99th Illinois Infantry

Item LTR-7448

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages, written in period ink.


Matagorda Island, Texas
April 24th 1864

Dear Sister,

I take the present time of answering your kind and welcome letter which came to hand a few days ago. And I was glad to hear that you were all well and doing fine. I am well and so is the other boys that you were acquainted with. There is nothing going on here at this time.

All the troops have left but our Brigade, and gone to New Orleans. And I expect up Red River also. I was very glad to get a letter from you and to see that you had improved so much in writing. You can beat Mary and Bill both writing and if you keep on learning, you can soon beat me. There is nothing like writing nice letters and also nothing like being a good scholar. You in your letter said that Sarah Moore was going to teach your school and that you were not going to school. I think you had better go to school whether you like the school teacher or not. You can learn if you will study and you may have ever so good a teacher and you cannot learn unless you do study.

It is reported here that we will go to New Orleans in a few days and go up Red River. I expect you have heard of old Banks getting whipped up there before this time. We have not had the particulars as yet, but I fear that we were considerably used up and only because the troops were not moved in supporting distance of each other.

I was glad to hear of you having so many young lambs and several young calves. I also was glad to hear about the young ladies. I hope they all may have good luck in getting married. That is if they want to. I think that Sis Harrelson and Samuel Seybold must have a good time in sparking. I wonder if the old lady is with Liza as she used to be with the older girls. I reckon Tammy gets lots of kisses, but I reckon she has repented of her old ways and learned anew. I should think that all the nice young girls might have beaus in your section of the country when I look back there and can see George Scouten. He would do for several in a pinch (mighty fine boy, will make a preacher yet). Oh yes, there is James Houston, Charles Mathers, and several others I might mention. But it would not be worthwhile. I don’t see the use of a lady waiting for a soldier while there is as nice young men at home as the preceding named ones.

I understand that James is about to marry Miss Ogle. I don’t care how true it is. I have not a great deal to write this eve. For we are still on this lonesome island and I don’t feel all right by a jug full, but I don’t know the reason. I believe you did not say anything about Jennie Phillips in your letter. What was the reason. Did not you know anything to tell about here!

Oh, I had liked to have forgot to tell you that I made me a bed sack the other day. I think now that I have a very good bed for a soldier. I also made me a pillow. We have plenty of grass here to fill out ticks with. I guess you will be apt to be planting corn when this gets to fishhook. You said that Josephene did not have any bean. What is the reason. There is long legged Harrelson. What outs him. I should think he would do. But so says the book the righteous shall be persecuted. I should like to know how Mary and Jason is getting a long and where William lays out now or whether he has quit running around after night. It is a bad practice.

My gal has come down from Indianola here. But I have not seen her yet. She is very good looking for a Texas girl. Great deal of Dutch about here. Big assed things, but don’t tell anyone. I wish you could help me eat my raisins that I have now. I think you would like them considerably. Maybe they are sweeter than the boys. I know they are sweeter than any girl in Pike County with the exception of a few. You said that you had been to Perry meeting not long before you wrote to me and you did not say what kind of a time you had, whether any joined or who preached or who went or anything else. I am very inquisitive and like to know all about things.

Well, I recon that there is some copperheads back there yet and that they feel bad at present and will feel worse when the next President is elected. I hear that some of them have died. I think the giver of all good must of sent his destroying angel down and took John Allen out of the midst of men, where his soul may lay dormant until a future period. And while he was upon the earth, he thought it would not do to leave the children of men with such a man as Tom Young in their midst. So he made good his errand by taking those two. I have not heard from our South Prairie rebel connection for a long time and am not a caring if I never do. I have not heard from George for sometime. I don’t exactly know the date of his last letter that I got from him.

I hope you may all be well wen these lines reach home and as I have written all the news, I believe I shall bring my letter to a close. When you write, give all the particulars.

I am ever your Brother,

Jacob E. Stauffer
Lieutenant, Company G
99th Illinois Infantry

Nancy Stauffer
Fishhook, Pike County, Illinois

Lear to read and write. Spell and decipher

Nancy L. Stauffer
Perry Pike County Illinois

April 22nd 1864