Bowling Green, Kentucky, Letters of Pvt.Sam Smith, 15th Indiana Volunteer Infantry

Feb. 27, 1862
Bowling Green, Kentucky

Mrs. Smith, Dear Wife,

I am happy to inform you that I am well at present hoping when these few lines come to hand they may find you well and dong well. I received your letter about a week ago, but I have not wrote to you before now as we have been on the march. I wrote to you to send me something to eat, but you need not send it as there will not be much chance to get it. I am getting further off, and it is uncertain whether it would come or not for I don’t know where we are going. You said in your letter that you would like to send some warm coffee and biscuits and corn bread and sweet mil, but that would be too nice. You had better think I could wade up to my chin if I could get something of that kind, but, however, I think Uncle Sam’s biscuits are first rate. You said that you had written a part of that letter yourself that is from the black mark and you wanted to know if how I liked it very well. I could read it straight along, but there was some bad spelling and some very bad letters, but I could make it out very well. The main part of writing is to spell every word right, and you should take particular pains to learn to spell every word right When you set down to write you should have a book that is a spelling book or dictionary to look at and when you come to a word that you don’t know how to spell look at the book and see how it is spelled. I want you to take pains and write as good as you can and spell as good as you can and write your own letters. I can read your writing now, and if you will try and take pains, I can read it better. You have no idea how much good it does me to know that you can write as well as you can. You said that you wanted me to send myself to you in a letter, but I would much better send myself on the cars and other ways of transportation until we could meet face to face, but that will not be for a while yet, and perhaps, never, but I shall live in hope as long as I do live. You said in a letter that you sent by Josh Brazelton that you wanted me to send you all the money that I could spare. I am sorry to say that I have not no money yet, and confound my buttons if I know when I will, but when I get some I will send it to you. If you have not got the money borrow it from someone I have now four months pay coming to me now, and when I get it I can square the bill, and if you send me some stamps it will suit me for I am about out. I can write some more letters and then I will be done until I get stamps. So, I will have to close my letter as this sheet is all scribbled over. Give my respects to all friends and relations and to Mr. Howe. No more at present. I am remain your husband until death.

Sam T. Smith