Ellen, and ask if she has to whip them often or if they are good children.

GLC03523.43.20

1 January 1864

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his friends

Writes to his friends from Camp Douglas. Complains about not receiving any letters from home. Reports not hearing any news from Washington, D.C. yet (possibly regarding a discharge). The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. Letter is addressed to his friends but envelope is addressed to his father, A. P. Kessler.

GLC03523.52.28

February 14, 1864

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to A. P. Kessler

Writes to his father from Camp Douglas. Discusses his and other soldiers' requests for a discharge. Notes they have most of the officers signature on a petition and their lawyer is still waiting to hear from Washington. Comments they should know the outcome within a few weeks. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.52.37

31 July 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from camp. Reports they buried a man yesterday who was killed in battle. They marched 30 miles to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Discusses visiting the Michigan Museum, the law department, and the medical department while in Ann Arbor. Notes seeing fleas, elephants, sea shells and animals, birds, a human skeleton, and various kinds of pictures. Request she sends him postage. Writes about a bad storm that brought lots of rain and hail. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.52.05

10 August 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Writes to his sister from camp. Discusses the weather. Comments they have been living off of hard crackers for a week and are expecting bread tomorrow. Complains about the bread being sour and dirty. Discusses two new tunes that their band has learned. Writes about the ladies who come into camp and listen to them play. Reports that officers sent 15 to 20 deserters to a prison where they are to be court marshaled. Notes that this is one of the prisoners third time deserting and he is expected to be shot. Reports General Ambrose E. Burnside issued orders that anyone absent from regiment…

GLC03523.52.06

13 August 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Instructs his sister to sell some butter and eggs to purchase stamps. Advises her not to visit, says that the town is small and it would cost too much. Complains about the officers' backgrounds being in farming and not the military. Request that his father purchase him a colt with his money. Inquires after the family and everyone's health. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.52.07

30 August 1863

Kessler, A.P., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his friends

Writes from Camp Douglas. Notes the cold weather. Discusses another soldier in camp who is a mean drunk.

GLC03523.52.10

11 September 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to A. P. Kessler

Writes to his father from Camp Douglas. Reports he did not get paid as expected and is out of paper and postage. Discusses another man in camp whose body was sent home. Comments the soldier had a sore throat and had only been sick for a few days before he died. Notes he is the only man in his regiment who has died of illness. Comments many of the men are tired of being in the army. Writes, "when or if ever get out alive I think we shall stay out thats whats the matter not because we Have not Been provided for but this thing of being under a command that makes a few dollars more than we…

GLC03523.52.13

28 September 1863

Kessler, Samuel, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kessler

Writes to his sister from camp. Describes the "great battle" [the Battle of Chickamauga] that is taking place. Notes his regiment has been in the battle since the beginning. Writes they fell back five miles and have been fortifying ever since. Notes that the rebels, who are commanded by General Braxton Bragg, have reinforced and now outnumber them three to one. Comments that the Confederates are in front of them and will try to push them into the Louisiana River but believe they are too well fortified for that to happen. Reports on the death toll and wounded soldiers.

GLC03523.52.14

26 September 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from Camp Douglas. Reports 1500 Confederate prisoners have arrived in camp over the last two days. Discusses two men who were killed in camp. The first was a sharpshooter who shot himself. The other was a "negro boy" who was shot by a guard. Writes, "… He felt getting Rather careless He was going to His quarters and crossed the gard [sic] when the gard [sic] Halted him 3 times and He did not stop the 4th time shot him…" Thanks her for the stamps. Encourages her to go to school this winter. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. Addressee name…

GLC03523.52.15

8 October 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from Camp Douglas. Informs her the fruit she sent was destroyed and not to send him any more. Discusses soldiers who have not reported back to camp. Comments they will be listed as deserters if they do not report back soon. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. Addressee name taken from envelope.

GLC03523.52.16

9 October 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his friends

Writes to his friends from Camp Douglas. Reports on a soldier who has not reported back to camp. Informs them that he expects their band to break up. Their regiment is short men, and he writes that it is hard to find good replacements. Comments that he will not pick up a rifle, if ordered he too will take a furlough and not return. Complains about the army and his regiment. Writes, "this thing of enlisting to get a Drunkard a position or and office is about played out with me…he (a recruiting officer) did not get Will Stevison I hope He know better than to come in such a miserable…

GLC03523.52.17