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to: Wife, Daughters & Son.

Marked "No 1"; seemingly first letter sent to family while on post. Reports on news about Sherman & Charleston having fallen.

GLC06734.001

to: Mary [Armstrong, his wife].

Reporting on his arrival at the headquarters of the 9th Corps.

GLC06734.002

to: Wife.

Reports that he is now at the front, describes conditions at front & shells bursting in air around him, spreads news of capture of Wilmington.

GLC06734.003

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Describes being under enemy fire, ill health due to cold.

GLC06734.004

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Describes how he felt being under fire.

GLC06734.005

to: [?wife?].

GLC06734.006

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Reports on rumor that Sherman has been defeated, hopes it isn't true, talks about great number of dead and burial procedures, remarks on slavery as the sin of the South.

GLC06734.007

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Discusses his commanders & their religiosity, his preaching & religious ministering at the camp.

GLC06734.008

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Talks about systematic pilfering of the Sanitary Commission by high ranking soldiers; also reports on seeing black troops: "Today for the first time I saw whole regiments of black troops…They appear quite as well on parade as their more thoroughly...

GLC06734.009

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Reports various rumors about Sheridan's maneuvers. Also reports on nearby black uprising: "Our allies, the darkies, are evidently burning out their beloved Masters…"

GLC06734.010

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Describes army medic routines & ambulances, describes desolation of landscape due to war.

GLC06734.011

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Reports on troop maneuvers, Sheridan's whereabouts, etc.

GLC06734.012

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Reports on rumors that "Sherman, & Schoield, and Sheridan are working up, & Grant has Lee by the throat." Also describes in detail his work as a Chaplain & what it consists of.

GLC06734.015

to: Mary [Armstrong].

"I keep no diary of events, so I guess I had better send my diary home in the form of letters."

GLC06734.016

to: Mary [Armstrong]

Describes battle in detail. Also: "…The good news from Sheridan was read to the boys at inspection in the form of a dispatch from Gen. Grant. It was received with loud cheers. Surely the end draws nigh…"

GLC06734.017

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Describes impending battle plans .

GLC06734.018

to: Mary [Armstrong].

Describes feeling of impending battle. In part: "…Everything is quiet this morning, but it may be the calm before the storm. Sheridan is here, & his wonderful cavalry are not far off…"

GLC06734.019

to: Mary [Armstrong]

Describes widespread desertion by Confederate troops, intra-troop Confederate violence.

GLC06734.020

to Elizabeth Smith

He is very ill. Written from Stanton General Hospital.

GLC04189.56

to John Smith

Informing him that private D. V. M. Smith died on October 10th, 1863. Also informs him where Smith was buried.

GLC04189.57

to Elizabeth Smith

He found her husband's body and has sent it home by express. He warns her not to open the coffin because the body is "in an advanced state of decomposition."

GLC04189.58

to mother

Plans to attend a big government auction in Macon, Georgia. Before he goes home, he must stop in Washington and settle his old quartermaster accounts. He advises his mother on financial affairs including rent houses, and an oil well.

GLC04662.121

to mother

His quartermaster paper work is being inspected. He has met many of his army friends in the city.

GLC04662.123

to Elizabeth Smith

He has been sick since he joined the Army and now believes that his illness is due to bad food which "the devil can not eat." He describes how the regiment left New Jersey and traveled via railroad to Maryland. His regiment captured three of...

GLC04189.01

to Elizabeth Smith

The Confederates camped twenty miles away in Frederick, Maryland. He has "Inflamatory Rheumatism" in his legs. The regiment's officers think that they will all be discharged by Christmas. Smith begs his wife to write him more frequently and adds...

GLC04189.02