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

March 6, 1862

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Mrs. Smith, Dearest and Most Precious Companion:

I am enjoying moderate health at this time. I am not as well as I was when I wrote you the last time as I have a small touch of diarrhea, but not very bad and I hope that it will not be very bad. When I wrote the last letter I was within four miles of Bowling Green, and now we are across the river about one mile beyond Bowling Green. Well Lizzie you ought to see the soldiers making mules of themselves pulling the wagons up the river bank. Since writing the above I received a letter from you and Tish and Abe which I was glad to hear from you all but sorry to hear of the sickness of Dock Wess. I wrote in my other letter for you not to send me anything to eat. I did not know when I would go nor I don’t know yet, but have an idea. I think we will go to Nashville, Tennessee, and if we go there you can send me something right straight as long as the railroad runs straight through with the exception of some of the bridges that the devils burned down. If you send me anything, send me an assortment of everything that you think will keep until I get it. If you send anything, you had better direct it to Nashville, Tennessee. If I had a stuffed hen today it would suit me fine. I have had nothing to eat of consequences for about four days. Don’t understand me that we have nothing at all, but I will tell you the provisions have been scanty which is always the case when we are on the march, and even if we have plenty all of the time I would still like to have something of your fixing up anyhow. Well Lizzie if you can send me a chicken or two and some peas and some cakes and fruits and such things, pitch-in. Leon can tell you how to direct it. If you send anything, send it as soon as you can as it is uncertain how long we will stay in one place. I understand we will get some money when we get to Nashville, and if I get any I will send some home forthwith and that will please you I know, and I know that it will please me. Lizzie I want you to send me some stamps if you can get them anyways for I am about out and when I get out writing will stop until I get some from home for there is no chance to get any here. I want you to send me a box of pills such as we use to get that is a kind that acts on the liver. Well Lizzie I will have to come to a close as I have written all that I can think of at this time and if I could think of ever so much I don’t feel like writing. Tell Tish and Abe that I don’t feel well enough to answer their letter at this time. Give them my best respects. Tell them I will write them a letter sometimes when I feel well enough. They can get the news that I have to write by reading this letter. You must excuse this letter for it is badly written. Lizzie you must do the best you can, and I will do the same. Give my respects to friends and relations. No more at present.
I remain your husband as ever,
Sam T. Smith

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